78 | SolutionAir T T Kelly Deeks Ventilation vital for comfortable living SolutionAir specialises in high-performance ventilation, heating, and cooling systems for the high-end residential market. CONTRACTING As New Zealand’s building sector pushes toward higher performance and more energy efficiency, the role of the HVAC industry is becoming increasingly central to how residential and commercial developments are designed and delivered. For SolutionAir, that shift has placed balanced ventilation firmly at the heart of modern building performance. Founded in 2010 by managing director Massimo Biscuola, Auckland-based SolutionAir specialises in high-performance ventilation, heating, and cooling systems for the high-end residential market, with its work increasingly intersecting with broader conversations around building performance, indoor air quality, and long-term durability. Originally from Italy, Massimo brings a European perspective shaped by decades of experience in colder climates where energy efficiency and mechanical ventilation are considered essential rather than optional. Trained as a mechanical engineer in Switzerland, he spent his early career working across manufacturing and product development before settling permanently in New Zealand in 2000. He says his pathway into ventilation was driven by observing a growing gap between modern building methods and how homes were being ventilated. “As homes became more airtight through better insulation and construction techniques, the old approach of relying on opening doors and windows stopped being effective,” Massimo says. “You end up trapping moisture and pollutants inside the building, and that creates long-term problems.” That shift led SolutionAir to focus on balanced mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, a technology widely adopted across Europe for decades. These systems extract warm, moisture-laden air from inside the home, while introducing filtered fresh external air that, in winter, is preheated using energy recovered from the outgoing airflow, and in summer, cooled down. “In countries like Sweden, where temperatures can be well below zero, you simply can’t afford to waste heat,” Massimo says. “The technology allows up to 95% of that energy to be transferred, dramatically reducing heating demand.” Massimo says New Zealand’s building code has been slower to mandate mechanical ventilation, because opening windows has traditionally been seen as a low-cost solution. However, he believes that approach no longer aligns with how homes are designed and built today or with the reliance on the occupier to ventilate the home when required. “As we push for tighter, more energy-efficient homes through better wraps, insulation, and construction systems, ventilation becomes non-negotiable,” he says. “The tighter the home, the more ventilation you need.” Over time, balanced ventilation has become the core of SolutionAir’s business, supported by a broader suite of services that includes full HVAC system design, thermal modelling, and product supply. The company works closely with architects, designers, and builders, particularly on bespoke homes where architectural ambition can create complex technical challenges. “Some designs don’t easily allow for traditional ducting,” Massimo says. “That’s where we’ve introduced de-centralised systems that can service individual rooms without compromising the overall performance of the home.” Education has become a central pillar of the business as well. SolutionAir regularly works with architects and building professionals to improve understanding of ventilation requirements and system integration, including hosting training sessions and demonstrations at its Hamilton-based showroom. “If people don’t understand the benefits, the systems won’t be specified,” Massimo says. “Education is an investment, but it’s essential for lifting the standard of housing overall.” He says integrity has been key to the company’s long-term reputation, including being willing to walk away from projects where a proposed solution would not deliver genuine value for the client. As New Zealand continues to build more complex, airtight homes, Massimo says ventilation will become increasingly central to delivering comfortable, durable, and healthy buildings. “Ventilation isn’t a luxury,” he says. “It’s a fundamental part of how good buildings work.”
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