When we set off on this journey of bringing Our FabHaus to market, we did so because of a profound belief in the importance of living in a healthy, sustainable home. The more projects we do – new builds and retrofits – the more we know that our mission is valuable.
We get lots of questions about the benefits of living in a certified Passive House so we thought it would be helpful to offer an overview of what you can expect.
First and foremost, we want to discuss the health benefits. In Australia, it is estimated that humans are spending 90% of their time indoors and only 10% outdoors (think working, sleeping and eating). That makes the air quality in your living space of paramount importance. We can last 30 days without food, 3 days without water, but only 3 minutes without air. Air is life! So what substances are in the air that we should be aware of?
1. Mould
Due to humidity, there is a high risk of mould growth in many parts of Australia. Symptoms of acute and/or chronic mould exposure include asthma, dry cough, nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, rashes, nosebleeds, behavioural changes, fatigue, fever and headaches.
2. Carbon Dioxide
While carbon dioxide is naturally present in the air, getting too much can be highly damaging. Some at-home sources of carbon dioxide: a fireplace, cooking with a gas or wood stove, and smoking cigarettes.
3. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)
VOC’s can be found in many products within the home such as paint, nail polish, carpeting and cleaning products. Children’s rooms tend to be the most toxic because of the toys, fresh paint, new carpet and/or furniture. Plus, windows are often closed for sleeping purposes.
4. Particle Pollution
Particle pollution can come from many sources, including some listed above, like cooking exhaust fumes and cigarettes. However, it is the outdoor air that is the main source of particle pollution in the form of dust storms and in more extreme cases bushfires.
Between outdoor air as the main source of particle pollution and the effect of humidity on mould growth indoors, opening the windows is not the solution. In fact, an optimal fresh airflow rate will not be achieved by having open windows, so a mechanical filtration system is required. So how does being in Our FabHaus help with this, and minimise air quality issues?
- Our builds are airtight, with a filtration system that provides 24/7 fresh air supply.
- The system filters fine dust and is efficient for particles 1 mm. By filtering dust and pollens, your home becomes allergy friendly. This is important for those with lung issues like asthma or allergies like hay fever.
- Our world-class system regulates moisture and temperature thus removing the conditions for mould growth. Given how widespread mould is in this country, removing it from our homes is hugely impactful on health.
And now to mention some of the comfort benefits, which are many!
- The high-performance building envelope keeps the temperature steady between 20 – 25 degrees C and relative air humidity between 30 – 65%. This is ideal!
- Although we mostly think of temperature regulation for hot weather here in Australia, you are also protected in cold weather. If needed, you can heat a room with tea lights!
- You can enjoy noise reduction with airtight construction and triple glazed windows.
- Our FabHaus is virtually vermin-free because it’s airtight (think ants and rats) and dust-free, which makes cleaning so much easier.
- During bushfire season, our filtration system helps keep the smoke out. This is one of the worst air pollutants. For full protection from this particulate matter, a HEPA filter is also needed.
If all that isn’t enough, there are also some wonderful economic benefits of Our FabHaus:
- Due to the modular design, it will be ready much quicker than a regular build. This saves you both time and money.
- Because of the free energy harvesting and heat recovery, your monthly energy bills will be greatly reduced. You will not be at risk of fuel poverty when oil prices spike.
We hope that you feel as inspired as we do about the benefits of living in Our FabHaus. We are honoured to be part of providing a healthy living environment for Australians, and more broadly for our planet. If you have further questions, please check out our FAQ or Contact Us to discuss how to bring your dream of healthy, sustainable living into reality.