The current practice of window installation in New Zealand, leaves them subject to significant heat loss, and at risk of condensation. FLiP homes alleviate this risk by recessing our windows into the line of the insulation. As well as double glazing being standard, we only use thermally broken window frames, which stops condensation forming on the interior side of the window frame.

FLiP homes recommend all homes are fitted with a mechanical ventilation system (aka. ERV – Energy Recovery Ventilator). Ventilation systems remove stale and humid air from inside the home, replacing it with fresh and filtered air from the outside. This keeps your home warm, dry, healthy and free from other pollutants, such as pollen.

Ventilation systems (ERV) use clever, but amazingly simple, technology to capture the warmth from the inside air and transfer it to the fresh and often cooler air coming in from the outside. This further reduces the need to heat your home, and best of all ventilation systems are very economical to run.

The walls of all FLiP homes are slightly different to most new houses built today. Their first job is to keep water out. Our claddings are installed over a drained and vented cavity, meaning any water that sneaks past the primary cladding doesn’t go any further - keeping your walls free from moisture.

A Rigid Air Barrier (commonly referred to as RAB) or better known as a plywood skin, is then installed to the outside of the framing meaning your walls are super strong (wind and earthquakes!) and protected even further from external moisture.

Our primary structural framing is then filled with insulation (to keep you warm) before a second layer of framing is installed as a service cavity. This is for all your plumbing and electrical and a little bit more insulation. In between these two walls is a smart membrane (air tightness layer) which helps to significantly reduce air leakage, meaning we can seal warm air inside in summer and trap the cool air in winter - less time spent heating and cooling!

Shading is often overlooked in modern homes, how we shade on the exterior effects our interior. Like a car left in the sun gets stifling hot, new homes built today are much the same. Because we build our homes airtight and with more insulation, they can become very hot. Science and common sense tells us the best way to prevent over heating is to keep the sun off the glass in the first place. Luckily for us the sun is predictable, and our houses don’t move. Thoughtful shading using external shading devices keep the sun out of the house when the sun is high in summer, and lets it in when it’s lower in winter.