A Passive House envelope minimizes heat-loss through superinsulation, airtight construction, advanced windows and doors and heat-recovery ventilation. It maximizes passive solar heat gains and combines them with internal heat gains from people and appliances, as well as a tiny backup system for peak heat-load demand. The overall space-conditioning energy load (heating and cooling) is reduced by about 90% over standard construction.
A Passive House envelope minimizes heat-loss through superinsulation, airtight construction, advanced windows and doors and heat-recovery ventilation. It maximizes passive solar heat gains and combines them with internal heat gains from people and appliances, as well as a tiny backup system for peak heat-load demand. The overall space-conditioning energy load (heating and cooling) is reduced by about 90% over standard construction.
A Passive House envelope minimizes heat-loss through superinsulation, airtight construction, advanced windows and doors and heat-recovery ventilation. It maximizes passive solar heat gains and combines them with internal heat gains from people and appliances, as well as a tiny backup system for peak heat-load demand. The overall space-conditioning energy load (heating and cooling) is reduced by about 90% over standard construction.
This document summarizes the key elements of the Passive House building energy standard for those who are new to it. Passive House is a conservation first approach, minimizing heat-losses and maximizing heat-gains. The Passive House envelope minimizes heat-loss through superinsulation, airtight construction, advanced windows & doors and heat-recovery ventilation, therefore retaining space-conditioning energy very effectively. It maximizes passive solar heat gains and combines them with internal heat gains from people and appliances, as well as a tiny backup system for peak heat-load demand to create a balance between heatlosses and heat-gains. Passive Houses are designed to operate without the use of a big, active mechanical system (i.e. boiler and furnace), hence the name Passive House. Depending on climate and location, point source heaters may be needed to satisfy peak heat loads in extremely cold climates. In general however, the concept of a building that can be heated with the help of a hair-dryer holds true. The overall space-conditioning energy load (heating and cooling) is reduced by about 90% over standard construction. Renewable energy resources can be used as an option to get to zero site energy, or carbon-neutral operation, as well as net-energy positive operation (the building makes more energy than it consumes).