If National wins ...

**BlackPeter** · 31-08-2017, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Bjauck

Apartments are ideal for singles or busy childless couples.

A typical (and unfortunately narrow minded) NZ perception. So funny appartments work fine for families all over the world. What is wrong with us?

Actually - I did grow up in a (three bedroom) apartment. Nothing wrong with that for a small family. For larger families they had as well larger apartements in the same block.

One of our kids lives with his family in a 3 bedroom apartment in Singapore. 11th floor. Great childrens playing ground in the backyard. Walking distance to his place of work. Nice views, large swimming pool in walking distance, public transport as well as dining venues basically next door. Normally quiet location (there is a sport field which sometimes can be a bit noisy at events), however never heard anything from the neighbours when staying in his appartment ...

Why would anybody want to live instead in a wooden box surrounded by high boarded fences sitting on their own piece of land - and have a 60 min commute to many places they need to go (as many people in Auckland do)?

Maybe we need to change our perspective ...

**777** · 31-08-2017, 10:45 AM

Good point BP but what is it with the competition between developers in NZ to create the smallest apartments possible? We are creating blocks like the housing estates in the UK.

**BlackPeter** · 31-08-2017, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by 777

Good point BP but what is it with the competition between developers in NZ to create the smallest apartments possible? We are creating blocks like the housing estates in the UK.

Agreed - many of the apartment blocks (I know of) in NZ are low quality and too small for families. However - it would not be rocket science to build better ones ... it probably is just the market giving people what they expect ...

**Rep** · 31-08-2017, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by fungus pudding

Interersting. I am building a new home shortly, after years in an older home with a very successful positive pressure vent system - but I can't for the life of me understand how they can be expected to work in a new near enough to air tight home.
What brand of balanced system did you install? Does the heat exchanger seem efficient, and of course - cost? Grateful for any info.

I installed a Cleanaire system at the time and installed the MB600-95 model heat exchanger but used a local HVAC installer to do the design and installation (there's also an annual service - mainly an inspection and filter change). It was not cheap and I think close to $10k although it would be more than that now - they also have a pretty low tech controller, no timer and it's essentially two switches (on/off and summer/winter mode with a dial for fan speed) which I have inside a hall cupboard but usually don't actually change settings except the summer/winter mode and may dial down the fan speed at night as opposed to the day.
http://www.cleanaire.co.nz/
http://www.cleanaire.co.nz/Products/CLEANAIRE+HRV.html

I went for the 95% efficiency heat exchanger rather than 80%. I live in Auckland and in a well insulated house but the hygrometer suggests that the humidity is well controlled and the house is warm. I also don't have massive heating bills - until we had children we mainly used a flued gas fireplace for the main living space and some oil column heaters on timers for the bedroom - but we installed and use heat pumps for heating with timers and wifi controllers.

The other system I looked at was this one - the Mitsubishi Lossnay although I seem to recall something about there was something about the exchanger core that I wasn't convinced about:
http://www.mitsubishi-electric.co.nz...ation/how.aspx

**fungus pudding** · 31-08-2017, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Rep

I installed a Cleanaire system at the time and installed the MB600-95 model heat exchanger but used a local HVAC installer to do the design and installation (there's also an annual service - mainly an inspection and filter change). It was not cheap and I think close to $10k although it would be more than that now - they also have a pretty low tech controller, no timer and it's essentially two switches (on/off and summer/winter mode with a dial for fan speed) which I have inside a hall cupboard but usually don't actually change settings except the summer/winter mode and may dial down the fan speed at night as opposed to the day.
http://www.cleanaire.co.nz/
http://www.cleanaire.co.nz/Products/CLEANAIRE+HRV.html

I went for the 95% efficiency heat exchanger rather than 80%. I live in Auckland and in a well insulated house but the hygrometer suggests that the humidity is well controlled and the house is warm. I also don't have massive heating bills - until we had children we mainly used a flued gas fireplace for the main living space and some oil column heaters on timers for the bedroom - but we installed and use heat pumps for heating with timers and wifi controllers.

The other system I looked at was this one - the Mitsubishi Lossnay although I seem to recall something about there was something about the exchanger core that I wasn't convinced about:
http://www.mitsubishi-electric.co.nz...ation/how.aspx

Many thanks - good information.

**minimoke** · 31-08-2017, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by Rep

Maybe. But what's the alternative? Should society presume that we set a minimum income for having a family?

are we that encumbered by the benificiary protection succesive governments have placed over Virtually every person we cant make this decision for ourselves?

The govermnent and opposition parties sre doing a very good job of filling our vacuous minds with rubbish. Like its a right to have a brand new $600,000 house.

**Bjauck** · 31-08-2017, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Rep

I live in a modern and airtight home - I regularly don't open any of the windows for days if not weeks. You can build air tight homes that don't need windows to be opened if you address the ventilation issues with good design.....

The modern house in which the child become ill, did not have a ventilation system. Maybe the landlord decided it was too expensive? With NZ tenancy laws it would probably not be worthwhile for the tenant to instal a system, even if they could afford one.

**Bjauck** · 31-08-2017, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by BlackPeter

A typical (and unfortunately narrow minded) NZ perception. So funny appartments work fine for families all over the world. What is wrong with us?...

Or is it because in densely populated areas there was no other choice. From the days of the Roman insula it has been a norm in European cities. Many European cities developed with a large number of working people, without private transport, needing to be within a short distance of where they could earn a living. Anyway a difference in culture and with increasing population a looming culture shock for Aucklanders to contend with.