Building Science & Passive House
There are a few elements that make a house perform, known as Passive House Principles.
continuous insulation
thermal bridge free design
air tight construction
highly insulating windows
mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
It is building science but easy to understand.Â
A continuous layer of insulation (1) keeps you warm, just like a jacket. Most houses only have insulation between timber frames - like wrapping fabric only between your ribs. Passive houses wrap insulation all around.
A thermal bridge (2) is a part of a building envelope where heat can easily escape, often because materials or penetrations. This can lead to energy loss, making your home less efficient, and can sometimes cause problems like mould or damp spots. Passive Houses are free of thermal bridges.
Air tightness (3) is crucial to keep temperature where you want it. Back to our jacket analogy - How warm would you be in a woollen jumper on a windy day? You also want to wear a rain jacket to stop the wind and keep the warmth in.
Windows and doors (4) are always the weakest spot in a building. It makes sense to choose high performing windows to support the good work you've done so far. Condensation on glass and frames will also be avoided.
Ventilating your building by opening windows works on some days. However, on other days, rain comes in or warm/cool air leaves the room. A ventilation system with heat recovery unit (5) constantly provides the spaces with fresh, filtered air while utilising the temperature of the stuffy, moist air being extracted.
Interested? Get in contact.
Interested in learning more? Here are some links to external resources.
read
Passive House Institute NZ, Resources
watch
Passive House Institute NZ, youtube channel
Asthma New Zealand, Healthy Homes Series, Part 1
listen
Passive House Accelerator Podcast