APA issues clarity on Passivhaus as one comprehensive standard

The Australian Passivhaus Association (APA) has released a guide outlining the process for achieving the international Passivhaus Standard – providing clarity on when a project can claim to be Passivhaus and alerting the industry to the legal risks of incorrect assertions. 

“The Passivhaus Standard is a comprehensive quality assurance standard for energy efficient buildings,” says APA CEO, Alexia Lidas. 

“It has been around more for than 30 years but has gained significant traction more recently as we get serious about carbon emissions, dealing with major climate events and improving liveability. In the last 12 months the number of buildings seeking certification has risen by 86% – which is just fantastic.

“However, with such fast adoption we’ve observed that not everyone understands what’s required to meet the Passivhaus Standard. Only buildings that meet ALL criteria prescribed by the global governing body, Passive House Institute (PHI), can claim to be ‘Passivhaus’.”

Image: APA CEO Alexia Lidas / supplied

According to Lidas, we’ve seen material promoting builds as ‘adhering to Passivhaus principles’, but this term is misleading and undermines the rigour of the standard. 

“It needs to be thought of like a qualification for a building. Just as a few papers wouldn’t equate to a degree; a couple of sustainable initiatives don’t equate to a structure being Passivhaus,” she says.

“Regardless of whether project leaders are well-meaning but misguided, or unfairly leveraging a reputed standard, it needs to stop, and the APA will be monitoring the use of the term closely.” 

Michael Morrissey, Partner at legal firm Speirs Ryan who leads the construction practice is consulting on an increasing number of projects incorporating high performance principles.

“It’s crucial for clients to be very clear what the difference is when they are procuring a Passivhaus Standard Project from the outset and for builders and designers to be able to properly understand and engage with the standard. Getting this right and including it, within your contract will set the project up for legitimate success,” he says.

The guide democratises language and includes useful resources such as a roadmap connecting project outcomes with legally correct terminology; clarification on quality assurance and the four key performance criteria; advice on where to seek local, practical assistance; and warnings around potentially deceptive and misleading conduct. 
 

Image: Bob Marshmann Building by architect Deicke Richards / supplied

Lidas says the guide clearly states a building should not be described as Passivhaus Standard unless it has been modelled in the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) and meets all the requirements, which includes onsite verification methods. 

“The Passive House Institute has established a process for buildings to achieve the Passivhaus Standard and working with the support of an accredited certifier is the most efficient way to succeed,” she says. 

“Global evidence has shown those who choose to self-report run a much higher risk of not being adequately up to standard and being legally exposed. Even with the best of intentions this can be an astronomically costly mistake because the international community is committed to upholding the standard. 

“Engaging a certifier from the outset is the most efficient way to make sure you’re hitting all necessary milestones, keeping the budget in check, and aren’t left trying to prove a project is Passivhaus in court without all the necessary documentation.”

Lidas, who has led the APA in supporting its 17,000-strong membership through professional education training, advocacy and local technical support since 2022, says whilst meeting the Passivhaus Standard does require considered effort across a built project’s lifecycle, it’s a signifier of buildings that truly perform. 

“We are in support of all sustainable building initiatives, but we make no apologies that achieving Passivhaus Standard is not an easy feat. We will ruthlessly uphold the rigour and reputation of Passivhaus, which has been delivering superior environmental, cost-saving, comfort and health benefits for decades,” she says. 

Claiming and Promoting the Passivhaus Standard can be downloaded from the Australian Passivhaus Association’s website. 

Similar guides were recently released by the UK’s Passivhaus Trust and the PHINZ in New Zealand. The localised, open-source document – Claiming and Promoting the Passivhaus Standard – ultimately aims to uphold the global credibility of Passivhaus.

Image: Passive Pleat by architect Studiofang / Marnie Hawson