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How to install for airtightness: An Airtightness Installation Practical Demo

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The Denby Dale Passivhaus in West Yorkshire has sought to provide a solution to the urgent need to drastically cut the CO ₂ emissions from buildings in the UK and has tried to create a low-cost and easily replicable template for low energy Passivhaus construction, using techniques and materials familiar to British builders.

Built by Green Building Store's construction division - Green Building Company - the project is the first certified Passivhaus in the UK to be built using cavity wall construction and has pioneered the combination of British vernacular construction methods with the German low energy Passivhaus design methodology. The original design details developed for the project can also be used as a template for the construction industry as to how to minimize thermal bridging, improve energy efficiency and maximise the airtightness of projects built using cavity wall construction.

Final certification figures

Total floor area: 118m²

Treated floor area: 104.4m²

Heating requirement/ year: 15 kWh/m²/year

Heat load: 10 W/m²

Primary energy requirement: 87 kWh/m²/year

Airtightness: 0.33 ach @ 50 Pa (to Passivhaus and Euronorm standard)

U values
Low energy building database listing
Datasheets

Denby Dale Passivhaus Technical summary - download pdf

Denby Dale Passivhaus Factsheet - download pdf

Denby Dale Passivhaus Monitoring and Performance report - download pdf

The Denby Dale Passivhaus project has won - and been shortlisted for - a number of awards including:

RIBA Yorkshire White Rose Architecture Awards 2010
WINNER:

Sustainability Award

Housing award

Architecture Award (Bronze)

Client of the Year Award

More information
Sustainability Awards 2010
SHORTLISTED FOR:

Sustainable Housing Project of the Year
More information
SUSTAIN Magazine Awards 2011
SHORTLISTED FOR: More information
Greenbuild Awards 2012
SHORTLISTED FOR: More information
RISE Awards 2015

Research / Innovation / Sustainability / Enterprise: "Celebrating Research and Development"
RUNNER-UP:

Sustainable Developments(Domestic & Non Domestic) & Energy

Testimonials
"Great to see the UK's first Passivhaus using traditional construction techniques - exactly the kind of innovation we need over the next few years in terms of addressing both climate change and fuel poverty." Jonathon Porritt, Founder Director, Forum for the Future "The Green Building Store team is to be commended for adapting the Passivhaus methodology to British building techniques and for constructing the first Passivhaus using cavity wall construction in Britain. The Denby Dale project has proven that Passivhaus design can be easily adapted to British building techniques. Airtightness is not a myth - the rules of physics are the same everywhere - and wet plaster offers an excellent airtightness barrier for cavity walls, if applied to all surfaces of external walls and connected properly at the joints. The Green Building Store team has done a great job at Denby Dale and also in helping to spread the word about Passivhaus design in the UK. Congratulations!" Professor Wolfgang Feist - originator of the Passivhaus methodology and founder of the Passivhaus Institut in Germany "We are delighted with our new house and are very excited to be moving in. Green Building Store and the building team have worked with us to create the style of house we wanted, whilst also meeting the exacting requirements of the Passivhaus standard. We have been delighted both with the design and the quality of the build. It is light, airy and spacious while also using 90% less energy for space heating than standard. We wanted to build a modest house at a modest price that will make significant savings on world resources and are looking forward to living in our comfortable and peaceful new home with minimal fuel bills in our retirement. We have enjoyed the inclusive process of being part of the building team and have been fully involved all the way from our initial discussions in all the stages of the design." Clients Geoff & Kate Tunstall
"Kirklees Council is at the forefront of local government efforts to reduce CO ₂ emissions from buildings and we are delighted to have the low energy exemplar Denby Dale Passivhaus project within the Kirklees area. We are fortunate to be able to benefit from Green Building Store's expertise in this exciting new approach to low energy construction and we hope that the Denby Dale Passivhaus will offer a template for the construction industry to help deal with the urgent problems of climate change and fuel poverty."
Councillor Mehboob Khan, then Leader of Kirklees Council
"When walking into the house it felt very fresh and cool inside. With the large windows and lack of infiltration I had almost been expecting it to be overheated and stuffy, but this was not the case at all. The house is light and bright inside, whilst the ventilation evidently maintains comfortable conditions. The design is quite simple and after visiting this house I am surprised that more people don't build this way."
Kirklees Council Building Control Officer Ruth King on visited the Denby Dale Passivhaus at completion stage.
Register here for a free 40 page technical briefing following all stages of the construction of the Denby Dale Passivhaus, the UK's first cavity wall Passivhaus. The technical briefing is designed for architects, building professionals and self-builders and complements our blog and technical film.
Terms & Conditions
By completing this form and signing up for the Technical briefing you also sign up to subscribe to our quarterly Technical Resources e-newsletter email sent by Green Building Store (c/o Heath House Mill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD7 4JW, United Kingdom, https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk). The data you submit will be used by Green Building Store to send out its Technical briefing and Technical Resources e-newsletter (up to 4 times a year) including updates on low energy and Passivhaus building, products and services. Your data will only be shared with our customer database and e-marketing software providers for the purposes of sending the booklet and e-newsletters. You can Unsubscribe from the e-newsletter at any time by clicking the Unsubscribe button at the bottom of every email we send out.

Green Building Store is an Efficient Building Solutions business. Your data may be shared with other Efficient Building Solutions businesses. We will never sell your data and your data will be safeguarded in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Document Download - Denby Dale Passivhaus Technical Briefing:
Please enter your name and email address in order to download the technical document.

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Denby Dale Passivhaus: Cavity wall Passivhaus

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First UK Passivhaus to be built with cavity wall construction and one of the first certified Passivhaus homes in the UK.

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Thermally Upgrading Suspended Timber Floors with Natural Insulation

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Thermally Upgrading Suspended Timber Floors with Natural Insulation

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Scroll down to watch the Woodside Towers video from our Trainer Rupert Daly

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PSCF2020: designing for a changing climate

The Public Sector Client Forum event took place on Tuesday 9 June 2020. Chaired by Ben Twist, Director of Creative Carbon Scotland, this online event took a creative look at how we can use design and collaborative placemaking to shape places that are climate ready, healthier, happier and support low carbon lifestyles.

Image credit: Richard Carman

PSCF2020: Ben Twist and Jim MacDonald discussion

In advance of PSCF 2020 'Designing for a changing climate', event chair Ben Twist, Creative Carbon Scotland, spoke to Jim MacDonald, Chief Executive of A&DS, online to discuss the topics of the Public Sector Client Forum. The interview is broken into broad topics.

Image credit: Dylan Ferreira on Unsplash

Watch discussions

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A series of short videos from the Public Sector Client Forum 2020 event: designing for a changing climate.

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Why don't Americans use electric kettles?

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Why don't Americans use electric kettles?

