BRANZ Appraised
New Zealand homes face very different conditions from those in Europe — harsher UV, larger window spans, and unique timber framed construction. Because of this, many European uPVC window systems simply aren’t designed to perform well here.
Built for NZ, Not Europe
- Durability – New Zealand’s UV levels are among the highest in the world. PVC-U profiles that aren’t highly UV stable — common in parts of Europe — can fade, yellow, or become brittle within a few years.
- Performance – While NZ and European performance standards are similar, Kiwi homes often feature large openings and oversized doors, which place far greater demands on the window system. Many European systems struggle to meet these requirements.
- Weather-tightness – European homes are built very differently. Their PVC-U systems are not designed for timber framed construction with ventilated cavities, making it difficult — and often expensive — to achieve reliable weather-tightness in New Zealand homes.
HOMERIT’S SOLUTION
Recognising these challenges, Homerit began working with BRANZ ( www.branz.co.nz ) in 2004 to develop a PVC-U system engineered specifically for New Zealand conditions.
After more than two years of testing, the Homerit Premium Series was BRANZ appraised in February 2007 — independently confirming its performance, durability, and suitability for New Zealand buildings.
The system is appraised for use in residential and commercial buildings in wind zones up to and including Very High. For Extra High wind zones, some design limitations apply — contact us if your project is in this category.
BRANZ Real-world Case Study
About 1.6 million homes in New Zealand are too cold in winter or too hot in summer, leaving New Zealand families living in unhealthy conditions.
In 2026 a BRANZ research team completed retrofitting a house as part of a project that is intended to help the industry sustainably and affordably retrofit homes.
For this case study, Homerit supplied nine tilt‑and‑turn uPVC windows, one ranch slider, and one hinged door. All units were fitted with Low‑E4 double glazing (Ug 1.1) and installed using a recessed installation method to improve thermal insulation performance.
Monitoring is now underway, with temperature and humidity sensors inside the building and within the various layers of the construction.
For more details of this case study visit: BRANZ Retrofitting Case Study.
