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Keith Huntington
Keith Huntington
on Maximising Thermal Efficiency
Architectural Consultant

Keith Huntington of EcoRate Ltd is a registered architect involved in passive solar design and the objective analysis of buildings using thermal simulation modelling.

20 September 2019

Assessing the Thermal Performance of Homes

With the growing acceptance that we must be much more clever with our use of the world’s non-renewable resources, we are well past the time when we can rely on long-standing assumptions, short-term thinking, and Green-wash. Objective assessments are urgently needed.

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26 August 2019

Holistic Approach Key to the Energy Efficiency of Building Products

There are many products in the market each promoting their individual thermal performance, but when incorporated into a building the actual ‘real-life,’ performance becomes dependent upon the interaction of all the materials and products used in the construction.

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22 July 2019

Homestar Ratings: Moving Beyond 6 Stars

While in the normal course of events, most newly constructed homes in an urban setting can achieve a 6 Homestar rating, if there is an aspiration for higher ratings, then there is value in looking at where points can be gained at an early stage in the design process. 

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24 June 2019

The Insulating Effect of the Humble Curtain Revisited

The results of a simple experiment to demonstrate the value of well-fitted curtains.

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19 April 2019

ANZ Bank Incentivises Homestar Ratings

As an incentive to sustainable housing, in mid-April the ANZ Bank announced that it is offering reductions to some of its interest rates and fees, subject to particular conditions, if the property being financed has a minimum Homestar rating of 6 stars.

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21 March 2019

Is it Time to Start Thinking About Sustainable Suburbs?

It is coming to be accepted that there is a personal and, to a lesser extent, a national benefit in having energy generation and water collection within the family home, but the conversation has not yet extended to applying this thinking to a co-operative community setting.

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17 October 2018

Photovoltaic and Solar Water Panels: What to Choose?

When reviewing advertisements and promotional materials it appears that photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are promoted, with solar water panels being essentially ignored — why?

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21 June 2018

Can Thermal Performance Be Measured Objectively?

The thermal performance of a house is determined by the complex interaction of a variety of major influences. With higher performance being desired, and demanded, it becomes more important that an objective measure is used for an assessment to be meaningful.

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16 May 2018

Thermal Performance: Which Materials are Best?

When designing buildings for thermal performance, which criteria should dominate when it comes to the selection of building materials?

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23 March 2018

Natural Ventilation: Was the Old Way So Bad?

Should we be reviewing the natural ventilation aspects of the standard form of windows commonly used in our modern houses?

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