78 | Tasman: Townley Construction - House of the Year Awards Rachel Graham Off grid house makes a splash at awards Edan Fitzpatrick (left) and Liam Dundass with the two awards. BUILDING An off-grid house which makes the most of natural and sustainable products has proven to be an award winner for Blenheim’s Townley Construction. The 171 square metre two-bedroom, two-bathroom home is in the Wairau Valley, about half an hour from Blenheim and sits with the stunning Richmond Ranges as a backdrop. Townley Construction’s work on the home was a double winner at the Registered Master Builders 2022 House of the Year Awards. It won the Regional APL Sustainable and Environment Excellence Award and a Regional Gold Award. Liam Dundas was Townley Construction’s foreman on the job, and he says it was a really fascinating job to work on. He says the client had a very clear idea of what they wanted to achieve with the home. The owners wanted the home to complement the stunning surroundings and to naturally fit into the environment. They also wanted to stay as self-sufficient as possible, with the house getting its energy from solar panels set up to maximise that famous Marlborough sun, with back-up from a lithium battery powered generator. Hot water is provided by a wet back on the fireplace in winter and the solar panels through summer. A number of steps were taken to maximise energy efficiency wherever possible. Townley Construction installed a MAXRaft floor, which fully insulates the polished concrete floor, keeping temperatures comfortable all year round. Townley Construction also put in a wider exterior wall, to increase the amount of insulation, and improve the efficiency of heating and cooling. A new product for Liam and his team was the wool-based insulation. He says it was so thick the team had to use sheep shears to cut through it. “The home has big sliding doors out on to a large sun-soaked deck, from almost every room. The many windows, high ceilings and open-plan living make the most of the impressive location.” Liam says the clients were also very thoughtful about the products used throughout their home. “They opted for the most sustainable options in pretty much every choice they made,” says Liam. “So, the decking is Saligna Gum, which is a far more sustainable choice than a lot of the “The home has big sliding doors out on to a large sun-soaked deck, from almost every room. The many windows, high ceilings and open-plan living make the most of the impressive location.” other hardwoods commonly used. The cedar used is a Japanese cedar. And the supplier plants a tree for every tree that they harvest. So, it was sort of their mindset right through.” The Japanese cedar is used to line the lounge ceiling and as a feature wall in the main bedroom. Liam says the team ensured the workmanship was done to a high standard throughout the build, and it is that standard of work which Townley Construction has become well known for in the region. Roger Townley started Townley Construction in 2014. The company has now grown to employ 15 qualified carpenters and apprentices. Roger has been building since 2004 and in 2008 he was chosen as the Apprentice of the Year for Nelson/Marlborough/West Coast. He’s continued that ongoing quest for excellence, and in 2019 he and his team won Gold in the Master Builders House of the year regionals. Townley Construction covers the Marlborough Nelson region and does residential new builds as well as renovation projects. Roger is still hands on with his clients, quoting, project managing and overseeing projects from start to finish. He is also an executive member of the Marlborough branch of the Master Builders Committee, working with others to maintain high standards in the building industry. For Townley Construction the standard of workmanship and attention to detail are always the highest priority, along with ensuring the team deliver the right solution every time. Proud to work with Roger Townley and support the incredible projects by Townley Construction Ltd rmainsurance.co.nz
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