What makes a house go passive?
Passivhaus or Passive (Energy) House is a voluntary industry standard that results in buildings that require little or no energy use for heating or cooling, have excellent internal thermal comfort and low primary energy use.
The standard is achieved by meeting targets for:
• Space heating demand of less than 15 kWh/m²/year
• Maximum heating load of 10 W/m²
• Cooling demand of less than 15 kWh/m²/year
• Primary energy use of less than 120 kWh/m²/year (heating, lighting, domestic hot water, appliances)
• As-built air tightness of less than 0.6 ach-1 @ 50Pa [~1.5m³/(m²h)]
• U-values for opaque elements (walls, ground floor, roof): max. 0.15 W/(m²K)
• U-values for windows (total for frame and glazing): max. 0.8 W/(m²K)
• Construction free of thermal bridging, Psi max.= 0.01 W/(mK)
Compliance with these targets is verified using the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP2007) throughout the design and construction process.
The Passivhaus or Passive Energy House approach is proven to work and is now widespread. Since the first Passive Energy House was built in Germany in 1991 there are now about 20,000 Passive Energy Houses across Europe. In the UK there are several schemes being build or in planning as well.
Most Passive Energy House buildings are residential dwellings, but there are also schools, offices, sports centres, shopping malls, care homes, fire stations, museums and factories built to this standard. It is also possible to upgrade existing stock to Passive standard.
The Passive Energy House is designed to ensure that owners and tenants get outstanding performance.
• Internal pollutants are minimized and constant fresh air is supplied, ensuring excellent indoor air quality
• Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in construction and operation
• Minimised operational costs (heating costs are reduced to approximately a tenth of the existing stock)
• Overheating risk is minimised through advanced thermal modelling
• An approach is taken which aligns with the Code for Sustainable Homes requirements
For more information follow the links below:
- Windows & Doors
- Insulation
- Heat Recovery
- Certification
