Passivhaus Design

Passivhaus, also known as passive house, is a design technique that implements building science to create an ultra-efficient building envelope that is very well insulated and extremely airtight. Passivhaus buildings require a very low level of energy to run (15 kWh/m²a). This is done by creating an optimal energy balance for the building using depth calculations to significantly reduce thermal breaks, and orientation to best position it against sun and shade. 

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The result is comfortable indoor temperatures year-round, improved air quality, optimal daylight and no cold spots or draughts – providing residents with improved health and wellbeing, alongside significantly reduced running costs over the life of the building. If paired with the right renewable energy systems, these buildings could potentially produce enough energy to act as generators, feeding energy back into the grid. 

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To bring existing buildings in line with Passivhaus standards without requiring complete reconstruction, we use what is called an ‘Enerphit’ standard, which provides a practical deep retrofit solution for existing buildings. This approach uses advanced technologies to achieve exceptional airtightness and insulation while working within the constraints of older structures.

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How are such high energy standards achieved?  

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For very energy-efficient homes, we often need special systems like Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) and extra consultancy work for testing and calculations, which increases costs. If the budget doesn’t stretch that far - such as with large-scale housing projects - we aim for a more affordable certification, the AECB CarbonLite Standard. 

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If even bigger cost savings are needed, we can design homes without formal certification but still better than the government’s Future Homes Standard. In this case, we borrow ideas from Passivhaus design without going all the way to meet Passivhaus’s strict and expensive requirements.