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Watch your energy costs plummet - first Passive House listed for sale

The Southern Hemisphere’s first fully certified Passive House hits the market in Auckland.

Last updated: 16 September 2025 | 3 min read

AI summary

The Southern Hemisphere's first certified Passive House is for sale in Auckland, offering unparalleled comfort and efficiency. It maintains a stable 20-22°C year-round with almost no heating required, thanks to its airtight design and mechanical heat recovery system.

This creates a healthy, mould-free environment with extremely low energy bills of around $120/month. This high-spec, 323m² Glendowie home by Barfoot and Thompson demonstrates that sustainable living can be luxurious and is a landmark in energy-efficient design.

This is a house that will remain in the record books, being the first certified Passive House in the entire Southern Hemisphere. The Glendowie home has been listed for the first time as the owners want to do it all again on a new site.

Flashback: Philip Ivanier says the house is warmed by the sun and also by people living in the house. (He put the sweater on to go outside.)

While the house is wrapped with an (invisible) airtight membrane, doors and windows can be opened as desired.

Warmth from the people living in the house and activities such as cooking and bathing all help to raise the temperature inside the house.

The house covers 323m² and, if it weren’t for the Passive House credentials, would be relatively expensive to keep it at an even temperature.

Large house, low energy costs

This area upstairs could be a second living area, study space or both.

Another of the key advantages of a Passive House is the absence of condensation and mould. Because the house is so well sealed, and fresh air circulated six times an hour, there is no opportunity for these to occur.