The first two apartment blocks in the dynamic Maungārongo development in an inner-city Auckland suburb have been awarded 6 Homestar design ratings.
They speak to the beauty, efficiency and viability of green buildings.
Essentials
Maungārongo: a large-scale mixed-use urban kāinga; around 12 hectares to be developed over the next 15 years; a joint venture between Ockham Residential and Marutūāhu iwi; the sixth residential collaboration between the two parties; Toi and B4 are the first of four buildings in the initial phase of the development
What: Building 3 (Toi) and Building 4 (as yet unnamed)
Details: Toi is seven storeys with 65 apartments (studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms units); B4 is 10 storeys with 77 apartments (studios and 2 bedroom units)
Location: between Point Chevalier and Mt Albert; set around the Unitec campus and old Carrington Hospital; redundant Unitec buildings were demolished to make way for Toi and B4
Occupancy: 226 residents in Toi; 226 residents in B4; Toi is open market; B4 TBC
Name: Maungārongo means peace on earth
Address: 1 Carrington Road, Mt Albert, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Project certification: 6 Homestar design ratings (February 2025), v5
Project Snapshot
Owner: Marutūāhu Ockham No.6 Limited Partnership
Architect: Ockham Residential
Architectural Designer: Hannah Chiaroni-Clarke, CC Studio
Homestar professional: Liam Pugh, senior ESD consultant, The Building Excellence Group
Main contractor: Ockham Construction
Project timeline: 3.3 years life cycle; June 2022 to September 2025; site purchase, design, construction to occupancy
Inspired by harakeke and tukutuku panels, Toi and B4 are the starting blocks for one of the most exciting residential precincts in Aotearoa.
“In time Maungārongo will have over 3000 homes in a diverse tapestry of buildings centred around an array of communal spaces with a common goal of creating a vibrant and successful new neighbourhood,” says Architectural Designer Hannah Chiaroni-Clarke.
Anti-urban sprawl and a departure from a car-centric model of development Maungārongo seeks to demonstrate density done well.
Hannah says Toi and B4 signal what’s to come.
Sharing an architectural vocabulary comprising coloured balconies, patterned exteriors and woven clad building entries, the two structures are linked at the ground level by a glazed storage room for 200 bikes.
Both ground floors offer several commercial spaces to be adapted as Maungārongo grows.
The two blocks are visually connected via native planting, waharoa entry points, pou and custom precast retaining walls designed by Marutūāhu artists.
“Our design brief was for Mātauranga Māori, a Māori worldview, to be felt at the heart of the development – in the buildings, the living spaces, shared community areas, native planning and landscaping. A setting that feels unmistakably like you are in Aotearoa,” says Hannah.
Unmistakeably Aotearoa and unmistakeable excellence.
Ockham Residential operations and technical lead, Shaun Sexton says the company believes in better building.
“Using the framework of the Homestar pathways fits with our current construction methodology and propels us towards a more liveable outcome for the end purchaser.”
Homestar has been part of Ockham’s ongoing journey, and 6 stars will be its minimal target going forwards.
Shaun says Toi and B4 promote green living with a reduced footprint on site per capita of person – with greater capacity for landscaping and less hard coverage of the permeable ground, creating a semi park-like environment at Maungārongo.
The buildings’ location encourages greener transport with close pedestrian, cycle, rail and bus networks.
He says Homestar has impacted the project by driving deeper thinking around issues of thermal comfort, heating and cooling issues and sustainable product choices.
It’s also placed a lens over the wider Maungārongo development - triggering questions about future amenities and how to connect and use them.
Homestar assessor, Liam Pugh, says while some developers enter the sustainable world to “merely tick the box” – Ockham has used Homestar to push harder for comfortable, healthier, optimised buildings for residents.
“The developers have been actively interested in the Homestar process, aiming to target high levels of compliance across the Homestar framework.”
He says the design team has been very onboard in adapting designs and implementing fixes to improve the apartments – “there’s been no looking for ways out.”
Those adaptions include:
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installing higher performance solar low e-glazing in apartments more prone to overheating
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minimalising thermal bridging in apartments
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improving mechanical ventilation systems to offer a more usable - balanced continuous ventilation system – fresh, clean air to all habitable spaces
“The high levels of insulation and high spec glazing will deliver temperature consistency - reducing the occurrence of cold uncomfortable mid-winter days and summer days when it’s too hot to function,” says Liam.
He says it’s hard to narrow down “the list of amazing features introduced to improve the energy efficiency and the environmental impact of these buildings.”
High efficiency centralised heat pump hot water systems in each building, water efficient fixtures and appliances, lighting design, good natural light, efficient heat pumps and low VOC products are standouts.
He says significantly lower operational monthly power and water costs (compared with a typical New Zealand apartment) are part of the success story.
Ockham Construction chief operating officer, Ben Gibbens, says prefabricated componentry at Toi and B4 included precast concrete walls, steel frames, stainless steel shower trays, kitchens and wardrobes.
He says an impressive feature has been the apartment floor plan layouts – propelling faster construction and greater overall efficiency.
Shaun Sexton says the biggest challenge has been finding workable solutions to issues around mechanical ventilation, construction build-ups and reducing thermal bridging across facades.
On the flipside - the biggest success has been finding cost effective results and strong outcomes with a holistic solution that addresses the performance of the entire building.
His advice for developers wanting to build to Homestar is take time to read the framework.
“Stop to consider what you’re looking to target in your development, what will add benefit and good return for your end user and closely examine the total outcome of what you’re doing in your location.”
Toi and B4 at Maungārongo showcase the spinoffs of doing exactly that.