Issue 33 - passivehouseplus.co.uk

Hell's kitchen - Why cooking can destroy indoor air quality

When it comes to air pollution, we tend to worry most about things like traffic fumes and solid fuel burning — or when it comes to indoor air, condensation, damp and mould. But one of the biggest threats in the air we breathe comes from something we are exposed to almost every day, but rarely think about: cooking. John Hearne reports on the evidence for how cooking affects indoor air quality, and what we can do about it.

Coasting home - Beautifully designed Hampshire home breezes past passive standard

‘Architecture is the blissful moment when the site and brief come together,’ says architect Ruth Butler of the challenge she and her engineer husband faced in designing their family home, on a difficult urban site by the Hampshire coast. But it was a challenge they met and exceeded, because even though they hadn’t even planned to build a passive house, they soon realised the design was on course to meet the onerous energy standard anyway.

Double standards - Mayo home takes passive approach to NZEB

Sited on the side of a hill in the west of Ireland, a new home that meets the NZEB and passive house standards boasts a locally-made and super-insulated timber-frame, and is designed to fold cleverly into the rural landscape.

Net result: Bristol passive house turns energy bills into net profits

A ground-breaking new passive house in Bristol makes superb use of an urban plot to create a bright and spacious home built from ecological materials that — thanks to its huge solar roof and Tesla battery pack — produces more energy than it uses, making it one of the first UK projects to meet the passive house ‘plus’ standard, while also blitzing the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge’s targets for operational energy.

International - Issue 33

This issue features an off-grid passive house situated on a ten-acre vineyard, in south-eastern Australia.

Xtratherm secures EPD for Thin-R boards

Leading insulation manufacturer Xtratherm has become the latest company to receive an environmental product declaration (EPD) under the Irish EPD programme. Xtratherm’s EPD is for its Thin-R range of PIR insulation boards, and the declaration covers Thin-R boards ranging in thickness from 25 mm to 150 mm.

Partel fire-rated membrane contributes to new hospital extensions

Leading low energy building product supplier Partel is currently involved in the construction of two rapid build hospital extensions in Limerick. On both projects, the company has supplied an external breather membrane that meets the building regulations in regard to the spread of fire.

Victoria Falls - 19th century home drops energy demand by 94%

This ambitious renovation and extension of a single-storey Dublin redbrick, bringing it up to an A1 rating while far exceeding the new build NZEB standard, provides a beautifully-detailed blueprint for delivering warmth, comfort, and healthy indoor air — as well as extra space and living density — in historic city centre properties.

Humidification can help prevent infection — VentHeat

Irish heating and ventilation supplier VentHeat has launched two new humidification systems to the Irish market, both of which are designed to help stop the spread of bacteria and viruses within buildings.

Don’t neglect simple attic insulation — Ecocel

Irish cellulose insulation manufacturer Ecocel has warned that attic insulation, one of the most straightforward ways of improving thermal performance in typical dwellings, is frequently being neglected in favour of more complex energy efficiency solutions.

Know your mechanical ventilation options — S&P

S&P Ventilation, the Irish subsidiary of global manufacturer Soler & Palau, has advised anyone building a new home to familiarise themselves with recent changes to Part F of the building regulations.

Amvic ICF delivers rapid build NZEB schemes

Leading insulated concrete formwork (ICF) supplier Amvic Ireland has emphasised its ability to deliver rapid construction times for new dwellings.

Unipipe launches new line of smart heat pumps

Unipipe has launched NIBE’s new range of S-series heat pumps to Ireland. The new S-series takes NIBE’s existing line-up of heat pumps and upgrades them with the latest in smart technology, control, and connectivity.

New Oknoplast showroom opens in Galway

MBC Project – Oknoplast Ireland has just opened their third location in the country, setting up a new showroom at Claregalway Corporate Park just outside Galway City.

Quinn get first Irish EPD for precast concrete

Quinn Building Products has become the first company in Ireland to attain an environmental product declaration (EPD) for a structural precast concrete product under the Irish EPD system.

RIBA launches enerphit guide

RIBA has published a new in-depth guide to the Enerphit Standard, the Passive House Institute’s benchmark for retrofit projects.

Towards a better national renovation strategy

Irish Green Building Council business development manager Marion Jammet reports on work by the IGBC to help make rollout of deep retrofit a reality.

Culture shock & knowledge transfer

What are the consequences for the built environment, and the climate, of the lack of communication between research and industry, asks Dr Peter Rickaby – and what can be done about it?

The first oil crisis

In the latest instalment of his series on the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the 20th century, Dr Marc Ó Riain reports on the seismic impact caused by the 1973 oil crisis.

Passivhaus Awards open for entries

The 2020 UK Passivhaus Awards are now open for entries. The awards will celebrate the best certified passive house projects from across the UK.
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