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If you'd like an utterly unnecessarily detailed discussion on energy, power and efficiency of making a cup of tea in the USA, this video is the one for you:

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Why don't Americans use electric kettles?

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The ipha is regularly doing great webinars which are a useful addition to your learning (plus worth learning credits) and there are past webinars for you to watch too, recently Wolfgang H talking about airtightness and the blower door test

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Passive House Airtightness and the blower door test [Passipedia EN]

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Definition of MVHR

MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining most of the energy that has already been used in heating the building. Heat Recovery Ventilation is the solution to the ventilation needs of energy efficient buildings. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), heat recovery ventilation (HRV) or Comfort ventilation are all names for the same thing. A heat recovery ventilation system properly fitted into a house provides a constant supply of fresh filtered air, maintaining the air quality whilst being practically imperceptible.

MVHR works quite simply by extracting the air from the polluted sources e.g. kitchen, bathroom, toilets and utility rooms and supplying air to the 'living' rooms e.g. bedrooms, living rooms, studies etc. The extracted air is taken through a central heat exchanger and the heat recovered into the supply air. This works both ways, if the air temperature inside the building is colder than the outside air temperature then the coolth is maintained in the building.

At what level of airtightness is MVHR worthwhile?

Although MVHR can be installed in any building, there is a rule of thumb that its use is not justified unless the air permeability of the thermal envelope is at or below 3 air changes per hour when tested at 50 Pascal (equivalent approximately to 3 m ³/m ².h @ 50 Pa for average dwellings).

Recent research by the Passivhaus Trust has shown that MVHR ventilation could be used in less airtight homes (eg even a fairly draughty home of 9 m ³.hr/m ² @50Pa) as it would still have lower carbon emissions rate than natural ventilation. However, in very draughty homes (eg higher/ worse than 9 m ³.hr/m ² @50Pa) the efficacy and efficiency of an MVHR will decrease.

If there is no temperature difference between inside and outside then there is no energy to be recovered. When you have a significant temperature difference between inside and outside then the thermal stacking effect (or chimney, hot air rising effect) becomes the driver that will cause your building to ventilate itself through the leakiness of the envelope. If it is windy then you will have wind as the driver ventilating your house through the envelope leakiness. By using intermittent extract at point of need, e.g. shower, kitchen, you will simply reverse some of the leakiness.

Tackling condensation

If your building has poor insulation/thermal bridging and or other damp ingress due to for example lack of proper damp proofing, then it can be tempting to look for technological solutions. In such a situation you will have problems with condensation and probably mildew where the condensation is forming. Yes heat recovery ventilation can help reduce these symptoms; however, our advice would be to sort out the problem not cure the symptom.

The importance of good MVHR design

If you are intending to fit MVHR heat recovery ventilation into a new build or refurbishment then it should be considered from early in the planning stage. For any MVHR heat recovery ventilation system to give its best performance the devil is in the detail. System design will make the difference between a highly efficient system working un-noticed in the background and one that is constantly in the awareness of the inhabitants and wasting both heat and electrical energy. These systems necessarily require ducts to be run through the building and the routing is important both from the point of view of the building and the efficiency of the ventilation system. Indeed, layout of rooms can be influenced by ventilation needs.

The installation of MVHR in a building will also affect the heating system design. One of the effects of heat recovery ventilation is to equalise the temperature throughout the building. Therefore it is important to prioritise the heat supply to the rooms that should be warmer. If the building is of sufficiently high standard then it might be only necessary to put heat directly into certain rooms. In contrast with conventional building standards, in very low energy and Passivhaus buildings, it can be a pragmatic choice to put all or some of the heat requirement in through the ventilation system. Again, it is vital that the system is designed with a clear understanding of the design requirements when ventilation air heating input is to be considered. Green Building Store's MVHR Design Service specialises in designing systems for Passivhaus and low energy buildings, and can advise on the suitability of ventilation air heating. We are able to advise and supply heat recovery ventilation MVHR systems with integrated controls that also manage the heating and other ancillaries.

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What is MVHR Heat Recovery Ventilation? - Information Hub

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MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining most of the energy that has already been used in heating the building. Heat Recovery Ventilation is the solution to the ventilation needs of energy efficient buildings.

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Great free seminar on Passivhaus Housing from the Passivhaus Trust. A lot of useful cost information from Sarah Lewis and Phil Lewis (not related !)

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Passivhaus Social Housing: The costs of Passivhaus

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Have a client or colleague who needs a quick overview of Passive House design and construction communicated in plain English? We created this video to help.

Passive House is a revolutionary approach to building design that aims to create ultra-energy-efficient buildings that are comfortable, healthy, and resilient. In this video, we provide a quick overview of the principles of Passive House, including how it works, what sets it apart from traditional building methods, and the benefits of adopting this standard for your next building project.

Subscribe to our Reimagine Buildings Youtube channel for more videos like this.

Drone footage courtesy of Skylar Swinford.

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Passive House Explained in Under 4 Minutes

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Have a client or colleague who needs a quick overview of Passive House design and construction communicated in plain English? We created this video to help.

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An introduction to Passivhaus: online course

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This six-part online course will lead you to an understanding of the fundamentals of the Passivhaus standard and how it can help deliver healthy, comfortable buildings as well as achieve pressing net zero targets.

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Demand is rapidly growing for buildings that achieve climate goals, increase climate resilience, and support the health and quality of life of those living in our cities. To help that transformation, we're launching the Passivhaus Playbook.

The Passivhaus Playbook is a collaboration between Development Victoria, the Australian Passivhaus Association and Introba. A project that started with the ambition to develop a practical approach to designing a Passivhaus project evolved into a valuable industry resource that we all felt needed to be shared with the industry.

As we face overlapping crises in health, climate and affordability, it's important to leverage evidence-based approaches to design and development. That's where approaches like Passivhaus excel, and it's fantastic to see the growth in its uptake, not just in single dwellings but at scale, too. We really hope this Playbook helps both Passivhaus newcomers and those looking to accelerate their adoption.
David Barker, Senior Principal, Sustainability - Introba Australia

The Playbook-a nine-step pathway that covers everything from funding to design coordination and supply chain to storytelling-is intended to be seen as a cyclical process, beginning with the alignment of stakeholders via a clearly articulated investment case through to generously sharing project stories with the wider industry. It provides a process for a technically feasible, buildable, cost-effective Passivhaus approach to new buildings in Australia.

The successful delivery of a Passivhaus project requires venturing from business as usual and an increased emphasis on supply chain collaboration. Drawing upon examples from the Australian and International marketplaces, this pragmatic guide provides the industry with the critical steps to success. This is exactly the guide that the market has been asking for, and I'm excited to see its impact. Alexia Lidas, CEO - Australian Passivhaus Association

Since a 'business as usual' approach wouldn't work, the Introba team embraced regenerative practice to catalyse a new approach. Regenerative thinking uses an appreciation for living systems to shift outcomes from the degenerative-which focuses on 'how to minimise harm'-to the regenerative, which focuses on 'what good looks like'.

