“There’s definitely an opportunity for us to be designing more sustainable buildings that will help the environment and more sourced local materials that we could be using and managing the design in terms of minimizing the waste,” Trevor Breen.

Breen’s Ballantyne Road Office marks a significant milestone for both Breen and the New Zealand building industry. As the country’s first 400m² Passive House Institute Low Energy Building certified commercial project, it demonstrates what’s possible when balancing long-term performance, sustainability, and commercial outcomes is prioritised from day one.

Designed and built by Breen, the project reflects a clear ambition to create a workspace that performs better for both the business and the people within it.

Project Overview

Located in Wānaka, the Ballantyne Road Office was developed in response to the region’s rapid growth and Breen’s expanding local team. As the first of four planned buildings on the site, it establishes a high-performance benchmark for future development.

The vision was clear from the outset – deliver a timber-led commercial building that celebrates local materials, minimises environmental impact, and provides a superior working environment.

Designing for Performance

Early in the design process, the team explored multiple building performance pathways, assessing:

·       Standard building code

·       Enhanced “green” performance

·       Passive House certification

Through detailed thermal modelling and embodied carbon analysis, the team selected the  Passive House Institute Low Energy Building standard, striking the optimal balance between performance, cost, and constructability.

This approach sought to deliver exceptional energy efficiency and airtightness, a significant reduction in operational energy demand and a more accessible and commercially viable pathway, particularly regards total cost, than full Passive House certification

Sustainability was embedded into every layer of the built, from structure to finishes, with the final building offering approximately 30% less embodied carbon than a baseline code-compliant design. Key features include:

·       Timber-led construction, including engineered timber portals

·       Locally sourced timber cladding, supporting regional supply chains

·       Wool insulation, using belly wool sourced from local farms and manufactured in the South Island

·       Thermal bridge-free design, achieved through slab encapsulation and detailing

·       High-performance envelope, including triple glazing and airtight vapour barriers

·       Heat recovery ventilation, delivering consistent fresh air and temperature control

Built for the Central Otago Climate

Designing for Wānaka meant responding to one of New Zealand’s most extreme climates – hot summers, cold winters, and significant daily temperature swings. The building’s high-performance envelope and ventilation system ensures stable internal temperatures year-round, ultimately reducing heating and cooling demands.

Performance in Practice

The building is already demonstrating strong real-world results:

·       Low daily energy demand, averaging approximately 50-60 kW

·       On-site solar generation regularly exceeding demand on sunny days

·       Surplus energy being returned to the grid

This validates the design intent – delivering a building that performs efficiently in operation, not just on paper.

A Better Place to Work

At its core, the project is about people.

Research shows that temperature and air quality directly impact productivity, and the Ballantyne Road Office has been designed to optimise both. With stable internal temperatures, low CO₂ levels, and minimal noise, the building creates an environment that supports wellbeing, focus, and performance.

“ You come in here and you see the even temperature, the fresh air, the quiet – it just feels good. That’s without a doubt the best part of it.” Ross McCulloch, Breen Wānaka Area Manager

Looking Ahead

As the first of four planned buildings on the Ballantyne Road site, this project sets a clear direction for the future. It demonstrates the potential for timber commercial buildings as a viable alternative to traditional steel construction, and that high-performance design can be commercially achievable

For Breen, it represents more than a single project, it’s a proof point for where the industry is heading.

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