Asquith PassivHaus
This house is not opening in person, but you can explore the profile and ask the homeowner a question below.
House Notes – Asquith PassivHaus
Knock-down-rebuild house for a family of 5, designed by leading Australian sustainable architects Envirotecture, and built by a Sydney builder Superior Constructions to meet the world’s best practice German PassivHaus standard for energy efficiency, thermal comfort and indoor air quality.
It is a two storey timber frame building, built using an innovative modular prefabricated panel system, designed and manufactured in Victoria by CarbonLite, at the time of construction, the only supplier in Australia certified to produce a prefabricated PassivHaus Certified wall and roof assembly system. This ensured a high level of quality and precision, and also meant the entire project took approximately 8 months from demolition to completion, much faster than a conventional building process. The frame was erected in just 3 days.
The house features solar shading, advanced double glazed windows, improved insulation, and a filtered fresh air ventilation system. It will also incorporate a large photovoltaic array, a green roof over the garage, grey water and rainwater reuse for landscape irrigation, and extensive gardens for food growing and native plants.
The cladding is a zero carbon wood fibre composite panel product made from native Australian timber offcuts by a family owned company based in the Hunter Valley, Weathertex. It will have a sprinkler system on the façade to protect the house from ember attack, making it more resilient to bushfires.
The finance (mortgage & construction loan) has been provided through the CEFC-backed Bank Australia Clean Energy Home Loan, and this house is the first to secure this funding using the Passive House Certification pathway. It is also one of a select group of the first homes to pilot the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Homes standard.
I believe it is a model for a healthy, comfortable and efficient modern Australian homes.
Sustainability Features
- Energy efficiency:
- Draught proofing
Efficient lighting
Efficient appliances
Energy monitoring
Smart home features
- Energy efficiency:
- air tight home
- Passive heating cooling:
- Cross ventilation
Heat recovery ventilation system
Passive solar designed home
Shading
Thermal mass
- Active heating cooling:
- Ceiling fans
Heat exchange ventilation system
Heat pump
Split system airconditioner
- Water heating:
- Hot water heat pump
- Water harvesting and saving features:
- Rainwater storage - Underground
Grey water system
Low flow shower heads
Low flow taps
Drip irrigation
- Average water consumption per day:
- 0.08 kL / <80 litres per person per day
- Underground rainwater storage type:
- 10,000 litre storage tanks under driveway (2 x 5kL)
- Underground rainwater storage Size:
- 10,000
- Energy Efficient Lighting
- LED lights throughout
Natural daylight
- Electric Vehicle Type
- EV charger installed for BEV / PHEV future purchase
- Window Protection:
- Adjustable Shading
Automation/controls
Awnings (external)
Blinds
- Sustainable materials:
- Prefabricated wall and roof panels
- Insulation Type:
- Under-roof
Internal walls
External walls
- Under Roof Insulation Type:
- Insulated panels
- Under Roof Insulation Rating:
- R 6
- Internal Walls Insulation Type:
- Bulk – glass wool
- Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
- Acoustic insulation
- External Walls Rating:
- R 2.8
- External Walls Type:
- Bulk – glass wool
- All-Electric Home?
- Yes
- Renewable energy used:
- Solar PV grid connect
- Size of PV system:
- 20 kWp
- Average Daily Energy Consumption:
- averaging ~18kWh/day for five people
- Total cost of home when constructed:
- $1.3 million total construction costs (on completion valuation $2.3m)
- Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
- 5%
- Estimate of annual savings:
- 90%
- House Size
- 275
- BAL Rating
- BAL – Low: There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
- Roof
- Green roof
Metal (Colorbond)
- Roof
- Solar PV above colourbond
- Wall Materials
- Lightweight construction (timber frame)
- Window and Door Types
- Double glazing
Low-e, films
Tilt and turn
- Universal design accessability
- Multi-generational
Wheelchair accessible
- Universal Design Features
- 80cm minimum door opening width
Flush thresholds (no lip) to all external doors
Hobless showers
Kitchen bench/table for wheelchairs to access (75-85cm high)
Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
Minimum 110cm wide hallways
Ramps and path gradients must be less than 20:1
Pocket doors so that cabinet doors are out of the way
Space around toilets for ease of access in wheelchairs
Strong fittings like towel rails that can be used as hand rails
Tapware to be easily accessed from outside the shower
- Universal Design Features
- Livable Housing Australia - Silver level livable housing design - for the ground floor
- Number of bedrooms
- 5
- Number of bathrooms
- 4
- Garden / Outdoors
- Bee keeping
Chickens
Composting
Drip irrigation
Edible garden
Green roof
Local indigenous plants
Native plants
- Waste Reduction Practices:
- Compost all food scraps
Make jams/conserves
Recycle
- Healthy home features
- Airtight house design
Automated ventilation system
Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
Heat recovery ventilation (HRV)
Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
- Housing Type:
- Standalone House
- Project Type:
- New Build
- Open with support of
- Australian Passive House Association
- Builder
- Jamie Graziano, Superior Constructions
- Designer
- Envirotecture
Ask questions about this house
Load More Comments