Passive houses: What are they?

Origin of passive houses

The concept of passive houses was developed in Germany in the 1990s by Dr. Wolfgang Feist and the Passive House Research Institute. Since then, it has gained popularity worldwide as a sustainable way of building housing.

passivhaus characteristics

In the following, we will look at the defining characteristics of passive house projects:

• One of the key characteristics of passive houses is their high energy efficiency. This is achieved through the use of high-density insulation, double-glazed windows and airtight sealing of construction joints. These measures help to minimise heat losses in winter and heat gains in summer.
  

• Another important feature of Passive Houses is the natural ventilation. These houses are designed to allow fresh air in and stale air out through the use of heat recovery ventilators. This helps to maintain a cool and healthy indoor environment without relying on mechanical air conditioning systems.
  

• In addition to their energy efficiency and natural ventilation, passive houses are also characterised by their sun-oriented design. These houses are positioned to make the most of natural sunlight during the day to illuminate and heat the interior spaces.
  

These are aspects that are highly valued by buyers in recent times, so it is not surprising that this type of construction is being very well received.

Advantages of passive houses over traditional constructions

One of the advantages of passive houses is that they they help to significantly reduce energy costs. By not relying on mechanical heating and cooling systems, they can save a lot of money in energy costs over their lifetime. In addition, by being more energy efficient, they also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the fight against climate change. Furthermore, by using more efficient materials and technologies, passive houses can also help reduce the carbon footprint of construction.

However, building a passive house can be more expensive than building a traditional house due to the additional cost of the high-efficiency materials and technologies used. In addition to this, there are difficulties in finding qualified and experienced personnel to build passive houses.

However, this does not necessarily have to be the case, since the extra cost of the materials that must be used is amortised by the energy savings they represent. It is worth remembering that there are different government programmes that offer financial incentives for the construction of passive houses, so those interested in building a house of this type can find out more at their local council or citizens' advice bureau.

In addition, as the concept expands and becomes more popular, there will be more construction personnel qualified in this type of housing, so it will be easier to find one.

Another factor to consider is that passive houses require more attention to design and construction greater attention to design and construction to ensure that they meet energy efficiency standards. It is important to work with professionals trained and experienced in passive house construction to ensure that these standards are met.

Overall, despite all of these challenges, Passive Houses are an excellent option for those looking to build a sustainable and energy efficient home. Although they can be more expensive to build than traditional homes, the additional expense is offset by the energy savings.