Taking you by the hand every step of the way with a full range of custom architectural design services
A custom service that focuses on
6 Funamental Design Principles
Principle 1 - Timeless Aesthetic
While beauty is subjective, true quality should stand the test of time
Principle 2 - Functional Simplicity
Designing for Life: Meeting Your Family's Specific Requirements with Adaptability for the Future.
Principle 3 - Health & Wellbeing
Creating Holistic Wellness Through Integration of Light, Air, and Nature in Design
Principle 4 - Appropiate Performance
Efficient and Sustainable Building Design: Minimising Energy need to Heat and Cool
Principle 5 - Self Sufficiency
Getting off the Grid: Limiting Risk and Volatility through Indepenance
Principle 6 - Legacy
A Real Home: Emotionally Loved and Increasing in Value Over Time
Our Stages of Work
Concept Design / Feasibility
To understand if the project is worth pursuing on a given site and within a given budget
Our architects provide expert guidance to clients starting new projects, whether we're searching for ideal land or evaluating existing property. Our local knowledge and understanding of regulations and cost-saving opportunities allow us to deliver comprehensive feasibility studies. These studies offer insights into potential outcomes, and we use them to develop bespoke designs that optimise the land's potential. Our team also provide concept floor plans, incorporating the site's natural environment to create a cohesive vision. Finally, we provide high-level cost estimates to ensure that clients' briefs and budgets align.
Schematic Design
The initiation of the detailed design process, by expanding the brief into a design and documentation package suitable for town planning (if required)
Our 3D design process delves deep into your brief to find the best design solution for your property, considering its specific context. We analyse different options, study massing, and explore materiality and spatial qualities. We ensure that the design meets all planning and statutory requirements, increasing its chances of approval. We build a model of the house in our Passive House Planning Package, testing geometry, window sizes, shading strategies, and more to achieve the Passive House standard and make adjustments for optimal passive environmental performance.
Town Planning
The council approval process
For projects requiring a planning permit, we collaborate with an experienced town planning consultant who oversees and advises on the planning process. We work closely with the consultant to provide clear and concise information, minimising planning timeframes.
Design Development
The development of design schematics through technical coordination and integration of real products, services, structure and materials
After exploring 3D design options, we develop and document the design in CAD with detailed plans, elevations, and material choices. We assess energy efficiency, orientation, and shading. Our team of experts, including structural engineers, builders, landscapers, and town planning consultants, work together to ensure coordination and cost efficiency. We provide a detailed costing plan, either through a preferred builder or a quantity surveyor. We add detail to the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to ensure compliance with the Passive House standard for all selections, including heating and cooling systems, hot water systems, insulation, wall, roof, and floor data, and services.
Interior Design
Integration of all tactile and functional elements of the interior design, ensuring seamless connection with the overall concept ideas
Our interior design team collaborates closely with you to create a harmonious balance of price, functionality, style, and luxury. By understanding your preferences, lifestyle, and needs, including factors like household size and daily routine, they craft a design plan that integrates your vision and enhances your home's overall ambiance. We believe in reflecting your personality and sense of style while prioritiing practicality and functionality. With our expertise, we deliver stunning, tailored interiors that are both functional and comfortable.
Construction documentation
The transfer of ideas into build-ready documentation
At Borland Architecture, we meticulously document every aspect of our designs, collaborating closely with all necessary consultants to ensure full coordination. Our detailed drawings, schedules, and specifications encompass materials, fixtures, fittings, and even furniture if needed. We work closely with clients to achieve a consistent and enduring aesthetic, emphasising quality and longevity. Regular updates to the 3D design provide contextual understanding of each decision. We pay special attention to critical junctions, ensuring the builder understands the sequencing necessary for achieving the required airtightness and insulation levels of Passive House. Early collaboration with the builder allows for effective planning and construction. Our team approach ensures optimal outcomes, with everyone aligned and committed to meeting requirements.
Tendering and contractor selection
Achieving the right balance between trust, quality and price before committing to a building contract
At Borland Architecture, we collaborate with a trusted group of proven builders. We recommend involving a builder during the schematic design stage to ensure constructability. Clients have the option to continue working with the original builder or tender the project to a select few. We assist in selecting builders, providing clear tender documentation, assessing outcomes, and advising the client. Once the preferred builder is chosen, we help formalise the engagement through contract drafting. Our aim is to make this process stress-free, allowing clients to focus on the exciting aspects of bringing their dream project to life.
