The Road to your Passive House

Although the Passivhaus Standard is open source, we recommend that a professional consultant, such as the SPHC, is involved in each project. Detailed calculations for the Passivhaus Planning Package, and experience, are necessary to avoid crucial mistakes and ensure the success of the project with optimised thermal performance and indoor climate. As every project is different due to its location, local climate, overshading, etc. a successful design needs individual calculations in order to be replicated at different locations.

Below you see the usual Consulation Process.

The Architect can either be a Passive House Designer himself or use the SPHC as design consultant.

1. Initial advice about how to take your project forward

2. Passive House Preplanning

- This includes a feasibility check on how the Passivhaus Standard can be achieved

- Assistance during the architectural design process, in conjunction with the thermal calculations, to ensure that the Passive House criteria are met. We will advise you on the design, layout, shading and orientation, etc.

- We can provide professional advise on the
  - building fabric
  - sizes and specifications of the glazing
  - ventilation and heat exchange (MVHR)
  - heating and domestic hot water
  - renewable technologies

- We can give recommendations on approved suppliers

- Calculations on the thermal performance of your project (PHVP), taking the local climate data into account

- For special projects, such as care homes, schools, community centres or offices we can provide advice from experienced professionals

3. Complete Passive House planning

- In order to certify your project we offer the complete calculations according to the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP). This includes very detailed calculations on the thermal perfomance of the project, including u-value calculations, thermal bridging calculations, overshading, local climate data, internal and solar gains. It shows precisely the heating and cooling demand and maximum heat load required

- The PHPP also shows the primary energy and electricity demand

6. Certification as a Quality Approved Passivhaus

- Passive House site management to ensure principles of permanent air tightness and cold bridging are adheared to

- To a certain extent we can also train your installers on achieving Passivhaus Standards

- Pressure testing (air permeability testing) of the building to verify the quality of the build and detect potential leaks

- Certification as a Quality Approved Passivhaus