Building healthy homes using the Passivhaus standard
At Toa Homes, we believe every whānau deserves a home that actively supports their health and wellbeing. That's why we've chosen the Passivhaus standard as our north star – a proven building standard that creates homes where tamariki can thrive, energy bills stay low, and families can focus on what matters most.
Air quality: The invisible element of a healthy home
We often define a 'healthy home' by what we can easily sense — temperature and humidity. We feel the cold when insulation is inadequate, and we see condensation forming on windows or the telltale black spots of mould. But there's a third element that's equally critical yet often overlooked because it's invisible: air quality.
In pursuit of healthier homes: Behind our innovative panel system
At Toa Homes, our journey to create healthier homes for Aotearoa began with a simple question: If we want to improve health outcomes for whānau, what needs to change in the way we build houses? Over three years, our team embarked on a mission to develop a construction system that can fundamentally change how homes are built in Aotearoa.
A journey to healthy living in Wellington’s native bush
James and Eva were seeking a way to live that aligned with their deepest values of creating an equitable and sustainable world while maintaining connection to both nature and community. They found their answer on a stunning 11-hectare property of native bush in Pāuatahanui, where they could balance urban access with the serenity of being surrounded by nature.
The true meaning of a healthy home
Each and every one of us deserve to have our foundational needs upheld so we can build the life we want for ourselves and our whānau — this starts with a warm, dry, healthy home.
Holistic vision for housing
We believe the foundation of a house should extend far beyond bricks and mortar—it should be rooted in values that honour the land, nurture people, and safeguard future generations. By embracing a te ao Māori approach to building, we want to reimagine the way homes are created, taking a long-term view that prioritises the health of our people and Papatūānuku.
Beyond basic insulation: Why eliminating thermal bridges is critical for a healthy home
We know that insulation is important, but many of us don't realise that even a well-insulated home can still be losing significant heat through what we call 'thermal bridges' or areas where heat finds an easy path to escape through the building structure.