Building a house is one thing - but building an award winning home is another.

Te Puke residents Gerbrig and Gerben Muntendam this week showed SunLive inside their new home which recently won the Bay of Plenty/Central Plateau registered Master Builders 2013 House of the Year.

The Bay of Plenty/Central Plateau registered Master Builders 2013 House of the Year.

Set on a stunning 80 hectares of land on the outskirts of Te Puke the eco-friendly innovative build is everything the couple have ever wanted.

Right from the beginning, the Muntendams were certain about two things - they wanted a beautiful view and a warm eco-friendly home.

'We wanted to heat a house without using any fuel energy,” says Gerben.

So their son Gerben-Haye, who works with Solar Corp NZ in Te Puke, suggested heating the home entirely by solar panel heating. What's more, he offered to install a solar hot water and home heating system incorporating an underground Thermal Mass Heat Sink using a substantial water tank.

Solar water heaters mean the home is heated through the winter and surplus thermal energy generated during the summer accumulates in the TMHS water tank to heat the home ready for the next winter.

Gerben says the house is basically heated with free energy from the sun.

'We only need a couple of hours to heat the solar and we never use electricity to heat our hot water. It's the obvious thing really.”

Thermostats throughout the home control automatic distribution of hot water to under floor heating circuits, radiators and towel rails, providing even heating throughout the home.

Although they didn't need it in a practical sense, the couple chose to install a fireplace to create atmosphere.

But it too comes with a twist. The fireplace is not like most wood burning fireplaces, it is fitted with a wetback, which supplements to the hot water system.

The wetback works by using water from the hot water cylinder circulated through the pipes and heated using some of the heat from the fire.

The home consists of four double bedrooms, three bathrooms, two small kitchens, a lounge and a family room. Gerben says although people might think it strange only two people live in such a large home, it would be pointless to build anything smaller on such a wide space of land.

'It would be ridiculous to put a little retirement home up here.”

The spacious house proves useful too, providing a getaway and family hub for grandchildren and extended family, who come to stay.

For Gerbig and Gerben, this is it, this is where they will spend the rest of their lives, and they have made sure it will meet their needs well into the future.

Planning their future started with finding the right builder.

Gerbrig and Gerben first met with David Shaw in 2010. Gerben says they chose David for his good reputation and were impressed by the company's concept of taking responsibility for all sub-contractors.

'If we would have to build another house we'd go (about it) the same way,” says Gerben.

Construction began in January 2012 and a year later it was complete.

Shaw Builders Limited has won Bay of Plenty/Central Plateau Registered Master Builders 2013 House of the Year for the third time since entering the competition in 2007.

Along with winning the Supreme Award for its home in Te Puke, Shaw Builders Limited also won the Future Proof Building Renovation Award in the over $500,000 category, Carters New Homes $1million - $2million category, and the Craftsmanship Award.

David says the quality of finish is what makes a House of the Year. He says the $1million - $2million category is the toughest part of the competition because of the quality of the home and winning the Craftsmanship Award proved his company has what it takes to build a feature home.

'We're so happy to win it. I can't say it enough, we're so happy.”

See here for more winners.

Gerbrig Muntendam in the bathroom of her home.

Carolyn and David Shaw with Gerbrig and Gerben Mutendam in the house that won the Master Builders 2013 House of the Year.