Sustainable design + build

Arhaus is based in Auckland but we have also designed and built for clients in Central Otago, Christchurch and designed for international clients. If it is an interesting sustainable project we will travel (though phone, email Skype and teleconferencing are more efficient and less carbon intensive!)

Our key sustainable design principle is passive solar design.
This means that through good design we produce a house that is light, comfortable, well ventilated, durable and energy efficient. We also choose our materials based on their suitability, durability, recyclability and embodied energy.
You also need to really enjoy living in them – which comes about through good architectural design and honest materials.
Finally, it’s only sustainable if you can afford it, so your budget is one of the most important elements of the brief.

We have built homes costing between $1600 and $4000 per square metre. We work to a set budget, which then will dictate the size, complexity and materials used in your project. A focus on square metre costs considers only the size of building, not the quality of design.
The budget is one of the most important aspects of your brief, so if we don’t meet your brief it is our responsibility to redesign until we do.

The kind of things that add to costs are water tanks and rainwater reticulation, solar water heating, photovoltaics, extra insulation, greywater systems and heat recovery systems. Good sustainable design costs the same as bad design. Good materials don’t generally add greatly to the cost of a building.
Each element can be added depending on your view of if it is worth it. Bear in mind that many of these items will save you costs in the long run, even grid-connected photovoltaic systems can have a payback of 10 yrs at current electricity prices.

Usually about twice as long as most people imagine! We advise people to expect a time of 14months to 18months for a project from start to completion. For most people this is something you do once in your life so it is important to do it well and enjoy the process!

Yes. Here are some links to some of our key partners.
www.greenbuild.org.nz
www.consumerbuild.org.nz
www.smarterhomes.org.nz
www.sustainable.org.nz
www.ecobob.co.nz
www.ecoprojects.co.nz
www.nzgbc.org.nz
www.branz.co.nz
www.projectenergies.co.nz

We really care about making it work for you.
You have a single point of contact from design through to move in;
a project manager who will lead you each step of the way and is responsible for your sanity at the end!
We started the business about 6 yrs ago at the start of the ‘green wave’ and are only interested in building good quality, sustainable homes.
We oversee all interaction with architects, engineers, council and trades to make sure the team works well, the design is good yet cost-efficient and that the house is built for the best price possible.

Contact us by phone, email or use the contact form on this website.
You can also call Dan Heyworth directly on +64 (9) 5297362.
We will arrange a meeting to talk about your project and find out
if we can offer the services you want.