Mastering Passive House Design: My Expert Insights
In this video, we explore the critical aspects of selecting the right designer for your passive house project.
The Importance of Specialized Knowledge: Understand why experience in passive house design is crucial, especially in New Zealand's evolving landscape.
Certified Passive House Practitioners: Discover the role of certified professionals in ensuring your home meets the highest standards of energy efficiency and comfort.
Design Considerations: Get insights into the complexities of designing a passive house, including thermal bridging prevention, airtight construction, and installation tailored to your location.
Efficiency in Design: Find out why working with a passive house specialist can streamline your project, making it more efficient and economical.
Smart External Shading Solutions for Your Passive Home
In this insightful video, we explore the vital role of external shading in maintaining a comfortable home environment in the Nelson region, especially during the sweltering summer months. We delve into how external shading can significantly reduce the greenhouse effect in your dwelling, transforming it into a cool and pleasant space.
We also discuss the popularity of balcony wraps, a method widely adopted in Australia, and the versatility of louvered pergolas. These pergolas are particularly advantageous as they can be adjusted seasonally—closed in summer for shade and opened in winter to let in more natural light. Additionally, they offer protection from rain and enhance outdoor living spaces, making them a practical addition to any home.
Building a Passive House with NZ Timber Frames
In this video, we delve into the intriguing possibility of constructing a passive house using traditional New Zealand timber frames.
We address the challenges and adaptations necessary to make this a reality. The video highlights the need for thicker timber frames, up to 140 mm with an additional 50 mm service cavity, to triple the amount of insulation compared to a standard timber frame house. We also discuss the critical aspect of designing out thermal bridging and ensuring the frame's ability to support and brace the structure.
Further, we explore the requirements for the roof space in a passive house, including accommodating large amounts of insulation and the ventilation system.
Building a Passive House vs. Standard Home
In this enlightening video, we tackle a common question in sustainable construction: What does it cost to build a passive house compared to a standard home? We delve into the specifics of building expenses, providing a clear comparison between the two. The video explains that while standard homes on a flat site with good ground may cost around $3,000 to $5,200 per square meter, a certified passive house on the same site could be around $7,000 per square meter.
We break down the additional costs involved in building a passive house, including an extra $10K for increased insulation, $15K for airtight, high-performing windows, $20K for a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, and more. These figures offer a comprehensive view of the financial considerations when opting for a passive house, highlighting the investment in sustainability and energy efficiency.
Can You Still Open Windows and Doors?
This Video explains air quality without compromising temperature, thanks to mechanical ventilation systems. It emphasizes energy efficiency and invites further inquiries about passive housing.
Transforming Your existing Home.
This video explores EnerPHit renovations, detailing how to upgrade existing homes to passive house standards, focusing on thermal bridging, insulation, airtight glazing, and ventilation systems, essential for sustainable, efficient homes.
Sun Orientation and Energy Efficiency.
This video explains that sun orientation isn't essential for passive houses, emphasizing the importance of views, wind, land contour, and insulation for temperature regulation.
Effective Strategies for Building Projects.
Learn budget management in building projects, highlighting common issues of optimism and overrun costs. engaging a quantity surveyor for accurate pricing and using comprehensive checklists to cover all project aspects, crucial for staying within budget.
Triple Glazing in Passive Houses: Is It Essential?
This video explores glazing in passive houses, comparing double & triple glazing for performance and cost, passive housing glazing options and their impact on energy efficiency.
Navigating Decision-Making in Building Projects.
This video discusses strategies to manage the overwhelming decision-making in building projects, like hiring a designer or using a house and land package, emphasizing the importance of communication with your building manager for a smooth process.
Is it more expensive to build a Passive House?
Simply, Yes.
A Passive House is superior in design and performance than a house built to basic code. It requires higher investment as it requires more intensive planning and has more quality components than its minimally built and mass produced competitor. However over the lifespan of the building, a Passive House will work out cheaper due to its extremely low running costs and reduced maintenance costs.
How much more expensive?
Too hard to say. Each Passive House is designed around it’s unique location. There are varying reports which indicate a Passive house is between 8-15% more than its minimally built conventional neighbour. However if we are comparing two individually designed residential homes then the comparative costs wouldn’t be as extreme. We would expect to spend upwards of $45,000.00 to get towards a Certified Passive House.
Can a house produce more energy than it consumes?
It certainly can. By combining Passive House principals and utilising a wide range of technologies such as (PV) solar panels, wind turbines, domestic hot water heat pumps, thermodynamic solar hot water heating you can transform you house from a consumer of energy, to living off the grid and producing excess energy.
Do you need solar panels on a Passive House?
Not necessarily. While it’s brilliant to harness the solar gains from the sun. You can still obtain a Certified Passive House with other low energy using technologies and incorporating the five Passive House pillars.
Where did the Passive House Standard come from?
In 1988, Wolfgang Feist and Bo Adamson asked themselves how buildings could be designed in a more sustainable and energy efficient way. In 1991 the first Passive House was built in Darmstadt, Germany. It has steadily grown in popularity by spreading to over 40 different countries and estimates to be over 50,000 units worldwide.
Can you open the windows in a Passive House?
Of course you can open the windows in an air tight Passive House. We all love the indoor and outdoor flow in Nelson so throw open those amazing windows and doors to entertain.
But you probably won’t feel the need to open them for fresh air. The joy of having a mechanical air ventilation system is that you are enjoying constant fresh air circulated throughout your home. The system extracts any air that is stale or moist from bathrooms and unwanted cooking smells from your kitchen. The filtered air is great if you suffer from hay fever or asthma. It also has fantastic acoustic properties.
Is a Passive House built in Nelson the same as a Passive House built in Auckland or Wanaka?
No. There are 15 different climate zones in New Zealand. All the zones will have unique challenges. Passive House designs your home to your distinct location using PHPP software.
An example of different challenges would be the thermal insulation needed for us here in Nelson is greater than Auckland. But it is less than Wanaka. Our challenge in the Nelson area is to reduce over heating in the summer due to our high sunshine hours.
Savings in energy for a Certified Passive House can range anywhere from 75-90% when compared with a standard code built house of the same square meter.
Studies have shown that when heating a single family home to 20degrees in Auckland, a Certified Passive house can consume up to 80% less energy than its equivalent code built counterpart. Or even more impressive was savings of 92% in Christchurch.
How much energy will a Passive House save me?
What is the point of an air tight house?
The short version is that having an air tight house equals having a healthier house. It creates an environment which is draught free and highly pleasant to live in. It also stops the flow of warm, moist air passing through walls and gaps in the dwelling. When this warm air cools it then condenses, causing mould and structural damage. Airtight homes have better acoustics, reduced energy requirements and increased levels of comfort.
What is a blower door test?
A blower door test is when you test the air tightness of a dwelling. It is performed as soon as the building is closed in and before any finishing work has started. This allows any leaks to be detected and sealed.
Can I build a Passive House without Certification?
Yes you can. However if you don’t get a project certified, how do you know that your project has been designed and built to the stringent Passive House standards?
Certification provides validation or an independent guarantee that everyone has done their job properly. Certification has led to higher resale values in Passive Homes.
