Pro Clima Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Construction New Zealand”

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

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +1300

Kim Aitken shares her journey from Ireland to Scotland and into a diverse career spanning time with the British Army, Product Design Engineering, and Structural Engineering in Canada. She introduces Truss House™ - an innovative system using roof trusses as the primary structure to deliver faster, more efficient builds. Despite early hurdles, including a Dragon’s Den appearance and COVID-19 disruptions, the concept has gained strong traction in New Zealand through partnerships with Pryda and Bunnings Trade, with current plans on the drawing board for everything from modular to multi-storey housing.

Special Guest: Kim Aitkin.

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

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:15:00 +1300

In this episode of the Pro Clima Podcast, Simon Cator talks with Auckland-based (but Toronto born and raised) building enclosure engineer Peter Raimondo about adapting building science principles from Canada to New Zealand. Raimondo discusses challenges in local construction practices, the importance of airtightness and ventilation, and how controlled airflow prevents condensation and energy loss. He also shares insights from blower door testing, international best practice, and his role as MC for the upcoming Building Science Summit, focused on industry collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Special Guest: Peter Raimondo.

Episode 34: Eco-Friendly Construction - Simon Wansbrough

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 09:30:00 +1300

Simon Wandsborough joins the pro clima Podcast to discuss his journey from outdoor instructor to eco-conscious builder and the thinking behind his business, Third Little Pig. He shares how growing up in New Zealand and completing an adult apprenticeship shaped his focus on building better, more comfortable, and energy-efficient homes.
The conversation explores high-performance building principles such as passive solar design, insulation, airtightness, and quality windows, alongside the need for better education and early collaboration between clients, architects, and builders. Simon also reflects on the limitations of New Zealand’s building code, common misconceptions around cost and airtightness, and what’s next for Third Little Pig.

Special Guest: Simon Wansbrough.

Episode 32: Offsite Construction - Andre Heller

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +1300

In this episode, industrial designer Andre Heller shares how his diverse background, from boat building to underground station construction, has shaped his fresh approach to prefabricated housing. Through his company, Flexi House, Andre is redefining offsite manufacturing by prioritising speed, efficiency, and consistent quality. Their lightweight timber frame system, complete with continuous insulation and air barriers, delivers a minimum 46% boost in thermal performance over standard New Zealand homes with the potential to reach Passive House levels, making high-performance building more attainable. Andre also dives into his vision for making offsite construction as simple and accessible as ordering from an IKEA catalogue—dramatically reducing waste while transforming the way we build.

Special Guest: Andre Heller.

Episode 31: Small, Smart Spaces - Sharon Robinson

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:30:00 +1300

In this episode, Sharon Robinson, architectural designer, certified Passive House and Homestar designer - shares how her company Smart Living Spaces, is redefining housing accessibility through its innovative Small, Smart Spaces concept. By combining the benefits of group housing, bespoke design, and offsite construction, Sharon is helping make high-performance homes achievable for more New Zealanders. She also explores how Homestar-rated homes can impact energy bills by up to 50% improvement in health and comfort with the same or lower power bills people are used to paying and unlock better mortgage rates, while emphasizing the power of collaboration between designers, builders, and mortgage brokers to deliver affordable, efficient, and healthy homes.

Special Guest: Sharon Robinson.

Episode 30: Antony Pelosi

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:30:00 +1300

Dr. Antony Pelosi, a researcher and educator at Victoria University, discusses his journey from building science to architecture, including his time at the University of California, Berkeley. He shares his PhD on spatial comprehension in BIM models and the early use of AI for pathfinding. Pelosi is currently designing and building a $300,000 passive house, emphasising cost-effective materials and energy efficiency. He explores AI's role in architecture, highlighting its use in text generation, image rendering, and 3D modelling. Pelosi also discusses the potential of AI in construction, sustainability analysis, and the need for reimagining design and delivery processes to improve efficiency and reduce liabilities.

Special Guest: Antony Pelosi.

