It’s just four years since Green Homes New Zealand opened their doors in Christchurch, but already the eco-friendly design and build company is packing a big punch.

With a goal of making energy efficient and sustainable homes affordable for the average home buyer, the company is helping South Island families create drier, healthier and warmer homes, one build at a time.

“It is well known that there has been a need to provide healthier and safer environments for our families - especially our children - as well as reducing the demand on the natural resources around us,” says Green Homes architectural designer Jenni Snowdon.

“We specialise in high performing, energy efficient homes that are pre-designed and custom built to suit any budget – we construct more sustainable homes that don’t cost the earth.”

The only New Zealand residential building company that is internationally compliant for Energy Management (ISO 50001), Green Homes also offers Lifemark and Homestar options for those wanting higher performance and better accessibility.

“We hope our ethos helps to raise the bar in the building industry and by building well above Code  - which the Green Building Council has declared as "woeful" - other builders may follow suit so we all build better homes for Kiwis.”

Among their vast toolkit of weaponry, is the GIBFix® Framing System which offers improved thermal efficiency and more evenly distributed insulation. Fully integrable into the GIB EzyBrace® System, the system reduces the use of timber, making it more cost effective.

“The GIBFix® Framing System allows us to reduce the number of timber studs at corners and wall junctions and gives us a better chance of reducing the likelihood of our fixings popping. It is especially efficient in the fact that we no longer have empty corners where insulation can’t reach as well as reduce thermal bridging.”

The GIBFix® Framing System offers an ideal solution - not just for 90mm but also for 140mm framing, which is becoming increasingly popular in colder regions.

“We have used 140mm framing in areas such as Queenstown or for houses where owners wanted to increase the overall level of insulation. We have also used it where slab edge insulation is beside the bottom plate, meaning the wider 140mm frame is required to deliver the hold down performance.”

Through clever design and the use of innovative products like the GIBFix® Framing System, Jenni and her team are playing a leading role in raising the bar for Kiwi homes.

“We are helping people protect their families all year round, while also looking after the planet.”