The Twins achieve Homestar 7★

Secluded in the bush of Brooklyn, Wellington, our two-home project ‘The Twins’ has been evaluated as 7 stars under the independent rating tool Homestar, which assesses New Zealand homes on their design, construction and efficiency in operation.

At First Light, we incorporate green building principles from the beginning of the design process by prioritising energy-efficient and sustainable building practices. This includes careful consideration of the building’s orientation, material selections, and design of passive solar shading elements.

We’re also passionate about considering health and comfort of building occupants by incorporating mechanical heat recovery and ventilation systems, above code insulation, and optimal indoor air quality through the use of an airtightness barrier.

By incorporating these systems, we aim to create high-performing and sustainable buildings that promote wellbeing for all: the Twins is just one example of how we’ve achieved this.

Homestar was developed in 2010 by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) to help improve the performance and environmental impact of new dwellings and encourage the development of efficient, healthy, comfortable homes for all New Zealanders.

The Homestar rating is based on a range of factors such as insulation, airtightness, heating and cooling systems, and renewable energy sources, with a higher rating indicating a home that is more energy-efficient and carbon friendly – often with reduced energy costs for occupants.

We’re also lucky enough to have our own in-house Homestar assessor in Ben Jagersma, meaning he is trained and qualified to evaluate our builds according to the Homestar rating system, and provide our design team with recommendations for improving sustainability and energy efficiency throughout the design process.