Is a Passive House Worth It?
What the premium buys you, and whether it pays back for a Nelson Tasman home.
Read the guideEcotectural are energy-efficient home builders in Nelson Tasman, building warm, dry, low-bill homes since 2006.
Warm, dry, energy efficient
Energy efficient homes that get most of the way to Passive, and beyond when you want it.
Not everyone needs a full Passive Home, but everyone wants a warm, dry energy efficient home with low power bills. We build homes that deliver exactly that, at a price that makes sense. It is the baseline we build to as home builders in Nelson, whether or not a project goes all the way to Passive.
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Every Ecotectural home starts around one table, with the right architect and an energy-literate engineer brought in from the first sketch.
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Performance is designed in rather than added later.
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The build is delivered in the open, with every dollar visible as it progresses, right up to a full Passive Home when your brief calls for it.
Areas we serve near Nelson and Tasman: Nelson, Richmond, Motueka, Mapua, Tasman, Upper Moutere and Kaiteriteri.
What you get
A home that stays warm, dry and cheap to run, whatever level you choose.
An energy efficient home keeps its temperature with far less heating and cooling, so running costs stay low year after year. Better insulation and airtightness also mean healthier air, less condensation and fewer cold, damp corners.
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You choose the level of performance to suit your budget, from a home simply well above the Building Code minimum.
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Through to one designed to Passive House principles and verified on site.
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Right up to a full Passive Home, when that is what the brief calls for.
Built and tested
Performance you can verify, not just specify.
Horton Road's Formance SIPs envelope runs on rooftop solar, a real, finished energy efficient home you can see for yourself. Every Passive-standard build we complete is blower-door tested on site, with every leakage point found and sealed, so performance is proven, not assumed.
- Building since
- 2006
- Designed to last
- 50+ years
- 10-year guarantees
- Master Build + Halo
- Registered
- Master Builder + Certified Builder
"I wanted a home I could wear shorts and a t-shirt in year round and never feel cold."
Colin Hayman, Upper Moutere
Selected work across Tasman, Kaiteriteri & Nelson.
Many of our homes are completed under confidentiality, so this is only a selection. To see more, simply ask and we will arrange a private viewing or reference project.
Why build with us
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Performance as standard. Insulated slabs and thick wall and roof insulation on every home we build, not an upgrade option.
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Engineered to feel better to live in. Warm, dry and low to run, with the option to build a Passive Home.
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Built in the Open. Honest, open-book pricing, so you see where every dollar goes, from the first sketch to the final invoice.
Thinking about energy efficiency? Start here.
A few honest guides on what actually makes a home warm, dry and cheap to run.
Passive House vs Homestar vs SuperHome
What each standard measures, and how to combine them for your home.
Read the guide
Why NZ Homes Are Cold and Damp
What the research shows, and how to design a new build that stays warm and dry.
Read the guideWhat we do
Everything it takes to design and build an energy-efficient home.
You engage one company: us. We bring the architect, engineer and every trade together and manage them on your behalf, so you have a single point of contact and one team accountable, from the first sketch to the final invoice. You are our design partner, the home is shaped around what you want, and we look after everyone else.
Architectural homes
Bespoke, architect-designed homes shaped around your ideas, your site and the Tasman light.
Design and build
One accountable team from first sketch to handover, so the design stays buildable and on budget.
Energy-efficient, healthy homes
Warm, dry, energy-efficient homes built well above the minimum code. We build Passive Homes.
Renovations and extensions
Considered additions and reworks, built to the same standard as our new homes.
Complete project leadership
We coordinate every consultant, supplier and trade, and keep your build on time and on budget.
A personalised experience
A calm, communicative process, dealing directly with the people responsible for your home.
Built for high energy efficiency
The Blue House
A high-performance home built for warmth and low running costs.
View project
Horton Road
A Formance SIPs envelope running on solar power.
View projectFind us
Ecotectural Home Builders Ltd
79 Rowling Loop, RD 2, Upper Moutere 7175
021 498 446
Rated 5.0 from 19 Google reviews · building since 2006.
Good questions
Energy-efficient building, answered.
What is the difference between energy-efficient and Passive House?
Passive House is a measured international standard with strict targets for airtightness, insulation and ventilation, proven by testing. An energy-efficient home uses the same building science, insulated slab, thick insulation, high-performance glazing, airtightness, but to targets set by your budget rather than the certification. Read about our Passive Homes.
How much more does an energy-efficient home cost?
Typically a modest premium over a code-minimum build, far less than the step to full Passive, and it comes back through years of lower power bills. Our guides to pricing and build costs put real numbers around it.
What makes a home energy-efficient?
The envelope does the work: an insulated slab, thick wall and roof insulation, high-performance double or triple glazing, airtight construction and smart ventilation. Get those right and the home barely needs heating. See the systems we build with.
Want a warm home and small power bills?
Book a free one-hour consultation with founder Daryl Combes. No obligation, just an honest conversation about your site, your brief and your budget.
Arrange a consultation
