14 industry news COMMENT Could Active House be the low-energy future?
Martin Peat, director of contractor Richardson & Peat is pursuing designs for the low-energy homes of the future.
I
n construction, bringing a scientific approach to the design of a building that commits to energy standards is not the
easiest of things to achieve. When Passivhaus caught the imagination of those seeking answers to achieving an energy standard capable of dealing with today’s environmental problems, it seemed it would become the template for future buildings. However, the problem with science is there is always another answer depending on how you define the question, and then the answer can lead elsewhere. Active House is the latest opportunity being
proposed as a new option to the current issues. With the European target for all buildings to be near zero-energy by 2021, Active House design
looks to achieve a neutral CO2 balance without the rigorous Passivhaus standards that restrict many opportunities. The principle behind the Active House
approach is to consider both the passive and active components of a building, minimising the operational energy of a building as well as the
SKILLS
Industry is “crying out for talent” S
peaking at the Future Talent Conference in Nottingham Deputy chairman of the Home Builders Federation (HBF), Peter
Andrew said that the housebuilding industry was “crying out for talent” and that new entrants to the sector should be open minded about the careers they pursue. He said that the housebuilding sector had changed immensely since he joined it, when it was
considered “second rate” compared with other areas of construction. However he concluded that “it is much more professional, and drives the economy.” Addressing the impact of Brexit on housebuilding so far, Andrew said that away from
the south east, the referendum result had “registered little.” However, over the next few years, he said that sentiment “would be key” and he added that the
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emissions of each building and the embodied energy during construction, while allowing architects more freedom. Passive design lays out ridged rules on heat
demand regardless of the size or function of a building and creates a limit on design parame- ters. Active House takes a softer approach to heating requirements as part of the overall design, which permits more flexibility to the architectural design of a building. But which approach is right? Passive House
has been around for over 20 years. It has a proven track record, in a niche market in the UK, but many of its principles have become standard building practice. These include air tightness, an awareness of thermal issues and solar-gain through fenestration. The problem for architects lies in the limita-
tions on a design that has to achieve a calculated heat demand, which is the foundation stone of Passive House construction. Could Active House make life easier for architects and builders? Not an easy one to
answer, as with any type of construction the truth is in the detail and while passive may be difficult to build, its issues and problems are known and we have answers to most of them. With Active House the idea requires a rethink on a new building energy standard that requires a balanced approach to each individual building and this could pose more than a few issues at the design stage. If you take the Active House design and a
standard three-bedroom house, that over a period of 40 years will see several lifestyle changes and technological advances, how this will impact on the original design is very hard to say. However, if you look back over the last 40 years the home we live in today is probably a very different creature from its original design. If we had designed it based on a commitment to an Active House would it still stand the test of time? Without doubt, delivering a one-type of
design to suit all will be the hardest argument of all, especially for builders.
Help to Buy equity loan scheme would keep the bottom end of the market ‘strong’ for the foreseeable future. Also speaking at the conference, HBF director
of external affairs John Slaughter talked about the aim of the new Home Building Skills Partnership. He said there was a “good story to tell” about the industry’s image, but that housebuilding “has to do more to attract more talent.”
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