Passive house design on a budget
Lower Saddle House sits between two small hills, overlooking the settlement of Tahekeroa on Auckland’s North Shore.
Having built a reputation on designing beyond the building code, this project was Respond’s first foray into Certified Passive House design. The project also has approved Homestar version 5 certification to 10 stars.
The aim was to produce a high-performance building at a similar cost to standard New Zealand housing, showing that it’s possible to produce higher quality, lower energy housing to reasonable budgets.
The focus lay on producing a compact design with a well-insulated, airtight envelope, providing a healthy interior environment with minimal heating costs. To keep costs down the interior fit out is basic and functional, allowing the option to upgrade in the future, as it’s far easier to upgrade a kitchen or bathroom than windows or walls.
Robust plywood linings to interior walls, and paint to the exposed SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels), also kept costs down. The interior is conditioned by a mechanical heat recovery system, while high specification double glazed windows and shading both mitigate overheating in the summer, and allow warmth in during the winter months.
Externally the home has a traditional appearance which belies its modern fabric. Vertical board and batten cladding and a metal roof blend the home into the rural vernacular, while a wide covered deck provides year-round exterior living space.
More on Passive House design:
Cost vs Benefits: Passive House
Passive House Certified homes – a question of cost
