About the show

Welcome to the pro clima Podcast, where we're dedicated to fostering better building practices in New Zealand.

Our mission is to
inspire and educate people to create healthy, durable and energy-efficient buildings
to live, learn, work and play in — now, and for generations to come.

Throughout this podcast series, we will talk to architects, builders and homeowners delving into various aspects of building design, construction techniques, and sustainable living. Here's what you can expect from our episodes:

Expert Interviews / Case Studies / Homeowner Perspectives / Emerging Trends and Technologies / Audience Engagement

By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, we hope to empower our audience with the knowledge and inspiration needed to create buildings that not only meet our immediate needs but also contribute to a healthier, more resilient future for all. Join us on this journey towards better building practices in New Zealand.

Episodes

  • Episode 40: The Cost of Cutting Corners - Jeff Fahrensohn

    5 August 2026  |  29 mins 17 secs
    auckland council, building compliance, building consents, building inspections, building regulations, construction industry education, construction technology, modular construction, quality assurance, remote inspections

    Jeff Fahrensohn sits down with Simon Cator to discuss his 26-year career at Auckland Council, from his early days as a building inspector to his transition into management. He shares insights into how the building consent system has evolved and the ongoing challenge of balancing efficiency with quality.

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    Episode 39: Building a Healthy Passive House - Everett Norris

    1 July 2026  |  34 mins 29 secs
    healthy building design, healthy homes, heat recovery ventilation, high-performance homes, indoor air quality, low embodied energy, natural building, passive house, straw bale construction, sustainable construction, thermal comfort, triple glazing

    Everett Norris joins the podcast to share his lifelong passion for natural building, a journey that began with a childhood project building a strawbale house and evolved into the creation of his own certified Passive House.

  • Episode 38: High Performance Renovations - Jason Quinn

    3 June 2026  |  Season 1  |  30 mins 30 secs
    air leakage, air tightness, building enclosure, construction industry., control layers, dehumidification, energy efficiency, erv, ground source heat, hrv, insulation, moisture management, passive house, timeless buildings, ventilation

    Simon Cator sits down with Jason Quinn to chat about High Performance Renovations

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    Episode 37: 8 Fundamentals to Home Design - Chris Laumer-Giddens

    6 May 2026  |  Season 1  |  56 mins 55 secs
    air leakage, air tightness, building enclosure, construction industry., control layers, dehumidification, energy efficiency, erv, ground source heat, hrv, insulation, moisture management, passive house, timeless buildings, ventilation

    Chris shares his career journey and why airtight building envelopes are critical for preventing moisture and mould.

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    Episode 36: Yes, you can build a whole home with a truss! Kim Aitkin

    1 April 2026  |  Season 1  |  42 mins 11 secs
    airtightness, construction, construction new zealand, structural engineer, truss, truss house, weathertightness

    Kim discusses her diverse career spanning multiple industries, from the British Army to Product Design. She then introduces Truss House - an innovative system using roof trusses as the primary structure to deliver faster, more efficient builds.

  • Episode 35: What happens when things go wrong? - Peter Raimondo

    16 February 2026  |  Season 1  |  46 mins 17 secs
    airtightness, construction new zealand, energy efficiency, high-performance buildings, insulation, passive solar design, weathertightness

    Simon Cator speaks with Peter Raimondo about the importance of airtightness and ventilation as well as thermal performance and condensation.

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    Episode 34: Eco-Friendly Construction - Simon Wansbrough

    4 February 2026  |  Season 1  |  23 mins 8 secs
    airtightness, construction new zealand, energy efficiency, high-performance buildings, insulation, passive solar design, weathertightness

    Simon Cator speaks to Simon Wansbrough about being an eco-conscious builder and how there is a need for better education in the building industry.

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    Episode 33: Freidrich Strey

    13 January 2026  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 17 mins

  • Episode 32: Offsite Construction - Andre Heller

    3 December 2025  |  Season 1  |  40 mins 34 secs
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, energy efficiency, high-performance buildings, insulation, weathertightness

    Simon Cator and Andre Heller talk about the benefits of off-site construction

  • Episode 31: Small, Smart Spaces - Sharon Robinson

    5 November 2025  |  Season 1  |  27 mins 13 secs
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, high-performance buildings, insulation

    Simon Cator and Sharon Robinson sit down to talk about Sharon's new venture - small, smart living spaces

  • Episode 30: Antony Pelosi

    1 October 2025  |  Season 1  |  44 mins 51 secs
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, high-performance buildings, insulation

  • Episode 29: Casper Valentin

    3 September 2025  |  Season 1  |  31 mins
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, high-performance buildings, insulation

  • Episode 28: Allison Bailes

    6 August 2025  |  Season 1  |  42 mins 14 secs
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, high-performance buildings, insulation

    Simon and Allison discuss the impact of airtightness in homes in terms of indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and moisture control.

  • Episode 27: Arena Williams

    2 July 2025  |  Season 1  |  35 mins 51 secs
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, high-performance buildings, insulation

    Simon Cator and Jon Davies sit down with Arena Williams to talk about the current building code in New Zealand and what ca be done to change it for the better.

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    Episode 26: Sian Taylor

    4 June 2025  |  Season 1  |  26 mins 43 secs
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, high-performance buildings, insulation

    Simon and Sian discuss her career as an architect, as well as advocating for stronger regulations for building homes in NZ

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    Episode 25: Mark Anderson

    14 May 2025  |  Season 1  |  40 mins 14 secs
    airtightness, construction education, construction new zealand, high-performance buildings, insulation

    Mark and Simon talk about energy efficiency and Passive Homes and his plans for initiatives for low-energy homes