APA Launches Inaugural RetroPHit Month, an Opportunity to Experience and Learn about Passivhaus Retrofit Standard
The Australian Passivhaus Association’s RetroPHit Month is its first national program showcasing retrofits across Australia built to the Passivhaus EnerPHit Standard or higher. This new initiative advocates for greater awareness of Passivhaus retrofit possibilities in improving existing housing stock to a verified performance level, to the benefit of occupants’ health, resilience and long-term financial outcomes.
Australia’s current housing stock presents a challenge
Of the country’s 10.8 million homes, around 70% were built before modern energy standards, with many performing at an average of just 1.8 NatHERS stars. These homes are frequently uncomfortable, expensive to heat and cool, and increasingly prone to issues such as condensation and mould.
Conventional responses such as knock-down rebuild or upgrades to minimum code offer limited long-term value. Rebuilding carries a high embodied carbon cost, while minimum compliance risks becoming rapidly outdated and does not guarantee performance in practice. Evidence also suggests that poorly considered upgrades, particularly around airtightness without ventilation, can exacerbate indoor air quality issues.
An alternative with certified quality assurance
Retrofit projects in Australia have seen a 100% increase in the last 3 years. The EnerPHit Standard is an exact, performance-based approach to retrofit; rather than minor or incremental improvements, EnerPHit involves specific upgrades to the building envelope, airtightness, ventilation, and thermal performance as a whole system.
This approach aims to close the gap between design and as-built outcomes while delivering consistent indoor comfort, low energy demand, and healthy air quality. It also provides a framework for future-proofing buildings against tightening regulations and changing climate conditions.
Above: Hillary Passivhaus
RetroPHit Month is a showcase for industry and community
The program is designed for architects, designers, builders, trades, engineers, asset managers, policymakers, and sustainability professionals, as well as homeowners and the interested public.
“With the average home built before 2010 performing at just 1.8/10 stars for energy efficiency, the need for deep retrofit has never been more urgent, this isn't about knocking down what we've built. It's about proving that our existing housing stock can perform to a genuinely healthy, comfortable, and low-carbon standard, with the right approach. Every retrofit we showcase this month is evidence that the technology and the skills already exist. What we need now is the policy and market confidence to scale it," said Stalin Chakrabarty, CEO of the Australian Passivhaus Association.
“Through RetroPHit Month, the Australian Passivhaus Association is bringing together government, industry, and the community to accelerate awareness and capability around EnerPHit - the Passivhaus retrofit standard - across homes, apartments, schools, offices, and larger scale developments. Australia cannot meet its climate and housing goals through new construction alone. We must also improve the buildings we already have.”
Learning by experiencing built projects
RetroPHit Month features seven site tours, two in-person industry events, and a national webinar, giving access to completed and in-progress EnerPHit projects across Australia. These include suburban retrofits, heritage upgrades, and complex urban infill projects, offering insights into their design and construction.
Participants can experience and learn how the Standard is applied in real conditions, and ask questions of the project team, from integrating EnerPHit systems into existing structures, to managing heritage constraints and construction realities on site.
Building capacity for change
As demand grows for buildings that are not only energy efficient but also healthy and resilient, the need for skilled practitioners in Passivhaus retrofit is increasing. RetroPHit Month is a knowledge-sharing platform and a catalyst for industry capability, supporting the uptake of best-practice retrofit approaches across Australia.
RetroPHit Month advocates for retrofit being recognised as essential infrastructure for a low-carbon future, and a critical opportunity to improve the buildings Australians already live and work in. The program is generously supported by industry partners Pro Clima, ARUP and Rockwool.
