Pro Clima New Zealand Celebrates 20 Years of INTELLO with Documentary Series

To commemorate 20 years of INTELLO — the leading Intelligent Air Barrier — Pro Clima NZ have released a short documentary series examining the evolution of New Zealand homes. The mini-series compares early 1900s villas with modern builds, exploring the persistent challenges of moisture, cold, mould, and structural durability faced by many newer constructions.

In the first episode of "How to Build a Better Tomorrow", host Francis is joined by Jon Davies, Education Manager at Pro Clima, to uncover the secrets behind a 100-year-old wooden villa. They explore the construction methods, revealing why these homes still stand today. Despite their remarkable durability, the episode highlights that these early designs often lacked comfort, energy efficiency, and health considerations, with draughty interiors and big firewood piles. The episode also explores why simply adding insulation to homes is insufficient for meeting modern comfort and efficiency standards, outlining what it truly takes to upgrade these houses for today's needs.

Watch episode one:

The second episode continues with Francis and Jon discussing the concept of airtightness. Using comparisons, such as the difference between a draughty villa and a sealed car, they illustrate how controlling airflow directly impacts energy efficiency and comfort. The episode features experiments, including a blower door test, to demonstrate the effects of airtightness, and showcases how even a minor 1mm gap over a 1m² area in a building's airtightness layer can lead to significant heat loss and moisture buildup. This episode underscores how airtightness is essential for both long-term durability and creating healthy, energy-efficient homes.

Watch episode two:

Join Pro Clima NZ on this journey to understand what leads to the longevity of buildings and discover how deliberate airtightness plays a crucial role in modern building design for enhanced durability, comfort, and health.

Click here to watch the full series on Pro Clima's YouTube channel

Intelligent Airtightness Membrane (INTELLO PLUS)

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The pro clima airtightness system prevents uncontrolled air infiltration or leakage through the building envelope, and assists the drying capacity of the building through its unique moisture control properties.

Suitable for all construction and where there is risk of interstitial condensation
The protection of insulation from air movement
Preventing uncontrollable air flow though the building envelope
An optional continuous cavity for electrical and plumbing services can be created on the inside face of the external wall by fixing battens horizontally over the INTELLO membrane before installing the wall lining
The main advantage of a service cavity is to shift the plumbing and wiring out of the insulation layer
A service cavity also reduces the penetrations through the airtightness membrane allowing easy and fast installation of services
This also eliminates pressure points on inner lining (eg. plasterboard) from insulation expansion

The NZBC requires only that airtightness be considered, not measured. INTELLO directly assists with meeting the following requirements:

Clause E3.1 INTERNAL MOISTURE: Buildings must safeguard people against illness, injury, or loss of amenity that could result from the accumulation of internal moisture
Clause E3.2 INTERNAL MOISTURE: Buildings must avoid the likelihood of fungal growth or the accumulation of contaminants on linings and other building elements
Clause E2 EXTERNAL MOISTURE: Concealed spaces and cavities in buildings must be constructed in a way that prevents external moisture being accumulated or transferred and causing condensation, fungal growth, or degradation of building elements
Clause E2 EXTERNAL MOISTURE: Building elements must make due allowance for the following: (a) the consequences of failure, (c) variation in the properties of materials and in the characteristics of the site
Clause E2 EXTERNAL MOISTURE: Interior linings with all joints stopped require barriers to airflow
Clause H1 : ENERGY EFFICIENCY: The building must be constructed to limit uncontrollable airflow
Clause H1 : ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Account must be taken of physical conditions likely to affect energy performance of buildings; (c) Airtightness of the building envelope.
Clause B2 : DURABILITY: Performance B2.3.1(a), not less than 50 years, B2.3.1(b), 15 years and B2.3.2

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