A pilot low carbon home, LowCO, is one of four low carbon residences built by Fletcher Living at Waiata Shores, in Auckland.

The three-bedroom home was the result of a multi-disciplinary pilot project to see if a New Zealand home could be built to a radically low carbon footprint consistent with climate targets. “Through careful choices informed by data-driven modelling, we achieved that target,” said Steve Evans, Chief Executive of Fletcher Building's Residential and Development Division, at the opening. The home building sector faced a monumental shift in the way it designs, sources materials, and builds, said Mr Evans. “Building a low carbon house that meets the 1.5 degree Celsius carbon budget is a move towards meeting our emission goals and we see it as an essential step for preparing our business for future climate challenges.”

The APL Centrafix system is designed to efficiently recess a high-performance ThermalHEART window or door frame from the front face of the cladding back into the building wall. This aligns the insulating elements of the window with the insulation elements of the wall, thus maximising overall thermal effectiveness. All windows in the system have IGU’s with Argon gas fill and two low-emissivity coating options for enhanced energy efficiency. Triple glazing is also available.

Nicola Tagiston, Head of Sustainability for Fletcher Living, said that the biggest contributor to a low carbon home was the operational carbon — how the dwelling was heated and cooled over its lifetime. This led to a choice of products that ensured that the home would have optimum insulation and an airtight thermal envelope.

Other advantages of the Centrafix installation method include the elimination of exterior airflow around window frames, and the provision of a factory fitted, fully integrated, sill-safe system to manage weathertightness and airtightness.

APL Centrafix installation and ThermalHEART products are available from Altherm, First and Vantage window manufacturers nationwide. The window supplier to the LowCO units at Waiata Shores was Huntly Joinery Window Systems, who supplied fixed and awning windows, and hinged and French doors.