A new sustainability and development officer is now part of the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) team.

The long-running local trust provides affordable housing for low-to-middle income earners in the district and while it already builds “well above code”, there is room for further improvement, QLCHT chief executive Julie Scott said. 

“We are looking to introduce more passive elements into our new builds and enhance the performance of the homes to make them more affordable for our occupants to live in.”

Architectural designer Arthur Lee, who has filled the new role, “will help us realise this goal while also helping us improve sustainability from a holistic organisational perspective”.

New QLCHT sustainability and development officer Arthur Lee. PHOTO: Supplied

Arthur has devoted his career to sustainable building since completing his higher education in Wellington and Denmark.

“My specialised areas include Passive House design, Homestar, whole of life carbon assessment, and prefabrication construction,” Arthur said.

He said he was “thrilled” to be joining QLCHT, where he will also drive sustainability initiatives within QLCHT’s internal processes.

QLCHT is a not-for-profit social enterprise established by Queenstown Lakes District Council in 2007 to recognise the affordability issue and act on it; now the trust is an independent entity operating throughout the district.

Read more: Hundreds of households waiting for Trust homes

PHOTO: Supplied