IF I WERE AN ARCHITECT WHAT SHOULD I

CONSIDER TO BUILD A PASSIVE HOUSE?

A Passive House is a very well-insulated, virtually air-tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar

gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, etc. Energy losses are minimized. Any

remaining heat demand is provided by an extremely small source. An energy recovery ventilator provides a

constant, balanced fresh air supply. The result is an impressive system that not only saves up to 90% of

space heating costs, but also provides a uniquely terrific indoor air quality.

• The bilders have to be well trained to pose the materials, for example insulating materials, bricks, windows, floor tiles. The better the materials are posed, the higher the quality of the passive house is.

Workmanship and builders

1-The orientation of the windows.

Appropriate window orientation and shading are essential for Passive Houses. To capture as much of the sun’s energy as possible when it is needed most, the largest window surfaces should be oriented to the south. To prevent overheating, windows should be equipped with shades. In order to ensure adequate cross ventilation on warmer days, every outward facing room must have windows that can be opened.

WindowsThe windows in a passive house are triple-layer windows. So they take in more energy that they let out and insulate the house in a better way

The windows are compared to a miniature boiler: in the winter time when the sun is low in the sky the window collects all the free solar energy and illuminates the whole space.

2-Efficient household appliances and lighting.

Reducing electricity consumption is not only good for the environment and your wallet, it also reduces internal heat loads, thereby reducing the chance that rooms will overheat during the warmer months. In Passive Houses, unlike in conventional buildings, the small amounts of heat given off by household appliances, lighting and even people (every person gives off around 80 watts of heat) matter. By reducing internal heating loads, such measures facilitate passive cooling when needed.

3- The materials and the insulation.

To build a passive house we use extremely good materials to try and reduce the heat losses from the building. We try to create a really well insulated building.

The materials used have to be of good quality:-Insulated windows

-Insulated materials -Materials to eliminate the thermal bridges

-Materials to reduce heat lossesThe good quality of the materials are very important for the “fabric first approach”

MATERIALS