passive house - passivehouseplus.co.uk

Passive house 'Pioneer Award' to recognise 1970s Canadian house

At this year's International Passive House Conference in Germany, the Pioneer Award will recognise early Canadian landmarks in energy effiicent building, and in particular the groundbreaking Saskatchewan Conservation House. 

Passive House Institute launches new cert categories

The Passive House Institute has announcd the launch of its two new certification categories, Passive House Plus and Passive House Premium, which recognise on-site renewable energy generation. 

SEAI: Deap targets aren’t only way to meet Part L

Specifications for new homes which fall short of energy performance targets in the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure software may nonetheless comply with Part L of the Irish Building Regulations, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has said. This is potentially a significant development for passive house, a proven ultra low energy building strategy which is often undermined by the relatively crude assumptions in the Irish regulatory guidance and Deap software.

The cost of building passive

Perhaps the most common argument against making passive house mainstream is that it costs too much to build. But as building regulations tighten and an increasingly competitive passive house sector emerges, does that argument hold water?

Affordable housing project delivers certified passive results

Although preconceived notions about the existence of a passive house aesthetic still abound, trailblazing projects like the Ditchingham affordable housing scheme in Norfolk show that vernacular architecture & build methods can go hand-in-hand with passive performance.

Showcase presents low energy German-Irish projects

Last week, the German-Irish Chamber of Commerce showcased five Irish low energy building projects that incorporated German energy effiiciency technology. The projects include a certified passive house, a radiant heating ceiling system, and two CHP units. 

2014 UK Passivhaus Conference: in-depth report

The 2014 UK Passivhaus conference, held this year in Stevenage, was, like the previous such events, completely packed. Discussion centred around fine tuning of financing, delivery and performance — and on how to bring the wider construction sector on board the passive house agenda.

Passive house can help alleviate fuel poverty — report

Hastoe Housing Association has released the findings of a two year study on its first passive house housing development, Wimbish in Essex. The study found that the development performs as designed and delivers very low heating bills for residents.

New passive house design challenge for students

The Passive House Association of Ireland has announced its inaugural all-Ireland design charrette, in UCD on 5 and 6 November, in advance of its annual conference which takes place on 7 November in UCD.

World’s first passive house hospital planned

The world's first passive house hospital, by Wörner Traxler Richter Architects, is set to be built in Frankfurt. In conunction with this, the Passive House Institute has also published new research on applying the passive house standard to hospitals. 

Do Ireland’s energy efficiency regulations penalise energy efficiency?

What’s not to like about building regulations that demand 60% energy savings compared to boom time standards, and mandate the use of renewable energy? Glitches in the guidance documents, that’s what – glitches that unwittingly disincentivise energy efficiency best practice and risk causing building damage and compromising occupant health.

Number of passive house professionals passes 4,000 mark

The number of certified passive house designers and consultants has passed the 4,000 mark globally, after the latest round of exams were held in more than 30 countries across Europe, North America and Asia. 

Passive House Plus teams up with iPHA

Passive House Plus is delighted to announce that we are now an official partner magazine of the International Passive House Association.

PH+ audit reveals strong Irish & UK circulation

Passive House Plus magazine continues to have the highest circulation of any construction magazine in Ireland, and to be the county’s only building magazine with independently audited circulation.

Climate change: adapt to reduce the risks

April 7 saw the opening of the five-day meeting in Germany, between government representatives and scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to finalise the third report in a four part series, assessing the options for mitigating climate change and the underlying technical, economic and institutional requirements. Last month saw the release of the second report from the IPCC, in Yokohama, Japan on 31 March.

Component Award proves passive house windows are profitable

The winners of the first ever Passive House Component Award, with a total of twelve passive house windows set to receive recognition at the International Passive House Conference later this month. The real winners, however, are the building owners, as the results of this international competition demonstrate that it's possible to save money with highly efficient building components. Manufacturers offered their products at retail prices including installation for an example building. For each of the four categories - PVC, wood, wood/aluminium, and aluminium - the overall investment and energy costs saved in comparison with standard windows were the decisive factor. The awards will be presented at the International Passive House Conference taking place from 25 to 26 April in Aachen, Germany.

Finalists announced for 2014 passive house awards

The Passive House Institute has announced the finalists for this year’s Passive House Award. The winners, across six categories, will be announced on 25 April at the International Passive House Conference in Aachen, Germany.

Accredited Passivhaus Design to show affordable housing at Ecobuild

Low energy design specialists Accredited Passivhaus Design (APD) are promoting the design of affordable housing to the passive house standard at Ecobuild from 4 to 6 March. According to APD, the passive house approach can reduce rent arrears while reducing the need for off-site allowable solutions as part of compliance with the UK's zero-carbon homes target in 2016. Part of the UK government's proposal for zero carbon homes, allowable solutions permits the counting of carbon credits as a carbon reduction strategy for buildings.

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