Definition of Passive Houses

compiled by the Passive House Institute .

The Passive House is not an energy performance standard, but a concept to achive highest thermal comfort conditions on low total costs - this is the correct definition: "A Passive House ist a building, for which thermal comfort (ISO 7730) can be achived solely by postheating or postcooling of the fresh air mass, which is required to fullfill sufficient indoor air quality conditions (DIN 1946) - without a need for recirculated air." This is a purely functional definition. It does not need any numerical value and it is independend of climate. From this definition it is clear, that the Passive House is not an arbitrary standard enacted by somebody, but a fundamential concept. Passive Houses have not been "invented", but the conditions to use the passive principle has been discovered. One could argue about, whether the noun "Passive House" is adequat to denote this concept. Well - there is no better one. Thermal comfort is delivered in a Passive House by passive measures as far as reasonable (insulation, heat recovery in the temperature gradient, passive utilized solar energy and internal heat loads). To use only passive measures might be possible in some climates - but it will not be reasonable in most of them.

The drawing illustrates the basic principle of a Passive House: Ventilation has to deliver at least the fresh air required for an acceptable indoor air quality. Isn t it possible to use just this amount of air to heat (and cool) the house? - Yes, in principle this is possible, but the maximum heat load which can be dealed with by this concept ist very low. This is the calculation to derive the "condition for Passive Houses": From experience (and DIN 1946) we know, that 30 m/h is a minimum air rate per person to maintain a reasonable indoor air quality (Yes, in airoplanes you often get only 12 or 15 m/h. But - is this a reasonable good indoor air quality?). Air has a specific heat capacity of 0,33 Wh/(mK) (at 21C). It is allowed to increase the fresh air temperature by 30 K, not more, to avoid pyrolysis of dust. You get

That shows: 300 Watt per person can be delivered by a fresh air heating system. If you have e.g. 30 m living space per person, you get 10 W per m living space. This value is independend of the climate. So far all values are peak load values, that is the maximum heat capacity needed at design conditions. In dependence of the external climate Passive Houses will have to be insulated to a different level: More insulation in Stockholm, less in Roma. It is important to distinguish heat load values (power in W (Watts)) from annual consumption values (heat or energy in kWh). In a Central European climate from experience and simulation we now, that typical heatig energy consumptions of Passive Houses are some 15 kWh/(ma) - but these are only raw figures. it could be up to 20, in Roma more like 10 Why In a Stockholm mechanical ventilation system iskWh/ recommended (ma).

- at

least in Passive Houses

compiled by the Passive House Institute .

Read more about the 11th International Conference on Passive Houses 2007-04-13 to 15th: www.passivhaustagung.de.

The health and comfort of the inhabitants are the most important objectives of a Passive House design. Excellent indoor air quality is indispensable. But this can only be achieved if stale air is exchanged with fresh outdoor air at regular intervals. This can definitely not be done by just opening windows twice a day. Ventilation will work accurately only if polluted air is removed constantly out of kitchen, bathrooms, and all other room with significant air pollution. Fresh air has to be supplied to the living room, childrens room, sleeping rooms, and workrooms to substitute the removed air. The system will supply exactly as much fresh air as is needed for comfort and for good indoor air quality; only outdoor air will be supplied no recirculated air. This will lead to a high level of indoor air quality. The scheme of a comfortable ventilation system. Stale air (brown) is removed permanently from the rooms with the highest air pollution. Fresh air (green) is supplied to the living rooms. (Section from the Passive House estate at
Hannover Kronsberg, design by Rasch & Grenz. These row houses have been opened during the field trip of the 10th Conference on Passive Houses, Sunday, May 21st 2006)

What has been discussed so far could be satisfied by using a simple exhaust fan ventilation system, where the air is supplied through direct vents in external walls. These vents allow fresh (cold) air to enter the room at the required rate. However, for a Passive House, the heat losses caused by such a system are much to high.

This is how a counterflow heat exchanger works: The warm air (red, extract air) flows through a channel and delivers heat to the plates. This air will leave the exchanger cooled (orange, then called exhaust air). On the opposite side of the exchanger plates the fresh air (blue) flows in separate channels. This air will absorb the heat and it will leave the exchanger with a higher temperature (but still unpolluted), then called supply air (green). The counterflow principle allows for almost 100% recovery of the temperature difference, if the exchanger is long enough. In practise, systems with 75% to 95% are available.

Ventilation in Passive House only High Efficiency Will Work

compiled by the Passive House Institute .

The weather conditions are fluctuating - and so is the air exchange rate using natural ventilation. If ventilation is just about sufficient during calm days, the infiltration losses during draughty periods will be unacceptably high.

