WHAT IS A PASSIVE HOUSE?
Fundamental features of Passive House as found in the Dunedin Cohousing project, which is currently under construction (diagram from “Passive House for New Zealand” by Jason Quinn, 2019).
A Passive House is a voluntary building design and quality assurance standard that maximises the energy efficiency of a home. The Passive House Standard was developed by the Passivhaus Institute in Darmstadt, Germany in the 1960s. This rigorous benchmark reduces a building's ecological footprint and delivers homes that can be heated or cooled with minimum energy.
When building a Passive House, our focus is on delivering a comfortable and well-ventilated home that’s both energy efficient and very quiet. Homes of any size or style can be built to the Passive House Standard using a range of different techniques and materials.
What makes the Passive House Standard different to other sustainable homes?
One of the big differences with a Passive House build is that the finished performance of the home can be accurately predicted and verified prior to commencing construction. This is achieved using Passive House energy modelling software, which allows for any changes to be made at the design stage, rather than during construction, saving on costly changes to plans.
When building a Passive House, our focus is on delivering a comfortable and well-ventilated home that’s both energy efficient and very quiet. Homes of any size or style can be built to the Passive House Standard using a range of different techniques and materials.
What makes the Passive House Standard different to other sustainable homes?
One of the big differences with a Passive House build is that the finished performance of the home can be accurately predicted and verified prior to commencing construction. This is achieved using Passive House energy modelling software, which allows for any changes to be made at the design stage, rather than during construction, saving on costly changes to plans.
Image of a blower door test to assess for air tightness (image from “Passive House for New Zealand” by Jason Quinn, 2019).
heat How is the Passive House Standard achieved?
The high standard of energy efficiency and comfort you can expect from a Passive House is achieved primarily through a focus on a high-performance building envelope, or building shell. The following elements are crucial to achieving this.
Airtightness
The interior of the building is encased in an airtightness layer. This layer prevents the loss of heat and draughts, as well as preventing moisture damage to the building’s structure. The level of airtightness can be assessed using the blower door test, as shown in the image above.
High quality insulation
To prevent heat loss and to stabilise the internal temperature, floors, walls and ceilings are thoroughly insulated. The level of insulation is determined directly by the climate zone the home is being built in. This means that a home in Aucklandwill require a very different level of insulation to one built in Queenstown.
High performance windows and doors
To ensure optimum thermal performance and airtightness, windows and doors must meet strict criteria. Double glazing is a minimum standard in Passive House builds, and triple glazing may be specified in certain parts of the country. The type of framing and the way it’s installed are also important considerations for meeting the Passive House Standard. Passive House certified windows are available in a range of different frame materials.
Thermal bridge-free zone
Thermal bridges, also known as cold bridges or heat bridges, reduce the energy efficiency of a building by letting precious heat escape homes in winter and allowing unwelcome heat to penetrate homes in summer. In standard construction, thermal bridging can occur where the foundation meets the walls, the walls meet the ceiling, around window and door frames and where steel columns are used. The Passive House Standard includes specific design details that prevent thermal bridging.
Mechanical ventilation
Passive House builds use a continuous mechanical heat recovery ventilation system to filter dust, pollen and pollution from incoming air. A heat exchange system then recovers around 90% of the warmth in the air before it’s removed from the home. Additional heating or cooling elements can also be added to manage temperatures.
These elements combine to deliver a world-leading home that is comfortable, well-ventilated and requires very little energy to run.
If you want to find out more about building a better home for your family, get in touch with the Craft Homes team today .
The high standard of energy efficiency and comfort you can expect from a Passive House is achieved primarily through a focus on a high-performance building envelope, or building shell. The following elements are crucial to achieving this.
Airtightness
The interior of the building is encased in an airtightness layer. This layer prevents the loss of heat and draughts, as well as preventing moisture damage to the building’s structure. The level of airtightness can be assessed using the blower door test, as shown in the image above.
High quality insulation
To prevent heat loss and to stabilise the internal temperature, floors, walls and ceilings are thoroughly insulated. The level of insulation is determined directly by the climate zone the home is being built in. This means that a home in Aucklandwill require a very different level of insulation to one built in Queenstown.
High performance windows and doors
To ensure optimum thermal performance and airtightness, windows and doors must meet strict criteria. Double glazing is a minimum standard in Passive House builds, and triple glazing may be specified in certain parts of the country. The type of framing and the way it’s installed are also important considerations for meeting the Passive House Standard. Passive House certified windows are available in a range of different frame materials.
Thermal bridge-free zone
Thermal bridges, also known as cold bridges or heat bridges, reduce the energy efficiency of a building by letting precious heat escape homes in winter and allowing unwelcome heat to penetrate homes in summer. In standard construction, thermal bridging can occur where the foundation meets the walls, the walls meet the ceiling, around window and door frames and where steel columns are used. The Passive House Standard includes specific design details that prevent thermal bridging.
Mechanical ventilation
Passive House builds use a continuous mechanical heat recovery ventilation system to filter dust, pollen and pollution from incoming air. A heat exchange system then recovers around 90% of the warmth in the air before it’s removed from the home. Additional heating or cooling elements can also be added to manage temperatures.
These elements combine to deliver a world-leading home that is comfortable, well-ventilated and requires very little energy to run.
If you want to find out more about building a better home for your family, get in touch with the Craft Homes team today .
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