Home Run Podcast - October 2025
Joe talks to David Palfreyman from HomeRun about why so many Kiwi homes are making us sick and how to build better.

Our chat runs through a range of topics, from why we started WEL & where the name came from, through our own journey towards achieving healthier, low energy buildings, to the issues with the way we currently build buildings, and what 'compliance' actually means. Within the industry we so often use terms such as Low-e, 'performance', etc and it was invaluable to recognise that many people don't have knowledge of these, so we need to find clearer, simpler ways of talking about both the issues with our homes; and the solutions.
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High Performer Building Pulse - Part 1 - October 2025

Joe talks to Jim Marsh, Tim Haycock and the High Performer Building about:

- The reasons for starting WEL Architecture Ltd and it's work, and why we should be aiming for better with our housing instead of accepting BAU.
- How the current H1 compliance pathways are not ensuring comfort or performance, and how the Passivhaus process helps us achieve actual performance outcomes, while also balancing costs & specifications.
- How do we manage upfront cost, but also the consider the lifetime cost to run the building?
- Homestar and Passivhaus, what are they and what do they mean, and how do we talk about them? Does building performance have a marketing problem?!

High Performer Building Pulse - Part 2 - October 2025

​The second part of my conversation at High Performer Building, where we discuss questions like:

- How can Passivhaus and Homestar help anyone aiming for better - whether new build, or retrofit?
- Where should we be aiming for in regard to building performance, and what is comfort? Is it just air temperature?
- Why do we have problems with our homes, and how can we solve, or even prevent them?
- Why is ventilation so important, and how does it work with airtightness, insulation and heating?
- Why should we be measuring airtightness, and how is it different to vapour permeability?
- We talk about different products and systems - SIPs, framing, prefabrication, airtight services - is there a perfect product?

I attempt to simplify some complex topics hopefully relatively successfully(!), but with one correction around the Pro Clima NZ Ltd study I refer to, where it was actually 800ml of moisture can transfer through a 1mm gap in 24 hours, not 5l - the study is available here for anyone interested: https://lnkd.in/gJEjzz6N

We finish up with how to communicate the benefits of aiming for higher performance, more comfortable and more durable buildings. The closing points: design your buildings for the future, not for the now. Model everything; and get a designer on board who understands how to achieve the outcomes you’re looking for - I’m always happy to chat!

Feel Good, Look Good: Performance vs Aesthetics in Architecture - May 2025

This was such an enjoyable chat with Rafe, Sam and Josh!

We chatted about why design constraints can be a good thing, how performance and modelling can drive better design; and for some reason an Austin Powers quote came out of my mouth...maybe a flashback because of the discussion about university, and how performance should fit into education! ​
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Pro Clima Podcast Episode 9: Joe Lyth - August 2024
In this Podcast, Joe shares his personal journey in architecture, from his childhood in a 1890s farmhouse to pursuing a career in architecture and later moving to New Zealand for a better work-life balance. 
Joe and Simon discuss building code compliance and energy modelling in New Zealand. Joe highlights the limitations of the building code in ensuring thermal performance and comfort, and argues that energy modelling is the only reliable way to assess a building's performance.