What is Passivhaus?
Passivhaus is a methodology and set of standards related to low-energy building, originally developed in Germany in the 1990s, with the aim of codifying an approach to creating buildings which use between 75% and 90% less energy than traditional designs.
Standards for new builds in a European climate are as follows (with similar standards for retrofitted builds)
What features do Passivhaus buildings have?
Features of individual builds vary according to the local climate, but in the UK, in order to satisfy Passivhaus standards, the following features will usually be required:
- Designed using the Passive House Planning Package
- Very high levels of insulation
- high-performance windows with insulated frames
- Airtight building fabric
- 'Thermal bridge free' construction
- Mechanical ventilation with highly efficient heat recovery
Speak to Deseco to get independent advice on introducing Passivhaus standards into your next commercial or residential development project
How effective are the Passivhaus standards?
Since the Passivhaus standards were released and the first buildings were completed in 1991, over 50,000 new builds have followed, across Europe, the US and beyond. Research by the Passivhaus Trust has shown that these buildings deliver median heating loads of no more than 15 kWh/m2/year, which is in line with the levels set out by the Passivhaus standards.
What are the savings associated with Passivhaus buildings?
In their 2021 Research Summary Guide, the Passivhaus Trust identifies and quantifies the financial benefits of living in a Passivhaus home, as compared to a typical new build which complies with the 2021 English Building Regulations. Over a 25-year period, they cite the following savings:
- Lower maintenance costs, valued at £2,438
- Lower energy bills, valued at £6,175
- Reduced healthcare costs, valued at £729
In addition, they measure several indirect benefits to residents including improved wellbeing (valued at £28,875) and social value (valued at £8,744)
Similarly, for commercial buildings, they offer a scenario based on a team of 50 employees working in a 500 sqm office built to Passivhaus standards when compared to a typical UK commercial new build.
- Lower maintenance costs, valued at £31,846
- Lower energy bills, valued at £14,500
- Improved productivity, valued at £3,583
- Cheaper borrowing, valued at £100,000
What other benefits do Passivhaus buildings offer?
The same report lays out a number of key benefits offered by homes which comply with Passivhaus standards, and these can be grouped into six main areas.
Building performance
At a performance level, Passivhaus builds offer lower energy demands, effective ventilation, high comfort levels, better construction quality due to increased QA standards on site, a lower risk of building fabric or structure damage, and overall, more resilient and futureproof buildings.
Climate
A key feature of Passivhaus homes is their significantly lower environmental impact, which can be attributed to factors such as lower carbon emissions, lower peak power demand, lower heating/cooling requirements during seasonal variations in temperature and lower demand for energy overall, even including renewables.
Social
Outside of individual homes or offices, Passivhaus buildings offer benefits to the wider community at a regional and national level, including lower demand on local health services, alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, quicker transition to the net zero economy and upskilling of the construction workforce.
Health & Wellbeing
From a health perspective, eliminating cold homes and providing adequate levels of ventilation lowers airborne pollutants, reduces illness and mitigates long-term health complications. Homes built to the Passivhaus standards have lower noise levels inside the house and stay cooler in summer temperatures.
Financial
We’ve discussed some of the specific financial benefits above, but Passivhaus homes also benefit from 5-7% higher capital value on average, have lower whole-life costs, maintain their value better as emissions/energy efficiency legislation tightens up in future, and report shorter and fewer void periods.
Workplace
Increased comfort also has an effect on behaviour in the workplace, with companies using Passivhaus-compliant office spaces reporting reduced absenteeism, greater employee productivity, improved training and personal development outcomes, and better staff retention/easier recruitment.
More information
Deseco has extensive industry experience in designing, supplying and installing heating and electrical infrastructure incorporating air or ground source heat pumps, solar PV and solar thermal arrays, and domestic battery storage which contribute to new builds meeting or exceeding the Passivhaus standards.
Speak to one of our engineering team to discuss how we can help you introduce these standards — and these savings — into your next commercial or residential development project.
