Ecotectural are Passive House builders in Nelson and Tasman, designing and building Passive Homes across the region since 2006.
Passive House builders, Nelson & Tasman
Homes engineered to feel better to live in, not just built to comply.
We have been designing and building high-performance homes across Nelson and Tasman since 2006, using two proven systems: continuous-insulation timber framing and structural insulated panels (SIPs). The Green House and the Blue House, both finished Passive Homes in Upper Moutere, show the standard delivered in the real world, not on a spec sheet. It is a standard we bring to every home we design, not only as Nelson builders but across the wider Tasman region too.
-
Two proven systems, continuous-insulation timber framing and structural insulated panels (SIPs), chosen to suit your site and budget.
-
Real, finished local proof: the Green House and the Blue House, two of our Passive Homes in Upper Moutere.
-
Open-book pricing throughout, so you see exactly what performance costs and where every dollar goes.
New to Passive Homes? Read our plain-English guide →
Passive House builders across: Nelson, Richmond, Tasman, Motueka, Mapua and Upper Moutere.
Warmth stored in the slab
The concrete floor does most of the heating.
Our homes sit on a fully insulated concrete floor, and that floor does most of the work. At the design stage we model the sun, so the low winter sun reaches the slab and warms it through the day, while the high summer sun is shaded off it. The home gains heat when you want it, and does not overheat when you don't.
-
The slab is the main source of heat. It soaks up the winter sun by day and radiates that stored warmth back into the home through the night.
-
Most of our homes have no heater at all, or just gentle underfloor heating in the slab, run on low for about three months of the year, which costs next to nothing. On homes with rooftop solar, that running cost effectively disappears.
-
The home only cools down after a week or two of solid overcast, and that is exactly when the underfloor heating quietly does its job.
Proven, not promised
Real homes, not renders.
We have been building Passive Homes and high-performance homes across Nelson and Tasman since 2006. The Green House and the Blue House in Upper Moutere, and the Horton Road build, are real finished homes, not renders and not promises. Every number below comes from homes we have actually built.
- Building since
- 2006
- Less heating energy
- Up to 90% less
- 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
Why build with us here
-
Local and hands-on. A Nelson and Tasman team, building to Passive House principles since 2006.
-
Engineered to feel better to live in. Warm, dry and low to run, with the option to build a Passive Home.
-
Built in the Open. Honest, open-book pricing, so you see where every dollar goes, from the first sketch to the final invoice.
What we do
Everything it takes to design and build your Passive 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.
Our Passive and high-performance homes
The Green House
One of our Passive Homes, on an insulated MAXRaft slab.
View project
The Blue House
A second Passive Home on the same Moutere hilltop, proof the standard scales.
View project
Horton Road
A SIPs home with rooftop solar, engineered well above the Building Code minimum.
View projectGood questions
Building a Passive Home in Nelson Tasman, answered.
Do you build Passive Homes anywhere in Nelson and Tasman?
Yes. We design and build Passive Homes across the whole region, from Nelson city to Richmond, Motueka, Mapua and the rural Tasman sites in between.
How much more does a Passive Home cost to build?
It depends how far you want to go. Every Ecotectural home is already built well above the Building Code minimum; going all the way to a Passive Home adds a premium for the extra glazing, insulation and ventilation, and we will show you exactly what each step buys before you commit to it.
Do I have to get formal Passive House certification?
No. We build to Passive House principles and are completely open about where your home lands. If you do want full certification, we can absolutely deliver it, though most clients prefer to put that budget into the home itself.
What is the difference between this page and your Passive House guide?
This page is about building your Passive Home with us. For the detail on what a Passive Home actually is and how the standard works, see our Passive House guide.
Ready to build your Passive Home?
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
