Did you know that women make up only 12% of the construction industry in Australia?

With support from the NSW Government’s Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program, ASBEC is launching the Women in Construction Future Leaders Pilot to change this—and, as an ASBEC member ourselves, we’re proud to support this initiative!

As the Australian Passivhaus Association and Passive House Institute New Zealand grow, it has been recognised by both organisations and marketplaces that the time has come for annual conferences in each location.

This brings great benefits to the operations of each Association with the move to an annual conference leading to greater continuity of service to members and a stronger voice in our respective marketplaces. Additionally, it enhances our abilities to manage budgets and resources while allowing us to better cater to the needs of sponsors and manufacturers.

Blue Eco Homes' crowning achievements include winning the 2023 HIA Australian GreenSmart Home for their Yellow Rock Passive House. The home is an energy-efficient residence that boasts full accessibility and a multi-generational design. The home was also awarded the HIA Australian GreenSmart Custom Built Home which was jointly awarded by COLORBOND steel.

Passive House buildings are vital to withstanding the climate crisis and they just hit cost-parity in the U.S. So why are they only 1% of construction?

Congratulations!

You’ve completed an incredibly intense building science training course and passed the exam – that means you’re now officially a Certified Passivhaus Designer!

BUT you’ve realised you still have a lot to learn…especially before you embark on a new Passivhaus project.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of recommendations and suitable next steps to ensure you have the confidence to proceed:

Volunteer with your APA local State Chapter to help us grow the Passivhaus Standard in Australia.

The Passivhaus movement is gaining momentum in Australia, driven by the dedicated efforts of its growing community of certified professionals.

Today, we turn the spotlight on Emilia Iacovino, who recently became Australia's fourth Passivhaus Building Certifier.

A background in electrical engineering and a passion for energy efficiency led to Emilia working for a sustainable design consulting firm in Melbourne — and the Passivhaus spark was born.

This year, we chose the title THRIVE as we wanted to focus in on the benefits that building to the Passivhaus standard can create. Wellbeing is a core focus of the standard, and after all, isn’t it a basic right to live and work in buildings that support our health? With this in mind, we collated some of the industries brightest minds and projects to shed light on this topic from across Australia and around the world. APA Chair Kate Nason shares her reflections from the Passivhaus Conference 2023.

aluplast are confirmed as Principal Partner for the 2023 and 2025 Australian Passivhaus Conference. This partnership recognises the growth of passivhaus in Australia.

This International Women’s Day we’re celebrating the contribution of women across Australia to the passivhaus movement. We asked our members to nominate who they think should be celebrated this IWD. In just our first year of this celebration, we had a fantastic response. Let’s make this an annual event! Thank you to each and every one of you for helping make our planet a better place. Future generations will benefit from your contribution. Read the nominations below.

We have a bold goal.

This May, we want to see over 400 representatives Thriving with us in Sydney at the 2023 South Pacific Passivhaus Conference.

The good news is, as we say- sharing is caring. Every single one of our members can help us achieve this goal with just a few clicks.

We’ve created a list of five simple things you can do to increase the exposure of the 2023 Conference.

You can do all of them - today. Files and guidance available to download at the bottom of this article.

Sue Templeman MP supports the benefits of Passivhaus and recognises APA member Blue Eco Homes in Parliament 13, February 2023. Sue Templeman MP, extended her support to Passivhaus whilst recognising the work of APA Members Blue Eco Homes in Parliament on February 13, 2023.

The APA Digital Transformation Project is a major overhaul of our electronic engagement with our members and broader stakeholders.

Please click on this article to keep abreast of how the project is tracking.

We've had a refresh. Just in time for our announcement of new Board Members we are proud to release our new name, brand and website.

Today, the Australian Passivhaus Association formally announces the appointment of 5 new board members, marking the beginning of a new era as the organisation sets its sights on a stronger national reach and new sectors for the standard’s adoption. Australian Passivhaus Association CEO, Alexia Lidas said that new leaders with a National outlook were sought for the board to support the Association’s strategic goals of increasing its impact by expanding across the Nation and further into the owner-operator market.

APHA Members and Passivhaus experts Talina Edwards Architecture and Envirotecture have announced that they are uniting their teams to be stronger together. They believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and the synergy created by this partnership will lead to greater impact and better outcomes. They will keep the name ‘Envirotecture’ because this embodies what they are passionate about creating: architecture that honours and respects the natural environment.

Three of our valued members are doing fantastic things that deserve a moment in the spotlight.Bridgeford Group Makes the AFR Fast Starters list for 2022Bridgeford Group has placed on the AFR Fast Starters list for 2022, as one of the 100 fastest growing companies across Australia. Managing Director Nick Tassigiannakis feels the National Construction Code 2022 is a missed opportunity to incentivise property developers and asset owners to move beyond “the easy stuff” and tackle more challenging elements such as heating and cooling. These have a long way to go.

ArchiTeam 2022 Passive House Scholarship Winner