f you’re building a home in Australia, you’ve likely come across NatHERS.
It’s the standard used to measure the thermal performance of residential buildings —
and for most projects, it’s a required part of compliance.
But there’s another approach that’s gaining attention: Passive House.
While both aim to improve comfort and energy performance,
they are fundamentally different in how they work —
and in what they deliver.
Passive House is a performance-based building standard that focuses on reducing energy demand to an absolute minimum —
while maintaining consistent indoor comfort.
Unlike NatHERS, it doesn’t rely on a star rating.
Instead, it sets strict, measurable targets for:
These are verified through detailed modelling and on-site testing.
👉 For a full overview, see our Passive House guide.
NatHERS is a rating system.
It evaluates how a building performs and assigns a score.
Passive House is a standard.
It defines exactly how a building must perform — and verifies it.
NatHERS is primarily used for compliance.
A building needs to meet a minimum star rating to be approved.
Passive House goes beyond minimum requirements.
It focuses on achieving consistent performance in real conditions.
Both use modelling, but in different ways.
NatHERS modelling is used to generate a rating.
Passive House modelling (via PHPP) is used to design, test, and refine the building —
ensuring it meets strict performance targets before construction begins.
NatHERS does not require airtightness testing.
Passive House requires verified airtightness,
typically achieving a maximum of 0.6 air changes per hour (ACH50).
This has a major impact on comfort and energy efficiency.
NatHERS does not require mechanical ventilation.
Passive House includes continuous mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR),
providing fresh, filtered air at all times.
Both aim to improve comfort.
But Passive House is designed to eliminate:
The result is a more stable and predictable indoor environment.
Yes.
In Australia, most Passive House projects are still required
to demonstrate compliance with NatHERS or BASIX.
However, Passive House goes far beyond these requirements.
In many cases, a Passive House will naturally achieve a high NatHERS rating —
but the reverse is not always true.
For most homeowners, NatHERS is not a choice —
it’s a requirement.
Passive House is a decision.
You might consider Passive House if you:
It’s not necessary for every project.
But it is one of the most reliable ways
to achieve what many homes aim for — but don’t consistently deliver.
NatHERS sets the baseline for building performance in Australia.
Passive House raises that baseline —
by focusing on what the building actually delivers in everyday use.
The difference is not just in ratings or targets,
but in how the home feels to live in.
Learn more about how Passive House works in Australia