What is a Passive House?
Welcome to the realm of passive houses, where walls whisper secrets of superior insulation, windows sparkle with energy-saving brilliance, and ventilation systems dance to a harmonious rhythm of fresh air and efficiency. It's like entering a realm where sustainability and luxury intertwine, creating an enchanted abode that redefines what it means to truly live in harmony with nature.
Passive House is the highest standard and quality of a building that can be achieved. It focuses on building a highly efficient, healthy home that can save up to 90% on heating and cooling demands when compared to a standard home. Think of a passive house as an energy-saving superhero. It stealthily minimises energy consumption, slashing your carbon footprint and energy bills without compromising your comfort. Just like a ninja, it works quietly and efficiently in the background, keeping your energy usage low.
Building a Passive House is not rocket science; it’s just building science. There is a lot of discussion about how a home should be designed and built. The crazy thing is, we have the answer on how this should be done and what criteria we need to follow.
It’s a home where on a cold winter’s day, you can walk around in shorts without even having to put your heater on and be very comfortable. Carland Constructions, a Passive House Builder based in Melbourne, look to optimise the performance of every home. We work with a number of Passive House architects who believe in sustainable construction methods.
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What are the Passive House Principles?
Each passive house in Melbourne is unique and can be achieved with intelligent design and implementation of the key passive house principles. These include
Air tightness - we must achieve under .60ACH - this is how we stop all those draughts and cold breezes coming through the home.
Mechanical Ventilation - because the home is airtight, we need to remove any yucky air and replace it with clean, fresh air.
Insulation - we all know what this does; it provides resistance to heat, so we aim to get the correct amount of insulation installed correctly into your sustainable home.
Thermal bridge free - think of what happens when you leave a metal spoon in a metal pot!!! It transfers the heat and gets cold. Well, the same applies to a house. We want to stop that heat transfer in or out of a home!
Quality Windows and Doors - why? because a window is the least performing part of a wall, and we want that window to prevent any heat or air loss! Don’t worry; you can still open your windows!
our decision to become passive house builders
In 2018, we did our Passive House training to become Certified Passive House Builders. It opened our eyes on what is possible in construction and what a truly sustainable home builder may look like. Since then, we have shifted our business to focus only on Passive House Construction and High-Performance homes in Melbourne. To this day, we have been involved with a number of Passive House homes in Melbourne and looking to cement ourselves as the best Passive House Builders in Victoria.
We honestly could not love our job any more. We are now experienced enough in this space to refer to ourselves as Passive House experts in construction. Not only do we know what is required, but we thrive on the finer details that will never be seen to create a healthy, comfortable and energy-efficient place to live. We have opted to be proactive in this space, spending a large amount of time reading and learning about what it takes to build a highly efficient home.
We consider a passive house as a cleverly designed puzzle. Each element—insulation, airtightness, windows, ventilation—is a piece that fits together perfectly to create an energy-efficient and comfortable home. Just like solving a puzzle, the design and construction of a passive house require ingenuity and attention to detail.
We have worked with a number of Passive House architects and designers and always looking to work with new people. So don’t be afraid to reach out if you want to work with us or know which architects and building designers in Melbourne are taking a proactive approach to designing and building the ultimate sustainable home.
What is the benefit of living in a Passive House in Melbourne?
So how comfortable can a home really be? What does a truly sustainable home in Melbourne look like? Well, here are the benefits of living in a home designed to passive house standards.
Cozy All-Year-Round Bliss: Picture yourself stepping into a wonderland where chilly winters and scorching summers are mere child's play. You'll revel in the art of perfect temperature control in a passive house. Say goodbye to shivering under heaps of blankets or melting like an ice cream cone in July! It's like living in a climate-controlled bubble where you're always at the peak of comfort, no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.
Energy Savings, Cha-Ching!: Prepare to unleash your inner money-saving guru because living in a passive house means waving goodbye to outrageous utility bills! It's like finding a treasure trove of gold coins. With its energy-saving superpowers, a passive house slashes your energy consumption by up to a whopping 90%. That means more moolah in your pocket for epic adventures, fancy gadgets, or a bottomless supply of ice cream (because why not?).
