Superhome Movement – Energy Efficient Homes

The SuperHome Movement is 2 years old… Fusion Homes have been thinking and doing building like this for over 10 years. It’s nice to see the industry catching up with us, and we can show you the evidence and the results.

We subscribe to and promote the Superhome Movement whose aims are to raise the building standards so that all new homes are healthier and more energy efficient, while also promoting environmental, economic, and socially sustainable practices.

At Fusion Homes our building designers are experienced in designing for health, comfort, resilience, and energy efficiency. A smart design will save you thousands of dollars in ongoing operating costs for your home. We have an experienced in-house architect and drafts-person, or we can work closely with yours.

We are builders who are experienced in building above the minimum building code (with evidence of several homes built to Homestar 7 or better). We have a genuine interest in energy efficiency including a willingness to learn and make continual improvements.

We do both, smart design and build smarter.

Key points about creating healthy, energy efficient homes:

DESIGN
A Superhome design provides you a superior living environment for the life of the home and savings from day one.

FOUNDATIONS
SuperFloor. Slab fully insulated edge with no thermal bridging.
Suspended floors fully insulated floor systems, airtight and earthquake resilient.

WALLS AND PANELS
SuperWall high-performance wall systems and Panels. EcoPanel and Cross Laminated timber (CLT) floors and roofs. Rapid construction, weather-tight, resilient and efficient

WINDOWS
Windows are the greatest heat loss. SuperWindow recessed windows provide huge energy and comfort benefit and eliminate condensation causing weeping windows etc.

INSULATION
Super- insulation like NZFoam sprayfoam insulation, reduces heat loss (and gain) with higher levels of insulation and airtightness, along with minimising thermal bridging to create a superior thermal envelope. NZFoam spray foam insulation is our preferred solution.

VENTILATION
Proper ventilation and air circulation is critical for health, safety, and comfort but also for the durability, longevity and protection of the building from decay.
A whole building integrated design system thinking approach is required.

AIRTIGHTNESS
Airtight construction and building materials to minimise heat loss and eliminate moisture and mold in the wall and roof assemblies.

HEATING
Energy efficient heating

WATER
All Superhomes have rainwater harvesting. Some also have greywater recycling. Use water efficient taps and fittings and energy drains.

ENERGY
Use renewable energy sources with energy efficient fittings and appliances, and automated smart controls to restrict energy use to times when it is needed

SOLAR POWER (sun power)
Solar works best when integrated into the design to either be used while generated or stored.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
Use ethically sourced, natural materials that are environmentally certified. Avoid red-listed and toxic materials. Minimise waste and ensure the home is resilient and future focused

LANDSCAPING
Minimise your carbon footprint by having food producing plants and native landscaping. Permeable paving and appropriate planting to reduce stormwater load

HOME ORIENTATION
Design orientated for correct solar gain with shading optimised to prevent overheating. Planning and layout for sun and light access.

VALIDATION
Homestar rating to validate sustainability credentials. Energy modelling to predicted energy use. Airtightness Blower door test.
Monitoring in use to confirm built performance over 12 months.

Visit the Superhome website for a more in depth and comprehensive look at what Superhome Movement is all about, and the growing support from the industry.