Performance

The science behind the silence

Materia is designed to maintain a stable, comfortable internal climate year-round — the result of five interlocking engineering principles, each one invisible, each one essential. The building envelope works so hard that conventional heating and cooling systems are rarely called upon. Together these principles create a home that is thermally stable, acoustically silent, and largely decoupled from the conditions outside.

Five Principles
Thermal Insulation
Insulation
Continuous high-performance insulation wraps the entire building envelope
Airtight Envelope
Airtightness
A sealed envelope prevents uncontrolled air movement in or out
Glazing
Glazing
Triple-glazed thermally broken windows eliminate thermal transfer through glass & frames
Thermal Break
Thermal Breaks
Structural connections are interrupted to prevent temperature conduction
HRV Ventilation
Ventilation
Heat recovery ventilation provides filtered air without energy loss
How It Works

Explore the building envelope

Each diagram compares conventional construction with the Passivhaus approach used at Materia. Select any annotated point to understand what is behind the wall, beneath the floor, and inside the frame.
The whole-house ventilation system draws fresh air in, conditions it through a heat exchange core, and distributes it silently to every room.
Passivhaus whole-house ventilation
Stale Air Exhaust
Fresh Air Intake
Heat Recovery Unit
Bedroom — Fresh Air Supply
Living Room — Fresh Air Supply
Bathroom — Stale Air Extract
Insulated Envelope
Under-Slab Insulation
Select any point to explore the system
OBSESSIVE ARCHITECTURE
A conventional wall accepts heat transfer as inevitable. The Passivhaus wall is engineered to prevent it.
Wall section comparison
Double Glazing
90mm Stud Wall
Generic Building Wrap
Airtightness Membrane
Triple Glazing
140mm Insulated Wall
Services Cavity
Building Wrap
Select any point to explore the system
OBSESSIVE ARCHITECTURE
Where a conventional building bleeds energy through its floor and windows, the Passivhaus approach seals and insulates every junction.
Slab and glazing detail
Double Glazing
Aluminium Frames
Uninsulated Slab
Triple Glazing
Thermally Broken Frames
Under-Slab Insulation
Select any point to explore the system
OBSESSIVE ARCHITECTURE
The cantilever is where thermal envelopes fail. Every steel element penetrating the envelope has been fitted with engineered thermal breaks.
Cantilever junction comparison
Steel Beam — No Break
Generic Building Wrap
No Thermal Separation
Thermal Breaks
Building Wrap
Battened Cavity
Column Insulation
Select any point to explore the system
OBSESSIVE ARCHITECTURE
Without thermal separation, a steel column conducts cold from ground to living space — cold surfaces that breed condensation and mould. At Materia, every connection is resolved.
Column and footing detail
Cold Column
Condensation Risk
Cold Through Floor
No Footing Separation
Column at Room Temp
Insulation Wrap
Moisture Barrier
Thermal Separation Plate
Select any point to explore the system
OBSESSIVE ARCHITECTURE
By the Numbers

The measurable result

14.5
kWh/(m²a) heating demand
Passivhaus limit: 15 — Materia achieves this in Climate Zone 5 (Warm)
0.58
ACH @ 50Pa airtightness
Tested n50 result — Passivhaus requirement ≤ 0.6 air changes per hour
8.5
kWh/(m²a) cooling demand
Passivhaus limit: 15 — passive cooling reduces demand by 43%
13,113
kWh annual solar production
22 × Trina Solar Vertex S+ panels — 10.45kW array across two roof planes
31.3
kWh/(m²a) primary energy renewable
PER demand well within Passivhaus Plus limit of 45 kWh/(m²a)
8.1
W/m² peak heating load
Passivhaus limit: 10 W/m² — low enough to heat with ventilation air alone
87.8%
heat recovery efficiency
Zehnder ComfoAir Q350 — average airflow rate 275 m³/h
13.5
kWh Tesla Powerwall 3 battery
On-site storage for solar self-consumption and outage resilience
61.0
kWh/(m²a) renewable energy generation
Exceeds Passivhaus Plus threshold of 60 kWh/(m²a) — net energy positive
Materia is certified Passive House Plus by the Passive House Institute, Darmstadt — the second tier of Passivhaus certification, awarded to buildings that meet stringent energy performance criteria while generating significant renewable energy on-site. As a project involving the retention of existing structure, Materia could have been certified under the less demanding EnerPHit retrofit standard. Instead, through persistence and commitment to performance at every junction, it was designed and built to meet the full Passive House Plus standard for new construction. All values on this page are drawn from the official PHPP energy model and verified pressurisation test results.
What It Means

A home that takes care of itself

The most immediate benefit is a home free from temperature fluctuations. No drafts, no cold spots, no rooms that are too warm in summer or too cold in winter. The house maintains a stable, comfortable temperature year-round with minimal energy input.

The same elements that deliver thermal control — high-performance insulation, triple-glazed windows, an airtight envelope — also create a remarkably quiet interior. External noise is effectively dampened, creating a sense of calm that has a profound impact on daily life.

During extreme weather or power outages, Materia maintains a safe, comfortable temperature for extended periods without any active systems. This passive survivability offers genuine peace of mind — a home that remains a stable sanctuary regardless of external conditions.