Ashforth.

The Ashforth-Nielsen House is a Passive House–inspired family home in Red Beach that has achieved a 9 Homestar Built Rating, placing it among New Zealand’s highest-performing dwellings. Designed by Construkt Architects, the 234 m² home provides three bedrooms, an office, and generous living spaces tailored for comfort, efficiency, and long-term resilience.

Owners Mark Ashforth and Megan Nielsen wanted a home that would nurture their family while minimising environmental impact. Drawing on their experience with green building practices overseas, they worked with Construkt to create a simple, angular form optimised for solar orientation and energy performance.

High insulation levels, airtight construction, thermally broken joinery, and a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery underpin its performance, ensuring warmth, quietness, and clean air throughout the year. Built by Craft Homes with enclosure expertise from Oculus Architectural Engineering, the house was completed during the pandemic and now consumes around 50% less energy than the dwelling it replaced.

Calm, efficient, and future-focused, the Ashforth-Nielsen House demonstrates how Passive House principles and Homestar certification can raise expectations for healthier, more sustainable homes in Aotearoa.