Blog | PASSIVHAUS Explained

PASSIVHAUS Explained

With buildings responsible for 40% of the UK’s total carbon emissions, the construction industry has developed strategies to reduce carbon emissions in line with goals to reach net-zero. In addition, buildings can have a profound impact on a person’s health. 



PASSIVHAUS provides a range of solutions to create a more comfortable environment in an environmentally friendly way. 

What is PASSIVHAUS?

This building standard strives to create a comfortable environment for a building’s occupants while reducing the energy consumption of a building. This building standard can be considered for a range of buildings from residential properties to commercial workplaces, on both new builds and refurbishments.

 

This building standard seeks to take advantage of the ‘passive’ elements of a building – such as natural lighting and heat from the sun – rather than completely relying on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Instead, these systems supplement these passive elements to meet demand. 


Buildings that are designed to meet these standards are kept cool throughout the summer months due to a constant supply of fresh air and window shading, but also experience minimal heat loss during the winter through high-quality insulation which ensures a building retains heat. 


The occupants of these buildings enjoy good air quality and consistent temperatures. In addition, the high levels of insulation in place minimise noise pollution. 

  2. Large Savings

Benefits

Designing and building a property in line with the PASSIVHAUS standard offers a number of benefits to all stakeholders. These include: 

  1. Improved Comfort

Following this standard means a building is designed for optimum comfort. 


In summer, the building remains airy and cool due to measures including external shadings and building orientation. Alternatively, excellent insulation and airtight building fabric minimises the need for active heating systems during the cooler months. 

  2. Large Savings

The energy savings that can be achieved by adopting this environmentally-friendly building standard are significant. 


A building’s heating demand can be reduced by up to 90% when these measures are in place. Property owners can enjoy significantly lower energy bills as a result. 



In addition, the costs associated with implementing these solutions have fallen as this building standard has gained popularity over time. Initial costs involved are offset by the savings made over time. 

3. Environmental Benefits

Since these buildings use less energy, this has a positive impact on the environment by reducing the amount of carbon emissions a building produces. 


As these buildings are designed with net-zero aims in mind, they are less likely to need adapted in the future. 

4. Health Benefits

This type of buildings also offers improved benefits. By ensuring consistent temperatures, this eliminates the occurrence of cold buildings and related illnesses. 


Improved ventilation enhances air quality and reduces internal pollutants such as VOCs which can contribute to sick building syndrome and the spreading of airborne infections. 


By improving occupant health, workplaces can enjoy reduced employee absenteeism and increased productivity levels. 

Designing a PASSIVHAUS Building

A building must meet 5 main criteria to achieve this building standard. These are as follows: 

1. No Thermal Bridging

A building must be designed and constructed in a way that ensures there are no gaps that allow heat to escape or cold air to enter. This lessens the reliance on heating and cooling systems to create a comfortable environment. 

2. Excellent Insulation

Having high-quality insulation in place is vital to ensuring a comfortable environment within a building. Insulation keeps heat within a building, reducing the amount of energy used in turn. 

3. Sufficient Windows

Window quality can make a major difference to a building’s comfort levels. Windows with good insulation can further prevent heat from escaping a building. 



In addition, well-thought-out orientation of these ensures that a building can benefit from the heat provided by the sun as well as offering shading during the summer months. 

4. Airtightness

Airtight building fabric ensures no unintentional airflow entering or escaping a building. 

5. Heat Recovery Ventilation

Having a mechanical ventilation system in place with highly efficient heat recovery can further improve an indoor environment. This type of ventilation uses existing heat to warm fresh air coming in. 



Combining this system with robust insulation minimises a building’s energy consumption while improving indoor air quality. 

Summary

This building standard provides solutions to create a comfortable environment for a building’s occupants while reducing the energy usage of a building. Adopting this building standard offers a variety of benefits for all stakeholders including large energy savings, improved comfort levels, and health benefits for occupants. 


At DARe-me Consulting Engineers, we offer PASSIVHAUS design for a range of projects. Contact a member of our team today to find out how your project can benefit from our services. 

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