b'To help keep heat in its showhome, Arhaus used Eco eece, a 100% pure New Zealand wool and polymer blend that forms auffy insulation blanket. Wool is an abundant natural material, and thebres are hollow, which allows them to retain and release moisture vapour. Wool also absorbs formaldehyde, a harmful gas released from new building products, such as MDF, says Nat Holloway, a director of Arhaus.The house also features 40mm-thick sheets of expanded polystyrene installed under the entire concrete slaboor. Arhaus also believes double-glazing is essential. The insulation provided by a single pane of glass is negligible. Double-glazing is gradually becoming more affordable as the demand for it increases. By using Low-E, or low-emittance glass, and argon- lled double-glazing, the heat loss can be reduced to half that of single glass panes. Our new Arhaus houses also dont have many windows to the south or opening ones to the south-west, says Nat.Options for insulating older homes Older houses, with their draughty sash windows, high ceilings and uninsulatedoors, can be a challenge to insulate. These tips will help reduce energy costs and limit mould growth. Ceiling: line the ceiling with glass wool or wool insulation and prevent 42% of heat loss. The cheapest, easiest, most effective place to insulate, is the ceiling space, claims Nat. Floors: install insulation under woodenoors, to eliminate 12% of your heat loss.-The PinkBatts Cosy oor range insulates the underside of exposed-joist timberoors.This provides a barrier between the inside of your home and the cold sub- oor, reducing draughts and retaining heat. You can also staple EcoTherm Under oor to the joists, says Nat.-Expanded polystyrene sheets are also suitable for insulatingoors and walls. Useful websites:- . 100% wool carpet will absorb moisture and add warmth and comfort to a room www.beaconpathway.co.nz Walls: investigate wall insulation optionsthey cause 25% heat loss. www.arhaus.co.nz Windows:12%ofheatislostthroughsingle-panewindows.Draught-proofwww.consumerbuild.org.nzyourwindows,hangthermaldrapes,orreplacesingle-glazedwindowswithwww.pinkbatts.co.nzdouble-glazing.www.ecoinsulation.co.nz Hot water cylinder: PinkBatts offers a hot water cylinder wrap for electric cylinders that have a 50mm clearance.www.enviro-choice.org.nzWhat is an R-value?An R-value is a measure of a materials thermal resistance. The higher the R-value, the more resistant it is to transmitting heat and the higher its insulation value. For timber-framedhousesinClimateZones1and2(NorthIsland,excludingthe mountains), the Building Code speci es a minimum overall rating of R1.5 for walls and R1.9 for the ceilings. Arhaus speci es insulation R-values of R2.2 for walls and R3.2 for ceilings in its houses. Beforeundertakingbuildingrenovations,checkout:www.building.govt.nz/publishinfofor/consumers-homehowners.php,soyouknowyourrightsand responsibilities under the Building Act 2004, or to download copies of the guides published by the Department of Building and Housing.| 109'