Frequently asked questions

'Passive House/Passivhaus' and 'Solar Passive' homes are terms that often get confused so we have briefly described the difference between the two below. We have also compiled some answers to other questions you may have before deciding to build your next home. If you have any further questions, please email us through 'Contact Us'. 

• Passivhaus homes maintain temperatures around 21°C in every room in winter and mostly below 25°C in summer through a Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) Unit.
• The building envelope must have an optimal level of thermal insulation for the roof, walls and floor (higher than the Building Code of Australia Standards), high quality windows such as triple glazed with insulated frames, an airtight building envelope to reduce heat loss/gain, and a HRV.
• The HRV provides fresh air to the house 24/7 and filters out pollen, dust and pollution which is great for allergy sufferers.
• A Passivhaus requires very little energy to heat or cool and it has a different feeling to standard houses which you feel the moment you walk in - it has a sense of comfort.
• A Passivhaus, unlike solar passive, does not require active users to 'operate' the house, such as opening and closing windows, to maintain a comfortable inside temperature. It's just sit back and enjoy the comfort.
• Mould has a hard time growing due to the lack of condensation on windows and walls.
• The Passivhaus Standard can be achieved without solar passive design.

• Solar Passive design utilises natural sources of heating and cooling such as the sun and cool breezes.
• Solar Passive design is achieved through correct orientation of the building and by minimising heat gain and loss through the building envelope (roof, walls, windows and floors). 
• A Solar Passive house requires the occupants to be active users for e.g. opening windows to allow cross ventilation to reduce heat in summer. This can often lead to excessive air intake which then requires mechanical cooling/heating to stabilise internal temperatures.
• The main difference of a Solar Passive house compared to a Passivhaus is the loss of heat in winter or gain in summer through thermal bridging (e.g. lack of floor insulation, steel frames, cheap windows) and excessive air infiltration (draughts through doors and windows) which leads to internal room temperatures being too hot in summer and too cold in winter.

Many people understand what an Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) is and that a house rated 6-star is going to cost more to run than a 7-star rated house. It is now evident that houses with a 8+ EER are attracting premium sale prices as people are starting to understand the benefits (costs and comfort) of owning a house like this. Our certified Passivhaus homes attract an EER of 9+ which speaks for itself.

Throughout the construction process of our homes, waste to landfill is minimised, raw products are chosen with low embodied energy, recycled products are used where possible and the surrounding landscape is always considered. Build with us and you know you have done something good.

Depending on the scope of the project, the build time will range from 12-18 months. The build time will be discussed with you very early on to ensure you know when your new home will be ready and to start planning your move!