Site attendance or full contract administration
Ensuring all the hard work in design is depicted accurately in construction
We offer two levels of services during this phase, tailored to our clients' needs and experience.
Site Attendance: We regularly visit the construction site, providing advice on quality, progress, and design compliance. The client manages the contract and progress payments, while we offer informal advice. Any changes or design resolutions are considered additional work.
Contract Administration: We offer full services as contract administrators. We respond formally to builder requests, assess site progress, and provide progress claim certificates. We attend the site as needed, address inquiries, and resolve issues to ensure the project aligns with the design intent. This level of engagement ensures optimal quality and is highly recommended.
We are flexible in customising services based on the client's needs and budget.
Styling
Adding interior and exterior styling that completes and complements the architectural designs
With our established trade connections, we provide a styling service that leverages supplier discounts. This service ensures seamless integration of carefully selected furniture, artwork, and curtains into your completed interiors, harmonizing with the design of the building and landscape.
Our architectural design services have transformed client briefs into some of the most remarkable luxury homes in Victoria.
David & Belinda Kininmonth
“We were unsure about the process from concept to finished product but knew we wanted to design an off grid passive house. They explained the process well before we started and we really enjoyed the going through that process.
Borland Architecture were very understanding and supportive especially when our needs changed…….”
We're proud to be certified as Passive House designers as it means we have the expertise to design homes that are not only super-comfortable, but also incredibly energy-efficient and healthy. In fact, the standard equips us to create some of the healthiest and most energy-efficient homes in the world!
Passive House
The Ultimate Luxury Home
Passive House, developed in Germany 30 years ago, is a voluntary standard with approximately 37,000 certified buildings worldwide. Compared to typical code-compliant buildings, Passive Houses use considerably less energy for heating and cooling, resulting in significantly lower running costs. With increasing energy prices, building with these savings in mind is becoming more necessary.
One of the best features of Passive Houses is their ability to maintain consistent indoor temperatures throughout the year, without the extreme highs and lows typically found in Australian homes. This is becoming increasingly important as the climate warms and we need to manage extreme weather events.
Passive Houses are also highly ventilated, constantly filtering out contaminants and providing fresh air to habitable spaces, including bedrooms. This has numerous benefits, such as protecting families from airborne diseases and improving the quality of sleep, which leads to higher levels of alertness during the day.
There are 5 key principles that must be considered to design a Passive House and they all must work in conjunction to make it work:
Air-tightness
Air pressure tests are crucial for measuring a building's air-tightness. A fan is used to suck air out of the building, and the resulting pressure is used to determine how much air is leaking from the building. The average new home in Australia has an air leakage rate of 15.4 ACH@50 pascals, while a Passive House requires 0.6ACH@50 pascals, making it 25 times more airtight. Reducing air leakage is important as it helps to maintain a comfortable interior temperature by preventing the loss or gain of energy.
All drawings are assessed to ensure a continuous red line can be drawn around the building envelop. Where the line is interrupted a detail needs to be resolved to ensure air-tightness can be achieved.
A fan is placed on the front door to pressurise the interior spaces. Where air comes in can then be found and fixed to get the air leakage below the minimal standard.
Image courtesy of Pro Clima
2. A High Level of Consistent Thermal Insulation
In traditional construction, the thermal insulation barrier often has gaps, including uninsulated floor slabs and poorly considered junctions. In contrast, a Passive House requires a carefully wrapped and checked envelope with high-quality insulation to eliminate cold spots. This is important for controlling temperature loss and maintaining building performance. Holes in the envelope compromise the building's overall performance by allowing heat to escape.
Each and every building detail is assessed to ensure the insulation layer is continuous
3. High-Quality Windows and External Doors
Windows and doors are typically the least insulated parts of a building, leading to poor performance. In Australia, single glazed windows with metal frames and uninsulated external doors were common. Passive Houses require at least double glazed windows, sometimes triple glazed, with a special gas filling and UV deflecting film. Frames should be made of less conductive materials like timber and uPVC or have an insulated break between inside and outside surfaces. Doors need insulated cores and special weather seals, with installation using airtight tapes for full air-tightness.
Extremely well air-sealed double or triple glazed windows with frames that are insulated between inside and outside.
