Dr Paola Leardini and Dr Manfredo Manfredini, experienced Italian architects both lecturing at the School of Architecture and Planning, have been strong supporters of introducing Passive Houses into New Zealand. Murray’s contact with Paola several years ago led them to work on the first Passive House in Glendowie, and sowed the seed for this project. Paola and Manfredo completed the first concept design, including floor plans and 3D drawings (realised with the help of students of the School) which became the base that S3 Architects were able to develop into working plans.
This is their summary of the project:
“The ‘iDEAL Home’ represents the ultimate challenge in the field of energy efficient housing. Supporting the idea that today’s energy questions must focus on ‘energy efficiency and renewables’, this housing project combines benefits of the Passive House (PH) standard with the potential of the latest PV technology. The PH standard offers a reliable solution (even for the New Zealand climate) to reduce residential buildings’ energy consumption, largely due to heating loads. As PH buildings use about 80% less energy than the current building stock, the small remaining energy demand can be covered economically by a wide variety of sustainable solutions, first of all renewables. This proposed design solution – despite many constraints imposed by client’s needs and budget – states the ever-changing character of the contemporary aesthetic of sustainability in architecture and explores the interactive relationship between natural resources, renewable technologies and the resulting form of the habitable space.”
Click here for a profile on Dr Paola Leardini.
