A sealed, breathable envelope
Every external wall and roof plane is wrapped in a Proclima membrane, every join, lap, penetration and window reveal taped into one continuous air and weather barrier.
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What is high performance building?
Homes that deliver more than the minimum code.
High performance homes deliver superior comfort, energy efficiency, health and long term value compared with homes built to the minimum National Construction Code.
They bring together a few principles that make a home efficient, comfortable and durable while cutting running costs and environmental impact.
- Exceptional thermal performance, with minimal heating and cooling demand
- Superior airtightness, with controlled ventilation
- High levels of insulation throughout the building envelope
- Quality windows and doors
- Solar panels
- Water and moisture management
The Avern standard
Six things we do above the building code.
What we do differently on every project, and why.
Concrete subfloors, not particleboard
Where a home is not on a slab we lay AlphaFloor 35 mm precast concrete panels. Rain on site cannot swell them, and they add thermal mass and quiet.
Learn moreStraight LVL wall framing
LVL replaces standard MGP pine in every wall frame. It stays straight and plumb, so the membrane and insulation stay continuous.
Learn moreDouble glazed, thermally broken windows
Our minimum on every project. We push for uPVC or timber frames, which do not run hot and cold the way aluminium does.
Learn moreInsulation above the code
Thick batts in every external wall and roof cavity, with a VRV system keeping fresh, filtered air moving through the home.
Solar proposed as standard
Panels, and a battery where it suits, to cut power bills and reliance on the grid for the life of the home.
Standard build or Avern build
What the difference feels like to live in.
| Standard code built home | The Avern standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Swings between rooms and through the day; hot spots in summer, cold spots in winter | Stable indoor temperatures year round, with consistent comfort on every floor |
| Draughts | Draughts near windows and doors | No cold draughts or hot spots |
| Energy | Heavy reliance on heating and cooling | Lower energy use, with solar proposed as standard |
| Noise | Traffic, neighbours and aircraft come through; sound travels between rooms | Airtight construction and double glazing cut outside noise; calmer rooms and better sleep |
| Durability | Meets minimum durability; moisture issues possible without careful construction | Moisture control protects the structure, with LVL framing, AlphaFloor subfloors and Proclima membranes |
| Long term value | Standard maintenance | Less maintenance, protection from rising energy costs and stronger resale appeal |
A home built well beyond the minimum National Construction Code. It is airtight, well insulated and well glazed, so it holds a steady temperature, uses less energy, stays quieter and keeps moisture out of its structure.
Proclima membranes on every wall and roof, AlphaFloor concrete subfloors where there is no slab, LVL wall framing, double glazed thermally broken windows and insulation above the code, with solar proposed as standard.
Everyone gains comfort and lower running costs. The steady temperatures particularly suit people with respiratory issues or those sensitive to temperature changes.
Yes. The membrane, full sheathing, double glazing and, where used, the AlphaFloor subfloor all disrupt sound, both from outside and between levels.
We bring the same standard to alterations and additions wherever the existing structure allows. We will talk you through what is possible on your home.
Start your project
Build a home that performs for generations.
Tell us about your site and plans. Whether it is a new home, a duplex or an addition, we will talk you through how we would build it.