Ever heard of a passive house?

Passive housing is a relatively new concept in Australia however has been around since the mid 1980’s in Europe. It is a construction concept that aims to deliver energy efficiency, comfortability, affordability and reduce emissions. It allows for heating and cooling related energy savings of up to 90% compared with typical building stock and over 75% compared with average new builds.

High performance windows with good insulation and a building shell consisting of good insulated exterior walls, roof and floor slab keep the heat during winter in the house – and keep it out during summer.

A heat recovery system, also known as a HRV system is a key component of the passive house standard. It consistently supplies fresh air making for superior air quality without causing any unpleasant draughts. A highly efficient HRV unit allows for the heat contained in the exhaust air to be re-used. The vast energy savings in Passive House buildings are achieved by using especially energy efficient building components and a quality ventilation system.

(Source: https://passipedia.org/basics/what_is_a_passive_house)

Sustainability of Passive Houses

A great majority of Australians currently live in homes that work against the climate, not with it. These homes are too cold or too hot, waste energy and are comparatively expensive to run. Most homes use far more water than necessary, and can be made of materials that damage our health and the environment. Using good design principles can save energy, water and money, while creating a more enjoyable and comfortable home.

‘Passive design’ is design that takes advantage of the climate to maintain a comfortable temperature range in the home. Passive design reduces or eliminates the need for auxiliary heating or cooling, which accounts for about 40% (or much more in some climates) of energy use in the average Australian home.

Can you retrofit an existing house to a Passive House?

Absolutely! The Passive House Standard can also be achieved in retrofits using Passive House components. The Zimmermann Oz have been involved in a various successful retrofits. Contact us to find out how we can achieve a Passive House standard for your existing house.

(Source: https://www.yourhome.gov.au)

The Zimmermann Oz is proud to be Passive House certified in Australia. Having extensive knowledge in building Passive Houses in Germany, we are thrilled to finally provide that expertise to Australia and give our customers the advantage of living in an environmentally friendly, self-regulating healthy home that is sustainably built for generations to enjoy. Contact us to inquire on how to build your own passive house or retrofit your home.