ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
part of a night cooling strategy. If opening windows is not practical, for reasons of noise, security, or weather, air quality doesn’t have to suffer.
Mechanical ventilation by default There are additional advantages as the Passivhaus approach is based on mechanical ventilation supplied to all rooms by default, and this can capitalise on the healthcare sector’s move toward more flexible, standardised room sizes to maximise the usefulness of the accommodation throughout the building’s pattern of use. Issues of infection control or acoustic privacy can also be readily accommodated with dedicated fresh air supply and extract to each room.
Passivhaus in a changing climate Climate change is expected to result in hotter, drier summers, with more intense and longer heatwaves. This can have serious implications for heat-related illness, particularly for vulnerable patients or older people, as they are more susceptible to the negative health effects of overheating. A recent study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, entitled Care Provision Fit for a Future Climate, identified many risks from overheating specific to the healthcare sector that would be exacerbated by climate change. The prevalent perception is that ‘older people feel the cold’, but there is scant recognition given to the risk of heat. The report goes on to identify a number of strategies for addressing them, such as improving awareness among residents and staff, better temperature monitoring and heating plant management, and the implementation of training and planning for extreme events.
Of significance to architects, the report
Roof detail – an insulated rafter with rainscreen.
strongly recommends that the design of hospital and care facilities covers climate change impacts, for example location, orientation, and other physical measures to reduce solar and internal gains and avoid future overheating problems.
Stable internal temperatures So how can Passivhaus design be the right solution, given that it involves high levels of insulation and airtightness? The thing to remember is that Passivhaus is
about creating stable and comfortable internal temperatures all year round with the minimum of energy input. Insulation works just as well to keep heat out as it does to keep heat in – think of your highly-insulated fridge-freezer, for example. This is why the Passivhaus approach has been shown to work in places like the Mediterranean or even Indonesia. The problem tends to be that the energy sources that supplement your conventional heating system in winter
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info@starkstrom.com April 2017 Health Estate Journal 49
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