Bub Architects Ltd.

18/10/2026

Windows are one of my favourite parts of architecture. They bring in daylight, connect us to the outdoors and can completely change how a space feels.

But they also play a big role in how comfortable a home is.

When designing a home, I look beyond the appearance of a window. Its thermal performance, frame and installation all matter.

Because a beautiful home should feel just as good as it looks.

23/09/2026

Let‘s have some fun talking about sustainable Building Design!
Would love to see you there!!

🏡 Are we building homes that are actually good for us — and the planet?

Join us for our next Green Drinks, where we’re getting into sustainable building design — what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.

🌿 Tavis Creswell-Wells | Ecolution SBS
The good, the bad and the leaky of NZ building standards — plus practical ways to create healthier, warmer, more efficient buildings.

🏠 Simone Bub | Bub Architects
A look inside a recently completed Gisborne home putting sustainable design into practice.

💡 And then it’s your turn.
What would make sustainable building more mainstream, affordable and accessible? We’ll finish with a brainstorm on the policy changes that could help get us there.

📅 Friday 25 September
⏰ 3–4:30pm
📍 Tahu

Come along, grab a drink, bring your questions and join the conversation. 🌱

17/09/2026

I’m really excited to be speaking at Tairāwhiti Green Drinks

I’ll be talking about sustainable building design and sharing a little behind the scenes of our recently finished projects.

I’ll share what we did, why we did it, and what we’ve learnt along the way.

If sustainable homes, good design and building science are your thing, come along for a drink and a chat.

Would be lovely to see some familiar faces there!

Register on Humanitix - Green Drinks Tairāwhiti - Sustainable Building Design hosted by tairawhitienvironmentcentre. Tahu, 40 Centennial Marine Drive, Awapuni, Gisborne 4010, New Zealand. Friday 25th September 2026. Find event information.

15/09/2026

A little project I’ve been working on behind the scenes…
The new Bub Architects website is now live!
I’ve put together a little more about who I am, how I work, and why I’m so passionate about creating homes that are warm, healthy, comfortable and beautiful.
If you’ve got a minute, I’d love for you to have a look 🤍
www.bub-architects.co.nz

27/08/2026

Airtightness is one of those building science concepts that sounds complicated until you think about it like a jacket.

You don’t want your warm air escaping through random gaps — just like you don’t want the wind blowing through your jacket.

Instead, we want to control how air moves through the building.

Our Passive House project achieved an airtightness result of 0.47 ACH, comfortably below the Passive House requirement of 0.6 ACH.

And that’s something you can’t see once the walls are finished.

Good building performance often comes down to details you never notice.

The Science Behind a Better Home — 02/04

SustainableArchitecture

20/08/2026

A high-performing wall doesn’t always mean changing the entire construction approach.

You can build very good envelopes with insulation between timber framing.

But one of the key design considerations is the timber fraction — how much of the wall is structural timber versus insulation.

Because timber conducts heat more easily than insulation, reducing unnecessary framing can significantly improve overall performance.

This is one of those subtle but important details in building science that often gets overlooked.

21/07/2026

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about your house…
Warmer in winter?
More natural light?
Better layout?
Better indoor-outdoor flow?

Tell me in the comments—I’m always curious what people struggle with most.

10/07/2026

Days like these remind us what a home is really meant to do.

It’s not just about looking beautiful on a sunny day.

A well-designed home keeps you warm, dry, comfortable and quiet when the weather outside is doing its worst.

That’s what building science is all about—creating homes that perform every day of the year, not just when conditions are perfect.

01/07/2026

Last weekend we opened the doors to this home once again.

Every open home reminds me why we do this.

People don’t usually walk in talking about airtightness or thermal bridges. They simply say things like “It feels nice in here.”

That’s exactly the point.

Good building science isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about creating homes that feel comfortable, healthy and effortless to live in every day. Beautiful architecture and healthy buildings should go hand in hand.

Thank you to everyone who came through and asked thoughtful questions. Seeing people’s curiosity grow is one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

What would you like to know about Passive House? I’d love to answer it in a future post.