Passivhaus is a fast growing energy efficiency standard with 30,000 properties realised to date. Passivhaus is based on a few simple principles – (1) to build houses which have excellent thermal performance and exceptional air tightness with (2) mechanical ventilation and (3) minimising the heating demand of the house.

Passivhaus schemes have a wide range of benefits

These benefits include the following…

1)    The annual heating bill for a four bed 1,300sq ft house designed to Passivhaus standards is only £63 per year.

2)    Even in the coldest winter months a Passivhaus without heating will not fall below 16°c – due to excellent thermal performance and low air infiltration rates.

3)    The Passivhaus design means that it can be applied in any climate across the globe, from tropical to sub-zero! To date Passivhaus buildings have been constructed in every EU country, Australia, Japan, China, USA, Canada and South America.

4)    A Passivhaus building consumes 90% less space heating than average building stock and about 75% less energy than current UK Building Regulations.

5)    20% of all new homes built in Austria are built to the Passivhaus standard and in Germany over €1 billion of public money is being invested in a Passivhaus standard building refurbishment programme. This compares to only 11 projects built and certified to Passivhaus standards in the UK. 

Why are Passivhaus standards relevant?

Passivhaus standards are ever more relevant with tightening building standards, demanding carbon targets and rising energy bills. In 2011, the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 is expected to become a requirement for planning permissions in many areas, starting with Greater London. A Passivhaus achieves the energy requirement for Code Level 4. The Passivhaus approach is fundamentally about minimizing energy losses within the building fabric through insulation and air-tight construction.

Want to know more about Passivhaus?  Come along to our one-day interactive Passivhaus training on the 8^th July 2011.

This introductory Passivhaus course is developed and delivered by Sustainable Homes with Certified Passivhaus Designers. It will give you a clear understanding of the design principles, drivers and outcomes and will help you to incorporate Passivhaus in your developments.