Passivhaus is now a mainstream option 

Jon Bootland is chief executive of the Passivhaus Trust

Projects being built to the Passivhaus standard now account for approximately 1 per cent of all new homes under construction, according to figures the Passivhaus Trust has just released. This new data shows that the standard is now a mainstream option in the UK. 

“We’re challenging the UK government’s proposed Future Homes Standard as not fit for purpose”

The trust believes that passing the 1 per cent mark for new homes will offer a beacon to the construction industry, resulting in a ‘multiplier effect’. We want to move up from 1 per cent to 10 per cent of all projects by 2035. We also want at least 50 per cent of the industry to understand the principles behind Passivhaus. Policy and funding changes, as well as the standard’s growing popularity as a solution to the energy-bill crisis, have contributed to the increased uptake and will help us achieve the 10 per cent target. 

We have seen some incredibly positive recent Passivhaus developments in Scotland, where the Scottish Government is currently developing a Passivhaus-equivalent policy for new-build housing. The final details are still being determined but are expected to include, as an absolute minimum, a requirement that homes built to the Passivhaus standard be considered ‘deemed to satisfy’ current building standards. 

Also in Scotland, around 60 per cent of new schools are currently targeting the Passivhaus standard, thanks to an innovative funding mechanism developed by the Scottish Futures Trust, which encourages local authorities to adopt building standards that can guarantee good building performance.

National progress

In the rest of the UK, we’re seeing positive developments from some pioneering local authorities. Councils such as Bath and North East Somerset, Cornwall and Central Lincolnshire have been developing local plans that call on developers to go beyond building regulations, often drawing on the Passivhaus methodology. There are also more such ambitious local plans in the pipeline, which seek to challenge a 2023 written ministerial statement that has created confusion about the ability of local authorities to set sustainability standards above and beyond national regulations.

In Wales, funding conditions for social housing schemes permit the adoption of a ‘fabric first’ alternative to EPC A, which draws on the Passivhaus methodology. The recently launched ‘Tai ar y Cyd’ Pattern Book, backed by 23 Welsh social housing providers and supported by the Welsh Government, includes Passivhaus as its suggested ‘enhanced’ standard. 

Clients across the UK, from universities to large swimming pool operators, are recognising the benefits that Passivhaus brings in terms of ongoing energy-bill savings, good indoor air quality, and greater comfort, thanks to the improved quality assurance offered by the Passivhaus standard. 

So the Passivhaus Trust is now setting itself the ambitious target of getting to 10 per cent of all UK homes by 2035, which would require a tenfold expansion within 10 years. 

At a broader policy level, the trust is joining forces with a wider coalition that is challenging the UK government’s proposed Future Homes Standard as not fit for purpose. Among other recommendations, the trust is also strongly advocating that Passivhaus-certified homes are considered ‘deemed to satisfy’ the Future Homes Standard. 

It’s a massive challenge. We need to really accelerate delivery.