New version of Passive House Planning Package released

PHPP 8 includes facilitated data entry and incorporates the latest results on the integration of renewables. PHPP 8 further includes findings from the Passive House Institute’s recent research on high performance buildings in various regions in the world — additional calculations combined with newly validated algorithms ensure suitability for all climates, including those with cooling and dehumidification requirements. The new release can be purchased online through the Passive House Institute or local distributors. Another substantial planning aid will follow later this year: the newly developed designPH, a 3D design plugin for the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP).
 
“With its latest features, the PHPP 8 keeps pace with new developments in the field as well as the increasing global distribution of energy-efficient building,” remarks Dr Wolfgang Feist, founder and director of the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, Germany. The improvements include a central list of all certified passive house components and the incorporation of electricity yields from photovoltaic systems. Comparative studies with dynamic building simulations have shown that the revised algorithms in PHPP 8 not only work for Central European locations but also deliver excellent results for cold, warm-temperate, hot-humid climates.
 
With its detailed manual, the PHPP, as developed by the Passive House Institute, has long provided a reliable basis for the design of energy-efficient buildings. As such, the PHPP is also accepted as proof of compliance with the Passive House criteria for subsidy programmes and low-interest loans in many countries. All calculations in the Excel-based software tool remain visible, clear and understandable for professionals wishing to gain special insight to its workings. With the Passive House Planning Package, architects, designers and energy consultants the world over can optimise their designs and components systematically and on the basis of hard figures.
 
The PHPP 8 also places a greater focus on the increasingly popular combination of passive house and renewables – a great help in the light of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) as well as other similar legislation worldwide. In addition to the solar-powered hot water generation already covered by previous versions, PHPP 8 allows for the calculation of energy outputs from photovoltaic systems, heat pumps and geothermal probes. A procedure for estimating the solar heating supply has also been integrated into this new version.
 
The designPH plugin, due for release later this year, will further optimise creative planning with a Trimble SketchUp-based tool allowing users to model their Passive House projects in 3D. It will thereby not only simplify the process of entering data into PHPP but also provide preliminary feedback on the performance of a design. Once released, designPH will also be available online through the Passive House Institute. More information on the 3D tool can already be found on Passipedia, the Passive House online resource.