Energy modelling has shaped the big success of a small-scale townhouse development in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
The three stylish dwellings have scored 6 Homestar design ratings.
Essentials
What: Opawa Road project
Details: three two-level, two bedroom townhouses (92 square metre dwelling;105 square metre section (two); 86 square metre dwelling;100 metre square section (one); bedrooms and main bathroom located upstairs; kitchen, dining, sitting room, guest lavatory located downstairs; private courtyard; exterior materials - ground floor is brick and cedar cladding; upper floor is metal cladding; single storey bungalow demolished to make way for the project and a replacement dwelling for the owner; windows and doors recycled; waste separated for reuse
Location: adjacent to a large heritage-protected villa with mature trees; attractive views to the Port Hills from the upper floors; the inner-city residential suburb of Opawa is situated alongside the neighbourhood landmark Ōpāwaho/Heathcote River; a mix of new medium density housing and character homes
Project certification: 6 Homestar design rating v5 (December 2025)
Project Snapshot
Owner/developer: KR Living
Architectural designer: David Kent
Main contractor: KR Living
Homestar professional: David Kent
Project timeline: site purchase April 2025; design phase January to June 2025; demolition of existing bungalow on site June 2025; construction completed February 2026; occupancy March 2026
Address: 64A Opawa Road, Ōtautahi Christchurch
When KR Living embarked on the development of three contemporary, high-quality townhouses in a leafy, suburban setting – nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
But behind the scenes Homestar was at work:
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elevating outcomes
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offering a point of difference in a housing market weighted with generic models
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propelling the pre-sale of all three townhouses in advance of completion in a soft market
KR Living director, Dan Richardson, says while a Homestar rated house delivers reduced power bills and provides ‘purchaser peace of mind’ with a future-proofed product – the tool also opens the door to discounted home loans.
Buying a Homestar rated home unlocks the potential for green finance options offered by banks – providing real financial benefits for buyers.
“For example, one of our owners has taken up the ANZ Healthy Home loan. Homestar is the way forwards in Aotearoa’s residential housing across all levels,” says Dan.
He says with sustainability, smart design and affordability shaping KR Living’s roadmap forwards – “Homestar fitted neatly with the themes of our first residential housing project designated for the open market.”
Previously the company’s focus had been on the delivery of “super good social housing” – with the design and construction of a large number of 6 Homestar rated houses for Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities - in the city.
Dan says that experience equipped the KR Living team with a solid working knowledge of Homestar – as a consequence the tool was in situ at Opawa Road from the outset.
KR Living architectural designer and Homestar assessor, David Kent, says “having a defined direction of travel from the beginning made executing the goal so much easier.”
He says architecturally the key project drivers were:
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maximising liveability and comfort – influencing size, layout and arrangement of spaces
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addressing the battle for space inherent in a multi-unit development - optimising what’s available
referencing the local vernacular with a composition of timber weatherboard, bricks and corrugated roof iron - in a cost-effective manner with minimised maintenance
“Homestar was super helpful with our design objectives. When considering the idea of comfort - Homestar ECCHO thermal modelling quickly outlined the practical benefits of distilling down ideas and keeping it simple.”
David says other big benefits realised through engagement with Homestar were:
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occupancy health and well-being
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high-level thermal comfort
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low VOC materials
He says performance modelling assisted with the project’s success – providing an invaluable, early audit.
“You can’t fix a problem if you don’t know it exists and the most cost-effective time to fix any issues is during the design phase. Modelling gave us the ability to iterate the model in a meaningful way where we could actually see the effect of the changes we were making - allowing us to focus on and lock in specific changes that delivered the biggest bang for the buck,” says David.
“Knowledge is power – hence thermal modelling is key. Anything less is effectively taking a stab in the dark and simply hoping for the best.”
As a result of modelling with ECCHO the project:
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identified the benefit of including a high-quality Lossnay MHRV balanced ventilation system and provisioned space for this
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optimised window size and placement to limit summer overheating
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reconsidered and optimised the form of the rear dwelling
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gave overarching consideration to air flow, temperature diversity, winter warmth, summer cooling – eliminating chances of mould and mildew - and moisture issues in roof cavities – a significant contributor to respiratory issues in Aotearoa
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offered buyers transparent and reliable performance outcomes
David says his advice for developers considering Homestar for the first time is:
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get good advice early from those who’ve previously engaged with Homestar
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Homestar drives good design outcomes; well-designed townhouses and homes always sell (important in a soft housing market)
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Homestar is a small cost that provides huge benefits
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prepare yourself for a learning curve – but it’s not daunting
“We’ve heard stories of other well-known developers having sales fall through because of mould being discovered in the roof space during an inspection prior to settlement. Lost sales are an expensive business. The Homestar process can help prevent this – so consider it as a cheap insurance by building more intelligently,” he says.
A wrap-up of Opawa Road learnings through Homestar:
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thermal modelling is essential - it provides the data to make the necessary informed decisions
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don’t underestimate the value of good ventilation and moisture management - especially important in townhouses
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while the number of credits you need to obtain may seem overwhelming, many are relatively straightforward
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good communication is key. During construction Homestar will add some complexity but the payoff is there to warrant it
