Not Quite Passivhaus? Not Quite Enough.

☉ The Illusion of Almost

In today’s built environment, there’s a growing trend to dress up underperformance. Phrases like “inspired by Passivhaus” or “Passivhaus principles applied” may sound like progress. But they are often just that – sound. Hollow echoes of a standard that only delivers when followed with rigour.

At RISE, we’ve seen too often how design teams fall into this ‘nearly Passivhaus’ trap – aiming for comfort and efficiency, but cutting corners that can’t be cut. Without the data, without the modelling, without the checks – what you’re left with is guesswork wrapped in good intentions.

And the consequences? Higher costs, disappointed residents, and buildings that simply don’t do what they promised.

A contemporary extension blending traditional form with Passivhaus performance – proof that sustainability and beauty can speak the same architectural language.

☉ Closing the Gap Between Promise and Performance

Passivhaus was never meant to be a badge. It was created to solve a fundamental problem: the yawning gap between how buildings should perform and how they actually do. Thirty years later, in the UK, that gap is still here – still costing carbon, still costing people.

On average, residential buildings consume 60% more energy in use than predicted. That’s not a flaw in the intention – it’s a failure of delivery. And that’s precisely where Passivhaus stands apart. It’s a process, not just a product. It’s a system of doing things properly, end to end. When done well, it delivers buildings that actually perform.

Not just warm in winter. Not just cool in summer. But spaces that work – financially, functionally, and environmentally.

☉ Why Nearly Doesn’t Work

Let’s be blunt: you either commit to the standard, or you don't. Selective application of Passivhaus thinking is like building half a bridge. You spend the money, but never reach the other side.

We’ve seen projects unravel – tens of thousands spent per dwelling just to rectify issues that could’ve been avoided with clear guidance from day one. The cost of ambiguity is always higher than the cost of clarity.

☉ Eight Principles That Work in Unison

True Passivhaus design is not just about thick insulation and triple glazing. It’s a symphony of interdependent principles:

• Deep insulation

• Airtight construction

• Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery

• Elimination of thermal bridging

• Optimised glazing

• Design backed by precise PHPP modelling

• Defined comfort and performance criteria

• Rigorous, independent quality assurance

It’s only when all eight are respected that you unlock the performance, durability, and comfort that the standard guarantees. Skip one, and the system unravels.

☉ Reducing Risk, Not Just Carbon

Sustainability isn’t just about being green – it’s about being smart. It’s about avoiding costly design changes halfway through. It’s about protecting the people who live in the building, the people who designed it, and the people who funded it.

By setting clear, measurable Passivhaus targets at the outset, you reduce legal and financial risk. You de-risk your build. You keep your promises.

And you do all this with the help of one of the most powerful design tools we know: the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP). It’s not just a spreadsheet – it’s a strategic tool that helps you value-engineer smartly. Form factor, orientation, glazing ratios – these are design decisions with real, measurable consequences.

☉ Certification Isn’t Bureaucracy. It’s Insurance.

We hear it all the time: "Can’t we do it without the paperwork?" But certification isn’t red tape – it’s the thread that runs through the whole process, holding everything together.

It ensures that mistakes are caught while they’re still small. It ensures that the building will perform as promised. And just as importantly, it protects your reputation. Because when residents move into homes that don’t live up to the hype, it’s not just a design flaw – it’s a breach of trust.

☉ What Legacy Will You Build?

At RISE, we don’t believe in shortcuts that look good on paper but fall short in real life. We believe in buildings that perform beautifully – day in, day out, for decades.

Passivhaus isn’t just about air-tightness tests and U-values. It’s about long-term thinking. About doing the job once – and doing it properly.

So if you’re designing with purpose, start with clarity. Choose rigour. Avoid the trap of "almost good enough." Because buildings that are nearly Passivhaus rarely are.

Let’s make work that lasts – for people, for planet, and for practice.

→ Thinking about designing a low-energy home that performs?
Let’s talk about getting it right, from the start.

Building for performance

At RISE, we believe that designing to the Passivhaus standard is more than an energy target. It’s a mindset. A commitment to rigour, to responsibility, and to buildings that truly deliver. It’s about creating spaces that work – for the people who live in them, the planet that supports them, and the future we’re all building together.

Thinking about designing a home or retrofit that actually performs?
Let’s talk about how to make it happen.

→ Email us at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk
→ Or call the studio on 020 3947 5886

RISE Design Studio Architects, Interior Designers + Sustainability Experts

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