The Rise of Passive House in Australia: High-Performance, Energy-Efficient Homes

This blog post was updated in 2026 to reflect the latest Australian and international Passive House statistics and policy milestones.

Chris Nunn, former Chair of the Australian Passivhaus Association, observed at the time:

“In light of the dissatisfaction many people have with the current building stock – in terms of quality, and the cost to keep warm and cool – this early growth of Passivhaus in Australia is the beginning of a new era of high quality, high performance, ultra-low energy buildings that Australians will really appreciate.”

That observation has proven prescient. It is now an exciting period for high-performance, ultra-low-energy buildings in Australia. According to the Australian Passivhaus Association, there are already around 70 certified Passive House projects nationwide with at least a few hundred more currently in design or under construction. What was once considered niche is now gaining real momentum.

This momentum was particularly evident in 2025, a record-breaking year for the Australian Passivhaus Association (APA), reflecting both growing industry capability and increasing policy recognition.

Recent Australian Passive House Milestones (2025)

2025 marked a record-breaking year for the APA. At least one Passive House project was certified every week across Australia, signalling a significant acceleration in uptake. During the year, the ACT Government formally recognised the Passivhaus Standard as a compliant pathway for meeting energy-efficiency requirements in new homes, representing an important policy milestone. International Passive House Open Days saw 36 projects across Australia open their doors, welcoming more than 1,200 visitors and offering rare insight into completed high-performance buildings. The year culminated in the APA’s THRIVE 2025 conference, which brought together 27 speakers, over 300 attendees, and 19 trade exhibitors, reflecting the growing maturity of the Passivhaus sector in Australia.

Passive House Momentum Across Australia

At the residential scale, projects such as our Fitzroy project, which is targeting Passive House certification, demonstrate how the standard can be successfully applied to Australian homes including deep retrofit projects.

Australia’s first Passive House was completed in 2014. While early uptake was slow, current activity suggests the market has reached a turning point, with Passive House principles increasingly recognised as a viable response to concerns about building quality, comfort, and rising energy costs.

Our Fitzroy project is part of this shift, targeting Passive House certification within an existing residential context.

Passive House Beyond Residential Homes

Importantly, adoption of the Passive House standard is no longer limited to single dwellings. It is now being applied across commercial, education, hospitality, and large-scale residential sectors, highlighting growing confidence from clients, institutions, and developers.

Commercial and Hospitality Projects

A notable example is ANMF House in North Melbourne, an award-winning boutique hotel operated by the Nurses and Midwives’ Federation. Located opposite the Queen Victoria Market, the project demonstrates that Passive House buildings can deliver both exceptional comfort and strong architectural outcomes in a commercial and hospitality context.

Education and Institutional Buildings

The German International School in Sydney is one of the first education facilities in Australia to adopt the Passive House standard. Its innovative cross-laminated timber classrooms have received a Sustainability Design Award, illustrating how Passive House principles can support healthy learning environments and contemporary construction methods.

In parallel, Schools Infrastructure NSW has commissioned research exploring the feasibility of delivering schools to the Passive House standard, signalling growing interest at an institutional level.

Large-Scale and Emerging Developments

Passive House is also gaining traction in larger and more complex projects. The Twelve Apostles Precinct Redevelopment is currently targeting Passivhaus, and an increasing number of MODELS build-to-rent developments are adopting the standard. This reflects a broader shift toward long-term performance, durability, and occupant comfort in multi-residential and investor-led projects.

Key Australian Passive House Milestone

Significant milestones include Monash University’s Gillies Hall, completed as the first large-scale building in the southern hemisphere to achieve Passive House certification, and The Fern, an apartment building in Sydney that is seeking to become Australia’s first certified Passive House apartment development.

Together, these projects demonstrate that Passive House is adaptable across building types, scales, and procurement models.

Global Context and Future Growth

Globally, the Passive House Standard continues to grow at pace. As of the beginning of 2026, there are approximately 52,900 certified Passive House units worldwide, documented through the Passive House Institute.

While the Passive House approach began in Germany in the early 1990s, its adoption has broadened considerably across Europe, North America, and other regions, with recent projects also emerging in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Australia’s Passive House movement is gaining momentum alongside this global trend.

Designing Passive House Projects in Australia

As a Passive House Designer, we work with clients to create high-performance, energy-efficient, and comfortable buildings, whether for a residential new build, renovation, or retrofit. If you are considering a Passive House project, or would like to explore whether the standard is appropriate for your home, contact us for an obligation-free consultation.