Dunedin’s student housing is notoriously bad, even worse than its winters. However, a new Passive House certified apartment block smack in the middle of the student housing precinct is a stark contrast. This project was built by a private developer who was persuaded to build to a higher standard by a compelling business case.

The building houses 19 apartments, most of them 45m2 one bedroom apartments. Swapping concrete (the client’s preferred material previously) for CLT really helped here, as pipework could run through the mid-floors. The additional costs associated with higher thermal performance and airtightness will also be offset by operational energy savings that flow directly back to the developer as electricity use is included in the rent.

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