An 8-week, fully-funded Built Environment Leadership program

The Passivhaus Incubator helps policy makers, asset owners, client-side teams, and decision makers understand how Passivhaus can inform policy, procurement, project briefs, asset strategy, and long-term performance.

Submit 2027 EOI Here

Meet Our 2026 VIC Participants

  • Adam Selvay

    National Sustainability Manager,
    Metricon

  • Jenniy Gregory

    RACE for Homes Program Leader,
    RACE for 2030

  • Tim Vickers

    Senior Planning and Business Advisor,
    Nillumbik Shire Council

  • Pippa Soccio

    Senior Research Scientist,
    CSIRO

  • Rosario Guastalegname

    Principal Urban Designer,
    Frankston City Council

  • Scott Barnes

    Principal Urban Designer,
    Race for 2030

  • Corwin Wallens

    Policy Manager,
    Green Building Council Australia

  • Patricia Rimando

    Policy Officer,
    Deeca

  • Meike Wagenhoff

    Real Estate Services,
    Common Equity Housing LTD

  • Zaf Yasar

    Senior Policy Officer,
    Department of Transport and Planning

  • Amanda Swayn

    Sustainability Projects Officer,
    Nillumbik Shire Council

  • Catherine Pusey

    Growth & Partnership Manager,
    Modscape + Modbotics

  • Hassan Ali Bhatti

    Asset Management Officer,
    Merri-Bek Council

  • Travis Hall

    Senior Project Manager - Sustainable Design,
    Homes Victoria

  • Damon Cuming

    Senior Project Manager - Sustainable Design,
    Homes Victoria

  • May Pok

    Design Manager,
    Metricon

  • Yakov Elgart

    Managing Director,
    Engineering Scientific International PTY, LTD (ESI)

  • Jacqui Lazzaro

    Principal Project Manager,
    City of Casey

  • John Li

    Principal Project Manager,
    City of Casey

  • Laurence Taylor

    Principal Project Manager,
    City of Casey

  • Bisi Ashiru-Smiles

    Senior Design Coordinator,
    Suburban Rail Loop Authority

  • André Neto-Bradley

    Visiting Scientist,
    CSIRO

Meet Our 2026 NSW Participants

  • Camille Gaven

    Senior Sustainability Consultant,
    Mott MacDonald

  • Jacqui Bonnitcha

    Built Environment Sector Plan Lead - NSW,
    DPHI

  • Claudia Mallet

    Assistant Project Manager,
    Cerulean

  • Daren Price

    Principal - Building Asset Management & Special Projects,
    The Hills Shire Council

  • Gabrielle Peters

    Head of Growth,
    Uncommon Living

  • Mike Case

    ESG Manager,
    The Living Company

  • Kajal Desai

    Sustainability Officer,
    The Living Company

  • Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi

    Associate Professor and Global Challenge Lead,
    Western Sydney University

  • Poorna Seetharam

    Sustainability Consultant,
    CBRE

  • Sonali Mikhail

    ESD Consultant,
    Meriton Group

  • Nathan Brasier

    Architect,
    Blacktown City Council

  • Sebastian Hacker

    Green Star Assistant Delivery Manager,
    GBCA

  • David Madew

    Green Star Technical Advisor,
    Green Building Council of Australia

  • David Donald

    Managing Director,
    Healthhabitat LTD

  • Kel Lupis

    Project Support Officer,
    CSIRO

  • Emily Antonio

    GM Sustainability and Environment,
    Brickworks

Meet Our 2026 QLD Participants

  • Brooke Walters

    Director,
    B Sustainable

  • Maryam Shirmohammadi

    Principal Scientist,
    Department of Primary Industries

  • Tom Newman

    Head of Projects,
    IQ Construct

  • Kaz Harris-Brown

    Executive Director of Construction Tech,
    TAFE Centre of Excellence

  • Andrew Keag

    Senior Project Architect,
    Metricon

  • Saleh Kaji Esfahani

    Senior Sustainability Consultant,
    E-Lab Consulting

Meet Our 2026 WA, ACT & NT Participants

  • Natrisha Barnett

    Chief Operating Officer,
    Barkly Regional Council

  • Andrew Law

    Senior Research Scientist,
    CSIRO

  • Sae Chi

    Principal Policy Officer,
    Department of Housing and Works (WA)

