Residential thermal modelling for architects, designers and builders.
Value-engineer for performance during concept design and deliver homes that are more comfortable and resilient.
Where is your design leverage?
The ARKATA way is broken down into 2 stages.
Stage 1 is where performance is decided, your design can still flex and the leverage is real. Stage 2 then carries it through to documentation, certification, and construction.
_ STAGE 1
Exploration & optimisation
Understand how a home will actually perform and find the most effective ways to improve efficiency, comfort and resilience early, when the leverage is real.
What happens in Stage 1
Early-stage thermal modelling and performance analysis
Passive solar and key design strategies tested
Cost-to-performance improvements, ranked by impact
Decision-ready insights for you and your clients
Outcome: Clarity, confidence, and a design direction you can stand behind.
Thermal Comfort
Baseline Specification vs an Enhanced Specification
_ STAGE 2
Certification
Finalise documentation, confirm compliance, and carry performance and design intent through to approvals and construction.
What happens in Stage 2
Final thermal modelling aligned with architectural documentation
Compliance assessments and certification
Coordination with drawings, specifications, and consultant inputs
Technical support through approvals and construction queries
This stage builds on the decisions established in Stage 1
Outcome: Compliance certainty and performance intent carried through to construction
Overheating Risk Assessment
A progressed and certifiable specification following Stage 1
NatHERS or Passivhaus?
We’re not an either or consultancy.
We’re both.
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And get a full thermal analysis that covers the home’s thermal performance and whole of home energy usage.
Delivered through our Insights Suite that covers:
Targetted testing and variant analysis
Thermal comfort
Design-day temperature profiles
Room-by-room performance
Overheating risks
Airtightness sensitivity
Economics
& Energy usage
And where a project needs it, thermal bridge assessments and Glaser-method moisture analysis are available too.
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And get your project ready for future certification, delivered with:
DesignPH (via SketchUp)
Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP)
Targetted testing & variant analysis
Climate analysis
Shading & ventilation
Heating & cooling loads
Overheating risks
Dehumidification loads
Economics
& energy usage
Glaser-method moisture analysis
Thermal bridge assessments & elimination
NatHERS is retained for compliance only, finalised under Stage 2.
Trusted through collaboration
Jackson Digney, Passivhaus Builder at Enduro Builders
“The gap between Passivhaus and NatHERS modelling is one of the quiet frustrations in high-performance building in Australia. For this project, Ben bridged that gap in a way that was technically rigorous and practically useful, particularly in how he handled the airtightness assumptions between the two systems. For anyone building or certifying at Passivhaus standard, having a NatHERS assessor who actually understands the methodology makes the compliance process a lot less painful.”
Roger Borland, Architect at Borland Architecture
“The most useful energy performance information I’ve received from a consultant. Clear, well-presented, and directly applicable to the design process. The project will be significantly improved as a result.”
Dean Backman, Builder at Backman Builders
“Ben’s involvement at the right stage of each project makes a tangible difference to how our homes perform. His analysis helps clarify key decisions early, supporting outcomes that go beyond minimum requirements and carry through to construction.”
Tim Smith, Architect & Builder at BRD Studio
“Ben has modelled several projects for us at BRD Studio. We have always engaged Ben early in the design process and his assistance in optimising the performance of our homes has been invaluable. His input has helped us far exceed compliance and achieve ratings of over 8 and 9-Stars.”
Paul Cooksey, Architect at Northern Edge Studio
“Ben has worked on several assessments of our designs, and the data he provides has been genuinely valuable in refining the design to deliver better outcomes for our clients. His reports go well beyond a basic compliance approach and actively inform design decisions.”
“My name is Ben.
I'm a Master of Architecture graduate, a Certified Passivhaus Designer and an accredited NatHERS assessor.
I bring the Passivhaus and NatHERS toolsets together so high-performance design carries through every stage of your project.
My goal is to help you deliver the homes of the future for your clients.”