Passivhaus open day

Passivhaus open days are being held across the globe between November 13 - 15, including a house in Sunderland Bay.

Across more than 40 Australian communities, certified Passivhaus homes and commercial sites will offer tours during the International Passivhaus Open Days (IPOD) program - running between November 13 - 15.

Anyone keen to experience these healthier and high performing buildings can join local designers, builders, owners and operators to understand more about the Passivhaus process and demystify the challenges around sustainable construction.
Free tours of the Zephyr house in Sunderland Bay can be booked at www.passivhausassociation.com.au/open-days (subject to availability).

The number of certified Passivhaus projects in Australia has grown from 48 at the end of 2022 to 201 in October 2026 - more than quadrupling in under four years.

The Passivhaus Standard (sometimes called Passive House) was developed in the 1990s in Germany as a set of specific set of building criteria to provide more efficient, healthy buildings. Passivhaus design tools factor in the specific geographic, climate and environmental specifics of an intended build site, making them adaptive across the globe.

The criteria, which are objectively measured both during construction and upon completion, centre around heating, cooling, renewable energy and airtightness and deliver myriad environmental, cost saving and - most notably - meaningful health benefits, due to increased air quality and stable temperatures.

The annual open days are supported by the Australian Passivhaus Association (APA) - a not-for-profit organisation representing a community of more than 17,000 building industry professionals and suppliers across Australia.

"For too long the conversation about Australian housing has been about how many homes we build, not how well they perform," said Stalin Chakrabarty, CEO of the Australian Passivhaus Association.

"We spend most of our lives indoors, yet we rarely consider how much our buildings shape our health. Poor air quality, moisture, mould and extreme indoor temperatures hit children, older Australians and people with respiratory conditions hardest.

"You can read about energy efficiency and compare ratings, but there is nothing like standing in a finished Passivhaus home on a hot afternoon and realising how comfortable it is without the air conditioning running," Mr Chakrabarty said.

"Then walk through one mid-construction and you see exactly why. Finished buildings show you the result. Construction sites show you how it's done."
All IPOD locations can be found at www.passivhausassociation.com.au/open-days