By recognising the development landscape as a series of nested systems, you can uncover potential that would otherwise remain obscured, allowing project teams to provoke positive change at the most effective intervention points.

Those who have lived or worked in a Passivhaus building can attest-this is not just another standard. This is a standard that has been extensively tested and delivers delight to occupants while providing social, economic and environmental benefits in spades, with robust results. We hope it is a useful catalyst for Passivhaus in Australia.
Clare Parry, Director of Sustainability - Development Victoria

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Introducing the Passivhaus Playbook - A Pragmatic Guide for Passivhaus Success - Australian Passivhaus Association

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Demand is rapidly growing for buildings that achieve climate goals, increase climate resilience, and support the health and quality of life of those living in our cities. To help that transformation, we're launching the Passivhaus Playbook.

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and this one is updated guidance and links to PHPP plugin for stress tests  for PHPP 9 - This is now included in PHPP10

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Category: Guidance

Recent summer heatwaves have made us more aware than ever that the risk of overheating in both new and existing buildings demands attention - and is likely to become even more of a concern as our climate warms.

As a comfort driven approach, the Passivhaus standard includes a summer overheating criterion which requires that internal temperatures do not exceed 25ºC for more than 10% of the year. However, as with all models, the assessment is highly dependent on the assumptions that are made during the modelling process. We need to ensure that the result remains robust when those assumptions vary, for example as occupant behaviour changes, or as the climate warms.

To meet this need, the Passivhaus Trust has developed detailed guidance accompanied by a PHPP plugin covering design strategies to reduce risk, limitations and constraints that may have an impact, key indicators of the likelihood of risk, and a series of stress test to demonstrate robustness.

The stress testing element of the Trust's overheating PHPP plug-in has been integrated into the new iteration of PHPP10. If you are a PHPP9 user, the stress testing feature is still included in our freely available plug-in. Other features of our plug-in including the detailed risk log and overheating heating key indicators designed for use with PHPP9, can now be run with PHPP10, by downloading our free PHPP10 compatible plug-in. Our detailed guidance, covers design strategies to reduce risk, key indicators of the likelihood of risk, and a series of stress tests that apply to all users.

Further information
Keeping Cool: avoiding overheating risks - On demand short-course
Previous PHT story: Sweltering summers? No Sweat! - 07 August 2018

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Over the past two years Passive House Plus editor Jeff Colley has been moonlighting as co-host of Zero Ambitions, a weekly podcast that wrestles with the challenge of how to deliver the scale and ambition of decarbonisation and sustainability in buildings required to avoid a hellish future.

This article was originally published in issue 44 of Passive House Plus magazine. Want immediate access to all back issues and exclusive extra content? Click here to subscribe for as little as €15, or click here to receive the next issue free of charge

The focus is very much on keeping listeners engaged and informed - with a necessary dose of gallows humour.

Jeff's co-hosts are user experience experts Alex Blondin and Dan Hyde (co-founder of Passive House Plus's progenitor, Construct Ireland), who help to ensure the podcast couches the technical minutiae that Jeff loves in a manner that might chime with different kinds of users - designers, tradespeople, policymakers and building users.

Some recent highlights:

Learning from our mistakes: looking back at ten retrofits, ten years later, with retrofit pioneer Marion Baeli (PDP, Passivhaus Trust)

Systems design for passive houses, radon research as a proxy for ventilation, and some further education. With Dr. Barry McCarron (PHAI, CREST)

Passive house can lead to more than just houses: community engagement, control pathologies, and propagating systemic change. With Helena Fitzgerald (Department of Economics at the University of Limerick)

Unconventional approaches to space heating: infra-red, ceramics, and the necessity for good design. With John Morehead (Wain Morehead Architects)

are just a ritual (pt. 1): fundamental flaws in how we assess energy performance and how we got here, with Adrian Leaman and Bill Bordass (UsableBuildings.co.uk)

Retrofit, energy ratings, and improving Europe's energy performance, with Ciarán Cuffe MEP

The podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts. But you can find all ninety-five episodes here.

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Must listen: Zero Ambitions Podcast - passivehouseplus.co.uk

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PHP editor Jeff Colley hosts Zero Ambitions podcast

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construction and architecture books from around the world

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Designed to Perform: An Illustrated Guide to Delivering Energy Efficient Homes

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Buy Designed to Perform: An Illustrated Guide to Delivering Energy Efficient Homes by Dollard, Tom from the RIBA online Bookshop. ISBN 9781914124266

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A library of standardised British details designed for thinking about passivhaus, its a subscription service I believe but is a wealth of information and a good starting point

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This bundle includes:Understanding Architectural Details - Residential PDFUnderstanding Architectural Details - Basements PDFUnderstanding Architectural Details - Commercial PDF2D details in CAD format as dwg files (AutoCad 2010)Plus UAD Commercial Wall Details Bonus book and digital filesDetails drawn in metric unitsUK Construction methods

Details:Calculated book that accompanies Understanding Passivhaus PDF

Flixo files associated with Details:Calculated

Understanding Passivhaus - PDF

Understanding Loft Conversions - PDF

3D details in SKP format for SketchUp (version 2015)

How do I get it?

After purchase you will receive an email confirming your order - so please make sure you enter your email address correctly.

You will then receive a second email with the download link to get your book. Please check your junk or spam folders!

If you haven't received your link after about 10 minutes - please contact us.

System Requirements: Please note this package includes pdf, .skp and .dwg files which are large in size. Make sure you have a good internet connection, and download the files to a laptop or pc for best results.

This is a completely digital bundle, there are no hard copy books included in this bundle.

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Understanding Architectural Details - Full Five Book Package

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Understanding Architectural Details - Residential, Commercial, Basements, Passivhaus and Loft Conversions. The Full Package includes: Understanding Architectural Details - Residential in PDF format Understanding Architectural Details - Basements in PDF format Understanding Architectural Details - Commercial in PDF for

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There are two key principles to consider when designing the window installation detailing for your energy efficient retrofit.

1. Continuity of insulation (minimising thermal bridging)

Windows and doors are usually the weakest point in the insulation envelope, as well as potentially one of the worst areas for thermal bridging, so a lot of care is needed when installing windows into an existing home. We need to aim for a continuous line of insulation around the house with a minimum of gaps in or penetrations through the insulation layer. This will minimise thermal bridging and optimise the value of insulation measures.

Windows generally perform best when located within the insulative wall layer. If you position windows and doors within non-insulative construction layers, such as stone or brick walls, you will create a thermal bridge where heat can escape. This wastes energy but also leads to the risk of condensation and mould growth on these cold areas. No one wants to install new high performance windows only to have black mould developing on the reveals!