It is essential that the ventilation system in a passive house can provide high quality indoor air for the following reasons: A continuous exchange of sufficient air volume has to be provided even in the cold season in any new building and that will only work using a mechanical system. Uncontrolled infiltration through cracks in the building envelope is inadequate (see also "airtightness): Wind and temperature driven stack ventilation fluctuates very significantly in Central European climate (and that will hold for almost any climate). A building, that is not completely airtight might allow for sufficient infilration during calm weather but will have unacceptable drafts during periods with high wind speeds (see the first diagram left hand side). All new buildings constructed in Germany after 1984 are built such that infiltration of air will not be sufficient at all. This also holds for the refurbishment of existing buildings, if new windows have been installed. It should also be noted that if air can leak into a building, then warm and humid air can also migrate out of a building which can lead to moisture problems inside the construction. Without a mechanical ventilation system in new building, one can only try to use the strategy of opening the windows widely at regular intervals. To achieve an air change rate of 0.33 ach, one would have to open all the windows at least once every three hours for some 5 to 10 minutes at a time even during the night (see the cartoon). This would obviously be both impractical and unacceptable in most dwellings. As a result, the indoor air quality would be poor coupled with increased humidity. It

Not that simple, ventilation by opening windows at regular intervals...

This will only work in a Passive House: Heating with nothing other than fresh air

prepared by the Passive House Institute .

Idea #1: Use the fresh air required for indoor air quality also for heating the building Infrared picture of an inlet air valve for fresh air used with exhaust fan ventilation. That could be a solution acceptable for low energy houses, if a radiator is placed underneath the inlet (graphik by: ebk). In a passive house the cold air flow is not acceptable - and neither is the resulting high ventilation heat loss. A building occupied by human beings needs fresh air. If the fresh air supply is left to good luck, it should not surprise if indoor air quality (IAQ) worsens. If on the other hand the heat from the exhaust air is not recovered, there

This is the know "classical" compact unit: all building services are realised in Cross-flow-ventilation of a dwelling - this design is recommended to ensure good indoor air quality by small air flows (Section: PHI)

one handy appliance:

heating, ventilation and domestic hot water.

Everything is centred on the element of air: air is the medium that transports the heat (on the supply side), air is the heat source of the heat pump (on the exhaust side). Of course, if necessary, the air could be cooled and dehumidified as well, using the same equiment - that might be interesting in Infrared photo of an opened heat exchanger hot climates. (counterflow). The heat exchanger is the hexagon in the center. The heat recovery rate is higher than 75% of the is used, there is no Note that only the fresh air required for indoor air quality sensible heatair. (Photo recirculated That PHI). is a difference to the systems in wide use e.g. in the US; those use only recirculated air and a far higher air flow rate.

will be significant ventilation heat losses. It is impossible to realise an energy efficient building in this way especially if the indoor air quality is to be high as well. Therefore, for energy efficient new construction or refurbishment a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is really necessary this at least holds for cold climates (climates, in which one needs a heating system) and in hot climates (climates, in which one needs active

These are examples of central units of ventilation systems suitable for passive houses. These and more units will be shown at the exhibition.

summer cooling). For a detailed discussion of this point, have a look at our page on the topic ventilation. The supply air, which is delivered by the air-to-air heat exchanger, can transport some heat, too. It is not a huge amount, but just 10 W/m can be delivered to the supply air rooms using the fresh air required for good IAQ (see the calculation on heating capacity of fresh air). That will not be sufficient at all in conventional houses. But in a passive house,

the peak heat load requirement is extraordinary low. Indeed, it will be so low that these 10 W/m available from a fresh air supply will be sufficient (that in fact is the defining condition for a passive house). Thus, some simplified building services systems become possible in passive houses: Heating with the ventilation system, without the need for additional ducts or even without the need for a higher duct cross-section dimension. If, in addition, the heater for the supply air is

integrated within the ventilation system and the domestic hot water boiler, one ends up with an integrated compact unit: Heating, ventilation, domestic hot water and cooling (if necessary) can be supplied by just one appliance. Many solutions can be chosen for heat generation:

Use of a small heat pump (Compact unit with heat pump, see figure

at left hand side) Use of a small condensin g burner (natural gas compact unit) Use of a small combustio n unit for biomass fuel (e.g. strawpellets).

Idea #2: Heating with the remnant energy of the exhaust air: Compact unit with heat pump The remnant heat in the exhaust air after the air-to-air

heat exchanger does not yield very much heat. To be exact, we have to talk about the "enthalpy", because a main part is delivered by the humidity in the air, which condensates. Again, in a passive house the heat requirement is very low, so very low, that it can be realised almost completely by the remnant exhaust air enthalpy. This discovery was published in 1995 by Wolfgang Feist. That was the beginning of the compact unit systems development.

In the meantime there are more than ten providers producing such compact units with small heat pumps. These appliances are highly efficient - monitoring in Passive House settlements has proven that..

