Energy Efficient Ibiza Ideal in the NZ South Island

Looking right at home in a peaceful town by the sea, this energy-efficient custom design is comfortable in every season.

When Scott was looking to build in the picturesque coastal town of Warrington, on the coast of Otago, New Zealand, he fell in love with our homes, in particular, the 2-bedroom Ibiza. Wanting a larger building envelope, the design was customised and built to his specific requirements, and he couldn’t be happier with the result.

‘Thanks to Dan and the team at Mopanui Studio Homes for my amazing new house! Having considered all of the available options for my build, YZY Kit Homes were a clear winner. The house was competitively priced, and Dan was able to customise the plans to suit my needs with no fuss.’ – said Scott.

In this NZ coastal town, it can drop below zero, so energy efficiency is essential – and our mass timber home delivers.

Customised floor plan to suit requirements

Like all our backyard cabin and granny flat designs, the Ibiza is completely customisable to suit your requirements.

For this project, Scott wanted to increase the house size from 60m² to 75m², to create more livable space. To achieve this, we extended the size of the living room and kitchen area and created a larger bathroom/laundry with an added back door allowing for easy access to the backyard. As Scott explains, the flexibility and speed of the build made for a smooth and easy project from start to finish:

‘The build itself went remarkably quickly, with the house at lockup stage within a week of the kitset arriving. Having opted to do some of the finishing touches like the kitchen and painting myself, the team were very accommodating, allowing me to work around them, which enabled me to move in sooner.’

Energy efficient features

In addition to the increase in size, some special features were chosen to increase the energy efficiency and improve the comfort levels of the home.

The cool climate of the region can be freezing through the winter, so 95mm mass timber walls were selected to combat the cold weather and enhance the energy efficiency of the home even further. Modified windows were also included to allow abundant natural light in for passive warmth. As Scott explains, the natural efficiency of our mass timber homes makes a big difference to the overall ambience and level of comfort.

‘The solid spruce construction and uPVC doors and windows were particular selling points for me, and these elements make the design stand out from most of the run of the mill kitset houses available. I’ve now been in the house for just over two years and am very happy with it. It’s much warmer and easier to heat than my previous house, and everyone who visits comments on how cosy and comfortable the house feels!’

Natural elements shine

The warmth of timber is the star of this home, with the walls, ceiling and shelving creating an ambient and relaxed vibe.

This is exactly what our client was hoping to achieve, as our local building partner explains:

‘This was a custom design for a professional individual who liked the Ibiza plan, but wanted something slightly larger, so we altered the design to suit him. It is his permanent home, and he loved the natural wood look so kept the interior all natural. He really likes the house and how it feels to live in.’