We scoured the country, North to South to find a company that wouldn’t compromise the environment but could also stand the test of time as a high-quality luxury home. 

We landed on Árbol. 

Árbol creates architectural, energy efficient, environmentally responsible prefabricated homes. 

Co-owner Marcus Allen has been in the building industry for over 15 years. He attended Camp Glenorchy as a carpenter learning the ropes from US philanthropists and global environmentalists, Debbi and Paul Brainerd, to work on building homes based on regenerative building practices.  They were the first-ever acomodation facility designed and certified to the Living Building Challenge - the most rigorous sustainability standard globally. It was created in collaboration with the community, national and international experts including many artists, craftspeople, and energy management specialists.

The lightbulb moment for Marcus was when the rest of the family moved to Queenstown from Christchurch, and he experienced the cost of poorly built houses. Leaky, damp and expensive, he knew there must be a better way. 

And there was. 

Marcus set out to provide homes that kinder the planet and to the people in them. 

Here’s what sets Árbol homes apart: 

• Minimum 40% more insulated than NZ building code standards
• uPVC low-e double glazed windows.
• MHRV – Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation system to filter fresh air and recover 92% of the energy.
• Reduction in thermal bridges by removing unnecessary elements without comprising structural integrity.
• Airtight building envelope.
• Environmentally responsible and architecturally designed.

To take it a step further, Árbol designs homes using responsibly and locally sourced materials such as FSC certified timbers, plant-based paints and oils, NZ wool insulation, NZ wool carpet and reclaimed hardwood timber for cladding.

Passive homes take 90 - 95% less energy per year to heat than a standard house, which makes for a pretty incredible statistic. They are so efficient you only need one or two kilowatts of heat to maintain a warm temperature even on the coldest of days, compared to non-passive houses that require ongoing 20-30 kilowatts of power to maintain comfortable temperature. Not only are we saving money on power but also considerably reducing C02 emissions and reliance on our energy system.

After discovering Árbol’s commitment to creating beautiful, healthy and environmentally friendly homes, deciding to partner with them was a no-brainer. 

Come and experience the incredible eco-homes for yourself. 

Learn more about Árbol here.