ECOBuilder-Specifiers Journal spring2018

FEATURE ARTICLE: THE PASSIVHAUS TRUST
Tigh na Croit Passivhaus.
Rural Scotland.
HLM architects
Leicester Centre for Medicine:
University building
Associated Architects
Wilmcote House EnerPHit,
Portsmouth
Gardner Stewart Architects
Keith Hunter Photographer
Burry Port Primary school, Wales
Architype
Martine Hamilton-Knight Photographer
Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk
Parsons Whittley
Hiley Road Passivhaus, London
Eco Design Consultants
Leigh Simpson Photographer
Savings
A Passivhaus can save its occupants energy & money. Heat losses are slashed (by up to 90%) so
that the amount of energy required to run the building is minimal, which in turn protects the
occupants from ever increasing fuel bills and can provide a solution to combating fuel poverty.
As well as savings on energy bills over the life of the building, investing in a high-quality build
should result in less building defects and require less maintenance.
The drastic reduction in energy needed to operate the building makes us less reliant on
unsustainable fuel sources. If you prioritise drastically reducing energy, and then couple this
with efficient renewable energy generation, it can provide a robust solution to meeting zero
carbon targets and sustainable developments. Passivhaus provides a tremendous opportunity
to tackle climate change.
Proven Performance
Crucially, Passivhaus buildings perform exactly as intended. All certified Passivhaus buildings
undergo a rigorous compliance process to verify that the building meets stringent criteria.
The Passivhaus certified seal of approval guarantees that the rigorous quality control
processes have been followed correctly, which helps eliminate the performance gap. Over
twenty years of experience demonstrates that the high levels of comfort and energy savings
associated with the Passivhaus Standard is achieved through independent quality testing.
4 ECOBUILDER - THE SPECIFIER SPRING 2018