Building or Renovating? Here's What You Can Learn From Passive House Design

Passive House has been around for a while, but it’s still an unfamiliar concept for many Aussies. 

In this article, we'll talk about what it means to build a “passively” designed home, how you can benefit from Passive House concepts, and

What is the Passive House standard?

The Passive House standard, created in Germany during the 90s, is designed to minimise the energy used for heating and cooling.

Passive House standards are performance-based. They don’t specify materials, instead focusing on

The Benefits of Passive House for Perth homeowners

Energy efficiency

Air quality

By using a heat recovery ventilation system, Passive House design delivers clean, filtered air year-round.

Resilience

Passive House design keeps the building comfortable during a power outage in the height of summer or in a wild winter storm.

Easy operation

There are no expensive control systems or complex electronics. The building materials are doing all the work.

Quietness

High-performance double-glazed windows, better insulation, and careful sealing all contribute to

Reduced carbon emissions 

Passive House is a proven way to reduce your home’s greenhouse gas emissions, primarily by cutting electricity use.

4 tips to make your home more “Passive”

1. Invest in insulation

Insulation must be continuous around the building to

2. Find and eliminate thermal bridges

Thermal bridges are places in the roof, walls and floor where hot and cold air leak through. They can also cause condensation, mould and cold spots. Construction materials with high conductivity are the biggest culprits when it comes to thermal bridges:

Aluminium.

Steel.

Concrete.

Copper.

3. Install double-glazed doors and windows

Passive House standards call for high-performance windows that limit heat transfer. In particular, you should use double or

4. Make it airtight

Airtightness is a cornerstone of Passive House design because it improves indoor air quality and prevents pollutants from entering the building.

Our

Every Passive House tip helps

Although Passive House is a recognised standard with minimum performance thresholds, it’s not an all-or-nothing approach.

You don’t need to meet all the requirements to keep your home comfortable and reduce electricity bills. Every small step, like