Energy efficiency is no longer optional in New Zealand’s construction landscape, especially for multi-residential buildings. With the tightening of H1 requirements, architects and developers must consider better thermal performance and Building Code compliance. This post covers the key aspects of H1 compliance, how UNO Windows & Doors' Thermal Suites can support your project, and how UNO Hub makes accessing project-specific construction R-values easier.
H1 requirements under the New Zealand Building Code focus on energy efficiency, covering aspects like insulation, glazing, and heating.
With their scale and complexity, multi-residential buildings present unique challenges in meeting these standards. Compliance is essential to ensure comfortable living spaces and reduced energy consumption.
UNO Thermal and UNO Hub are built for H1 compliance on multi-residential projects under H1/AS1 6th edition (effective 27 November 2025). You can treat a multi-unit building as one thermal envelope or one per household unit, with walls and floors between units excluded, and UNO Hub exports construction R-value certificates for the whole project or block by block to suit either approach.
Get your free copy of our Ultimate H1 guide here.
Meeting H1 standards isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about ensuring long-term energy efficiency and occupant comfort. For architects and developers working on multi-residential projects, non-compliance can result in costly delays, redesigns, and council approval issues. Choosing materials and systems that align with H1 calculations is critical to avoiding setbacks and ensuring smoother project delivery.
UNO Windows & Doors has developed thermal suites designed specifically to meet the demands of H1 energy efficiency requirements. Here’s how we help architects and developers streamline compliance for multi-residential projects:
Our thermal suite features a larger thermal strip, providing excellent insulation that helps achieve a higher construction R-Value. This translates into lower energy consumption and a more sustainable building environment. Our aluminium windows and residential doors boast high R-values, ensuring superior energy efficiency.
Watch Andy’s testimonial featuring his experience with UNO's Thermal Suite.
Our proven processes support efficiency at every stage, from product selection through to final delivery. UNO's adaptable approach means we work closely with your project timeline and specific requirements, with clear communication throughout.
We provide documentation to support compliance with New Zealand Building Code requirements, including H1, helping project teams progress through the building consent process with the information they need.
Using UNO’s thermal suites not only ensures H1 compliance but also offers additional benefits:
Energy-efficient windows are a key selling point for multi-residential properties. They contribute to lower energy costs for occupants and a more comfortable living environment, which can increase the appeal and value of the property.
Architects and developers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability. With UNO’s thermal suites, you’re investing in products that support a more sustainable future through reduced energy consumption and greater durability.
For developers that are considering the value of money, a higher R-Value, gives you the ability to optimise all H1 requirements for the build, and creates potential savings in other insulation areas such as the roof or floor by utilizing the UNO Thermal Suite and the Calculation Method.
Check our free guide: R-Values
Light, cheap window options can look tempting on upfront cost, but they often lead to reduced energy efficiency, increased thermal bridging, or insufficient solar heat shading that leaves buildings overheating. These issues can be addressed at design stage if you involve a full supply chain manufacturer, so you realise the energy savings over the building's lifetime and avoid long-term discomfort.
Engaging UNO early, at specification stage, means your plans are reviewed to achieve the R-value needed and adapted to our manufacturing capabilities. That helps avoid projects running over budget, or windows that can't be manufactured as intended, along with the costly delays and revisions that follow. Our team can provide details, specification documents and value engineering, and help identify the optimal window and door configurations to achieve the construction R-values your project needs.
At UNO, we understand the complexity of H1 calculations and the importance of accurate construction R-values.
Through UNO Hub, architects can enter the windows and doors for their project and generate project-specific construction R-values based on the actual sizes, configurations and products being specified. These values can then be used within the Calculation Method as part of the wider H1 assessment.
Once the joinery specification is finalised, an R-value certificate can also be requested through UNO Hub to support building consent.
If you want to understand more about H1 calculation methods, check our guide.
Navigating H1 requirements for multi-residential buildings becomes easier with the right products, information and support. UNO combines thermal window and door solutions with an in-house end-to-end process covering specification, manufacturing and nationwide supply.
For your next project, start working through your joinery specification and project-specific construction R-values in UNO Hub.