Passive design house

What is the Passive House design process?

Key points. 'Passive House' is a design standard that achieves thermal comfort with
minimal heating and cooling by using insulation, airtightness, appropriate window and
door design, ventilation systems with heat recovery, and elimination of thermal bridges.

What is the concept of a Passive House?

Passive Houses make efficient use of the sun, internal heat sources and heat recovery,
rendering conventional heating systems unnecessary throughout even the coldest of
winters. During warmer months, Passive Houses make use of passive cooling
techniques such as strategic shading to keep comfortably cool.

What are passive building design methods?

Passive Design works in line with the local climate to maintain a comfortable indoor
temperature. The design methodology uses strategies like layout, fabric, and form to
reduce or remove mechanical cooling, heating, ventilation, and lighting.

What are the 5 principles of a Passive House?

Fundamental to the energy efficiency of these buildings, the following five principles are
central to Passive House design and construction: 1) super insulated envelopes, 2)
airtight construction, 3) high-performance glazing, 4) thermal-bridge-free detailing, and
5) heat recovery ventilation.
Why is it called Passive House

The name Passive House is derived from the German term “Passivhaus”, which
describes a building that is predominantly heated by “passive” means, such as passive
solar, or internal heat gains, versus a “conventional” building, which is typically heated
by large, “active” mechanical systems.

What are the qualities of a passive house?

To achieve the Passive House standard, you need to meet 5 main principles.
 1 – High quality insulation. Rule number one when it comes to Passive House is
to get your building envelope
 2 – Heat control
 3 – Airtight construction.
 4 – Heat recovery ventilation.
 5 – Thermal bridge free design.
 The Passive House is the world-leading standard when it comes to energy
efficient construction.

The Passive House standard is the mecca of all energy and sustainability consultants;

it’s the real deal. The perfect combination of quality, energy efficiency and comfort.

A Passive House is designed to consume up to 90% less heating and cooling energy

than conventional buildings, keeping its habitants comfortably warm all winter and cool

throughout the summer.

A Passive House may look no different from the outside, but you can guarantee

that the design will have been meticulously crafted.

There are a lot of boxes to tick; there’s a reason the standard is so aspirational.

But, the benefits? They make the effort worthwhile.

A Passive House will deliver:

 Lower utility costs

 Potential rebates and tax credits

 Improved indoor air quality.

 A huge boost in comfort

 More durable homes

 PEACE and QUIET!

 Less reliance on outside power

 Better value for money over time

 Welcome knowledge that you’re playing your role in the green agenda.

Okay – so you know you want it. How do you get it?

To achieve the Passive House standard, you need to meet 5 main principles.
These principles are the core ways in which you can differentiate a “normal” home with one that

has the PassivHaus badge of approval.

1 – High quality insulation

Rule number one when it comes to Passive House is to get your building envelope in check.

That means designing something that is highly efficient and exceptionally well insulated. This

added layer of insulation is achieved by a ‘blanket’, used in the walls, floor and ceilings. Some

designers will opt to build the entire home from insulating materials (such as wood fibre and

Porotherm blocks) in a bid to minimize the need for external energy supply.

It is also important to remember that it isn’t about how much insulation you put into a property,

but the way in which you use it. It is most effective when wrapped uninterrupted around the

entire build… although this is often not wholly possible. In these cases, the material that bypasses

the insulation will create a thermal bridge, and this can significantly impact the scope of the

insulation.

Whatever your choice, the ultimate aim is to integrate insulation that minimizes heat gain in the

warmer months and stops heat loss in the winter.

2 – Heat control and robust windows

All window frames must be expertly insulated and fitted with double glazing to eradicate heat

loss. In fact, typically, a passive building will typically have triple glazing due to their major role in

space heat energy.

You can also make use of Low-E coatings on the glass to control the level of heat gain needed at

any time. For example, high solar heat gain windows could be used on the sides of the house

where winter sun is needed, with low solar heat gain windows put in the areas the summer sun

could do most harm.

Further features of high-performance windows and glazing include nonconductive framing,

insulated framing and warm-edge spacers.

3 – Airtight construction
That means no draughts coming in, and no leaks coming out.

An air-tight building will limit heat escape and cut down on the subsequent energy costs,

localising any condensation problems and promising the very best comfort within the building.

It should be carefully considered at the design stage, as the air barrier of the home will need to

be continuous and clear. It should include all air barrier materials that you plan on using and

details of any potential penetrations (and how you will stop them).

Essentially, it means every joint should be perfectly sealed and there should be zero gaps in the

‘skin’ of the build.

4 – Heat recovery ventilation

Now that the building is air-tight – and air leakage has been stopped in its tracks – you need to

implement a way of flushing the stale air out and replacing it with fresh, filtered and temperature-

managed air.

The answer? A heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system.

The HRV will do exactly that, avoiding any stuffiness in the home and eliminating the potential

for condensation in colder weather. It’s a nifty thing, and it does this through a heat exchanger

which ensures any incoming air is near enough the same temperature as that which has been

pushed out.

5 – Thermal bridge free design

We’ve mentioned thermal bridges earlier but eliminating them from your design is crucial if you

want to achieve Passive House.

When it comes to the architectural interface, a Passive Build is expected to be thermal bridge

free. There are many ways to avoid thermal bridging (some of which we have talked about here)

but ultimately it comes down to architectural design changes on the areas of the building shell

that conduct heat or cold more readily than the rest of the structure.

Although these may seem like small spots, they can compromise the entire performance of your

insulation… so you’d best fix them, quick

What is a passive system in architecture?
Passive Architecture involves blending conventional architectural principles with solar &
wind energy and the inherent properties of building materials to ensure that the interiors
remain warm in winter and cool in summer, thus creating a year-round comfortable
environment.

What is active design and passive design?

Passive design strategies use ambient energy sources instead of purchased energy like
electricity or natural gas. These strategies include daylighting, natural ventilation, and
solar energy. Active design strategies use purchased energy to keep the building
comfortable.