See inside some of Christchurch’s most innovative homes

Want to build an eco-friendly home that is energy efficient and costs little to run, with low environmental impact?

You can get inspiration and advice during the last weekend of July with an opportunity to see inside some of Christchurch’s most innovative and efficient superhomes.

This Fendalton home is among those that will we be open to the public as part of the Superhome Tour on 27 and 28 July from 11am to 4pm.

The owners of nine homes in Christchurch will open up their properties as part of the Superhome Tour. 

The homes featured in the tour have all been built or renovated to a standard much higher than required by the Building Act so they are healthier and more thermally efficient than the average Kiwi home.

During the free, self-guided tour you will be able to talk to the owners, their designers and builders about their experiences and get advice on how to create your own energy efficient, healthy home.

The tour map and information about each home is available on the Superhome website. This year there are also 3-D virtual tours on the website.

The homes will be open between 11am and 4pm on 27 and 28 July.

The tour has been organised by the Superhome Movement, an industry-led collaboration that aims to raise the quality of homes in New Zealand.

Christchurch City Council has helped fund buses with Red Bus to transport people between the homes included in the tour. Seat numbers on the buses are limited. 

Book through Eventbrite to secure your seat and gain fast-tracked access to the homes.

Electric car share company Yoogo Share are also offering a 10 per cent discount off their weekend hire rates. To travel between the Superhomes by electric car, enter the promo code ‘Superhome’ when booking through Yoogo Share’s website.

“This is the fourth year the Superhome Movement has organised these tours and they are always very popular,’’ says Christchurch City Council Eco-Design Advisor, Julie Villard.

“There is a growing interest in building healthy, energy efficient homes at an affordable cost and these homes show people what’s possible. They can get a taste of what it is like to live in a high performing home and learn from the experiences of others,’’ Ms Villard says.

Following the Superhome tour the Council will be co-hosting a free public workshop at the City Council offices on 15 August from 6 to 8pm on how to build a superhome.