A warm welcome from us all at Aonui as we move into autumn – a good time to consider your future energy options. Harnessing sun and wind (natural convection) is central to sustainable design in all our buildings. Solar heating with an automated fan/vent controller provides excellent comfort levels for far less cost than heating/cooling systems using fossil fuels or electricity. We hope you enjoy this update on our experience….
Active solar proves its worth
Kairakau Beach Community Planning
Popular new local
Infill housing
Luke's Legends
New ferry passenger embarkation system

Active solar proves its worth

Three years of thermal data from the Wadestown Solar Home confirms what the Wright family and Aonui office members have long known: north-oriented glazing, solar absorption, and automatically controlled ventilation offers year-round comfort. The results prove that specific design for “active solar heating” can be highly effective and pay for itself quickly as traditional fuel costs escalate.

Typical 24hr summer cycle:
with automatic ventilation

The two graphs tell the story. During the summer, the ECOSCADA interior climate management program averages the temperatures readings from the tiled house floor slab [yellow trace in the graph] and upper floor ceiling [red trace]. On warm days it opens and closes the north wall louvres in small increments to reach a preset target temperature in the living areas. Thermal mass within the living spaces steadies night-time air temperatures. This dynamic, 2-way balancing of temperature between structure / ambient air / external air (venting) produces living area temperatures [light blue trace] that typically fluctuate within a comfortable 3° band during a 24 hr period in summer.

In winter, the louvres typically remain closed April to October. A 45W electric fan, preset to start at 23°C, harvests solar heated air from high in the ceiling [red trace], often at well over 30°C, and pushes it through the basement rock bin where it is stored for recirculation on colder days.

The rock bin (a possibility for many projects), gains a degree during each harvesting cycle. Stored heat moves back through the house by convection, so that supplementary heating is only needed on the coldest days.

Aonui uses research data and a sustainability matrix from Solarhomes (www.solarhomes.com) to guide clients on site selection and house design. Automation and solar heating packages are complemented by architectural advice from Aonui. Active solar heating systems integrated into new sustainable architecture cost less than ducted oil or gas fired home heating (e.g. ranging $3000-$6000) and can save up to $1000 per annum in energy costs. Call us to see how you can benefit from our advice for your existing home, business or next project.

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Preservation of the spectacular hills and cliffs from development, installing walking tracks to connect all parts of the community to the beach, and the planting of native trees on the cliff faces were among the top priorities which emerged. Other priorities included the avoidance of high density residential sites and the continued exclusion of commercial premises.

Workshop. Photo credit: S. Pilcher

The recommended plan changes and Kairakau Design Guide are with the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, which is pleased by the simplicity and near-unanimous response from the Kairakau community. The report is “most impressive” says Council planner John Glengarry.

Other community planning projects being undertaken by Aonui include a revitalised civic centre and indoor sports stadium concept for Upper Hutt and a new community centre for Wadestown.

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Popular new local
The busiest spot in Wadestown is now the Wadestown Kitchen, where owner Andrea Holmes has recently created a paved outdoor patio. This completes the conversion of the former village pharmacy to a new café designed by Aonui early in 2005. The new venture is a great leap forward for cuisine in the suburb.

Wadestown Kitchen

Infill housing
We congratulate our many clients who are working in a sustainable way to develop existing buildings and established sites for new uses.

This new house to be built by Aonui clients P.S. Homes on an established site in Tawa was designed by Michael Bennington-Barr.

Luke's Legends
Congratulations to Luke's Legends, sponsored by Aonui, who won the 1st Division Mens Open Indoor Soccer League at Wellington Indoor Sports this season.

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CentrePort Ltd acknowledged Richard Wright's 10 year involvement with the Wellington waterfront when they commissioned Aonui Architecture to design a covered pedestrian access route for the Cook Strait ferry Kaitaki.

The ferry is larger than the existing Toll Holdings rail ferries Aretere and Arahua – 180m long, with the main cabin door opening 12m above the wharf, versus 90m and 8m –and so requires a completely new berth and loading infrastructure at the Kaiwharawhara terminal.

Aonui are working with Holmes Consulting Structural Engineers, CentrePort project manager Nick Allen, and Aspec Construction.

The embarkation stair tower has been in use since February. The escalators, lift, and covered walkways are under construction and will be completed in April, giving the travelling public an arrival and departure experience better than ever before available in Wellington.