If you pay careful attention to the window installation details then you should avoid any mould growth and also get the most from the investment in high performance windows and doors. If you are installing a good triple glazed window (eg Uw value around 0.8 W/m ²K), with bad installation details then the overall heat loss of the window can be doubled to an effective installed Uw value of 1.6 W/m ² K or more. By contrast, a really well-detailed triple glazed window can actually improve on the Uw value of the window itself.

Sometimes we have no choice about the positioning of the window. However, there are still things we can do to improve the installation. This might mean using extra insulation on the window reveals. If space is tight we may need to use specialist insulations with particularly good insulation values, such as Aerogel or Vacuum Insulated Panels. To be sure of your details they can be modelled in thermal modelling software such as Flixo or Therm to establish the thermal bridge Psi values, something that will certainly need be done if you are working to the Passivhaus retrofit standard.

Wrapping insulation around the frame

As far as is possible, to minimise any thermal bridge, we should think about bringing the insulation over the face of the window frame, effectively 'wrapping' part of it in insulation.

If you are using external wall insulation, then you want to bring the external insulation over the face of the frame. This will be most effective with inward opening (tilt and turn) type windows as the external face of the frame will be larger than the inside.

If you are using internal wall insulation, then you will want to bring the insulation over the inside face of the frame. This will be most effective with outward opening windows where the internal face of the frame is larger.

Sequencing

Unfortunately, in many retrofit situations, it is not always possible to install windows at the same time as the EWI (external wall insulation) or IWI (internal wall insulation) strategies. So, we need to think ahead and plan carefully the sequencing of any radical retrofit.

EWI

If using EWI we will ideally want to position windows towards the exterior of envelope in line with the insulation and, if possible, bring the insulation over the face of the frame. However, sometimes it is not possible to complete the EWI at the same time, in which case, if possible, position the windows standing out from the wall (so that they will eventually be in line with the EWI) and provide temporary protection until the EWI can be installed. This can be weatherproofed with timber reveals. Remember, if you are installing the windows and EWI in different phases, the external sill depth change needs to be factored in too.

IWI

If windows are installed before IWI: specify outward opening windows and possibly thicken the timber frame (depending on the size of window and amount of glazing) to allow the insulation layer to wrap internally around a good part of the frame.

If IWI is installed before windows: if windows can be externally removed, you will need to ensure IWI detailing will fit and be continuous with any future replacements. If windows can only be internally removed, this will change the existing IWI and new IWI reveal detailing will have to be created when the windows are replaced.

In small window openings, or where space is tight, we can use VIPS Panels or Aerogel which have much higher insulation values than even the most advanced phenolic rigid insulation boards. These are expensive, but if just used for window reveals they can be very cost effective and are certainly worth considering.

2. Airtightness

Forming a continuous airtight seal around your house is critical to the concept of retaining and reusing heat energy in the air to reduce energy demands, as well of course as making it more comfortable by eliminating drafts. As with cold bridging, one of the areas of highest potential leakage can be at junctions between walls and windows.

Choose windows and doors with class 4 airtightness

Class 4 (BS EN 12207) is the best grade of airtightness for windows and doors and is available on our ULTRA/ PERFORMANCE/ PROGRESSION windows as standard. Our products also have the advantage of always having 2 compression seals which result in the window having greater longevity of the airtight seal. Providing space for two seals means that the frame has a slightly deeper profile but our designers believe that the advantages of longer life airtightness easily outweigh the disadvantage of the slightly bulkier window frame.

Use of airtightness tapes around windows

To achieve good airtight seals around window frames we will need to use high quality proprietary airtightness tapes. It is particularly important to understand that silicone and expanding foam will not provide the permanent airtightness our buildings need, nor will cheap tapes provide sufficient longevity. The best airtightness tapes have adhesives developed for the aerospace industry which are designed to continue to give good adhesion and airtightness for 100 years plus.

Below are some of the key airtightness tapes that we use in retrofit projects:

Pro Clima Contega Solido SL

Solido SL is ideal for connecting window frames to plaster surfaces.

Airtight window and door sealing tape with vapour control properties.

Full surface waterproof solid adhesive backing offering excellent bonding to mineral surfaces.

Can be plastered over the fleece face

Vapour retarding and airtight sealing of indoor window and door joints.

2 strip adhesive backing available in widths 80, 100, 150, 200mm

Pro Clima Contega Solido SL-D

Solido SL-D is similar to Solido SL but with the added advantage of an integrated adhesive zone on the fleece side for pre-taping windows before installation in the opening.

Pre-taping windows before installation offers the quickest way to get an airtight window.

Careful attention is needed at the corners as a "Rabbits ear" needs to be created (pinching tape as you go around to make up the slack between frame and opening).

Pro Clima Tescon Profil

Tescon Profil is suitable for sealing reveals at windows, roof windows and doors to the reveal such as intelligent airtight vapour, masonry, render, timber frame, etc. before finishing with plasterboard or timber, etc.

Flexible multi-purpose corner tape for windows, doors and corner joints.

Simplifies the sealing of angled joints thanks to two release paper strips, which allow the activation of a single part of the adhesive surface and to seal corners junction by junction.

Used for taping window/door after installation.

Ensures high protection against piercing in corners, due to its high elasticity.

Ideal where pre-taping integrity cannot be guaranteed during installation particularly with large heavy windows and doors.

Bill Butcher, Director, Green Building Store
Thank you to Architecture student Isaac Shepherd who contributed to this blog during a recent 'virtual' work experience placement at Green Building Store.

Bill has given a Carbon Coop webinar on Window installations for energy efficient retrofits and you can view the recording and slides here.
Green Building Store offers FREE product technical support for its window customers, which includes installations PSI values, technical advice on detailing and PHPP-ready data.

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Installing windows in energy efficient retrofits

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Blog outlining strategies to minimise thermal bridging and maximise airtightness when installing windows in energy efficient retrofit projects

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construction and architecture books from around the world

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PHPP Illustrated: A designer's companion to the Passivhaus Planning Package

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Buy PHPP Illustrated Designer's Companion to the Passivehaus Planning Package - 2nd edition) by Lewis, S from RIBA Online Bookshop. ISBN 9781859467756

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Programme I Tutors I Booking

The increased focus on the Climate Emergency has led to a stream of declarations to achieve Net Zero. But what does that actually mean to the built environment? Do we really know how to design and deliver a true net-zero building?

Back due to unprecedented demand - the popular online course has been formatted into 8 pre-recorded modules that can be completed at your leisure.

Explore issues surrounding net-zero, and gain practical illustrations of what it takes to get to net-zero in both operational and embodied carbon. What can be done at the design stage to achieve the biggest impact?

Who is the course aimed at?

This course will be of interest to anyone who wishes to understand why many low-energy buildings are far from net-zero. Architects, designers, and consultants who need to explain to clients how to achieve a zero-carbon building in practice will benefit.

