Demand for high-performance buildings is surging, and the Australian Passivhaus Association (APA) is making one thing clear – Passivhaus is all or nothing, and loose claims won’t fly.

As Australia confronts the dual challenges of rising emissions and worsening climate events, high-performance building standards are commanding a new level of support. Amid this momentum, the Australian Passivhaus Association (APA) has drawn a firm line in the sand: only projects that meet all criteria set out by the Passive House Institute (PHI) can claim to be Passivhaus. Anything less, says the association, is misleading.

Released on 7 May 2025, the APA’s new guide, Claiming and Promoting the Passivhaus Standard, offers the clearest articulation yet of what Passivhaus is and isn’t. The open-source document outlines the legal, technical and performance parameters for project teams and clients alike, reinforcing that Passivhaus is not a pick-and-choose menu of energy-saving ideas, but a rigorous international standard measured by objective metrics verified through third-party certification.

“With the rapid growth in interest, we’ve seen a rise in people using the term without fully understanding it,” APA CEO Alexia Lidas says. “It’s like calling a short course a degree. You can’t just increase airtightness or add a solar panel and call it Passivhaus.”

Drawing the line between performance and pretence

Established in Germany in the early 1990s, the Passivhaus Standard is based on specific, quantifiable performance targets covering heating and cooling demand, primary energy use, airtightness and thermal comfort. These elements must work as a complete system, supported by 11 inbuilt quality assurance criteria to qualify for certification. The result is a building that is ultra-efficient, resilient and consistently comfortable, with dramatically lower running costs and improved occupant health.

Interest in the standard has surged in recent years. “In the past 12 months alone, we’ve seen an 86 percent increase in buildings seeking certification, which is just fantastic,” Lidas says. “But with that rise comes a responsibility to educate and protect the integrity of what it means to be Passivhaus.”

Part of that protection includes stamping out the grey language that’s crept into marketing. Descriptions like ‘Passivhaus-inspired’ or ‘built to Passivhaus principles’ might sound well-intentioned, but according to Lidas, they erode the clarity and credibility of the standard.

“Principles can only be claimed as Passivhaus principles when they operate together to satisfy the entire Passivhaus Standard,” she says. “There are plenty of great sustainability initiatives out there, and we support them. But if you’re claiming Passivhaus, you’ve got to prove it.”

Certification is the safeguard, not an optional extra

To help clarify that distinction, the new guide includes a terminology roadmap, outlining what can be legally claimed at each project stage, from design intent to certification. It also details the pathways to verification, including the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) modelling and on-site testing requirements.

“Working with an accredited certifier from the beginning is the most efficient way to ensure a project hits all the necessary milestones,” Lidas says. “We’ve seen globally that projects attempting to self-report have a much higher failure rate. Even with good intentions, it can be an astronomically costly mistake if a claim doesn’t hold up legally.”

Michael Morrissey, a partner at construction law firm Speirs Ryan, echoes this point. “It’s crucial for clients to be very clear from the outset whether they’re procuring a Passivhaus Standard project,” he urges. “Having that defined and documented in the contract sets the entire build up for success and avoids disputes later.”

Australia’s rising role in a global movement

The APA’s initiative mirrors similar moves by its counterparts in the UK and New Zealand, part of a coordinated global push to protect the term ‘Passivhaus’ from misuse and misrepresentation. It’s a matter of integrity but also of consumer protection.

“High-performance buildings often include similar features – improved insulation, better glazing, more efficient systems,” Lidas says. “But unless they meet the full standard, they don’t guarantee the same outcomes. Airtightness without ventilation, for instance, can actually be harmful.”

She adds that the guide is not only about stopping misuse, but empowering teams to do it right. “Read the guide, seek our advice if you need it, and engage certified professionals. It will save you time, money and headaches and ensure you deliver something that actually performs.”

Since stepping into the CEO role in 2022, Lidas has overseen the growth of APA’s 17,000-strong membership and spearheaded its shift toward more proactive market education. A strong advocate for legal rigour, she brings her own legal training to bear in the development of the new guidelines, aligning scientific performance with enforceable clarity.

“We’re doing more than just protecting a name,” she says. “We’re setting the groundwork for Australia to be a global contributor to Passivhaus thought leadership. Our legal work is being watched closely by affiliates internationally.”

That work is timely, as Australia begins to align policy with performance in a bid to meet its net-zero goals. As more developers, architects and homeowners seek out meaningful sustainability, the APA’s message is clear: if you’re going to claim Passivhaus, you have to earn it.

“Achieving the standard isn’t easy, and we make no apologies for that,” Lidas says. “But it’s worth it. The benefits to energy use, comfort, liveability and the planet are profound. That’s why we’ll continue to uphold the standard, without compromise.”

Images: Marnie Hawson