A lot of New Zealand homes are poorly designed and not built for their location and climate. Many lack insulation and are cold and damp contributing to respiratory problems such as asthma. Some materials used in homes can also have negative effects on health, as well as on the environment.

A well-designed home will be warmer, more comfortable, healthier and more enjoyable to live in. Good design can also help to reduce your power, gas and water bills while being kinder to the environment.

Good design is about making sensible choices, such as:

• selecting a building site with good access to the sun
• insulating your home so its stays warm in winter
• orienting windows so the sun can heat your home
• choosing materials that don’t use or emit harmful chemicals
• buying appliances that are efficient and inexpensive to run
• thinking ahead to make sure your home or renovation will meet future needs as well as current ones.

When should you think about design?

Design is important for all types of homes - from apartments and townhouses to suburban sections, lifestyle blocks and rural homes.

Whether you're buying, building or renovating the earlier you start thinking about smart design the better. What works for you will depend on your site, climate, lifestyle requirements and available budget.

Once you've considered the ideas on this website, it would bea good idea to make a list of priorities and discuss these with your designer. Make sure your designer's views are compatible with yours.

It's also worth remembering that all aspects of design influence each other - the size and placement of windows, for example, will influence the design of your roof (to ensure you get shade in summer and sun in winter).

Home improvements

Whether you own or rent, good design can be used to enhance existing homes.For example,installing insulation or adding a concrete-floored conservatory will make your home warmer; sealing around doors and windows will reduce draughts, and adding solar panels for water heating should reduce your energy bills.

Choosing a site

Good design starts with understanding your site. For example, if you're building or renovating you'll get better results if, early in the design process, you think about any features of the site that you want to preserve and any features you want to make the most of(such as sun for heating and trees for shelter).

When you're choosing a site for building, it's worth considering whether you'll be able to build the home you want without extensive alterations to the site. Something you've seen in a magazine may not be suitable for the site you're looking at.

It's also worth considering what work has already been done by the developers or previous owners - there could be risks that you'll face costly problems further down the track. The more a building site is altered - through earthworks, removal of vegetation, and diversion of waterways and runoff channels - the greater the risk of problems such as slips, slumping, erosion and flooding.

Good design reduces these risks by minimising the impact a home has on its site - for example, by using foundations that don't require extensive earthworks or by avoiding large-scale use of concrete paving that can increase the risk of flooding.

For more information, see exterior design, being a good neighbour, and minimising pollution and site impacts.