Laros Office
Sector: Commercial Office
Passivhaus Classic Certification
Fyshwick, ACT, 2021
Laros Office has achieved Passivhaus Classic Certification, encouraging showcase of the high level of occupant comfort that can be achieved for office spaces inside warehouses.
The building features the Laros Prefabricated structure CLT combined with joist stud frame construction. The CLT sheet exposes internally contributing to the design's aesthetic appeal. This newly constructed, two-story office and showroom building inside warehouse building in ACT, Australia, is located within a cool temperate climate zone according to PHI climate zone map.
Pro-clima smart moisture control building membrane serve as the building's airtight layer, crucial for maintaining energy efficiency. High-performance, triple-glazed windows and doors with timber frames and external aluminum cladding are utilised to optimize thermal performance.
Continuous thermal insulation is applied in the timber stud level to minimize thermal bridging, further improving energy efficiency. An external vapor-permeable membrane is implemented on the outer side of the insulation to protect both the insulation and the timber structure.
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AIRTIGHTNESS n50 ACH@50pascals: 0.43
HEATING DEMAND (kWh/m².yr): 11
COOLING DEMAND (kWh/m².yr): 6
HEATING LOAD (W/m²): 11
COOLING LOAD (W/m²): 7
PRIMARY ENERGY DEMAND (PE) (kWh/m².yr): 97
PRIMARY ENERGY RENEWABLE DEMAND (PER): 44 -
LOCATION: Fyshwick, ACT
NCC CLIMATE ZONE: 7 – Cool temperate
NATHERS CLIMATE ZONE: 24
YEAR OF COMPLETION: 2021
TREATED FLOOR AREA (PHPP sqm): 155
PROJECT TYPE: New Build
SECTOR: Commercial Office
CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Timber Frame, Prefab
CERTIFICATION LEVEL/ ENERGY STANDARD: Passivhaus Classic -
PREFAB ELEMENTS: Laros, timber frame prefabricated panels
MHRV SYSTEM: Systemair VSR 500, Stiebel Eltron LWZ 280
DOMESTIC HOT WATER SYSTEM: Sanden Heat pump with 315l storage tank, installed outside thermal envelope
EXTERIOR WALL TYPE, U-VALUE: 27mm CLT backed by 200mm joist, 0.17
FLOOR SLAB TYPE, U-VALUE: Joist construction on concrete floor, 0.43
ROOF INSULATION TYPE, MANUFACTURER: Knauf Earthwool
ROOF CONSTRUCTION: 27mm CLT backed by 300mm joists
ROOF ENVELOPE U-VALUE: 0.12
GLAZING TYPE, MANUFACTURER, U W-VALUE, G-VALUE, U G-VALUE: Triple, Doepfner (LAROS Technologies), 0.8, 53%, 0.57
EXTERNAL DOOR TYPE, MANUFACTURER, U D-VALUE: Timber Aluminium Slim 1 Premium with barrier-less MACO Transit Sill, Doepfner (LAROS Technologies), 0.94
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The Laros Office showcases sustainable and high-performance design through the use of a prefabricated CLT structure combined with joist stud frame construction. Exposed CLT brings warmth to the interiors, while continuous insulation ensures a thermal bridge–free envelope. Triple-glazed timber frame windows and doors with external aluminum cladding provide energy efficiency and durability. A vapor-permeable membrane on the exterior, paired with a smart moisture control system, minimizes the risk of mould. To support comfort and air quality, multiple ERV systems were installed in the showroom.
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The team faced challenges in building the office within a warehouse that had only one external wall connecting to the outdoor environment. Managing solar heat gain was critical to keeping the space heating demand low. To address this, high-performance triple-glazed windows and doors were installed, with glazing areas maximized to allow as much sunlight into the building as possible during the day. In addition, external venetian blinds were introduced, giving flexibility through remote control to adjust from fully open to partly open or fully closed, ensuring precise control over solar heat gain. From this process, the team learned that in a cool temperate climate, maximizing north-facing windows in Australia can significantly reduce heating demand, while external blinds provide an effective way to block excess sunlight in summer and welcome full solar gain in winter.
Project Members
PASSIVHAUS CERTIFIER: Detail Green
PASSIVHAUS CONSULTANT/ DESIGNER/ MECHANICAL ENGINEER: LAROS Consulting
BUILDING DESIGNER/ BUILDER/ PROJECT MANAGER: LAROS Technologies
WINDOW SUPPLIER/ HRV SUPPLIER/ AIRTIGHTNESS MEMBRANE SUPPLIER: LAROS Technologies
BLOWER DOOR TESTER: Aerotight
PHOTOGRAPHER: LAROS Technologies