rifle retrofit passive house
the why
Honestly, who doesn’t want a comfortable and healthy home? The home was purchased in 2022 by our client to suit their growing family, and at the top of their list, they were trying to find a sustainable home in Melbourne to raise their family. Unfortnatly, these types of homes are not just sitting around, so the decision was made to purchase something and then turn it into something that would be more comfortable. Initially, there was no conversation about creating a passive house, but as the conversation evolved, they realised they needed a passive house builder to aid them with their journey. So we joined the conversation and started to work out what is possible in this house. Can we actually turn this once-volume builder house into a passive house? Is it even possible? So we ran the numbers, and with a few tweaks, we can seek EnerPHit status on the project.
the details
We always say that any good project needs collaboration between passive house builders in Melbourne and passive house architects. Since this project was originally the baby of HeHe design, we did not need an architect involved in this process and were able to manage everything through an interior designer.
the how are we going to make this a passive house
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We will be using uPVC windows from Binq that are tripled glazed with warm edge spacers
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To get the home airtightness, we will be using proclimas internal membrane “intello” to get under the required 1ACH.
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Since we have a brick veneer structure, we are adding polyester R2.7 batts to the existing walls and another R1 to the service cavity
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We are sucking out all the old insulation and replacing it with an R6.0 layer on top of the intello and another R2.0 between the plaster and intello
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This is the secret sauce of the project and we are using a spray in cork that will act not only as the floor insulation but also the final floor covering
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As always we only use the best products on a project and will be installing the Zehnder Q350 on the project.
the sustainable home credits
what is EnerPHit
All good projects require collaboration, so who are they people that have made this possible?
Location
Williamstown, Victoria
Interior Designer
HeHe Design
Builder
Carland Constructions
We believe that sustainability is a bit of a bullshit word. We can sell ourselves as sustainable builders that use sustainable construction methods, but what does this really mean? Below, we have added the credits on what we think will be possible on this project, and as it continues, we will either add or remove these credits depending on what actually happens onsite. We don’t want to put a tick on our recycling process if we can’t recycle anything. We don’t want to say we are putting solar on the roof when this might not be installed for a few years. We just want to be honest and upfront to let you know what actually happens rather than base this on some hypothetical bullshit just so we can sell ourselves as green builders!!!
Renovating and retrofitting a home is a lot harder than building new. You have to work around the old frame and structure, which can present us with many challenges. If you’re after a sustainable home and looking to renovate, you should aim for the EnerPHit standard. EnerPHit is a standard and certification developed by the Passive House Institute for retrofitting existing buildings to the Passive House standard, addressing the challenges of upgrading older buildings to meet these high-performance standards. The goal is to reduce energy consumption, enhance occupant comfort, and minimise environmental impact in existing structures. As an expert Passive House builder, this is the first EnerPHit project we are working on, and to say we are excited is an understaement.