Certified Passive House Designer
Passive House is an international design standard that achieves thermal comfort with minimal active heating and cooling. By ensuring an airtight shell and introducing a very efficient heat recovery ventilation system, the quality and temperature of the air within a dwelling can be well controlled with little cost and electrical load.
This is particularly useful in areas of extreme temperatures or humidity, or in areas of poor air quality.
There is a common misconception that Passive House requires windows and doors to be closed. This is not the case. When the climate is mild and opening doors and windows is desirable, owners are free to operate their buildings how they choose.
In a passive house fresh air is being introduced with filtration through a mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation Unit. Passive house requires this unit to have 97% efficiency at retaining any heating or cooling that has been applied to the air. This system requires minimal energy and runs constantly whether the windows are open or closed, to ensure air flow.
Building Physics is a significant part of the Passive House qualification: understanding how heat travels through building fabric; understanding the conditions to avoid mould growth; understanding the conditions under which condensation is likely to become an issue. These are learnings applied on all projects.