Breathe Easy, Superhero-Style: In a passive house, you don't just breathe air—you inhale pure superhero-grade freshness! Thanks to its super-sleek ventilation systems, you'll always have a steady supply of crisp, filtered air that makes your lungs jump with joy. Kiss those stuffy noses and sneeze attacks goodbye! It's like having a personal air purifier that keeps you feeling invigorated and ready to conquer the world.
Nature's High-Five: Time to become one with Mother Earth and celebrate your eco-warrior status! Living in a passive house means giving our planet a big ol' bear hug. With its mind-blowing energy efficiency, you'll be reducing your carbon footprint like a true superhero. Think of yourself as a sustainability rockstar, dancing through life with the knowledge that you're making a positive impact on the environment, one energy-saving leap at a time.
Peace and Quiet, Zen Master Style: Imagine a place where tranquillity reigns supreme. In a passive house, outside noise is banished like a mischievous gremlin. It's a sanctuary of serenity where the cacophony of the world fades away, leaving you with a symphony of peace. So, kick back, relax, and let your mind wander to the sound of blissful silence.
Rock-Solid Fortress: Brace yourself for superhero-level durability! Living in a passive house means residing in a fortress built to stand the test of time. With its meticulous construction and attention to detail, you'll have a home that withstands the elements like a sturdy shield. No mould, no rot, no worries! It's like having a superhero cape that protects your home and keeps it looking fab for years to come.
I think the text message we received from a previous client sums it up perfectly.
"working from home and just finished a video where everyone else was in jumpers and scarves, and I was comfy in our home office in a t-shirt. Our house is holding up well with regards to temperature."
This was achieved with little to no heating being used!
We are proud to be Passive House builders.
We are currently building three Passive House projects in Melbourne, with plenty more in our preconstruction phase with several Passive House architects.
We can honestly say we have never enjoyed being builders more since we began building.
“As builders in the Inner West of Melbourne, we feel we have a responsibility to provide our clients with healthy, resilient and comfortable places to live. The inner West of Melbourne is known to have some of the worst air quality suburbs in Australia. Passive House construction enables us to provide our clients with fresh filtered air providing our homes with high-quality air. Building Passive houses is the ultimate way of becoming a sustainable home builder in Melbourne”
The Construction of a Passive House?
Quality
Our buildings should remain warm, dry and comfortable for the lifetime of a building. Passive House requires you to build to the highest standard possible resulting in the highest quality.
Comfortable
Imagine if your home remained at a constant temperature with little to no use of heating and cooling. That’s what you will get in a Passive House
Affordable
Everyone deserves a home that is built and designed correctly. A passive house requires little energy to run in an era where energy costs are becoming unaffordable.
Highly Insulated
Thick walls are sexy. This means more insulation in your walls, roof and floor than a standard home which will reduce heat loss through the building fabric.
Healthy
The current standard results in homes that are unhealthy to live in. The buildings can make you sick and increase stress. 50% of our buildings are riddled with mould and this can all be avoided with building a Passive House
Air Quality
The air quality in a Passive House is exceptional. The air coming into your home is filtered and then distributed around the house. It even recycles the heat that is already in the home
“We chose to be Passive House builders as we believe no other construction method can provide the dramatic energy savings that Passive House construction does”
Our thoughts on Passive House
What is Passive House?
Passive House is an internationally recognised construction concept that practices the highest standards of building. It can be defined as the most rigorous, voluntary, energy and health-based standard that the building industry can offer. It originated out of Germany and has been around for roughly 30 years. Read more
Build Tight, Ventilate Right
Just because things have been done a certain way for a long time, doesn’t always mean it’s the right way. Architects, Designers and Builders are taught and trained how to do their job by those who have come before them, which in turn has created processes and standards that are rarely questioned. Occasionally, events or circumstances cause disruption and force change within the building industry as a reactive response. But, this is usually overdue – look at the asbestos case for example. Read more
An Insight into Insulation
We all know what insulation is and those who have homes that are not insulated, tend to find the winters extremely cold and the summers unbearably hot. As told by our year nine science teacher, hot air always moves towards cold air – so in winter, the warm air will try to escape out of your home and in summer it will weasel its way in. The indoor comfort levels become so poor that you have to crank up either the heater or aircon, resulting in your energy bills going through the roof. Read more
We are Passive House Builders located in Melbourne.
If you want to know more about Passive House construction, are looking to for Passive House builders or want to connect with a Passive House architect please reach out to us below