Passive House Builders in Adelaide

The 10-step framework

1. STEP 1

   Understand what Passive House actually means

   Passivhaus is a measured performance standard - 15 kWh/m2/yr for heating, 0.6 air-changes-per-hour airtightness, verified by a certifier. It is not the same as 7-star NatHERS. Confusing these two costs money and disappoints.

2. STEP 2

   Decide certification tier: full Passivhaus, Low Energy, or "Passive-inspired"

   Full certification through PHI costs ~$8k-$15k in fees on top of the build. Low Energy Building is a lower-bar tier. "Passive-inspired" uses the principles without certification. Match tier to your budget and long-term intent.

3. STEP 3

   All-electric decision - lock it in before design

   Removing gas removes a $1,500-$3,000 connection cost and simplifies the airtightness envelope. Ducted reverse-cycle heat pump + induction cooktop + heat-pump hot water is the modern SA baseline. Do not let a project builder talk you back into gas "for the cooktop".

4. STEP 4

   Orientation and glazing come FIRST

   Passive design starts with block orientation and window placement, not with insulation R-values. If the block cannot face north within 20 degrees, the design will fight the site forever. Assess block orientation BEFORE settling on land.

5. STEP 5

   Airtightness needs a specialist, not a good tradie

   Adelaide has ~10 builders with real experience delivering blower-door test results under 1.0 ACH. The rest will not hit the number. Ask any builder claiming Passive House capability for their most recent blower-door test report, with a certifier signature.

6. STEP 6

   Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) is not optional

   A truly airtight home needs balanced ventilation. Zehnder, Fantech and Stiebel Eltron are common MVHR brands in SA. Budget $8k-$15k installed. Skipping MVHR to save money defeats the entire passive premise.

7. STEP 7

   Windows will be your biggest single line item

   Passivhaus needs uPVC or thermally-broken aluminium double or triple-glazed windows. SA suppliers include Ecowindows, PAARHAMMER and imported German brands. Windows can be 15-25% of total build cost. Get quotes from three suppliers before contract.

8. STEP 8

   Thermal bridging - the invisible killer

   A single 90mm steel lintel un-insulated can waste more energy than a whole poor-quality window. Force your builder to show you their thermal-bridge details for every junction: window head, footing-to-slab, roof-to-wall. If they cannot, they cannot build Passivhaus.

9. STEP 9

   Certifier engaged from concept, not from working drawings

   A Passivhaus certifier reviews your design at concept stage using PHPP modelling. Engaging them after working drawings means expensive rework. Add $6k-$10k to your professional fees line and get them in at week 1.

10. STEP 10

    Financial payback is 10-25 years - accept it or do not build Passivhaus

    Passivhaus adds 10-20% to build cost in exchange for 70-90% lower running costs and dramatically better comfort. Payback is real but slow. If you plan to sell in 5 years, Passivhaus is likely not the right answer.

FAQs