Passivhaus – or passive house – is a German standard for building construction. These principles provide a comfortable interior climate for a building’s occupants without the need for traditional heating systems or active cooling. Instead, heat is obtained from the sun, the people within, appliances and extracted air. Supplied air also acts as a heat source thanks to the building’s reduced heat losses.
At SCL Construction, our specialist team includes a certified Passivhaus tradesperson who can help your property or premises achieve the gold standard for energy efficiency. For new-builds, this entails:
- a heating demand of 15 kWh/m2.year or less
- a heating load of 10W/m2 or less
- a primary energy demand of 120 kWh/m2/year
- an air change rate of no more than 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pa
The refurbishment standard requires:
- a heating demand 25 kWh/m2.year or less
- a heating load of 10W/m2 or less
- a primary energy demand of 120 kWh/m2/year + heat load factor
- an air change rate of no more than 1.0 air changes per hour at 50 Pa
Typically, work will include adding a substantial amount of insulation, fitting high performance windows and installing a mechanical ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery.
For more information on Passivhaus principles, visit www.passivhaustrust.org.uk.
