About – passivehouses

ABOUT PASSIVE HOUSES

About Passive Houses

Your trusted guide to passive houses in Australia

Passive Houses is your passive building and design resource. Whether you’re a prospective homeowner, an architect, a builder or simply interested in sustainable living, we are here to help you understand and embrace the principles of passive house design, so you have all the information needed to build and renovate sustainable, durable and healthy passive houses.

Passive Houses’ mission is simple: to provide you with the information, resources and expert guidance you need to create energy-efficient, comfortable and environmentally friendly homes that stand the test of time. We believe that building a passive house is not just about saving energy – it’s about creating a healthier, more sustainable living environment for you, your family and the planet.

Passive house design principles

Passive house design focuses on managing thermal transfer, moisture, air and sunlight to produce efficient, comfortable and healthy buildings. There are five general principles that inform passive design.

Continuous insulation

A continuous layer of insulation envelopes passive buildings to maintain warmth in winter and coolness in summer. This layer also keeps condensation inside the building and its assemblies to a minimum.

Moisture management

Passive building assemblies are designed with vapour profiles suited to the specific climate. They maximise drying potential and reduce the risk of moisture build up. The insulation layer keeps the interior face of exterior walls warm to prevent condensation on those surfaces during colder months.

Thermal transfer

The continuous insulation layer eliminates weak points that allow heat transfer through the building envelope. This retains heat during winter and cools interiors during summer.

No thermal bridges

A thermal bridge allows heat or cool air to bypass a building’s thermal barrier and undermines efficiency and durability. Examples include a concrete floor extending from inside to outside, a poorly designed window frame or a steel beam penetrating an exterior wall. Thermal bridges are eliminated by adding thermal breaks, gaps or insulative elements that block thermal energy flow.

Moisture management

Thermal bridges increase heat transfer through insulated layers and risk condensation, which can lead to rot, corrosion and mould. Thermal bridge-free design prevents these risks and improves durability.

Thermal transfer

Eliminating thermal bridges increases energy efficiency and thermal performance by maintaining consistent interior temperatures and preventing drafts.

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Air flow control

A passive building requires an airtight layer to act as a windbreaker. This prevents air from penetrating the interior. Creating this unbroken air barrier improves performance and durability. Designers use a ‘red pencil test’ to create an uninterrupted air barrier that can be traced around the building’s cross-section. On-site, this barrier is constructed with sheet membranes, fluid-applied membranes, tapes and sealants, which seamlessly connect all components. A blower door test verifies airtightness and measures performance and construction quality.

Moisture management

Airtight construction blocks bulk water and airborne vapour, protecting assemblies from moisture damage like rot and mould.

Thermal transfer

By stopping air movement, the barrier retains warm air in winter and cool air in summer, reducing energy waste and enhancing mechanical ventilation efficiency.

Window and door performance

Each window and door in a passive house creates an opening in its airtight, weather-resistant and insulated wall assembly. The performance of these components and the way they integrate with the surrounding walls are key to the envelope’s integrity.

Moisture management

Properly installed high-performance windows and doors repel wind-driven rain and allow moisture to drain outward. In winter, proper glazing keeps interior glass surfaces warm to avoid condensation.

Thermal transfer

Thermally broken frames, warm edge spacers, triple glazing and advanced coatings make high-performance windows three times more thermally resistant than conventional ones. This boosts overall wall performance and maintains indoor comfort without drafts.

Heat recovery and fresh air ventilation

Passive houses use heat recovery ventilators (HRV) and energy recovery ventilators (ERV) to deliver clean, filtered air while maintaining energy efficiency. These systems supply fresh air to living spaces and extract stale air, odours and pollutants. Inside, a heat exchanger transfers heat between outgoing and incoming air without mixing the streams, which warms incoming air in winter and cools it in summer. Filters remove pollen and pollutants, with additional pre-filters available for high pollution events.

Moisture management

ERVs can transfer moisture between air streams, which reduces humidity in hot climates and preserves indoor humidity in dry climates.

Thermal transfer

Passive house HRVs and ERVs recover heat at around 90% efficiency, reducing heating and cooling energy needs.

frequently asked questions
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Contact Passive Houses

Take the first step towards building your dream passive house by getting in touch.

Address

Sydney, Australia

Email

info@passivehouses.com.au

Phone

+61 000 000 000