Too Hot to Handle: BXG Helps Combat the Hidden Heat Problem in Auckland’s New Terraces and Apartments.
On a scorching summer afternoon in Auckland, Lisa stood in her brand-new terrace house, sweating. Every window was open, the fans were blasting, but her living room still felt like a sauna. “It’s like living in a glasshouse,” she muttered, “except I can’t leave.”
Lisa’s experience isn’t unique. Across Auckland, a quiet crisis is heating up—literally. Modern terrace homes, designed to be compact and efficient, are turning into ovens in the summer.
A recent Auckland Council survey found that many new builds are overheating due to poor design: too much glass, not enough shade, and limited airflow. Some residents even report bedroom temperatures climbing above 35°C, and remaining too hot at night even when outdoor temperatures are cooling off.
It’s not just uncomfortable—it’s unhealthy. Overheating can lead to sleep disruption, heat stress, and increased energy bills as homeowners scramble for cooling solutions that weren’t planned for. It’s also a potential health hazard for the elderly and more vulnerable section of the population.
Urban heat mapping commissioned by Auckland Council has revealed that densely built-up areas can be up to 3°C hotter than greener suburbs. The lack of vegetation, combined with heat-retaining surfaces like asphalt, poses health risks during heatwaves, especially at night.
Where the Design Went Wrong
Experts say it’s not the insulation that’s the problem—it’s the layout and lack of ventilation. The government’s updated building code aimed to improve energy efficiency, but it didn’t consider the flip side: homes that trap heat all day and can’t cool down at night.
Even Construction Minister Chris Penk warned that without better standards, people could be “cooked alive in their own homes.”
BXG: A Cool Head to provide relief from a Hot Situation.
That’s where BXG (Building Excellence Group) comes in. Instead of blaming insulation or rushing to install expensive air conditioning units, our team uses advanced software and standards like TM59 to predict which homes will overheat —before they’re even built.
And even beyond relying just on software and modelling, BXG brings a wealth of on-site experience and is able to provide practical solutions grounded in logic and smart design. We consider things like sun angles, window sizes, and airflow to then offer simple, common sense tweaks: adding shading, repositioning windows, or improving ventilation.
Sometimes it’s not rocket science, It’s just about asking the right questions early on—how will this home perform in summer? How will it cool down at night? Etc.
Building for Comfort, Not Just Code
BXG’s work shows that overheating isn’t inevitable—it’s preventable. But it takes the right tools, a bit of forward planning, and a healthy dose of common sense.
For now, our largest city is waking up to a problem that’s been quietly simmering. But with input from teams like BXG, there’s hope that Auckland’s future homes will be built not just to code—but for comfort.
If you're planning a project and looking for cost-effective solutions to achieving better outcomes, contact BXG to discuss how they can assist you.