The Passive House Concept for

Different Climate Zones

Implementing the Concept in New Contexts
Jessica Grove-Smith
Passivhaus Institut, Darmstadt
Future Megacities in Balance
12th Oct 2010, Essen

Passivhaus Institut

Overview
1. What is the Passive House (PH) concept
2. Is it possible to build PH in every climate?
3. Does it make sense to build PH in future Megacities?

Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Introduction

The Passive House concept

Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

What is a Passive House?

A Passive House is a
highly energy efficient building.
The standard achieves
high thermal comfort
excellent indoor air quality
...with minimal energy consumption.
Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Increased comfort and energy savings

Building stock:

Passive House:
small reheater,
max. 1 kW

air
21
C

surface
9
C
outside
-12
C

air
21
C

surface
>17
C
outside
-12
C

heating system, 10 kW, with

radiators under windows to
compensate cold draughts
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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Heating energy demand

kWh/(ma)

Verified energy savings

90%

existing
building
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lowenergy
house

CEPHEUS
Passive Houses

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

How it works - winter

5
1 Thermal insulation:
U 0,15 W/(mK)

4
Air tight envelope
n50 0,6 /h

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Mech. ventilation system

with heat recovery 75%
exhaust air
outside air

extract air

supply air

2 Avoid thermal
bridge effects
a 0.01 W/(mK)

3
Triple glazing:
Ug 0,8 W/(mK)
g-value 50 - 55 %

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

How it works - summer

Heat Protection

Ventilation

Solar load

Heat storage
capacity
Internal
Heat Gains

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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Question #1:

Is it possible to build Passive Houses

everywhere in the world?
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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Passive Houses today

First Passive House: 1991 in Darmstadt
by Dr. Wolfgang Feist

Number of units today:

13 500 in Germany

20 000 worldwide
Foto: PHI

1st Passive House in Darmstadt (Germany) Wolfgang Feist. Architects: Bott, Ridder, Westermayer

Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

The Passive House Standard is well established

for the Central European climate.
What about other places in the world?
The method is unchanged but the details have to
be adapted to the local conditions.

Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Theoretical studies and practical experience

One example: Research project
Passive Houses in warm and hot climates

Supported by:

Thermal and solar protection !!

PH design
Tokyo (left)
Shanghai
(right) by
Rongen
Architekten

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Tokyo, Shanghai, Dubai, Las Vegas

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Is it possible to build PH all over the world?

In theory: YES

In practice: YES
BUT
its not something that can
be done blindfolded

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Challenges
ahead!

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

What are the challenges?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

Concept adaption to the local conditions

Know-how transfer
Availability of components
Quality assurance
Costs
...
Acceptance, understanding and motivation of
all people involved in the construction process

Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Are there solutions?

Not off the shelf but there is a support-network
Free access to fundamental information online (e.g. www.passipedia.de)
Training courses e.g. CEPH (www.passivhausplaner.eu)
Pilot projects in different parts of the world
Exchange of experiences e.g. International PH Conference (www.passivhaustagung.de)
Theoretical studies for different climate zones
Import of components?
Component development support
General consultancy

Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Is success guaranteed?

Only if the concept and challenges are
understood and implemented properly.

Advice for pilot projects:

Keep It Smart and Simple

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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Prerequisite No.1
Design its too late to try to implement the
concept on the building site if you dont have a
well-planned and well-documented design.

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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

The Passive House Planning Package

 Essential design tool to calculate the energy balance

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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Prerequisite No.2
Quality Assurance

For example:
Blower Door test to
confirm the buildings
airtightness
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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Question #2:

Does it make sense to build Passive

Houses in future Megacities?
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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Does it make sense?

Not only that ....
... a significant improvement of energy efficiency
of buildings is absoluteley necessary if
global targets are to be met.

Picture: www.folkecenter.net

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Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

Every beginning is hard...

Good news:
The fundamental
technology & knowledge
and successful examples
are already there!

The first certified PH in Japan.

Near Tokyo by KEY Architects

Foto: KEY ARCHITECS

Passivhaus Institut

Future Megacities in Balance Conference, 12th October 2010

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

Future Megacities in Balance
12th Oct 2010, Essen
Jessica Grove-Smith jessica.grovesmith@passiv.de
Passivhaus Institut - www.passiv.de
Copyright: Passivhaus Institut, Darmstadt

Passivhaus Institut

Further information:
The PH resource:
IG Passivhaus Deutschland:
International PH Association:
Passivhaus Designer Courses:

www.passipedia.de
www.ig-passivhaus.de
www.passivehouse-international.org
www.passivehousedesigner.eu
www.passivhausplaner.eu

A wide selection of literature/publications from the Passive House Institute

can be ordered online from www.passiv.de

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Congress Innsbruck

27 - 28 May 2011
with exhibition and
guided tours to
Passive Houses in the
Innsbruck area.
www.passivehouseconference.org

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invitation

Imagine such a house:

comfortably warm in winter
pleasantly cool in summer
every construction method possible
affordable to build with up to 90%
lower energy costs
(compared to existing building stock)

Do you
want to experience such a Passive House
for yourself?
have a Passive House that you would like to
open to visitors?
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Minimal energy costs, maximum

comfort
mature technology you can feel
energy efficiency you can see
first hand information

Sign up for more information online at

www.passivehouse-international.org.
Participating Passive Houses are listed on
www.passivhausprojekte.de