  • Bobbie Bayley

    Architect,
    Dogspike Design and Architecture

  • Farnaz Loftian

    Building Surveyor,
    Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale

Meet Our 2026 SA Participants

  • Greg Sarre

    Principal Advisor Sustainability,
    Mount Barker District Council

  • Charles Peters

    Founder,
    Uncommon Living / Craft Architecture

  • Jason Gullickson

    Lecturer,
    TAFE SA

  • Merrin Kosters

    Lecturer / Building Designer,
    TAFE SA / Kostersklan Building Design

  • Tanya Meese

    Lecturer,
    TAFE SA

Meet Our 2026 TAS Participants

  • Justin Smith

    Manager - Property Services,
    Central Coast Council

  • Hayden Smith

    Teacher / Assessor
    TAS TAFE

  • Stefan Deverell

    Carpentry Teacher,
    TAS TAFE

Is This Program for You?

The incubator is designed for people who influence how buildings are planned, funded, procured, delivered, or managed.

Note: This program is not suitable for single-dwelling residential clients.

You should apply if you…

  • Have 10+ years of experience and have a track record of implementing new ideas and influencing outcomes.

  • Have a genuine interest in the betterment of the Australian built environment.

  • Help shape building briefs, policy, procurement or asset decisions.

  • Manage or advise on large scale residential, public, or commercial buildings.

This program is especially relevant for…

What You’ll Take Away

You’ll build practical knowledge and a clearer lens for applying Passivhaus thinking across organisations, projects, and portfolios.

Knowledge to Lead Building Performance Conversations

Build a clear understanding of high-performance buildings across global and Australian market contexts. Learn why the gap between code-compliant and Passivhaus poses risks for health, comfort, resilience, and long-term asset value — and discover the tools to close it.

A Better Lens for Project Risk

Explore how Passivhaus affects procurement, contracts, cost planning, consultant engagement, certification timing, and project delivery. Gain the ability to hold your own in technical conversations, and know the right questions to ask at every project stage.

A Strategic View of Your Existing Assets

You will develop a practical understanding of how high-performance retrofit strategies apply to existing portfolios. For example, how to assess assets, sequence upgrades, manage tenant and stakeholder impact, and build a credible pathway from where your buildings are today to where they need to be.

The Ability to Drive Change Inside Your Organisation

The final weeks of the program are dedicated to internal advocacy, organisational change, and practical implementation. This finale gives you the language, the framing, and the strategy to bring new ideas to the table and make them stick.

KEY DATES
21 August Passivhaus Incubator Launch
Morning Tea in person
VIC │ NSW │ QLD │ WA

Morning welcome online
TAS │ NT │ SA │ ACT

19 September Passivhaus Site Tour

16 October Celebratory Drinks
VIC │ NSW │ QLD │ SA │ TAS │ WA

A Peer Network for the Next Decade and Beyond

You will share the program with a competitive cohort of senior professionals drawn from across government, housing, development, construction, asset management, and infrastructure. Thus building a network of leaders who share a common language and ambition for the built environment.

How the Program Works

The Incubator is designed for people who want to understand, apply, and advocate for Passivhaus whether client-side or in another decision-making role.

Online Learning Sessions

Weekly expert-led sessions held online from 12:00 - 1:30pm AEST on Wednesdays with time for Q&A and discussion.

Case Studies

Occasional Friday sessions showcase Passivhaus performance across community, health, policy, and retrofit contexts.

Site Tours

Nationwide opportunities to see Passivhaus applied in completed buildings on Saturday during week 4 of the program.

