nzeb design - materials
design - materialsAny good architecture, whether modern or traditional, deserves to be built from good quality materials. We are adament about only building to the highest standards and offering seriously sustainable solutions.• we use naturally durable, locally grown and milled timber like lawson's cypress, macrocarpa, douglas fir or hardwoods instead of unsustainably fast grown radiata pine (particularly when turned into toxic waste by chemical treatment)• we do not ever use cement in earth building (an unsustainable but common practice), since this only produces poor quality concrete rather than an earth building• we use wool or other natural fibres instead of fibre glass insulation (pink batts or earthwool) to protect the health of workers and clients• we try to avoid the use of plasterboard as much as possible and would rather see more natural materials with more texture and a longer lifespan• we recommend the use of alternatives to pvc guttering and plastic tanks where rainwater is harvested for drinking• we generally don't paint exterior cladding timbers, since this means saving considerable amounts of time and money for maintainance while only marginally shortening the life span of the timber and keeping it fully recyclable
• we generally aim to minimise wastage and unnecessary maintainance by choosing the right material for the job
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contact us to discuss your ideas
we are happy to arrange a visit to one of our previous projects for you so you can see and feel what it's all about