fbpx

Passive House

Passive House is a relatively new product in the Australian market and while steadily gaining interest, it has been a staple in European countries for decades now.

A Passive House is based on five defining principles

  • Airtightness
  • Thermal Insulation
  • Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery
  • High Performance Windows
  • Thermal Bridge Free

These principles lead to high efficiency, indoor comfort and health, and minimal environmental impact.

It is quite possible in the future that Passive Houses will be the answer to our overconsumption of resources, and the cure to many health issues caused from poor indoor air quality in all areas of construction.

Not many builders have the required qualifications to build a Certified Passive House. Not to worry though, because GWEH has been Certified by the International & Australian Passive House Association.

Even if you are not going ‘all the way’ with Passive House Certification, GWEH still builds with many of the same principles and techniques on all our homes.

Passive Solar Design

The Sun.

It’s up there just ready to give us free heating, lighting and energy, but it is rarely considered in the initial design and construction phase.

But thanks to smart design choices, we can maximise it on any project. This includes:

  • Orienting your home correctly
  • Deciding which rooms go where
  • Summer shading
  • Trees for landscaping
  • Materials used to hold the heat in winter and reflect in summer
  • Window sizes and glazing options

These features can easily save you tens of thousands of dollars in the design stage alone.

Using the natural light to your advantage also has endless health and environmental benefits over artificial lighting.