Continued Support

Incubator participants will receive 50% off THRIVE 2027 and a free 1-year APA membership to support ongoing advocacy.

Networking Opportunities

Two main networking sessions for the incubator include the nationwide Launch Day (21 Aug) and the post-incubator Celebratory Drinks (16 Oct).

The 8-Week Incubator Journey

Over eight weeks, the Passivhaus Incubator moves from core building-performance through to certification, procurement, policy, retrofit and internal advocacy.

It’s all about helping you understand what Passivhaus is and how to bring it into real projects, organisations and portfolios.

Foundations & Building Performance
Weeks 1-3

  • Wednesday 26 August | 12pm - 1:30pm (AEST)

    The program begins with a clear introduction to what defines a Passivhaus, why the standard matters, and how it applies in real buildings.

    You’ll explore:

    • The five core principles of Passivhaus and what they are designed to achieve

    • How Passivhaus criteria compare with current Australian code

    • The basics of comfort, energy balance, insulation, R-values, U-values and continuous thermal envelopes

    Friday 28 August | 12pm

    Glenroy Community Hub Case Study

    As the first community hub in Australia to achieve Passivhaus certification, Glenroy Community Hub demonstrates the City of Moreland's commitment to world-leading, sustainable design and how community buildings can lead to social transformation and support community resilience.

    Join Kieran Leong as he reviews the ins and outs of the project. 

  • Wednesday 2 September | 12:00 – 1:30pm AEST

    Week 2 takes a deeper look at three critical elements of high-performance buildings: airtightness, ventilation and thermal bridge-free design.

    You’ll explore:

    • Why insulation alone is not enough to achieve strong building performance

    • How airtightness and ventilation work together in a healthy, efficient building

    • Common design and construction issues that can lead to thermal bridges, air leakage, condensation, mould and poor indoor air quality

    Friday 4 September | Time TBA

    The Friday health case study compares a code-built home with a Passivhaus home, looking at the relationship between indoor air quality and occupant health.

    The session draws on symptom tracking, weather data, indoor air quality monitoring and building biology insights to show how building performance can affect wellbeing.

  • Wednesday 9 September | 12:00 – 1:30pm AEST

    This week focuses on the role of windows, energy use, and building services in achieving Passivhaus performance.

    You’ll explore:

    • Why windows and frames are so important to managing heat transfer

    • How orientation, shading, installation and passive solar design affect performance

    • How energy demand and services are considered within the Passivhaus approach

    There are no additional sessions for this week.

Certification, Delivery & Project Risk
Weeks 4-5

  • Wednesday 16 September | 12:00 – 1:30pm AEST

    Week 4 introduces the different Passivhaus classifications, certification pathways and quality assurance processes.

    You’ll explore:

    • The different Passivhaus classifications, including the EnerPHit retrofit standard

    • When to engage consultants and certifiers in the design process

    • How PHPP is used to support Passivhaus certification

    Saturday 19 September | Times TBA

    The Saturday site tours give you the opportunity to see Passivhaus principles applied in real buildings and connect the online learning to physical project outcomes.

  • Wednesday 23 September | 12:00 – 1:30pm AEST

    Week 5 shifts into the delivery side of Passivhaus projects, focusing on procurement, contracts, cost planning, finance and risk.

    This session is designed to help you understand how early project decisions can influence cost, delivery and performance outcomes.

    It’ll cover both the contractual and commercial sides of Passivhaus delivery, including procurement methodology, project risk, cost components specific to Passivhaus construction and practical strategies for avoiding cost overruns.

    You’ll explore:

    • Best-practice procurement principles for Passivhaus projects

    • Contract considerations, scope inclusions, risk profiles and consultant roles

    • Cost components, cost planning, risk management and strategies for avoiding project challenges

    There are no additional sessions this week.

Policy, Market Context & Retrofit
Weeks 6-7

  • Wednesday 30 September | 12:00 – 1:30pm AEST

    Week 6 places Passivhaus within a broader market and policy context.

