Passive House: PART Three
Research carried out by the Passivhaus Trust, the UK Passive House organisation has identified almost 50 benefits relating to PH, which have been categorised in six distinct areas. Below, I have highlighted just a few key benefits. More information can be found on the Passivhaus Trust website (https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/guidance_detail.php?gId=41).
1. Building Performance: Low energy demand; reduced performance gap between design and as-built; through better construction quality and site QA procedures; resulting in resilient and future-proofed buildings.
2. Climate Emergency: Lower carbon emissions and peak demand on the grid; decarbonisation without reducing fuel bills; critical to achieving net zero goals.
3. Health & Wellbeing: eliminates cold & overheating homes and their associated health impacts; guarantees good levels of ventilation; eliminates pollutants, bacteria, mould growth & airborne infections.
4. People Performance: improved living and working environments is proven to improve productivity and learning; resulting in greater attendance and efficiency of users.
5. Financial: lowers energy bills and maintenance cost; reduce rental voids for landlords; addresses important fuel poverty issues; have typically 5-7% higher capital value, that holds in any event.
6. Social: improved health and well-being of communities reduces impact of social and health services; upskills workforce; demonstrates compliance with social value policies of business’; and aligns with the several UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The uplift of initial capital cost of PH averages 8% (in 2018) of a standard build, typically in the investments in windows and MVHR systems, and is often the primary reason preventing the adoption of the standard. However, through wider adoption of PH this figure can be significantly reduced to approximately 4%.
Implementing the PH standard is a proven solution to high-quality, well-designed buildings that address core issues of fuel poverty, resident health, long rental voids and expensive maintenance costs. PH also offers the most robust and cost-effective route to meeting UK net zero targets for the building sector.
1. Building Performance: Low energy demand; reduced performance gap between design and as-built; through better construction quality and site QA procedures; resulting in resilient and future-proofed buildings.
2. Climate Emergency: Lower carbon emissions and peak demand on the grid; decarbonisation without reducing fuel bills; critical to achieving net zero goals.
3. Health & Wellbeing: eliminates cold & overheating homes and their associated health impacts; guarantees good levels of ventilation; eliminates pollutants, bacteria, mould growth & airborne infections.
4. People Performance: improved living and working environments is proven to improve productivity and learning; resulting in greater attendance and efficiency of users.
5. Financial: lowers energy bills and maintenance cost; reduce rental voids for landlords; addresses important fuel poverty issues; have typically 5-7% higher capital value, that holds in any event.
6. Social: improved health and well-being of communities reduces impact of social and health services; upskills workforce; demonstrates compliance with social value policies of business’; and aligns with the several UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The uplift of initial capital cost of PH averages 8% (in 2018) of a standard build, typically in the investments in windows and MVHR systems, and is often the primary reason preventing the adoption of the standard. However, through wider adoption of PH this figure can be significantly reduced to approximately 4%.
Implementing the PH standard is a proven solution to high-quality, well-designed buildings that address core issues of fuel poverty, resident health, long rental voids and expensive maintenance costs. PH also offers the most robust and cost-effective route to meeting UK net zero targets for the building sector.
Myths busted?
In writing this blog my hope was to debunk some common preconceptions about PH and change some minds along the way, including:
• It’s just for one-off houses – Not true, PH works well on multi-storey flats, schools and office buildings.
• Its only for new build – No, the EnerPHit standard is designed for improving our existing buildings.
• It is too expensive – Yes there is a small (but reducing) uplift in build cost, minimised through good design, but by taking a whole-life approach they almost exclusively pay back and retain a higher value.
• You can’t open the window – Untrue, opening windows is an important requirement.
• They are too complex – Not necessarily, though some of the physics can be complex the design and construction can be the simple when well considered.
• They are too noisy – On the contrary, they are designed to be whisper quiet.
• They are too hot – Infact, they are design specifically to minimise overheating.
• They look like ugly boxes – Not true, compact design needn’t be ugly, with a skilled and creative designer.
• It’s just for one-off houses – Not true, PH works well on multi-storey flats, schools and office buildings.
• Its only for new build – No, the EnerPHit standard is designed for improving our existing buildings.
• It is too expensive – Yes there is a small (but reducing) uplift in build cost, minimised through good design, but by taking a whole-life approach they almost exclusively pay back and retain a higher value.
• You can’t open the window – Untrue, opening windows is an important requirement.
• They are too complex – Not necessarily, though some of the physics can be complex the design and construction can be the simple when well considered.
• They are too noisy – On the contrary, they are designed to be whisper quiet.
• They are too hot – Infact, they are design specifically to minimise overheating.
• They look like ugly boxes – Not true, compact design needn’t be ugly, with a skilled and creative designer.
Working with Boyle & Summers
Perhaps evidently, I am passionate about designing and delivering energy efficient, healthy, and affordable buildings and wholly believe PH offers the greatest opportunity to so. I’m proud to be associated with the standard I am excited to offer PHD services in my position at Boyle & Summers, knowing my work truly has a positive impact on people lives and the environment.
We fully believe the widescale adoption of PH, particularly EnerPHit, has a critical role in helping meet global net zero targets through reducing the carbon emissions and energy costs of our existing housing stock.
We are a passionate team where knowledge and a collective drive to minimise our impact is shared, with further appetite from colleagues to work toward their certification.
If this has inspired aspirations to adopt the PH standard on your next project, please do get in touch we would be delighted to discuss this with you.
Image from: The Passivhaus Trust
We fully believe the widescale adoption of PH, particularly EnerPHit, has a critical role in helping meet global net zero targets through reducing the carbon emissions and energy costs of our existing housing stock.
We are a passionate team where knowledge and a collective drive to minimise our impact is shared, with further appetite from colleagues to work toward their certification.
If this has inspired aspirations to adopt the PH standard on your next project, please do get in touch we would be delighted to discuss this with you.
Image from: The Passivhaus Trust
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Please send us a message or give us a call. Whether you want to talk to us about a new project or simply want to better understand our capabilities, we would be pleased to hear from you.
