What is Passivhaus?

Have you ever heard of Passivhaus? 🏠 It is a type of sustainable construction that is gaining popularity around the world 🌍. In this post I will explain what Passivhaus is, how to obtain certification and how much a Passivhaus house consumes .

What does Passivhaus mean? 🤔

Passivhaus is a building standard that focuses on energy efficiency and minimizing energy consumption in the home. This type of construction is based on five basic principles:

1. Thermal insulation : Thermal insulation is one of the most important aspects of a Passivhaus house. The home must be well insulated to minimize heat loss in winter and overheating in summer. High-quality thermal insulation is used in walls, ceiling and floor, and attention is also paid to joints and connections to prevent heat leakage.
2. Controlled mechanical ventilation : A Passivhaus house must have a controlled mechanical ventilation system that allows the entry of fresh air from the outside and the extraction of stale air from the inside. This ventilation system uses a heat exchanger to recover heat from the exhaust air and preheat the fresh incoming air, reducing the need for heating. It also eliminates the need to air the house daily, which is something that belongs to the past as it represents an unnecessary waste of energy!
3. Airtightness : Airtightness is another key aspect of a Passivhaus house. It is about minimizing unwanted air infiltration and ensuring that fresh air enters the home through the controlled ventilation system. To do this, materials and techniques are used that ensure that the home is airtight, such as special adhesive tapes and careful sealing at joints and connections.
4. Use of highly energy efficient windows : Windows are one of the weak points in terms of the energy efficiency of a house. In a Passivhaus house, highly energy efficient windows are used that minimize heat loss in winter and overheating in summer. These windows have triple-layer glass and insulated frames that reduce heat transfer.
5. Elimination of thermal bridges : Thermal bridges are weak points in the thermal envelope of a home that allow heat transfer between the interior and exterior. In a Passivhaus house, special attention is paid to the elimination of thermal bridges using techniques such as continuous insulation around openings, the use of insulating materials at joints and connections, and the placement of windows and doors in strategic locations.

These five basic principles work together to create a highly energy efficient, comfortable and healthy home. If applied correctly, they can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a home and contribute to a more sustainable future, and most interestingly: reduce your energy consumption by up to 90% to heat your home in winter and cool it in summer!

What is the Passivhaus certificate? 📜

The Passivhaus certificate is an accreditation awarded to homes that meet Passivhaus standards. This certificate ensures that the home is highly efficient in terms of energy consumption and offers excellent indoor air quality. In Spain, there are more than 1,000 Passivhaus houses and their number continues to grow 📈.

The Passivhaus certificate is a recognition granted to a home that meets the construction standards and requirements of a Passivhaus house. This certificate is issued by the Passivhaus Institut , a non-profit organization based in Germany, which established the standards and criteria for the construction of Passivhaus homes.

To obtain the Passivhaus certificate, the home must meet certain criteria and standards, such as:

• A maximum energy consumption for heating and cooling of 15 kWh/m² per year.
• A maximum primary energy demand of 120 kWh/m² per year for all energy needs, including heating, cooling, lighting and equipment.
• An air tightness of the thermal envelope of less than 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pa.
• A heating load factor less than 10 W/m².
• Adequate sun protection to reduce overheating in summer.

Once the construction of the home has been completed, a series of tests are carried out to verify that the required standards are met. If the home meets the requirements, the Passivhaus Institut issues the Passivhaus certificate.

The Passivhaus certificate is an important recognition for a home, as it demonstrates that a highly energy efficient house has been built, which is comfortable, healthy and sustainable. In addition, the Passivhaus certificate can increase the value of the property and the owner's satisfaction by knowing that he is contributing to reducing the carbon footprint and caring for the environment, while at the same time representing savings of up to 90% in the electricity and gas bill.

How to obtain Passivhaus certification? 🧐

To obtain Passivhaus certification, the home must meet the following criteria:

• Energy consumption must be less than 15 kWh/m² per year.
• The energy demand for heating and cooling must not exceed 10W/m².
• Indoor air quality should be excellent.
• The air tightness of the home must be greater than 0.6 renewals per hour at 50 Pascals.
• Environmentally friendly construction materials must be used.

How much does a Passivhaus consume? 💡

Passivhaus houses are known for being extremely efficient in terms of energy consumption. Energy consumption in a Passivhaus house is up to 90% less than in a conventional house 🌿. Instead of wasting energy on heating or cooling, the home uses heat from the sun and fresh air from outside to maintain a constant temperature inside. It is important to note that energy consumption may vary depending on several factors, such as the size of the home, location, orientation and climate.

In general, a Passivhaus house consumes less than 15 kWh/m² per year for heating and cooling. This means that a 100 square meter house would have an annual energy consumption for heating and cooling of around 1,500 kWh. In comparison, a conventional house can have an annual energy consumption of 150 kWh/m² per year or more.

The reduction of energy consumption in a Passivhaus house is not only due to the efficiency of the thermal envelope, but also to the use of highly energy efficient equipment such as aerothermal energy, lighting and controlled mechanical ventilation systems. Additionally, the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, can further reduce the energy consumption of a Passivhaus home.

In short, a Passivhaus home has very low energy consumption compared to a conventional home, making it a very attractive option for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint and live more sustainably. If you are interested in building a Passivhaus home , be sure to work with an architect and contractor with extensive experience in this type of construction. At White+Grey we can help you focus the project with the guarantee that having carried out projects of this magnitude gives us. Together we can make the world a more sustainable and efficient place! 💚