At Energy Rating Perth, we believe in including energy efficient building design methods into the building design in its early stages. Passive building design refers to designing a building that is not only in accordance but takes advantage of the climate it is placed in. Using passive design and passive solar design tactics can greatly improve the thermal performance of the home which either eradicates or at least reduces the need for mechanical heating and cooling.

It is most economic to include passive design into your home when initially designing it. From understanding the climate, where you will place your building on site to the internal layout, all factors contribute heavily on how good the home’s thermal performance would be. You can find more detail on passive building design measures on our Energy Rating Perth website.

However, a passive house requires ‘active’ users of space. Eventually, it is up to the users of the home with a basic understanding of how passive design works to know when to open/close windows, to not use heating/cooling unnecessarily and when to allow sunlight and when to keep home shaded.

However, even if they are not implemented in the beginning or you have just purchased a home, at Energy Rating Perth we believe that small upgrades and retrofit measures can greatly improve your home’s building envelope and thermal performance.

Our energy assessors at Energy Rating Perth pay close attention and advocate the principles of good passive design so your home locks in the thermal comfort, lower heating and cooling bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. If you feel your home is underperforming in terms of thermal comfort, contact one of the energy assessors at Energy Rating Perth today!