Designing better
Significant performance improvements can be achieved affordably in houses by designing above the New Zealand Building Code minimum requirements. So, where is a good place to start to improve the liveability of a house?
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Significant performance improvements can be achieved affordably in houses by designing above the New Zealand Building Code minimum requirements. So, where is a good place to start to improve the liveability of a house?
BRANZ went into the field to solve the problem of a failed roof cavity in a new build in Tauranga. Because of the parapet design, a novel approach was taken that used a solar fan to ventilate the cavity.
Ventilation of cold roof designs in New Zealand doesn’t always go smoothly. Here, BRANZ physicists hand over to a couple of professional builders who have long been at the coalface dealing with roof moisture issues on their projects.
BRANZ was called into a Dunedin school where too much ventilation caused excessive condensation in a large roof space. Understanding why this happened points to warm roofs being better in some locations.
Conventional ventilation keeps a home sufficiently aired but has an energy cost. An option is to install a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system that ventilates a home while efficiently conserving energy.
BRANZ scientists work collaboratively and in multi-disciplinary teams to effectively find answers to some of the complex issues that buildings present, particularly as the push to higher-performing buildings grows.
The BRANZ Pilot Housing Survey found an increase in heat pumps in rented housing. This is an encouraging trend, but many areas still need changes to improve house condition and occupant wellbeing.
Recent BRANZ research into the airtightness of apartment buildings has prompted a shift in thinking around airtightness and ventilation. BRANZ now recommends that residential buildings are mechanically ventilated and are built to an airtightness target.