Passivhaus is a globally recognised building standard that takes a whole-building approach, from initial design through to execution, with clear, measurable targets.

As a practice with two certified Passivhaus designers, we utilise the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) — a comprehensive design and modelling tool. This tool is employed from the outset of each project and remains integral throughout, ensuring exceptional building performance upon completion.

The rigorous standard focuses on high-quality construction and is certified through an exacting quality assurance certification process.

The key Passivhaus principles are:

• High levels of insulation
• High-performance windows and doors
• Thermal bridge-free construction
• Airtight building fabric
• Mechanical ventilation with efficient heat recovery

The result is a building that is energy-efficient (low running costs), warm, and comfortable.

Notably, our approach is to also consider the materials we use to achieve this performance standard. For example, it is possible to design a certified Passivhaus with completely petroleum-based materials that whilst low in energy use has a very high embodied carbon. We look to employ natural and bio based materials to achieve the same rigour and performance with a low embodied carbon.