SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
products), which are essential to facilitate
the rapid uptake of Passivhaus design. As
well as expansion of Passivhaus products,
there is an urgent need for training in
Passivhaus design and construction.
Although the principles of Passivhaus
January design are relatively straightforward, the
31 2008 methodology requires meticulous attention
the European to detail and exacting design and
Parliament construction standards at all levels,
passed a resolution particularly for achieving high levels of
in which it called on airtightness. Fortunately, the AECB
the Commission “…to (www.aecb.net) aims to bridge this gap
propose a binding with its CarbonLite Programme
requirement that all new (www.carbonlite.org.uk) which offers
buildings needing to be heated training in all aspects of Passivhaus
ago as 1991. and/or cooled be constructed to design.
There has been extensive monitoring of passive house or equivalent non-
Passivhaus buildings which has residential standards from 2011 CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMES
demonstrated conclusively that they deliver onwards…”. In Austria 20% of new homes There is a growing call in the UK for
what they promise. The design specifies are now built to Passivhaus standard. The Passivhaus standards to be integrated into
that heating load should be no more than International Passivhaus Conference 2008 targets for Low and ‘Zero Carbon’
15 kWh/m
2
/year, and the data confirms attracted over 1000 delegates from many buildings through the Energy elements of
this. Of course there are fluctuations due countries and all continents including, for Code for Sustainable Homes and
to lifestyle, but studies have repeatedly the first time, a reasonable contingent upcoming revisions of the Building
shown that the average value is always at from the UK. Regulations. This will, at the very least,
the design figure. A growing number of Passivhaus mean significant changes to the Code and
certified or compatible products are now upgrading the Standard Assessment
GROWING SUPPORT available in the UK, including Green Procedure (SAP) to make it as accurate for
The Passivhaus approach is beginning Building Store’s own range (including low energy buildings as the Passivhaus
to get some heavyweight support. On windows, MVHR systems and airtightness Planning Package (PHPP) methodology.
Sustainable Homes ratings”.
The research found that the Denby
Dale Passivhaus would only meet Code for
Sustainable Homes level 3 criteria for Ene
1: Dwelling Emission Rate , the mandatory
aspect of the Code’s Energy Category,
despite its being projected to be one of
the most energy-efficient buildings in the
UK. As the rating achieved in Ene 1 puts a
constraint on the overall score, the
building could not achieve higher than a
level 3 rating regardless of its
performance in other areas.
The report points out that many
buildings receiving higher CSH ratings that Passivhaus dwellings could perform low energy Passivhaus buildings.
actually perform worse than the Denby even better than this if SAP 2005 Bill Butcher, Director of Green Building
Dale Passivhaus in terms of space heating accurately estimated the carbon dioxide Store commented: “We believe that Code
requirements and airtightness, but gain emissions of low energy housing” and for Sustainable Homes urgently needs to
points in other areas, and sometimes highlights several factors which affect the be revised to accommodate Passivhaus
through the use of inefficient and accuracy of SAP 2005 in measuring approaches more accurately. We would
expensive bolt-on renewable technologies. Passivhaus and low energy houses. like to see the much more accurate
The report notes that the Kingspan Green Building Store will be seeking Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP)
Lighthouse project, which gained CSH to get the Denby Dale Passivhaus replace, or at least be available as an
Level 6, is reported to have a higher reassessed for CSH Ene 1: Dwelling alternative to, SAP as the energy
heating demand and is less airtight than Emission Rate, when SAP 2009 has been calculation methodology within CSH “.
the Denby Dale Passivhaus design. finalised. It hopes that SAP 2009 will be a www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk
The report concludes that “The more accurate tool and may more Tel: 01484 461705
analysis of the SAP 20053 results show accurately assess the energy use of truly
SUSTAINABLE FM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009
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