BUILDING SMALL

Heidi and Matt designed the basic layout of their home, a rectangular house with a narrow hallway, and refined the plans with Invercargill firm MAS Architecture. The foundations and frame were constructed by builders, with Heidi and Matt helping by doing most of the interiors and cladding.

The house's environmentally friendly features include:

* Low-E double glazing, mostly north-facing for maximum solar gain. * An ultra-low-emission Pyroclassic wood burner. * An insulated concrete floor, which absorbs the sun during the day and releases stored heat through the night. * The house is built with Ecoply Barrier, prefabricated structural plywood that provides a moistureresistant barrier, eliminating the need for building wrap.

In the next 12 months:

* The couple plans to harvest rainwater for the vegetable garden (still in the landscaping stage). * They also aim to add solar.