Issue 26 - passivehouseplus.co.uk

The PH+ guide to insulating foundations

While understanding wall and roof insulation is relatively straightforward, insulation under the ground floor can be a bit of a mystery by comparison. Not only is it buried in the ground, but there are notoriously tricky spots like the wall-floor junction that need to be detailed and insulated properly. And the design of your foundation often depends on site conditions and the type of structure you’re going to build, too. In this guide, we explain some different ways of insulating one of the most challenging parts of the building envelope.

Passive sheltered scheme 500 years in the making

Taking its cues from the original historic almshouse on site, St John’s Lichfield chose to build their new sheltered housing development for older persons to the passive house standard as part of high-quality design that emphasised community, calm and comfort.

The UK's first green oak passive house

Choosing newly-harvested green oak — which shrinks and moves as it dries — for the millimetre-precise demands of passive house construction was a bold move by Phil Garnett and his wife Yvonne, but one that ultimately gave them one of the most unique and ground-breaking passive homes in the UK.

Armagh passive house hides in plain sight

A new family home in County Armagh blends together a traditional, clustered farmhouse style and a modern aesthetic so seamlessly, you would never even guess it’s a certified passive house.

Home farm

While a tight budget meant some of the more ambitious eco features planned for this simple and graceful new farmhouse had to be dropped, it still manages to meet Ireland’s standard for nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs) thanks to a combination of superb detailing and fabric-first design.

The utopian Usonian

Dr Marc Ó Riain looks at the influence of 20th century architectural giant Frank Lloyd Wright on low energy building design.

Two houses for the price of one

Housing pundit and architect Mel Reynolds argues that local authority action could be the key to solving the housing crisis.

Versatile appoints passive house specialist

Michael McCarthy, a certified trainer with the Passive House Academy and an international authority on the passive house standard as lead passive house certifier on the MosArt team, has joined Versatile as the new ventilation specialist within its heating, cooling & ventilation division.

Filling the retrofit policy void

The imperative to engage in evidence-based deep retrofit grows by the day. With the UK government dragging its heels, Peter Rickaby finds signs of hope in local initiatives, and in burgeoning Irish efforts.

Saint-Gobain launches free nZEB training courses

The Saint-Gobain Ireland Technical Academy is adding to its existing training portfolio by launching a series of free nZEB modular courses. Starting this July, these innovative nZEB courses will offer those working in construction in Ireland a chance to upskill, free of charge, in an increasingly regulated area of the construction industry.

Passive Sills gets Agrément cert

Passive Sills, the Cork-based manufacturer of insulated window sills, has now received an NSAI Agrément certificate for its passive sills system. The company also told Passive House Plus that it was expecting to get its British Board of Agrément certificate imminently, too.

nZEB Ireland launched at national conference

nZEB Ireland, an independent not-for-profit organization established to fill the knowledge gap on the EU’s nearly zero energy building (nZEB) standard in Ireland, has been launched.

New IGBC scheme measures carbon footprint of building materials

The Irish Green Building Council has launched a new programme to measure the carbon footprint of construction products. The Environmental Product Declaration Ireland Programme (EPD Ireland) allows manufacturers to publish independently verified information about the environmental footprint of their products.

Ground-breaking Glavloc completes latest low energy rapid build

Glavloc has recently completed a 129 square metre three-bedroom house in Carrickmines, Dublin, using the company’s innovative rapid-build construction system, which combines off site manufacturing and on-site assembly

Flynn HRV appoints new design engineer

Leading ventilation experts Flynn Heat Recovery Systems have announced the appointment of John Corroon in a design and technical sales role at the company.

Naas homes feature Daikin Altherma heat pumps

A new housing development in Naas, Co. Kildare is showing the way forward for Irish residential development, with its combination of fabric-first construction and the latest heat pump technology from Daikin.

Diasen thermal lime plaster features on RTE renovation

Ecological Building Systems featured on a recent episode of RTE’s The Great House Revival. The show, which is presented by architect Hugh Wallace, follows homeowners undertaking the arduous task of transforming derelict properties into modern buildings.

Ecological host UK-wide airtightness seminars

To celebrate BBA approval of its Pro Clima Intello Plus intelligent airtight membrane, Ecological Building Systems and Pro Clima have announced a seminar tour that will bring airtightness insights to five locations around the UK.

BEAM announces passive house cert for MVHR system

Industry-leading mechanical ventilation company Beam Vacuum & Ventilation has announced their Axco HERU 100T mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) unit is now a certified passive house component.

Aru Joinery wins sustainable building award

Dublin-based Aru Joinery has picked up the award for best window and doors installation company at Build magazine’s 2018 Sustainable Building Awards.

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