APHA’s Masterclasses

Passive House is rapidly gaining momentum in Australia and APHA aims to make Passive House the benchmark for comfort in all our buildings.

Course Overview

  • Would you like to become a designPH PRO?

    Presenter Marcus Strang leads this workshop where he will share his tricks, tips, and experiences that will ensure you are maximising your use of this software. This workshop will demonstrate how a building model can be rapidly set-up using DesignPH & PHPP to receive preliminary feedback on the energy performance of your building design. Providing flexibility to the designer to improve the decision-making process. In this workshop, you will learn how to interrogate the model, optimise the design, and model complex building geometries and shading situations.

    The workshop will work through a case-study project to demonstrate how to get from sketch design to a preliminary PHPP model in a few hours. To get the most benefit from this workshop, please use your laptop, with any version of Sketchup, DesignPH2 and a copy of the PHPP.

  • Discover more about Passive House Certification from the expert, Luc Plowman.

    This workshop is aimed at Passive House designers who have yet to complete or are in the process of working through their first project for certification.

    The course will provide tips and guidance so that the documentation presented for certification is appropriate first time around, as well as providing some PHPP tutoring on areas / worksheets that designers regularly get wrong.

    Learning outcomes:

    • Understanding the certification process, how the certification process works and adds value to your project

    • What data is required for certification

    • How to present data for certification

    • How not to make common mistakes in the PHPP

  • Facilitated by Andy Marlow (APHA, Envirotecture, Passivhaus Design & Construct) this popular workshop is aimed at those relatively new to passive house, especially architects and building designers.

    The workshop focuses on taking a sketch design for a single house, use SketchUp & DesignPH to create geometry for import into the Passive House Planning Package. Data will be manipulated within PHPP to assess initial project feasibility.

    Learning Outcomes:

    • Attendees will learn how to translate sketch design into a functioning PHPP model

    • Assess feasibility swiftly with PHPP modeling

    • An understanding of DesignPH

    • An understanding of the structure of PHPP

    • An understanding of the key worksheets that enable project viability to be understood at an early stage.

  • We are excited to be delivering our popular Introduction to Passive House Course.

    Developed for those who are new to the Passive House standard and want to know more – whether a developer, architect, engineer or contractor. Gain an understanding on how Passive House is different from Section J compliance and explore its suitability for the Australian climate. Discover the key considerations that need to be made throughout each stage of a project and learn from existing Australian buildings that have achieved Passive House certification.

    Special Guests: Usually project reviews and discussions are held with these special guests

    Learning Outcomes:

    • Gaining a comprehensive understanding of how to design & deliver healthy, resilient buildings that will measurably reduce carbon emissions

    • An overview of how and where the Passive House standard is being applied around the globe

    • Exposure to a range of Australian Passive House case studies

    • Live presentations from reputable architects, contractors and industry experts who will provide a range of perspectives on designing and delivering Passive House projects in Australia

    • Obtaining a well-rounded foundation to becoming a Certified Passive House Consultant

Book

These APHA masterclasses are designed to specifically focus on helping professionals, trades and individuals understand more about Passive House.

We have new masterclasses added as the year goes on so stayed tuned through our Newsletter's and socials to know what is upcoming! Register for these events with ease below.

What’s On Offer?

Participant benefits

Architects & Building Designers 

You can look forward to the insights into the design & verification tool PHPP and how it can quantify performance data and shape better building outcomes

Builders, suppliers and tradespeople

You can look forward to the insights into various construction methodologies that can be used to achieve the Passive House standard

Developers, building owners and investors

You can look forward to building an understanding of the benefits and opportunities of applying the Passive house standard across a variety of building typologies and scales of developments

Engineers & Consultants

You can look forward to the insights into the design & verification tool PHPP and how it can quantify performance data and shape better building outcomes

Policy Makers

You can look forward to the insights into how the Passive House Standard is being utilised in planning and building policy around the globe to accelerate the trajectory towards Net-Zero carbon goals and establishing the confidence to drive meaningful change in Australia towards a zero carbon future through measurable and verifiable outcomes. 

Students & early career professionals in the construction industry

You can look forward to gaining a competitive edge in your career to help shape a zero-carbon future and global insights into the leading edge of energy-efficient building design. Links to valuable resources, materials and networks will help further accelerate your career.

Dates, Pricing and Registration

Design PH - 3x2 hour sessions

  • Member: $250

  • Non-Member: $300

Passivhaus Certification - 2x2 hour sessions

  • Member: $250

  • Non-Member: $300

Feasibility 101: DesignPH to PHPP - 4x2 hour sessions

  • Member: $400

  • Non-Member: $500

Comprehensive Introduction to Passive House - 4x2 hour sessions

  • Member: $300

  • Non-Member: $250

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Hear from past participants

  • 'Marcus is a very good teacher. He speaks slowly and clearly, taking time to ensure that everyone is following him. And his lessons were well organised and logically arranged. It was great to have received all the teaching documents in advance.'

    - Barbara Reeve, Owner Builder

  • "Really fantastic as a refresher following the designer course - was easy to understand - would definitely attend something similar at an intermediate level - and recommend this to anyone interested both prior and post the designer course."

    - Passivhaus Certified Professional

  • "Kates slide presentation has been really well prepared, great use of images and the slides easily accessible. Her delivery has also been terrific in terms of content, poace and tone"'

    - Lachie Gales
    Director - Ovens and King Builders

  • Marcus Strang is a specialist sustainability engineer and experienced Certified Passivhaus Designer, having had the opportunity to work on many Certified Passivhaus buildings in Australia. His expertise is in refining building energy performance, analysing thermal envelope junctions and fenestration details, as well as identifying interstitial and surface moisture risks using hygrothermal modelling tools. Marcus’s interests encompass holistic systems design, building physics, passive design optimisation and natural building materials. Currently, also a PhD Candidate specialising in the Passivhaus Standard and mass timber design, which he sees as a fundamental step for striving towards net-zero carbon emission buildings and a thriving, vibrant society.

  • Luc is founder and director of Detail Green who specialise in helping create Passivhaus and other low energy buildings. Luc is an engineer by training and has a background in the commercial building industry. His qualifications include Certified Passivhaus Consultant & Building Certifier, Green Star Professional as well as NABERS and NatHERS Assessors.

    Luc is passionate about ensuring buildings are designed and constructed in a manner to minimise their environmental impact during their whole life cycle.

  • Andy Marlow is an architect, urban designer and Director of Envirotecture, Passivhaus Design & Construct and the Australian Passivhaus Association. He is also a Certified Passivhaus designer who believes that good design should be accessible to and benefit everyone, not just those who commission it.

    Envirotecture recently completed Sydney’s first certified Passivhaus with two more to be completed last year. Andy is currently the architect and Passivhaus Designer of multiple projects across New South Wales.

  • Kate Nason is a passionate advocate of high-performance, healthy and resilient buildings. With a background as a registered architect (ARBV) she has worked across multiple low-energy buildings including Certified Passivhaus projects such as the Monash Gillies Hall and several single residential homes utilising low carbon prefabricated construction systems.

    Kate is a Certified Passivhaus Designer, Green Star Accredited Professional and currently holds the role of Sustainability Advisor at Frasers Property Australia and Chairperson at the Australian Passive House Association.

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