Bass Coast Shire Council is proud to announce that Berninneit, Cowes has officially achieved internationally recognised Passivhaus certification for the award-winning community, arts and cultural hub on Phillip Island.
Berninneit is now Australia's first Passivhaus-certified public centre to incorporate a professional theatre, public library, gallery and museum within a single building. The certification is also a global achievement, making Berninneit only the second building in the world to do so.
Since opening in late 2023, Berninneit has received multiple awards for its architecture, sustainability and design. Designed by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects and constructed by McCorkell Constructions, the facility was always intended to set a new benchmark for public buildings in regional Victoria.
Council set an ambitious goal for Berninneit to achieve Passivhaus certification. Council carefully considered a range of sustainability certification options, including Green Star, weighing upfront costs, certification requirements and long-term operational benefits. Passivhaus was ultimately chosen because of its strong focus on building performance, energy efficiency and occupant comfort over the life of the building.
Passivhaus is built around five key design principles: airtight construction, high levels of insulation, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, high-performance windows and minimised thermal bridging. Together, these principles create buildings that maintain excellent indoor comfort, deliver superior air quality and significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Achieving Passivhaus certification for a public building of Berninneit's scale and complexity is particularly noteworthy. Unlike residential buildings, public buildings experience higher visitor numbers, varying occupancy levels and more intensive day-to-day use, making certification more challenging to achieve.
Council knew certification would not happen overnight. The process required extensive documentation and photographic evidence throughout construction, followed by rigorous independent assessment through the Passive House Institute in Germany. A key component of the certification process is detailed pressure testing to measure the building's airtightness and ensure it meets strict international performance standards.
The testing confirmed Berninneit meets the requirements of the Passive House Classic standard. The building achieved an airtightness result of 0.6 air changes per hour, meeting the Passivhaus benchmark for certification.
Importantly, no additional costs were incurred to achieve certification following completion of construction. Certification was always part of the project's design intent and was delivered within the project's approved budget.
The achievement was recognised at today's Council Meeting, held at Berninneit, where Councillors experienced firsthand the building's ongoing role as a venue for Council meetings, community activities and cultural events on Phillip Island.
