What is a Passive House Retrofit?

Passive House retrofit is the process of upgrading an existing building to meet the Passive House standard. This typically involves improving the building's insulation, airtightness, and windows, and ensuring that the building has a good thermal envelope. A retrofitted Passive House should consume much less energy for heating and cooling and provide a comfortable indoor environment with good air quality.

Retrofitting an existing building to Passive House standards can be challenging and may require significant work and investment. However, the benefits of a retrofitted Passive House can be substantial, including significant energy savings, reduced carbon emissions, and improved indoor comfort.

Retrofitting a building to Passive House standards usually begins with an energy assessment to identify the building's current energy consumption and areas for improvement. Then, an energy-efficient design is developed, taking into account the specific conditions of the building, such as 

its orientation, size, and existing materials. The retrofit work is then carried out, including adding insulation, sealing air leaks, and upgrading the building's windows. Finally, the retrofitted building is tested to ensure that it meets the Passive House standard.

And in return, when a retrofit achieves Passive House standards, the home is certified as EnerPHit for certified retrofits.

The Passive House standard of construction provides a comfortable habitable space by means of reducing thermal bridges, high performance glazing and smart design for solar gain producing a sustainable airtight solution. Passive House buildings are already being built in a variety of climates and building types, including single-family homes, multi-family buildings, schools and commercial buildings, showing that the standard can be adapted to different projects and contexts.

This ability to significantly adapt to the changes in climate enables superiorly comfortable temperatures throughout the construction. The building’s inhabitants will receive the benefits of a temperate environment, reducing the use of expensive climate controls like air conditioning. The Passive House solution also supports the comfort of the user, not only through an evenly temperate environment, but through airtight construction the mitigation of sound transmission, dust, bugs and moisture.

Passive House prioritises energy efficiency and comfort, offering a future proof solution to the increasing needs of all stakeholders. Sustainable construction is already seen as the answer to the climate crisis which is where the Passive House standard offers solutions that are beneficial to both the environment and inhabitants.

The Passive House concept was first developed by German physicist Dr. Wolfgang Feist during the early 1990s in Darmstadt, Germany. The goal was to create buildings that use very little energy for heating and cooling, while still providing a high level of comfort for the occupants.

The exact definition of Passive House, as provided by the Passivhaus Institut is as follows:

“A Passive House is a building, for which thermal comfort (ISO 7730) can be achieved solely by post-heating or post-cooling of the fresh air mass, which is required to achieve sufficient indoor air quality conditions – without the need for additional recirculation of air”

Dr. Wolfgang Feist (via Passive House Institut)

Since 2010, all new homes built in Australia have had to satisfy a minimum 6-star energy efficiency NatHERS rating, however, the Climate Council and the Property Council of Australia are now pushing to make a 7-star energy rating the new minimum. State and territory ministers will meet in July to review the 11-year-old laws that set the minimum energy efficiency standards in new home builds.

Tips and Tricks to implement within your household to help reduce your carbon footprint and live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle! 

We've found 5 quick and easy tips that will help guide on how to make your decisions in building a sustainable home. 

Passive cooling is the cheapest method of cooling a home, and as an added bonus is incredibly environmentally friendly. No matter the climate you live in, you'll be using passive cooling to some extent throughout the year.

Whether you live in an apartment or a larger home, your home can be built or modified to allow you to take advantage of passive cooling systems to help you achieve greater comfort. If you already rely on mechanical cooling systems (like air conditioners) you can reduce your energy costs by combining these with passive cooling.

Choosing the most appropriate passive cooling strategies for your home should be guided by the climate you live in. We've listed some of the basic strategies below to get you started!

Want to learn more about optimising the thermal comfort of your project? Read below to learn the basics regarding the Thermal Mass capabilities in certain  building materials! 

Prior to commencing most types of developments in NSW, you will have to lodge a Development Application (DA) with your local council. 

BASIX (Building Sustainability Index) assesses the energy and water efficiency of your development. It is one of the most important planning tools currently operating in NSW to ensure buildings are being developed to operate in a sustainable manner. In NSW the State Government requires that a BASIX Certificate is attached to all development plans when submitted for DA approval.