Episode 12: Vlada Acimovic

In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, Simon and Vlada delve into Vlada’s career as a European-trained architect and Certified Passive House Designer. Vlada, now based in Auckland, is passionate about promoting Passive House design in New Zealand. Vlada has completed multiple certified Passive House projects, as well as many other high-performance building projects throughout NZ.

During the discussion, he shares some of the main challenges he faces, particularly misconceptions around the cost of Passive House design. He highlights the need to educate clients and consultants on the numerous benefits of Passive House design, while addressing common misconceptions, such as the belief that Passive Houses are prohibitively expensive or that windows can't be opened.

Simon and Vlada also touch on the future of Smart Home Technology integration with Passive House design. Vlada sees great potential in using smart controls—like external shutters and roll blinds—to manage solar gains and air temperature, improving both performance and comfort in Passive Houses.

Throughout the podcast, Vlada emphasizes the critical balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application in house design, stressing the importance of education and raising industry standards in construction.

“It's easy to explain why Passive House is champion, because we know that it's arguably the highest possible standard in energy efficiency.”