With good design you can make your home naturally cooler in summer and warmer in winter. It will cost you less to run because you’ll use less energy, water and other resources.

It will also be a comfortable place to live. There is a lot of information available on good home design – this is a starting point to help you on your way.

If you’re rebuilding or renovating, you now have a wonderful opportunity to build your ideal home. People believe good design always costs more. That’s not true. Good design can cut both your building and operating costs through simpler construction and good planning.

Once you’ve decided what best suits your budget, lifestyle and where you live, there are design options that will make very little difference to your building or renovation costs.

Any extra cost of good design features or appliances will be quickly repaid by what you save on energy, water and maintenance bills.

20 – 30% of your power bill can go towards heating and cooling your home. You can cut this figure dramatically with ‘passive solar design’ features that keep the summer sun out and let winter sun in. Passive simply means that once all the right features are designed into your home, you don’t need to think about them again. They just keep working in the background to keep you comfortable all year round – for free.

In winter, passive solar heating can give you free heat direct from the sun. And it doesn’t cost you anything when it’s designed into a new home or extension. Passive solar heating is also achievable when you’re renovating any home that gets enough sunlight.

In summer, passive cooling is the cheapest way to cool your home. It means using lightweight materials, shade and natural breezes to keep your home cool year round. Good design will stop your roof, walls, windows and floors from heating up so much during the day - and it will use lower night-time temperatures and air movement to cool your home down.

With good building design your home will also use less water and generate less wastewater. You can collect rainwater for household use and re-use ‘grey water’ (from the rinse cycle of your washing machine or the shower) on your garden or to flush the toilet. Regulations for rainwater tanks and re-using water vary according to where you live. You’ll need to check with your local council.

3 things to consider to achieve good home design.

1. Make a ‘wish list'

Write down everything you want your home to have, from the number of bedrooms to ways to keep the summer sun out and let the winter sun in; maybe you want to collect rainwater and use it for the garden or need somewhere to store your bike. Show this list to everyone involved in building, re-designing or renovating your home.

2. Ask the right people for help.

You need advice from people who understand good, sustainable home design. Many architects and builders will talk to you for an hour – obligation free – so you can check how they would approach your list.

3. Good garden design.

The right landscaping and vegetation can help to both heat and cool your home. New Zealand native plants may need less water, encourage wildlife and can help re-create the environment ‘as it was’. But non-natives that give shade in summer but let the sun through in winter are also environmentally friendly if they cut your heating and cooling costs.

Further information 

The Energywise website contain valuable information on making or designing an energy wise home.