PHI Credit Renewal Points available: Delegates will earn PHI credit points towards renewal of their Certified Passivhaus Designer / Consultant qualification once the full course is complete. See here.

Course Programme

Block booking available.

Introduction to definitions and methodology

Module 5 gives a brief overview of what is included in embodied carbon analysis, methodology and datasets. This session also discusses key watch points when pulling materials data from BIM models and offers a brief discussion on the inclusion of MEP in the embodied carbon model.
Kirsten Henson, KLH Sustainability

Block booking available

Materials: concrete and steel

Module 6 starts to examine materials - what should we be using and in what way? Based on global consumption, embodied impact, and contribution to life-cycle carbon, what are the justifications for using three key materials: timber, concrete and steel? This session includes a more detailed look at the carbon profile of concrete and steel and key technical considerations in use, specification and procurement.
Kirsten Henson, KLH Sustainability

Materials: timber and other materials

Module 7 follows on from the previous session to include a detailed look at the carbon profile of timber and the key technical considerations in use, specification and procurement. The session also looks at other materials, including external wall finishes, insulation and refrigerants.

On-demand
Kirsten Henson, KLH Sustainability

Top tips for designing low-embodied buildings

Module 8 concludes the series with a summary of top tips for designing low carbon buildings, using real projects to highlight key considerations and potential impact.

On-demand
Kirsten Henson, KLH Sustainability

The course includes pre-recorded modules that can be watched on-demand at your leisure.

The duration of modules 1-8 are approximately 30 minutes.

Access to on-demand modules is valid for 12 months.

This course needs to be part of every architect, engineer and planner's training - and possibly also of all parliamentarians' induction.
Previous Masterclass attendee - Bernard Tulkens, Tectonics Architects

John Palmer, Research and Policy Director, Passivhaus Trust

John is a certified Passivhaus consultant, SAP Assessor, systems engineer and experienced project manager. Authored Passivhaus: the route to Zero Carbon?

Kirsten Henson, Director, KLH Sustainability

Kirsten provides specialist sustainability input to the International Olympic Committee & prominent Independent Design Reviews. Her research includes the sustainable use of aggregates considering aspects such as regional availability, social impacts of transportation and carbon footprint.

Tim Martel, Architectural Technologist

Tim is a Passivhaus Designer and Retrofit Coordinator with a background in calculations through commercial R&D. He is an expert of PHPP and has written the PH Ribbon tool.

The knowledge given by the presenters here is really high quality and well pitched; their capacity to provide valuable responses to wide ranging questions and commentary from the audience is impressive and reassuringly informed.

Previous Masterclass attendee - Joanne Murray, Gleeds

Please use the online booking form to secure your place.

Further Information
Passivhaus: the route to Zero Carbon? Research Report: Passivhaus the route to zero carbon

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Programme I Tutors I Booking The increased focus on the Climate Emergency has led to a stream of declarations to achieve Net Zero. But what does that actually mean to the built environment? Do we really know how to design and deliver a true net-zero building?

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The Passivhaus Designer’s Manual: A technical guide to low and zero energy buildings

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Buy The Passivhaus Designer’s Manual: A technical guide to low and zero energy buildings by Hopfe, Christina from RIBA Online Bookshop. ISBN 9780415522694

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Domestic energy accounts for 14% of the UK's carbon emissions. To implement the government's 2050 carbon reductions and local authority net-zero carbon targets, alternative proposals for supplying space heat and domestic hot water have been receiving greater attention.

Currently, two competing strategies are proposed for the wider decarbonisation of heat in the UK. One is to electrify heat, making use of the anticipated decrease in carbon intensity of the electricity grid to reduce the carbon footprint of the delivered heat. The other is to introduce low carbon hydrogen into the gas network and so, partially - or completely - offset the carbon emissions generated from burning gas in each property. This article will focus on the use of decarbonised electricity to provide domestic heat.

For electrification of heat, the more efficiently a system can deliver heat, the greater the carbon benefit and cost reduction per kWh. Direct electric heating operates at conversion efficiencies of around 100%. By using heat pumps, however, the ratio of heat delivered to electricity consumed can go up by 250-400%. The difference in these heat pump efficiencies is broadly based on differences between input and output temperatures: the smaller the temperature gradient, the less electricity required to generate heat.

The network experiences much lower system losses as the temperature gradient between the network and ambient is very close

Ground temperatures can deliver source temperatures of between 1-10°C reasonably consistently throughout the year, so give a more stable base than air source systems in the colder winter months, when more heat is required. As a result, the seasonal performance factors (SPFs) for ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems are typically higher than air source heat pump (ASHP) equivalents.

Where cooling is required, ground source systems have the advantage that heat absorbed during the summer cooling season could be used to recharge the ground array. The efficiency gain comes from the increased cost of a ground array to collect the ambient heat needed as the source. A domestic GSHP system can cost two to four times more than an equivalently sized ASHP system, so reducing this cost improves the attractiveness of the GSHP option.

Shared-loop system types

Shared-loop heat networks consist of a communal distribution system moving low-grade heat between the source and the individual heat pumps contained within each property. This differs from the traditional centralised district heating network (DHN), as each property is fitted with its own heat pump unit, rather than relying on centralised plant.

Shared-loop systems take source heat from a range of resources. This can be in the form of an ambient district heating network collecting heat from open or closed loops, gathering energy from the ground, aquifers, surface water or seawater. This network circulates the fluid through the collector at ambient ground temperatures (1-10°C).

For larger schemes, it could take its heat from sewage treatment or minewater sources, where the resource could be 10-20°C. These schemes need coordination with the Coal Authority or relevant utility, and there may be a charge for the ambient energy. Both networks are installed using plastic uninsulated pipework between the collector structure and heat pumps.

Finally, an ambient network can be operated with an active heat source, such as a waste heat recovery system, a return leg of an existing DHN, or a dedicated low-grade heat source (such as ASHP). This system typically operates at temperatures of 20-25°C. As this type of network is operating at slightly higher temperatures, the pipework is usually insulated, although to a lower specification than standard DHNs.

Benefits and challenges

A key benefit of any shared-loop network is reduced capital expenditure (capex) of the network. The operating temperatures mean the pipework can be installed in plastic pipe and retain an extended working life. This pipework can be uninsulated in most situations, and have external insulation added easily for required sections. As such, network infrastructure costs are lower than the installation of high-temperature DHN systems.

The network also experiences much lower system losses, as the temperature gradient between the network and ambient is very close. This is in comparison to high-temperature networks, where an ongoing issue for many buildings is the standing loss from the distribution network into shared spaces, creating summer overheating.

Having individual plant but a common fuel source is more in line with most residents' experience, with individual control and responsibility for the domestic boiler. Each recipient is free to change their electricity provider.

