The host of pro clima Podcast, Simon Cator, has been in the New Zealand construction industry for 15 years with experience in ventilation, waterproofing, tanking and membranes.
He hails from Johannesburg and has worked in the UK and Dubai before calling Auckland his home since 19 years ago. In his spare time, he runs a DIY Home Automation YouTube channel called “Simon Says Home Assistant” and has also hosted an 80’s music show on East FM.
Simon Cator has hosted 17 Episodes.
-
Episode 17: Matthew Cutler-Welsh
18 December 2024 | Season 1 | 25 mins 17 secs
building performance, construction education, energy modelling, high-performance buildings, vapour permeability
Matthew and Simon talk about his career, Homestyle Green Podcast and the role they play in assisting New Zealand to build more sustainably.
-
Episode 16: Manfred Kehrer
6 December 2024 | Season 1 | 34 mins 17 secs
building performance, construction education, high-performance buildings, vapour permeability
Simon Cator and Manfred Kehrer discuss the development of the WUFI® model, as well as the differences it has compared to the Glaser model.
-
Episode 15: Kara Rosemeier
27 November 2024 | Season 1 | 28 mins 27 secs
building performance, construction education, continuous ventilation, high-performance buildings
Kara Rosemeier and Simon Cator talk about ventilation in houses, building science and minimising contaminants in your home.
-
Episode 14: Hartwig Künzel
5 November 2024 | Season 1 | 35 mins 10 secs
building performance, construction education, high-performance buildings, vapour permeability
Hartwig Künzel and Simon Cator discuss vapour permeability in construction, and highlighting the creation and impact of the WUFI® model
-
Episode 13: Barry Cope
16 October 2024 | Season 1 | 34 mins 51 secs
airtightness testing, construction education, energy-efficient homes, high-performance buildings
Barry Cope and Simon Cator discuss Blower Door testing, the importance of airtightness in buildings and what it will look like in the future.
-
Episode 12: Vlada Acimovic
4 October 2024 | Season 1 | 27 mins 25 secs
architecture, building, construction education, construction new zealand, energy-efficient building, high-performance building, passive house, passive house design
Vlada Acimovic and Simon Cator are discussing Passive House design, its advantages, and misconceptions about its principles.
-
Episode 11: Murray Alcock
24 September 2024 | Season 1 | 32 mins 12 secs
beyond building code, building innovation, construction, construction efficiency, effective building methods, property development, sustainable building, terrace housing
In this insightful conversation, Murray highlights his commitment to developing homes that avoid long-term challenges for homeowners. He stresses the critical balance between factors such as material selection, mechanical ventilation, airtightness and others.
-
Episode 10: Steven Hughes
5 September 2024 | Season 1 | 36 mins 26 secs
airtightness, health, passive design, passive house, super insulation, ventilation, window
In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, Steve shares his experience transitioning from a poorly insulated, high-cost villa in Auckland to building an off-grid Passive House in Coromandel, detailing his sustainable design journey, the challenges of unconventional materials, and his insights on energy efficiency, ventilation, and the importance of improving New Zealand's housing standards.
-
Episode 9: Joe Lyth
14 August 2024 | Season 1 | 36 mins 1 sec
architecture, building, consctruction, energy modelling, healthy building, healthy living, insulation, sustainable architecture, thermal performance, ventilation
In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, Joe talks about building his own home to ensure a healthier living environment for his family. He emphasizes the importance of continuous insulation, quality windows, and proper ventilation despite budget constraints, and discusses the limitations of New Zealand's building code while advocating for energy modelling to ensure thermal performance and comfort.
-
Episode 8: Chris Penk
19 July 2024 | Season 1 | 43 mins 2 secs
building code, construction quality, construction skills, construction training, granny flats, performance targets
Simon Cator and Jon Davies in a conversation with the Building and Construction Minister, Hon Chris Penk, discussing his desire to build “Simply, Cheaply and Quickly”.
-
Episode 7: Jon Davies
16 July 2024 | Season 1 | 37 mins 51 secs
airtightness, design, existing buildings, health, insulation, parka wrap, renovation, retrofitting
Jon Davies and Simon Cator discuss a home renovation project using Parka Wrap to improve insulation and energy efficiency, emphasising the importance of continuous innovation in building practices for enhancing existing structures.
-
Episode 6: Sharon Robinson
2 July 2024 | Season 1 | 32 mins 9 secs
airtightness, architect, architectural designer, build, building, energy efficiency, energy modelling, homeowners, insulation, new zealand, passive house, performance, space, thermal bridging, ventilation, windows
Sharon advises homeowners to research Passive House principles, discuss energy efficiency early in the design process, and understand that high-performance homes offer better long-term savings and comfort, despite misconceptions about minimal building code standards.
-
Episode 5: John Straube
18 June 2024 | Season 1 | 43 mins 45 secs
airtightness, building code, building design, building performance, building science, buildings, construction materials, energy efficiency, energy modeling, insulation, new zealand building, wall construction, weather resistive barrier, windows
John Straube and Simon Cator discussed the importance of understanding building science to create sustainable and comfortable living spaces. Dr. Straube shared his journey from civil engineering to building science and his decades of experience as a building scientist and professor.
-
Episode 4: Kim Feldborg
5 June 2024 | Season 1 | 30 mins 12 secs
airtightness, architecture, building education, construction, energy efficiency, heating, passiv haus, passive house, passive house design, sustainability, ventilation
In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, Kim Feldborg shares his journey in designing and building his own Passive House due to the cold conditions of his previous brand-new rental property. He discusses the differences in home heating between Denmark and New Zealand, and highlights the energy efficiency and benefits of his current home.
-
Episode 3: Darryl Sang
9 April 2024 | Season 1 | 28 mins 7 secs
architecture, building education, construction, energy efficiency, holistic projects, holisting construction, passiv haus, passive house, sustainability
In this podcast episode, Darryl Sang talks about making homes in New Zealand more energy-efficient, sharing his work on projects like the Piha EnerPHit renovation and Legacy House. He says it's crucial to improve existing homes by setting up standard systems for upgrades, and he stresses the importance of tackling issues like condensation and airtightness in the building code while promoting better skills and using models to ensure homes are comfy and meet high standards.
-
Episode 2: Natasha Cockerell
9 April 2024 | Season 1 | 26 mins 22 secs
architecture, building design, bulidng, construction, energy efficiency, energy modelling, sustainability
In the second episode of the pro clima podcast, Natasha Cockerell joins us to discuss the current challenges the construction sector in New Zealand is facing. Natasha advocates for sustainable building practices and the urgency to use energy modelling to build better buildings.