Sustainability
Passivhaus: the new frontier in sustainable care homes
Leading building contractor Farrans Construction is developing an extensive portfolio in the senior living and care sector. Two of its current projects are targeting the high standard of Passivhaus accreditation. Cathal Montague, Farrans’ regional director for buildings in England, explains what makes Passivhaus the next generation of care home sustainability and why we are likely to hear a lot more about it in 2023
The term Passivhaus - German for ‘passive house’ - has been discussed in the industry for over two decades, ever since the rating system was developed by The Passivhaus Institute in Germany. However, it has taken a long time for its benefits to be adopted, not only by this sector but by the UK as a whole. Now we are seeing real movement in this field as forward-thinking local authorities and private developers future-proof their buildings for the long term. Passivhaus represents the next
generation of sustainable building and we are working with our client Central Bedfordshire Council on the delivery of two such schemes in their region – Marigold House in Leighton Buzzard, and Steppingley Road Senior Living Village in Flitwick. The latter, when complete, will be one of the largest single buildings constructed to a Passivhaus standard in the UK. The aim of a Passivhaus scheme is to construct a building that is so well insulated and ventilated that it retains heat and requires little cooling. There will usually be a water heating mechanism attached to the property, be it solar heating or an air source heat pump. This is different to a carbon neutral build, which usually seeks to offset energy use through a combination of efficiency measures.
Builders of energy efficient homes and buildings can apply to have their buildings certified by the Passivhaus Institute. To achieve Passivhaus accreditation in the UK, you must have accurate design modelling using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP), very high levels of insulation, extremely high performance windows (usually tripled glazed) with insulated frames, airtight building fabric up to 20x more than a standard build, ‘thermal
March 2023
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
Builders of energy efficient homes and buildings can apply to have their buildings certified by the Passivhaus Institute
bridge free’ construction, and a mechanical ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery.
For local authorities and end users, this means energy costs are significantly lower compared to an average new build, and there is a more secure energy supply controllable at the building itself. While you can retrofit older buildings to the same principles, it is not usually possible to achieve the same results as a new build, and the Institute has a separate certification with a lower threshold. The UK has recognised that if it is to reach its
emission reduction targets, it will need a wide application of these standards to its housing and public asset stock quickly, so we can expect rollouts on a large scale to follow.
Case studies Central Bedfordshire Council has outlined a clear strategy for the future care of older people and aligned that with evolving sustainability standards in its investment in new builds.
We are main contractors on Marigold House, a modern 63-bedroom development which is being built on the site of the former police station in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. The home will have ample leisure spaces both inside and out and a range of features, including en suite bedrooms, wider corridors, specialist bathing facilities, a hair salon, and on-site catering. Designed by architects, Concertus Design & Property Consultants Limited, the building will be constructed to the highest
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