One of the key limitations to the implementation of shared-loop networks is capital costs. At present, the capex for shared-loop infrastructure is a lot higher than corresponding gas or direct electric alternatives. The Renewable Heat Incentive offers support, but will stop accepting commercial applications in March 2021 and domestic applications a year later. The Clean Heat Grant consultation, launched in April 2020, indicated that shared-loop networks would be eligible for a £4,000 grant per heat pump (below 45kW). However, funding for this scheme is currently only described for 2022-24.

Ambient loop costs

A feasibility study using waste heat from a supermarket chiller to heat housing via an ambient loop heat network has revealed higher costs than expected as a result of the use of ground source heat pumps in the design.

The analysis, by Martin Crane, director at Carbon Alternatives, found that the ambient loop had been designed more like a heat pump ground loop, because the available heat pumps are primarily designed for ground-source applications. As a consequence, the heat network design required larger pipes and more pumping energy to maintain the constant circulating flow required.

Crane says most of the source pumps in GSHP are either on or off, so - when the heat pump is operating part load - the source flow rates are as per peak demand, reducing flow diversity on the ambient loop.

The analysis found ambient loop network costs were higher because of the requirement for larger pipes, leading to the need for larger trenches.

A longer article based on this research will appear in September's CIBSE Journal. The analysis is part of a feasibility study funded by the Heat Networks Delivery Unit and research funding from OxFutures.

DHW is also an issue, as heat pump systems require a local hot-water cylinder, unlike combi-boiler or DHN direct plate installations. Only 11m of the 26m UK residences are believed to still have a hot-water vessel. Implementing heat pump solutions would require their reintroduction, with corresponding space implications. The higher delivery temperatures to generate DHW also reduce heat pump efficiencies.

Until recently, most multi-occupancy developments in London were delivered with gas CHP-driven, high-temperature networks - but the decision to implement SAP10 carbon weightings as a consideration to planning has resulted in a significant shift to low-temperature and ambient shared-loop networks. This shows the effect of a small policy change where there is a competitive market for development. It is to be seen if similar policy changes can give the same impetus across the UK.

The integration of heat pumps into smart energy networks, where they respond more flexibly to demand signals within the grid system, offers potential operational savings and a useful grid service, but research on these impacts once heat pumps are adopted at scale is still to be tested outside a few isolated trials.

About the author
David Linsley-Hood is consultancy director at Locogen

The CIBSE ASHRAE Technical Symposium will be held online on 14-15 September. Register here.

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Decarbonising heat using ambient loop heat networks

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As the government aims to decarbonise heat, Locogen's David Linsley-Hood investigates how ambient heat pump networks could be a potential mechanism for providing low carbon domestic heat in the UK

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Investigating the controversial plans to change how we heat our homes and produce electricity. Is it possible and what will it take?

How we heat our homes is set to radically change as the government phases out gas boilers. But can changing the technology we use every day help us reduce greenhouse gases and stop climate change? BBC climate editor Justin Rowlatt, presenter Michelle Ackerley and environment scientist Dr Tara Shine investigate if it's possible to heat our homes by replacing oil and gas boilers with new green alternatives, whether the country is ready to build an entirely low-carbon electricity network, and if we can do it all before the government's net zero target of 2050.

Justin heads to Salford to explore a futuristic house used to test new home heating technologies in extreme conditions. From minus 12 degrees to the comfort of central heating, he gets to grips with heat pumps, a technology the government is betting on. In the loft, Justin clambers around to see how well our homes need to be insulated.

Michelle gets an insight into how heat pumps are installed and what it means for a family in Reading. She questions the installation costs and if the government grant is enough to help families transition from gas boilers to heat pumps. With a government target of 2035 for all the UK's electricity to be generated from renewable and low carbon sources, Michelle meets a community centre near Bristol who have built the UK's largest wind turbine. Then, she heads underground to find out how the electricity grid needs transforming to deliver enough power for the UK's homes and businesses.

Tara meets the gas company promoting hydrogen as a solution to home heating, and visits residents in Whitby in Ellesmere Port, who were going to be part of a hydrogen trial but have big concerns about costs and safety. She investigates how oil companies are planning to produce hydrogen and if it's a feasible option. Tara explores cracks in the core of Heysham Nuclear Power station in Lancashire to understand what it means for the lifespan of the plant, visits Hinkley Point C to understand the complexities of building new nuclear power stations, and asks if technology from nuclear submarines could be a solution.

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BBC One - What They Really Mean for You, Series 1, Heat Pumps

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How we heat our homes and keep the lights on needs massive change. But what will it take?

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BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR TODAY'S CLIMATE

The construction of UK buildings today is focused on good insulation and minimum air leakage to prevent heat loss in the winter. New residential buildings must also be designed to limit solar gains and reduce the risk of overheating in the summer - a risk that has increased in recent years due to the improved insulation and higher proportions of glass being incorporated into building designs.

Overheating has become such an important factor, that a new Approved Document O [ 1] comes into force in June as part of the uplift to England's building regulations. The updated standards focus heavily on thermal comfort improvements, the use of more energy-efficient systems and building materials, and improvements to ventilation.

Natural ventilation and passive cooling can be achieved by simply opening windows, but with rising outdoor temperatures combined with improved fabric standards, this will be insufficient for many occupants demanding thermal comfort throughout the year.

THE RISE OF COOLING

In the UK, cooling has historically been dominated by the non-domestic sector. For reasons mentioned already, along with a move to home working, domestic cooling is starting to become more prevalent, and a strong growth in retrofit in this area is anticipated.

Currently, BSRIA estimates that just 5% of UK homes have some form of cooling technology [ 2]. But a recent government research report predicts significant growth, estimating that by the end of the century, homes will require 75% to 85% of the UK's total cooling energy consumption [ 3].

AIR CONDITIONING

The UK cooling market is dominated by what is commonly known as 'split' air conditioning units, consisting of a condenser coil outside the building and an evaporator coil inside. By using basic air-to-air refrigeration technology, they condition the room, reducing air humidity and temperature. Nearly all the split units available today can be thought of as heat pumps, by reversing the refrigeration process, they can heat the room in winter too.

Energy consumption and running costs of typical split air conditioning units are very high

This form of cooling is known as wet cooling, or deep cooling. To reduce the humidity, you are taking moisture out of the air which then condenses when passing across the evaporator coil. Condensation is collected and drained or pumped to the outside of the building.

Although air conditioning is an effective means of cooling, the running costs and energy consumption are very high.

Refrigerants commonly used in heat pumps are based on energy efficiency, safety, reliability and technical performance, which is why non-flammable HFCs such as R-410A, R-134a and R-32 continue to be widely used.

