Viktoria Nikitina is Managing Director of Blue Sky Windows, a manufacturer of high quality, high performance uPVC windows based in Melbourne, Victoria.

With so many locally manufactured options now available, there are plenty of reasons why you should consider windows and doors like these for your next project.

Simon Cator of Pro Clima New Zealand recently caught up with Kirstie Brown at a sustainable house that Kirstie has built using ECO-Block Insulation Concrete Forms (ICF) in Tauranga.

Simon finds out about the advantages of using ECO-Blocks and how an airtight construction is already contributing to great performance.

This episode and accompanying article originally appeared on Eboss, https://www.eboss.co.nz/ebossnow/pro-clima-intelligent-air-barrier-tauranga-sustainable-home

Browsing the photo gallery on Jeff Bogard's R.E.A Homes website, 'sustainability' is not likely the first word that comes to mind. Can large, luxury houses actually be sustainable? This is one of the topics I discussed with Jeff who's been providing high performance homes for discerning clients in Saint Louis for over fourteen years.

I'm always interested in the perceptions of architects and builders who have been trained or have experienced living in Europe and then come to the Southern Hemisphere. Their reaction to typical houses in New Zealand and Australia usually involves a level of disbelief. A common sentiment is that they've never been colder, despite this being a milder climate.