Toa Homes

09/12/2025

Proud to be featured in The Post's Small Business Project by Aimee Shaw.

The article follows our journey at Toa Homes: launching during challenging economic conditions, the pivot we had to make, and our unwavering commitment to laying the foundations for multigenerational health in Aotearoa.

The Toa Homes panel system delivers warm, dry, quiet homes from $3,800/sqm – homes that meet WHO standards for healthy living. It's about making better homes available to as many whānau as possible.

The article also received a mention in Bernard Hickey's The Kākā, reinforcing the conversation about quality housing infrastructure as the foundation for thriving communities.

Read the full story:

Toa Homes launched during an economic downturn and, as the saying goes, had to pivot.

02/12/2025

Very excited to see this project come to life. It's a great example of challenging the existing models and forging a new housing legacy for Aotearoa. Kei runga noa atu koe!

26/11/2025

New legislation is opening up granny flats. Let's make sure they're truly healthy homes.

The upcoming building consent exemption for standalone dwellings up to 70m² creates exciting possibilities for whānau. But if someone you love will live in this space full-time, how do we ensure it's truly healthy?

For many of us, these aren't temporary solutions. Second dwellings or granny flats are homes where elderly parents, young families, or whānau with health considerations will spend their winters and breathe the air every day.

This is where building science matters. The structural shell - foundation, framing, and envelope - is where proper ventilation prevents mould, where quality insulation keeps spaces warm and dry, and where airtightness protects indoor air quality.

Our Tupu (35m² internal) and Oke (48m² internal) designs work within the new framework, providing a healthy structural base that you can complete with licensed professionals to suit your budget.

The people living in these spaces deserve a standard of quality that supports their wellbeing.

Read more: https://www.toahomes.com/articles/granny-flat

Forging a new housing pathway for Aotearoa New Zealand with affordable, healthy homes. We build energy-efficient, passive-capable, modular homes that are warm, dry, and quiet, with low ongoing running costs. Our homes are flexible in design and layout, and cost a similar amount to building to the Ne

12/11/2025

Why does your home's airtightness matter?

We've just published a new article about blower door testing (a critical test when creating a healthy home).

When your home has uncontrolled air leaks, you lose control over moisture levels (leading to mould growth), create drafts and cold spots, and allow unfiltered air with pollutants into your living spaces.

A typical home in Aotearoa scores 4-6 air changes per hour under test conditions. Our homes consistently achieve less than 0.6, meaning controlled airflow, filtered incoming air and consistent temperatures throughout every room.

This level of performance is fundamental to our mission of laying foundations for multigenerational health. When homes perform as designed they actively support the wellbeing of tamariki, mokopuna and kaumātua alike, for years to come.

Read more about blower door tests and how airtightness creates healthier homes: https://www.toahomes.com/articles/blower-door-test

14/10/2025

At Toa Homes, we use the Passivhaus standard for every home we build. For your whānau, this means homes that maintain comfortable temperatures year-round (no more waking up to condensation on windows), use up to 90% less energy for heating and cooling, and provide consistently fresh, healthy air.

Using our panel system, we can now build to Passivhaus standard at similar costs to entry-level new builds. That means up to $740 in annual savings on heating and cooling, adding up to $22,000 over a 30-year mortgage.

But the real value? Creating spaces where tamariki can thrive and whānau can focus on what matters most.

Keen to learn more about how Passivhaus and our approach to designing and building homes? Read our full article: https://www.toahomes.com/articles/passivhaus-standard

Forging a new housing pathway for Aotearoa New Zealand with affordable, healthy homes. We build energy-efficient, passive-capable, modular homes that are warm, dry, and quiet, with low ongoing running costs. Our homes are flexible in design and layout, and cost a similar amount to building to the Ne

08/10/2025

New Zealand's first Passive House (Passivehaus) has sold for $4.2 million - 13 years after it was built.

This sale is remarkable not for the price achieved, but for the rarity of the opportunity itself. Passivehaus owners typically don't sell. The combination of exceptional comfort, minimal energy costs, and superior indoor air quality creates homes that whānau are reluctant to leave.

The auction's competitive bidding may have reflected buyers' understanding that they weren't just purchasing a property, but investing in a fundamentally different living experience. Homes engineered to this level rarely return to market because the benefits are hard to match.