Idea #3: Heating using biomass: The pellet compact unit Of course, heating with biomass is not only available in passive houses. But the potential total amount of energy from biomass is limited - as long, as the

cultivation method is kept sustainable. If the effciency of the energy use is poor, only a small fraction of the buildings in Europe may be heated by biomass - that will hold world wide as well with some exceptions in remote regions. But if efficiency is high enough, e.g. if the passive house requirements are met, then the fuel potentially produced by a sustainable agriculture and forestry can be sufficient to supply a major portion of the energy

demand. The German biomass potential (some 90 Billion kWh/a at maximum) is sufficient to cover 16% of the contemporary heating requirement of all households. If the efficiency of the buildings is increased to the level of passive houses (i.e. a factor 5), the same energy will be sufficient to heat 79% of all domestic buildings. High efficiency is an advantage for the users as well: One "problem" of

biomass always was the handling of the fuel, it was in fact an important reason why people changed to central heating and the use of oil as a fuel. But if the peak heat load for a whole dwelling is reduced to 1 or 2 kW, the biomass heating system will be just a small box, placed in the living room and sufficient to heat the whole home. Most people like to have a fireplace in the living room. In a passive house, an improved version of a fireplace could be the main heating system.

That results in many advantages:

The biomass oven ("fireplace") will run fully automatical ly as one is used to with modern heating systems. Fuel requiremen t will be just a few kilograms per day.. Therefore the place needed to store the fuel is quite small. It even would be

possible to buy the fuel once a weak during food shopping. The combustion air required for the oven could be supplied by the ventilation system, too. And the flue gas could be discharged via the exhaust duct of the ventilation, too - no additional chimney or flue pipe would be needed.

All these advantages are available if and only if the peak load demand is very low otherwise higher capacities, additional ovens in other rooms, flue pipes etc. will become necessary. This is a quite simple concept, relying completely on renewable energy, which will work in passive houses. There are already some passive houses using this concept (passive houses Friedberg (German)). Idea #4: Heating

with condensing units: A compact unit using natural gas Everybody using a gas stove knows that small and clean heat generators are available using natural gas (or liquid gas). Nethertehless, it took some time until such a postheater became available for a compact ventilation unit in passive houses. The advantages are at hand here, too:

The condensing combustion unit only

requires a very low combustion air volume. The ventilation system, heart of any compact unit, can easily supply this combustion air on the way. Therefore, an additional combustion air duct becomes dispensabl e. In the condensing combustion unit there will be condensate

that has to be disposed to the sink. But in a ventilation system with a heat recovery there already is a sewer pipe for the condensate that may occur at the heat exchanger. The sewer pipes can be combined to save costs. The flue gas from the condensing combustion will need a

flue pipe. Again, this is already available with the exhaust duct of the ventilation system: A preconditio n to use that is, however, that the peak load is very small and there is only a small amount of flue gas and, of course, there has to be a concept for secuity against

back drafts. 11th Conference on Passive Houses Compact units combined with the ventilation system are not the only solutions for the building services in passive houses: There are solutions using natural gas, wood pellets and innovative electrical systems, too - this discussion will be held at the conference. In addition, systems using solar thermal collectors have an outstanding performance.

At the exhibition technologies for passive houses will be demonstrated: Efficiency and renewable energy complement one another very well: If the energy requirement is as low as in a passive house, solar energy can cover the main part of the demand.
(updated: 2006-09-23 Author: W. Feist thanks to Peter Cox for proof reading Passive House Institute; unchanged copy is permitted, please give reference to this page)

Information on Passive Houses

- in short -

compiled by the Passive House Institute .

The Passive House Standard is really energy efficient, cost effective, comfortable, affordable and sustainable. Have a look at some examples: Passive Houses - examples. 16 years experience from the very first Passive House.

FFFFFFFFFF IMPORTANT LINK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CASE PASIVE EXEMPLU DE PROIECTARE http://www.passivhaustagung.de/zehnte/englisch/texte/PEPInfo1_Passive_Houses_Kronsberg.pdf

http://www.passivhausprojekte.de/projekte.php?lang=en

Passive House: Comfort through Efficiency

The Passive House is the worlds leading standard in energy efficient construction: Energy saved on heating is 80% compared to conventional standards of new buildings. The energy requirement for heating is lower than 10 to 20 kWh/ (ma) (depending on climate), adding up to a low cost of 10 to 25 per month. Therefore high energy prices are no longer a threat to Passive House occupants. Exceptionally efficient components and a state of the art ventilation system, achieve these huge savings without compromising comfort, but rather increasing it.

Passive Houses save energy - not only based on calculations, but also in real life. This figure shows energy consumptions measured in standard buildings, in comparison to low energy houses and Passive House settlements. You find detailed measured data on consumption of Passive Houses on this page. In 114 Passive Houses of the European CEPHEUS project (far right) an average saving of 90% was monitored. By using a harmonized concept a new quality is achieved. The Passive House is economically justifiable through the achievement of high comfort, healthy indoor air quality and affordable construction costs. You want to have information about imbedded energy? Paper on the life cycle analysis