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PassivHausUK Launches New Website

Posted: 01/06/2006

European low-energy design principles have arrived in the UK! PassivHausUK, www.passivhaus.org.uk, is the UK's new website for housing professionals designing and building low energy PassivHaus dwellings. The website is part of the European PEP project, and aims to share the experience gained in Europe with UK builders.

PEP(Promotion of European Passive Houses) is a consortium of eight European partners, supported by the European Commission, Dictorate General for Energy and Transport.

The PEP project hopes to build on the experience gained with PassivHaus construction in continental Europe, leading to increased economic activities for SME's and the building of PassivHaus dwellings within the UK. BRE is the UK's participant offering localised research, consultancy, and information through the dedicated PassivHaus UK website. BRE's involvement within PEP is sponsored by the BRE Trust and the Energy Saving Trust.

In Germany and Austria more than 5,000 dwellings have been constructed in accordance with the principles of PassivHaus design, which reduces energy use by up to 90% compared to existing building stock. "Ten years ago, no-one believed that houses can manage with less than a tenth of the heating energy used by average old buildings", says Professor Wolfgang Feist of the PassivHaus Institut Germany. Since then, the concept of PassivHaus design has spread around Europe, with several UK projects now in the planning stages.

The PassivHausUK website provides information on: The concepts of PassivHaus design, examples of PassivHaus dwellings in Europe and the UK, practical information, such as building product listings and design guides, details on certifying buildings as PassivHaus, and provides a forum for discussion.

Exponents of the system say the main differences between a dwelling built to building regulation standards and the PassivHaus are the greater use of passive solar gains and the specification of building features which limit risk of overheating in summer.

Super-insulation: opaque fabric U-values must be less than 0.15 W/m2K, with U-values for windows and doors generally needing to be less than 0.8 W/m2K (for both the frame and glazing). Thermal bridges are also eliminated. Airtightness: 1 m3/(h.m2) at 50 Pa test pressure or less Whole house mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (75% efficient or better).

By specifying these features the design heat load is limited to the load that can be transported by the minimum required ventilation air.  Thus, a PassivHaus does not need a traditional heating system or active cooling to be comfortable to live in - the heating demand can be met using a small electric heater within the ventilation system (although there are a variety of alternative solutions).

Most of the necessary building components are readily available in the UK, with a variety of UK and European SME's developing new building products suitable for use in PassivHaus dwellings.
 
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