    It’ll cover international examples, Australian market conditions and the policy settings that can help accelerate high-performance building adoption.

    You’ll explore:

    • Global policy frameworks and implementation examples

    • The Australian market context and barriers to wider adoption

    • How policy, regulation and market signals can support Passivhaus growth

    Friday 2 October | Time TBA

    The Friday case study examines the Massachusetts mandates for Passivhaus Certification of certain buildings — including its development, implementation, challenges and outcomes.

    It offers a practical example of policy-led market transformation and how Passivhaus adoption can grow when policy settings support higher-performance buildings.

  • Wednesday 7 October | 12:00 – 1:30pm AEST

    Week 7 focuses on applying Passivhaus principles to existing buildings.

    You’ll explore:

    • Staged retrofit approaches and retrofit certification processes

    • Cost considerations, practical implementation challenges and suitable building types

    • Policy issues, strata challenges and support mechanisms needed to scale retrofit in Australia

    Friday 9 October | Time TBA

    The Friday session brings these ideas into real-world application through retrofit case studies and performance data.

    Discover how retrofit strategies perform beyond theory, including what can be measured, what can be improved and what lessons can be applied to future projects or asset portfolios.

Advocacy & Implementation
Week 8

  • Wednesday 14 October | 12:00 – 1:30pm AEST

    The final week focuses on implementation, internal advocacy and organisational change.

    You’ll explore:

    • How to advocate for Passivhaus principles inside your organisation

    • How to bring new concepts into project briefs, procurement conversations and asset strategies

    • Practical next steps for applying the program’s learnings to your own work

    Friday 16 October | Time TBA

    The program concludes with Friday celebratory drinks, giving your cohort an opportunity to connect, reflect on the eight-week journey and continue conversations beyond the formal sessions.

2026 Program Presenters

  • Kieran Leong

    Incubator Facilitator
    Director
    DesignInc Melbourne

  • Linden Thorley

    Director
    Linden Thorley Architects

  • Emilia Iacovino

    Passivhaus Consultant & Certifier
    Detail Green

  • Chris Nunn

    General Manager ESG
    The Living Company

  • Merylese Mercieca

    Business Manager & Occupational Health Nurse
    Blue Eco Homes

  • Alexander Gard-Murray

    Executive Director
    Passive House Massachusetts

  • Clare Parry

    Sustainability Director,
    Development Victoria

  • Alex Feng

    Director,
    AF Project Consulting

  • Michael Morrissey

    Partner
    Speirs Ryan

2026 Support Members

  • Jessica Kismet

    Technical Manager,
    Climasure

  • Torquil Canning

    Passivhaus Designer,
    Torquil Canning Home

  • John Beurle

    Principal,
    Passive House Services

  • Andy Marlow

    Director,
    Envirotecture

  • Alex Slater

    Architect,
    Building Physics Australia

Past Incubator Participants

  • "Thank you so much for this incredibly interesting incubator program! Extremely valuable"

    Niko Stacher
    Senior Manager, Sustainability APAC (Hilton)

  • "An amazing learning experience! I look forward to keeping connected with the Passivhaus community."

    Kate McKeand
    Senior Policy Officer (DEECA)

  • "It has been such a good programme!"

    James Pearson
    Director - National Sustainability Manager (CBRE-DEXUS)

  • "Thanks for providing this fantastic program it has been amazing learning experience!"

    Bronwyn Englaro
    Senior Sustainability Officer (Randwick City Council)

Special Thanks

While the content has since been adapted and updated, this program was originally developed by Passivhaus enthusiast, and previous APA Chair, Kate Nason, Senior Sustainability Advisor at Frasers Property.

Kate donated the intellectual property of the 8-hour program to the Association to support the growth of Passivhaus in Australia.

If it were not for thoughtful and caring volunteers, like Kate, APA would not have the resource pool it has to draw upon.

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