High-performing in Northcote

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Former world champion rower Tonia Williams' Formance home stands out. Tonia says- "This isn't just an 'instant pot noodle' house". And that's for sure. Tonia's creative abilities show in every detail of this home.

“When I returned to New Zealand at the end of 2000 from competing in England, it was the height of the leaky-building crisis. I started looking at different ways of building houses.”

Tonia's experience in designing Formance SIP energy-efficient homes was put to use in this forever home of her own. Passive solar heating & low voltage lighting throughout work in tune with Formance System to provide the family a more sustainable and energy-efficient home with a warmer, drier, and healthier living environment.

DIY, The Kiwi Way.

Tonia and her husband, Stephen, did much of the work on the home themselves- including painting the Formance SIP structure as an interior design element. The use of color in the home is refreshing - while also reflecting the colors of the environment outside. In the kitchen area- Tonia wanted to mimic colorful terrazzo. So her husband, Stephen went on the search for blue glass, collecting 1300 bottles from the wheelie bins of Portofino restaurant in the Viaduct.

A Home Sculpted by Nature

The house sits atop a steeply sloping ridge, sheltered beneath a 400-year-old Pohutukawa tree with expansive views in two directions. Exposed to both elements and two horizons, Tonia's home is oriented for generous solar gain with private living that follows the sun.

Formance SIPs used: Formance Wall Panels 165mm R4.3, Formance Roof Panels 215mm R5.7

Architect: Vitruvion

Location: Northcote, Auckland

Floor Area: 222m2

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High-performing in Northcote
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It’s no secret many New Zealanders live in cold, damp homes. Mould, leaks, and draughts damage health, and 1,600 New Zealanders die every year as a direct result of living in unhealthy, poorly insulated homes. And sadly, it’s not only old houses that cause problems. The reality is that new homes built to current building code are also inadequate because New Zealand’s building standards lag far behind the rest of the developed world.

Traditional methods of construction have cold thermal bridges in the building envelope through their timber framing, and for insulation they only just meet the minimum requirements. They’re also heavily reliant on the installer doing it right and as they slump over time they lose their effectiveness.

Formance Structural Insulated Panels, or SIPs are a high-performing building material for the ultimate energy efficient home. Replacing the timber framing building envelope with Formance panels provides continuous insulation with near zero air leakage, creating a consistently warmer, drier and healthier indoor environment for the long term.

If you’re the kind of person who loves wearing shorts and a t-shirt around home regardless of the season then take a look at upgrading your building envelope to Formance. You will kiss goodbye to high power bills and enjoy four seasons of summer every year.

To learn more about energy efficient comfortable living, visit the Formance website, or contact us!

At ArchiPro we recognise and acknowledge the existing, original and ancient connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to the lands and waterways across the Australian continent. We pay our respects to the elders past and present. We commit to working together to build a prosperous and inclusive Australia.