Read the papers before you buy a blower door
EDG 79 CP — Passivhaus in Australia and EDG 89 CP — the Australasian pathway are later-series papers, not DES notes. They introduced a European performance method to a profession already living with NatHERS, the NCC and a cooling problem.
What they are for
- Explain heating demand, cooling demand, airtightness and primary energy as a set.
- Translate thermal-bridge-free construction into timber and masonry details that Australian builders might actually build.
- Position Passivhaus beside — not instead of — local rating tools.
What they are not
They are not a 2026 certificate. They do not replace the Australian Passive House Association’s current course list, the Passivhaus Institut’s current criteria, or NCC energy provisions for your building class. They do not claim every Australian climate wants the same insulation thickness.
A comparison you can put in a client memo
| Framework | Job | Typical question |
|---|---|---|
| Passivhaus | Fabric and ventilation performance | Can we meet the demand numbers with this form? |
| NatHERS | Regulatory house rating | What star result does the proposed dwelling get? |
| NCC Section J | Legal minimum (many commercial classes) | Does the façade and services package comply? |
| NABERS | Operational outcome | What did the building actually use last year? |
| Green Star | Voluntary project framework | Which credits is the team targeting? |
If you only remember one line from the EDG pair: cooling and airtightness are first-class problems in Australia, not footnotes to a German winter. Then open natural ventilation and thermal mass so the conversation does not collapse into foam thickness.
Questions, answered first
- What is this insight for?
- Passivhaus in Australia: what the EDG papers actually say is an original Environment Design Guide editorial — not a historical EDG note — written to help Australian students and practitioners use the catalogue.
- Does this replace the NCC?
- No. Insights point to notes, papers and current Australian agencies. They are educational.
Sibling notes
This independent editorial guide is not affiliated with the Australian Institute of Architects or any ratings body. Historical Environment Design Guide note IDs, titles and authorship are cited for attribution only. Summaries are original educational rewrites — not a substitute for the original peer-reviewed notes, current NCC / NABERS / Green Star documentation, or professional advice. Trademarks remain with their owners.