Herbie Bult recently approached pro clima to assist in the specifications for building a new home that would be measurably comfortable. He and his wife specifically wanted something predictably warm, dry, healthy and energy efficient, as well as allowing accessibility for the future. All this while building with 'normal' building materials and techniques. Pro clima NZ Ltd's suite of products for weathertightness and deliberate airtightness work perfectly to significantly improve the thermal performance of any construction.

Starting with the concrete floor slab, they upgraded to a fully insulated slab from Maxraft, minimising heat loss into the ground as there are no direct connections of concrete to the ground or surrounding air. Already the comfort increases and energy bills decrease.

The thermal performance of the building envelope was improved by increasing the insulation values to more than required by the building code and then protecting that value by installing the INTELLO membrane on the inside of the insulation. The INTELLO internal airtightness layer lies at the heart of building envelope performance as it eliminates unwanted air movement through the structure and helps retain heat within the building. It also stops internal moisture from flowing into the insulation layer and condensing (interstitial condensation).

Ventilation is an undercooked element of new builds. The expectation is that a bathroom extract fan is adequate, and to provide sufficient air exchange the owner will open and close windows with obsession. Instead, Herbie installed a ComfoAir whole-house ventilation and heat-recovery system from Zehnder. This ensures internal air is replaced on a planned and continuous basis to remove moist air and provide fresh air into every room. Additional heating is supplied by a gas fireplace in the main living area when needed.

With airtightness and a ventilation system in place, what need is there for the occupants to open windows and doors? The answer is 'as much as they want to'. If the weather is cold or foul, the windows are there to see it, but not feel it. The owners have the control to keep winter outside, and fresh air inside.

The joinery suite was Metro Series from Vantage Aluminium offering a thermal break, combined with Plannitherm Low-e glass with Argon gas fill.

To round out the comfort and usability of the home, a lift has been installed to ensure easy access to the upper living areas. Level entry showers and wider doorways also mean that this home will serve Herbie and his wife Linda for many years to come.