What is a Passive House and how much does passivehaus certification cost?

With homes throughout the country using a large amount of energy every day, the impact on our environment is significant. Coupled with the terrible energy efficiency of most homes, this means a high amount of emissions as well as a lot of wasted power. A brilliant way of counteracting this is to buy or transform your current home into a Passive House. But how much do Passive Houses cost?

Let’s start by looking at what exactly a Passive House is. Energy-efficient, with low emissions, Passive Houses are good news for the environment. They also offer high levels of comfort for a fraction of the energy needed to heat a normal house. What’s more, living in a Passive House is great for your mental and physical health.

In order to be classed as a Passive House, a property has to meet the Passivehaus standard. Going beyond building regulations, sticking to these standards means reduced energy bills and an eco-friendlier home. The standards cover everything from insulation to energy recovery ventilation and construction methods.

Benefits of a Passive House

Deciding to upgrade your home to Passive House standards is one of the best ways to support Mother Nature. In fact, there are quite a few different benefits of living in a Passive House.

These include:

• Health: The air you breathe in your Passive House will be much cleaner and fresher, great for your health.
• No mould: Choosing a Passive House means you won’t need to worry about mould building up throughout your home. This is due to Passive Homes having lower relative humidity, ensuring the air is dryer and preventing mould from growing.
• Comfort: Your Passive House will be excellent at keeping in heat and blocking draughts thanks to its superior insulation.
• Lower energy bills: As Passive Houses are so energy efficient, they require a lot less power to heat, saving you money.
• Quiet: With your windows and doors closed, you won’t be able to hear any outside noise, making your home more tranquil.

Passive House cost

With such rigorous standards, transforming a normal home into a Passive House is definitely a large investment. This means the average passive house cost can be quite high. However, with the savings you’ll make on energy bills, you’ll recover your money over time.

Based on a 150m2 home, the average Passive House price is £322,500.

Factors affecting Passivhaus costs

Of course, the cost to build a Passive house will vary, depending on a range of different factors. Some of the factors affecting the cost of your Passivhaus will include:

• Size: The larger your home, the higher the cost.
• Location: Homes in different locations in the UK will be priced differently.
• Starting condition: Depending on the condition of your home at the start of the conversion process, you may need to invest more or less for improvements.
• Finish: Choosing a higher quality finish for your Passivhaus will increase the cost.
• Furniture and appliances: You may decide to invest in better quality appliances or furniture which will add to the Passivhaus cost you pay.
• Supplies: Depending on how easy it is to source materials and supplies your Passivhaus cost will vary.

If you’re on a tight budget but still want to do your part to help the environment, there are a few ways to reduce your cost to build a Passive House. These include:

• Picking a simpler design
• Adding extra insulation to your home’s roof and slab
• Ensuring your windows are positioned to make the most of the sunlight
• Making your ventilation pipes shorter

Passive house cost per square foot

As we mentioned above, the amount you pay for your Passive House will largely depend on the size of the property.

When you’re budgeting, it may be handy to know the average Passive House cost per square foot. Well, this will still vary but generally, you can expect to pay anything from £139 to £362.

Passive House cost per m2

When planning to upgrade your home to a Passive House you’ll need to set a budget for what you can afford. Remember, while the price you pay may be quite high, you’ll make huge savings on your energy bills.

For reference, the average Passive House cost per m2 will usually fall between £1,500 and £3,900.

Passive House certification cost

In order for your home to qualify as a Passive House, you’ll need to meet the standards set out and apply for certification. In addition, you’ll need to pay for your Passive House to be assessed, which can be quite costly. The average Passive House certification cost is £1,500.

Building close to the Passivhaus standards

Many people are looking to reap the rewards that come with owning a Passivhaus but simply can’t afford the extensive renovations necessary. That’s why some homeowners choose to build close to the Passivhaus standards without going over their budgets. You’ll still enjoy a range of benefits for a more affordable price.

The average cost to build close to the Passivhaus standard is £2,000 per m2.

Considering upgrading to a Passive House?

If you want to make a positive impact on your environment and reap the health benefits that come with owning a Passive House, you’ll need to make a few home improvements. These should be completed by a qualified tradesperson to ensure the job is done efficiently and to a high standard.

Unsure how to find a professional for your project? No problem, just use our free search feature. Simply add your postcode and we’ll find a variety of different tradespeople who are recommended by your neighbours.

To help put your mind at ease when asking a stranger into your home, our members all pass thorough checks to ensure they’re trustworthy and experienced. We’re even offering up to £1,000 of guaranteed cover if anything goes wrong with your job.

Interested in going green with Checkatrade? Then join us as we take on the challenge of zero emissions by 2050!