Episode 29: Casper Valentin

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 10:30:00 +1200

In this episode, Casper Valintin shares his journey from a childhood split between Brunei and Scotland to careers in horticulture and IT — and ultimately, to a deep passion for high-performance building. After constructing his first ICF block home in Hamilton, New Zealand, Casper became a strong advocate for Passive House principles. He talks through the features of his own home, including 400mm of roof insulation, continuous slab insulation, and a Zehnder ground-source ventilation system. With sensors tracking performance, he’s fine-tuned the house to maintain a consistent 20°C indoors — proving how smart design, insulation, and ventilation can deliver lasting comfort and efficiency.

Special Guest: Casper Valentin.

Episode 28: Allison Bailes

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 09:30:00 +1200

In this episode, building scientist Dr. Allison Bailes shares his journey from physics academia to the world of building science. He discusses the importance of airtightness in homes, explaining how it directly impacts indoor air quality, comfort, energy efficiency, and moisture control. Bailes challenges the myth that houses need to “breathe,” advocating instead for air-tight construction combined with well-designed ventilation systems.

Special Guest: Allison Bailles .

Episode 27: Arena Williams

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +1200

In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, Simon Cator and Jon Davies sit down with Arena Williams, MP for Manurewa, for a conversation on housing, policy, and the future of building in Aotearoa.
They discuss the overseas building products register, unconsented granny flats, and Arena’s vision for her time in parliament. She also highlights the urgent need to modernise New Zealand’s building code—calling out issues like moisture management and fire safety—and the vital role cross-party collaboration and industry input must play in shaping future reforms.

Special Guest: Arena Williams.

Episode 26: Sian Taylor

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:30:00 +1200

In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, architect Sian Taylor shares her journey from growing up in Wales to designing and living in a Passive House in Queenstown. She reflects on the contrasts between UK and New Zealand building standards, highlighting the superior comfort and energy efficiency of Passive House design.
Sian also critiques the current New Zealand building code, calling out its shortcomings and advocating for stronger regulations, especially the need for mandatory energy modelling to address issues like overheating.

Special Guest: Sian Taylor.

Episode 25: Mark Anderson

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 14 May 2025 10:00:00 +1200

In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, Simon Cator sits down with Mark Anderson of MA Building, a Wanaka-based builder, as he shares how an apprenticeship alongside his father led to his journey into building high-performance homes, focusing on health and comfort. He reflects on his commitment to energy efficiency and how it drives his focus on Passive house standards and smarter building methods.
He discusses his role in community initiatives like the Better Building Working Group, his plans for a low-energy home, and the small design decisions that make a big impact on comfort, cost, and sustainability.

Special Guest: Mark Anderson.

Episode 24: Jason Quinn

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +1200

In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, host Simon sits down with Jason Quinn, the Director of Sustainable Engineering, as they discuss overheating in homes and how to design to prevent it from happening.
Jason explains the balance between reducing heat gain in the summer and losing some solar gain in the winter, and the importance of good glass specification.
He also goes over the importance of understanding building performance through modelling and making design changes early in the process to avoid any problems in the future.

Special Guest: Jason Quinn.

Episode 23: Bronwyn Barry

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +1300

In this episode of the pro clima Podcast, host Simon Cator sits down with Bronwyn Barry, Principal at PassiveHouseBB, for an insightful conversation about Passive House design.
Bronwyn talks about a pre-fabricated panel solution that is really cost-effective while still having a really high insulation value. She also shares her perspective on an often-overlooked advantage of Passive House design, superior acoustic comfort.

Special Guest: Bronwyn Barry.

Episode 22: Denise Martin

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +1300

Join Simon Cator as he sits down with Denise Martin, Director at BEO, for an insightful discussion on building science and insulation practices in New Zealand.
Denise explores the unique challenges of insulating concrete structures and explains the advantages of exterior insulation. She also highlights how proper insulation and airtightness can lead to significant energy savings, ultimately reducing your power bill. Throughout the conversation, Denise shares expert insights on the relationship between airtightness and energy performance, as well as the crucial role of ventilation and moisture management in creating a healthier home environment. Tune in for valuable knowledge on building smarter, more efficient homes.

Special Guest: Denise Martin.

Episode 12: Vlada Acimovic

Pro Clima NZ Ltd — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 09:30:00 +1300

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.”

Special Guest: Vlada Acimovic.