The use of carbon-neutral refrigerants like carbon dioxide, propane and ammonia are now being explored because their global warming potential is much lower. The GWP of a refrigerant is its global warming impact relative to the impact of the same quantity of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has a GWP of 1, ammonia zero, R-410A 2,088, R-134a 1,430 and R-32 677. As an example, you could say that R-410A is 2,088 times more damaging to our planet than carbon dioxide.

THE SHIFT TO RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

In a bid to phase out fossil fuel heating to reduce emissions, the UK government has announced a ban on installing gas boilers in new buildings from 2025 and a complete ban on installing them in any building from 2035. Instead, low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps will be favoured, and the government is encouraging this through incentives such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Heat pumps take energy from the ground or the air and convert it to heat the water for space heating. What a lot of people don't know is that a heat pump can offer cooling in the summer too, very much like the air-to-air split units we mentioned earlier.

HEAT PUMPS

There are different types of heat pumps available, but we'll focus on the most common: ground-to-water (ground source), and air-to-water (air source).
Ground source heat pumps
The temperature in the ground is fairly constant throughout the year, typically between 8 and 11°C. These stable conditions make ground source heat pumps slightly more efficient than their air source counterparts. Their performance however very much depends on local geological conditions. It is recommended that a geological survey is carried out to determine surface and sub-surface temperatures, thermal conductivities and diffusivities of the rock and soil layers.

Ground source heat pump ground array

There are two basic options for ground source heat pumps: a horizontal ground array, and a vertical borehole. The ground array is the most economical solution, but the land available to lay the pipes will dictate the amount of energy delivered to the building. Pipes will be laid in excavated trenches at approximately 1.2 to 1.5 metres below ground level. If there is insufficient land available, a vertical borehole system could be considered. Boreholes can be between 60 and 200 metres deep.
Air source heat pumps
Air source heat pumps take the energy from the air around us, so the fluctuation in outside temperature does affect the efficiency. That said, they still deliver energy at outdoor temperatures below zero, albeit they have to work a little harder. Air source heat pumps are relatively simple to install and can be positioned either adjacent to the building, on the roof, or in a remote location. They provide the most economical solution for renewable energy technology, making them the most commonly chosen option in the UK today.

COOLING WITH HEAT PUMPS

Ground-to-water heat pumps can provide efficient cooling. Because of the stable temperature below ground, even in summer, the naturally cooler water from the ground can be used to cool a space without using the refrigeration process. This is known as 'passive' cooling. If cooler water is required, this can only be achieved by using the refrigeration process. This is known as 'active' cooling.

Air-to-water heat pumps can only achieve cooling in summer by using the refrigeration process, so active cooling.

HOW A HEAT PUMP WORKS FOR HEATING

The heat pump refrigerant enters what is known as an evaporator coil. The fan unit blows air across the coil, and this makes the refrigerant boil and evaporate at low temperature, leaving the coil as low temperature, low-pressure gas. This gas enters a compressor that increases the pressure and temperature of the gas.

This high pressure and high-temperature gas then enters what is known as a condenser coil. In this case, the coil sits inside a water vessel. It then gives up its energy to the water, effectively heating the water to be used in heat distribution. As it leaves the condenser coil, the refrigerant is in a liquid state, cooler, but still at high pressure. It then passes through an expansion valve that reduces the pressure and the temperature, and the whole continual process starts again.

How an air source heat pump works in heating mode

HOW A HEAT PUMP WORKS FOR COOLING

The same heat pump that heats water can cool water too. This is achieved by simply reversing the flow of refrigerant. The reversing valve diverts the high pressure, high-temperature gas to the evaporator coil - this is now effectively the condenser coil. What was the condenser coil is now the evaporator coil. A second expansion valve reduces the pressure and temperature the other way - therefore the complete system is working in reverse. The consequence is that what is now the evaporator coil, gives up its coolth to the water in the vessel.

How an air source heat pump works in cooling mode

INTELLIGENT CONVECTORS FOR HEATING AND COOLING

At Jaga, we design dynamic climate convectors that can be paired with heat pumps to switch between heating and cooling for a comfortable indoor climate all year round.

Jaga's hybrid convector is simply a natural convector with small thermal activators sitting on top of the heat exchanger - this technology is called Dynamic Boost Hybrid (DBH). The activators (small fans) inside the DBH unit increase the airflow across the heat exchanger and can increase heat output by up to 300 per cent. This means the physical size of the unit can be smaller than natural convectors and much smaller than steel panel radiators.

The fans are generally very quiet in dynamic operation, typically circa. 30 dBA. They operate naturally too, with the fans off. They have a boost function where the fans operate at full speed, to bring a space up to temperature very quickly.

COOL TECHNOLOGY

The unique aspect of Jaga's DBH technology means that the same heat emitter can provide summer cooling too. This is not energy inefficient air conditioning, it's what we call light cooling, or dry cooling. It's a form of gentle cooling used to cool down a room by a few degrees, without having to use a lot of energy. It's ideal for pairing with heat pumps.

Light cooling occurs when the water temperature is consistently higher than the condensing temperature (or dew point), usually around 16°C depending on weather conditions, and therefore no condensation water is formed. The energy consumption is much lower than deep cooling, especially in combination with a heat pump so it's much better for the planet.

REALLY COOL TECHNOLOGY

If light cooling is not sufficient, then Jaga has a solution to offer deep cooling, or full water-based air conditioning. Deep cooling uses chilled water below 10°C to provide a powerful, much cooler output. It will usually produce condensate because the surfaces in contact with the chilled water (pipes etc) are below the dew point.

This can be provided by our range of dynamic trench convectors, or our recently improved Briza range of fan coil units. Both consist of a dynamic, high-performance heat exchanger, powerful forced draught fan and robust casing, providing powerful heating, cooling and ventilation. They are naturally low water content emitters, so again, quick to respond to thermal demands.

WHICH COOLING METHOD IS BEST FOR YOUR PROJECT?

When considering cooling a space, a cooling load calculation must be carried out by a qualified engineer to design a suitable system to achieve the desired room temperature.

If the installation is correctly designed and executed, Jaga's DBH, which can be installed inside most Jaga Low-H2O convectors (either at time of order or retrofitted inside existing installations), can be a cost-effective and more environmentally friendly method to gently cool your space. As DBH is a light cooling method, no condensate is produced, so no condensate drains are needed. This makes installation a lot quicker and easier.

If you need powerful, deep cooling for more extreme temperatures, or are looking for an increased level of controllability, Jaga's deep cooling with condensate trays would be the best option.

WHICH PRODUCT IS BEST FOR YOUR PROJECT?

All Jaga's dynamic climate convectors provide high outputs at low flow temperatures, making them perfectly suited to projects with a heat pump installation. They're designed to enable high efficiency from renewable energy systems. Providing the system can provide cooled water, your convectors will be able to operate in cooling mode.

For heating and light cooling

Strada Hybrid: Wall-mounted, compact, stylish and slimline convector with DBH. For residential, commercial, and public buildings.

