Hone your plans. Simplify H1

Hone is H1 compliance software built by people who work in construction, not software developers guessing what the industry needs. We designed it to help designers, architects and builders demonstrate compliance with New Zealand's H1 Building Code, without the spreadsheets, workarounds or guesswork that slow projects down.

Every calculation, feature and update is driven by the same challenge we set out to solve ourselves: helping you get compliance right the first time, on real projects.

Start a new project

Enter your project details: the name, the Territorial Authority, and the construction month. Then choose who runs the H1 design - you, or the Hone team.

If you are running the calculator yourself, head onto step 2.

Handing it to us? Upload your plans. We'll complete the H1 design and notify you, and you can jump straight to Step 5.

Build your systems

Add a row to each section and enter the details for that part of the build. Plan to use the same system again? Save it as a template as you go. Enter the information once, and you'll never rebuild it from scratch.

Already have templates on your account? Click Select from Template in the top-right corner of the module and choose the system you want to work with.

Add your areas

Enter the m2 for each system in your design.

Check pass or fail

Your H1 result sits at the top of the page. If the design isn't passing, work through the rows and adjust the elements in the table. Keep an eye on the reference and proposed building figures in the top row until the design passes.

Need to step away and change other parts of your design first? Click Save Now. Your project will be waiting when you come back - no need to start over.

Complete and generate your report

Your design passes the new H1 calculations. That's the finish line. Click Complete, and Hone generates your report automatically - no formatting, no manual write-up, no chasing figures across documents.

Handed your H1 design to the Hone team? It's already done. Go to your project table and open Files. Your completed report is waiting there, ready to download and submit.

Too Good to Be True? Almost.

Free H1 compliance software that makes your team faster. It sounds too good to be true, so let's be blunt about the catch.

Hone only specifies ECO Insulation and Terra Lana products. Those are our brands. That's how the software stays free - we build it because it puts our products in front of designers who need to hit compliance quickly. No hidden fees, no upsell buried in the fine print. The trade-off is simply which products the software recommends.

Here's why that isn't the limitation it sounds like. ECO Insulation and Terra Lana, provides a full range of insulation covering walls, roofs, floors, and every part of the thermal envelope. Whatever your build needs to meet H1 and run warm and efficient, the product is there. You're not choosing between free software and a proper spec. You get both.

The Team Behind Hone

Built by construction experts. Backed by building science. Brought to life by great software.

Hone wasn't created by a software company looking for a problem to solve. It was built by people who live H1 compliance every day.

Leading the project is James, who combines years in the insulation industry with a Master's degree in Physics. He knows the science behind H1 as well as the practical realities of designing and building homes that comply.

Working alongside him is our H1 team, supporting builders across New Zealand every day. Their experience ensures Hone is built around real projects, real compliance challenges, and the way the industry actually works.

Behind the scenes, our software team turns that expertise into a fast, reliable platform that's easy to use, keeping the technology simple so you can focus on the design.