Passivehaus transforms the relationship between people and their environment. Precise thermal control, filtered fresh air, and dramatic energy efficiency create living conditions that make relocation an unappealing prospect.

At Toa Homes, we're committed to bringing this proven building science to our communities and whānau at an accessible price point so more people in Aotearoa can experience a truly healthy and energy efficient home that grows in value.

Passive house, New Zealand property market, NZ house for sale, sustainable-living, passivhaus, energy-efficient, zero-energy home, certified passive house, eco

05/08/2025

The latest Tether data from the Toa Homes showhome, where our GM lives with his whānau: Perfect health! 🏡

Forging a new housing pathway for Aotearoa New Zealand with affordable, healthy homes. We build energy-efficient, passive-capable, modular homes that are warm, dry, and quiet, with low ongoing running costs. Our homes are flexible in design and layout, and cost a similar amount to building to the Ne

24/06/2025

What if we stopped accepting "good enough" when it comes to housing?

We're excited be speaking at in Auckland, where our GM will be sharing how Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira is redefining what a "healthy home" truly means.

Revved is an event where bold thinking meets real action. It's a space for leaders who believe we can, and must, do better for our communities.

Through Toa Homes, we're proving that healthy, energy-efficient, climate-resilient, and affordable housing isn't just possible — it's essential. These aren't just houses; they're the foundation for thriving whānau and communities.

Come see how we're making it happen. Reserve your seat: www.revved.events

Revved Events

03/06/2025

Our General Manager, James Bushell, shared his housing journey with The Post this weekend — from living in a 30m² home to his work to improve health outcomes through better housing.

We believe there's an important connection between our homes and our health. Cold, damp, poorly ventilated homes are contributing to illness and limiting tamariki from thriving. James's experience offers one perspective on how we might do things differently.

At Toa Homes, we're exploring how healthy, high-performing homes can be delivered at entry-level costs. It's one approach amongst many needed to support the wellbeing of whānau across Aotearoa.

The conversation about housing and health is bigger than any one organisation. We're grateful to be contributing alongside others working towards better outcomes for our communities.

Read the full story to hear James's thoughts (link in comments) 🏠

Forging a new housing pathway for Aotearoa New Zealand with affordable, healthy homes. We build energy-efficient, passive-capable, modular homes that are warm, dry, and quiet, with low ongoing running costs. Our homes are flexible in design and layout, and cost a similar amount to building to the Ne

28/05/2025

When we think of a healthy home, what comes to mind? Temperature, insulation, maybe humidity? At Toa Homes, we're also focused on the invisible third element: air quality.

While we can feel the cold and see condensation, indoor air quality silently impacts our wellbeing every day. It affects virus transmission, allergies and how many harmful particles we breathe in without knowing.

Did you know? In typical NZ homes without proper ventilation, CO₂ levels can exceed 1500ppm in the evening, significantly increasing virus transmission risk. Studies show reducing CO₂ below 800ppm can decrease airborne virus transmission by up to 60%.

That's why we install mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems in every home we build. These systems provide continuous fresh, filtered air without losing precious heat, creating healthier environments where families can truly flourish.

Learn more about why ventilation is essential for reducing housing-related illnesses:

We often define a 'healthy home' by what we can easily sense — temperature and humidity. We feel the cold when insulation is inadequate, and we see condensation forming on windows or the telltale black spots of mould. But there's a third element that's equally critical yet often overlooked because...

23/05/2025

Health and housing are deeply interwoven — our primary message in response to the as part of Gill South's article. Healthier homes mean healthier whānau and fewer housing-related illnesses across the motu.

Expected to increase NZ’s GDP by 1%, the initiative will make a huge difference, SMEs say.

09/04/2025

Excited to share the journey behind our Toa Homes panel system!

Over three years, we brought together engineers, architects, builders, and sustainability experts to rethink how homes are built in Aotearoa. As James explains, "We didn't just want to build another house. We wanted to create homes that work better for the people of Aotearoa. We need warmer, drier, healthier spaces that don't cost the earth to build or heat and maintain in order to impact multi-generational health outcomes."

Through collaboration, rigorous testing (over 20 blower door tests!), and a commitment to first principles thinking, we can now build homes that meet or exceed the global standards for health while remaining affordable and flexible. By working together we can forge a new housing legacy for Aotearoa.

(link to story in the comments)