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Passive Homes, Built to Passivhaus Principles.
Three certified Passivhaus tradespeople.
Homes designed and built to Passivhaus principles on Perth's coast, from Fremantle to Mullaloo.
Passive Homes
X-ON Construction designs and builds homes to Passivhaus principles: continuous insulation, airtight construction, high-performance windows and doors, thermal-bridge-free detailing and heat recovery ventilation. Our team includes three certified Passivhaus tradespeople.
The result is a home that holds a steady temperature, feels quieter inside, and uses far less energy to heat and cool than a standard build.
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The Standard
What Is a Passive House?
A Passive House (Passivhaus, from the German standard) is a building designed to hold a comfortable indoor temperature year-round with very little heating or cooling. A certified Passivhaus uses up to about 90% less energy for heating and cooling than a typical home.
There are two ways to approach it:
01.
Built to Passivhaus principles.
This is how we build. The five principles are applied throughout the design and construction, without the formal certification process.
02.
Formal certification.
The home is modelled and built to the Passive House Institute (PHI) standard, airtightness-tested at completion, and independently certified. If you'd like to pursue certification, we can talk through what's involved.
Five Principles
The Five Principles of Passivhaus.
01.
Continuous External Insulation
An unbroken layer of insulation wraps the whole building. No gaps and no cold or hot spots where the structure bypasses the insulation.
02.
Airtight Construction
Every penetration (pipes, cables, windows and doors) is sealed to stop uncontrolled air leaks.
03.
High-Performance Windows and Doors
High-performance glazing in thermally broken frames, specified for Perth's climate: shading and solar control where the sun is a problem, winter sun let in where it helps.
04.
Thermal-Bridge-Free Detailing
Junctions between structural elements are detailed so heat can't travel straight through the structure, in either direction.
05.
Heat Recovery Ventilation
A mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery (MVHR) brings in filtered fresh air around the clock and recovers most of the heat or coolness from the outgoing air.
Perth's Climate
Why Build to Passivhaus Principles in Perth?
Perth's summers are long and hot and its winters are mild. Heating loads are low, but a leaky, under-insulated house still needs air-conditioning running for much of the summer. Coastal homes also face salt air, strong afternoon winds and harsh western sun.
A well-designed Passivhaus home keeps a steady indoor temperature through summer with far less cooling. Filtered ventilation also means less dust and pollen indoors and a quieter home, which many owners notice most day to day.
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Our Work
Our Passivhaus Work.
Every project is designed for its site, not adapted from a standard plan. We like to work with your architect or designer from early concept, because the decisions that matter most for performance (orientation, window placement, detailing) are made before construction starts.
Lewin Way, Scarborough.
Our Lewin Way renovation in Scarborough brought a 1960s home up to Passivhaus EnerPHit principles, with an upgraded thermal envelope, better airtightness and heat recovery ventilation. It was a finalist for Sustainability in Residential Building at the 2025 Master Builders WA Building Excellence Awards.
Finalist, Sustainability in Residential Building. 2025 Master Builders WA Building Excellence Awards.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions.
Get in Contact
Planning a Passivhaus Home?
If you're planning a new home or major renovation and want to know what building to Passivhaus principles would involve, we'd be glad to talk it through. We take on around five homes at a time, so it helps to get in touch early.