Image Courtesy of Zola Thermo Plus Clad Window Profile
4. Ventilation System With Heat Recovery
Traditional ventilation systems in kitchens and bathrooms can be energy-intensive and suck out all of your conditioned air, as can opening windows which also allow in noise and dirty outside air. In a Passive House, a smart ventilation system captures up to 90% of the energy from the air it exhausts while removing moisture and smells. It then mixes the captured energy through filtered fresh air before distributing it throughout your living spaces, providing constant ventilation and improving air quality. This energy-efficient system operates on minimal power, comparable to a 40-watt light bulb subject to your unit size.
Heat Recovery Ventilation System Principles. Stale damp air gets sucked out from kitchen and bathrooms, heat his removed and added to fresh filtered air which is ducted to habitable spaces.
Image Courtesy of BPC Ventilation
5. Thermal Bridges
Passive House design addresses thermal bridges, which are areas of a building where materials with high conductivity allow heat to escape, creating energy loss and potential mould growth. These areas are like "thermal highways" between the inside and outside of the building. In Passive House, thermal bridges are eliminated or minimised to reduce energy loss and prevent harmful mold growth within the structure.
Concrete slab extending from inside to outside carries energy with it. Each of these junctions needs to be addressed to solve this problem.
Image courtesy of Schock
FAQ about Passive House
Can I open the windows in a Passive House?
Yes you can open the windows just as you would in any house. The only difference is that you won’t need to open the windows. The ventilation system will provide the right amount of fresh air to each room but rooms can still get stuffy from time to time or you may just want to be more connected to the outside so open away!.
Does Passive House cost more?
Investing in a Passive House costs 10-20% more than a code-compliant home, similar to purchasing a electric car over a combustion alternative. However, the lower running cost over time can limit exposure to energy market volatility. Borland Architecture is working to minimise additional costs, with the goal of constructing a Passive House at the same price as a traditional build. Health and comfort benefits, as well as increased market value, are important considerations. In Victoria, energy-efficient homes have sold for 28.8% more than others, according to the following 2023 Domain article. That equates to an average premium of $241,750!
How quiet are Passive Houses?
Passive Houses are exceptionally quiet due to their highly insulated and air-tight building envelope, well-sealed windows and doors, and quiet heat recovery ventilation systems with low-velocity airflow. This makes them an excellent option for those with street noise, train, or flight path concerns
Do we need a specialist builder?
Building a Passive House requires more complexity, but builders with a history of constructing high-quality homes and a dedication to detail can quickly learn the necessary skills. Passive House Australia offers a tradesman's course to teach builders what they need to know. It is advisable for a key member of the regular site staff to become certified. Builders with prior experience constructing Passive Houses claim it is just a different approach that requires an alternative method but is not difficult to achieve. Borland Architecture will be available to provide guidance throughout the process based on our experience.
Will it look different?
Passive Houses can have any desired appearance, using any cladding material and form. However, the building's form can affect how easy it is to meet the standard. A simpler rectangular two-story house with the majority of windows north-facing with eaves is easier to certify than a complex single-story building with windows on all sides and no shading.
How can a Passive House make me sleep better?
CO2 levels in a shared master bedroom with closed windows and doors can reach harmful levels of 2000ppm, while outdoor air has 400ppm. Levels above 1000ppm can reduce cognitive ability, as seen in a study where workplace performance decreased by up to 50% at 1400ppm compared to the control group at 550ppm. Such reductions in cognitive function can affect your performance at work and your children’s concentration levels at school.
High CO2 levels in our homes affect our ability to enter into deep sleep, impacting our performance at work or school. In a Passive House, fresh air is constantly introduced to maintain stable CO2 levels, ensuring consistent high-quality sleep even with windows closed. A Passive House can literally help you and your family be more successful!
How can a Passive House Promote Health - Wellbeing?
Passive Houses offer a range of benefits for you and your family, including improved sleep quality, protection from air pollution and viruses, and superior acoustic insulation. The air-tight and well-insulated building envelope, together with the ventilation system, creates a comprehensive system that keeps you safe and comfortable, free from airborne particles and noise disturbance all of which promote health and wellbeing. No more drafts, fluctuating temperatures or unwelcome disturbance, just Zen!
This seems like a innovative process, but how can I ensure it is the way to go?
The Australian Government supports Passive House on their "YourHome" website, indicating a potential future requirement for the standard to achieve emissions reduction targets. Scotland is already mandating Passive House for new buildings, and more countries are likely to follow. Building a home to a lesser standard may quickly become outdated which begs the question, why would you build a home which doesn’t comply with the Passive House standard when you know that it is likely to be mandated in the near future?
Still have questions? check out the link below for more FAQs answered by The Australian Passive House Association