Tempo Hybrid LST: Wall-mounted, flat-packed, compact, and safe LST convector with DBH. For care and nursing homes, educational facilities, and sheltered housing.

Guardian Hybrid LST: Wall-mounted, safe LST convector with one-piece casing and DBH. For care and nursing homes, educational facilities, public buildings, hospitals, and healthcare facilities.

Maxi 2020 Hybrid LST: Wall-mounted, highly durable LST convector with DBH. For heavy-duty applications, prisons and secure facilities, care and nursing homes, educational facilities, public buildings, hospitals, and healthcare facilities.

Mini Canal Hybrid: Efficient trench climate convector delivering 3 to 4 times more heat than a traditional natural trench heating solution. For commercial and public buildings.

Clima Canal 08: Extremely compact and silent trench climate convector. For residential, commercial, and public buildings.

For heating, light and deep cooling, and ventilation

Briza 12: Compact and slim fan convector offering powerful heating and cooling outputs. Can be wall-mounted or built-in. Available in 2 pipe or 4 pipe options. For residential projects.

Briza 22: Super-power fan convector offering very high heating and cooling outputs and optional ventilation. Can be in-wall or in-ceiling. Available in 2 pipe or 4 pipe options. For commercial and public buildings.

Clima Canal 10, 13, and 19: Very high-power level trench climate convector completely integrated into the floor that can include a ventilation connection. Equipped with a condensation drain. For commercial and public buildings.

Above is just a selection of Jaga products. Please see our website for additional products or contact us directly to discuss your requirements. We will be sure to help you find the best solution for your project.

GET IN TOUCH

For more information about heating and cooling with heat pumps, and for support with selecting the best solution for your project, please get in touch with our expert team.

1. HM Government (2021). Approved Document O: Overheating. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1057374/ADO.pdf

2. BSRIA (2019). UK Chillers reports. Available at: https://www.bsria.com/uk/market-intelligence/market_reports/air_conditioning/

3. Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (2021). Cooling in the UK. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1019896/cooling-in-uk.pdf

REFERENCES

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Heat pumps are fast becoming the system of choice for heating our buildings, but many homeowners are unaware that their heat pump can offer cooling for the summer months too. In our latest blog, we explain how a heat pump works for heating and for cooling, and the range of intelligent convectors and fan coil units that can switch between the two, providing powerful space heating in the winter and refreshingly light or deep cooling in the summer.

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A fridge but in reverse? The fascinating science of heat pumps - visualised

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Info graphic explaining how heat pumps work. 

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Info graphic explaining how heat pumps work. 

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Only 1% of British homes have a heat pump, but to hit the government's climate goals, an estimated 80% of homes should be heated by one in the next 25 years.

Whereas gas boilers burn gas to produce heat, heat pumps do something more complicated. Sometimes described as working like a "fridge in reverse", they use a mixture of evaporation and condensation to transfer heat from outside to inside a building. In a cold winter, it can be hard to understand how these devices work.

But they do - and here we can see how, by looking more closely at an air source heat pump:

"The key thing to remember is the basic physics of liquids, solids and gases," says Robert Sansom, who sits on the energy panel of the UK's Institution of Engineering and Technology.

As with a fridge, a heat pump contains a circuit of pipes containing a material called a refrigerant. The pump uses pressure to force the refrigerant to change state: from a liquid to a gas and back again. And that is what allows the refrigerant to transfer heat energy from one place to another. "As the refrigerant goes from a liquid to a gas, it has to absorb energy from somewhere; and as it goes from gas to liquid, it has to give off that energy."

Though it can be harder to understand than the combustion that powers a gas boiler, it is a powerful - and efficient - process.

More efficient than gas boilers

Many people are surprised to learn that heat pumps are more efficient than gas boilers. A government-backed study by the research group the Energy Systems Catapult of hundreds of air source heat pumps fitted in UK homes found that heat pumps are about three times more efficient than gas boilers, even on the coldest days of the year.

Marc Brown of the Energy Systems Catapult said: "We can finally put to bed the notion that heat pumps do not work in cold weather conditions and that they are inefficient to run. We've observed the exact opposite. They are three times more efficient than gas boilers and work in cold weather conditions. Innovation is changing the game in the heating sector."

Heat pumps need electricity to run - and the main running cost of the pump is the electricity that powers the compressor. But what allows heat pumps to be so efficient is the process we saw above.

Because they transfer heat from outside, rather than just converting electricity into heat, heat pumps can technically produce more energy than the electricity that is put into them.

Describing this as the "magic" of heat pumps, Sansom explains how heat pumps use "free" energy from outside to hit an energy efficiency of over 100%.

"That's the magic of heat pumps: you've extracted this heat from the environment. [It] could be air source, could be ground source, could be water source, from the sea, even sewage."

'Greener' every year

Heat pumps are considered a crucial plank in Britain's strategy for dealing with the climate crisis exactly because they run on electricity - which is becoming greener every year.

In 2022, zero-carbon electricity sources - such as renewable energy and nuclear power - made up more than 50% of electricity in February, May, October, November and December. Overall, zero-carbon electricity made up 48% of the UK's electricity compared with 40% sourced from gas and coal power plants.

The carbon intensity of Britain's electricity grid is expected to continue to fall as more wind and solar farms are installed and generate a greater share of the UK's power. By 2035, National Grid aims to operate an entirely net zero electricity grid - meaning households with a heat pump will warm their homes without contributing to the UK's emissions.

A boost to government grants

Britain's burgeoning heat pump market has seen a surge in interest since the prime minister promised to increase the government's boiler upgrade grants by 50% to £7,500 from November, according to official figures.

Government data shows that the number of households which applied for a new grant climbed to over 2,500 last month, a record high and more than double the number of applications received in the month before.

The scheme, which is available in England and Wales, offers households help to cover the upfront costs of switching from fossil fuel heating systems to a cleaner heat pump alternative.

Still, the number of households interested in replacing their gas boilers with a heat pump remains about 20 times lower than the government's aim to get 600,000 heat pumps installed each year.

Home heating accounts for almost 40% of the UK's total gas use, making the government's heat pump ambition a crucial part of its legally binding target to reduce emissions to net zero across the economy by 2040.

Suitable for most British homes

Some households are concerned that a heat pump may not be able to perform well in their home. Unlike homes in Nordic countries, where heat pumps are commonplace - up to 60% of Norwegian homes are heated by heat pumps - British homes often have poor insulation. Lower levels of insulation can mean the heat pump model - keeping the heating on permanently but at a lower temperature - is less effective.

Experts have called on the government to help households pay for energy efficiency improvements, alongside its heat pump rollout, as part of a coherent home heating strategy.

The good news is that heat pumps can be installed in a wide range of UK homes, according to the Energy Systems Catapult. The first major survey of households who have swapped their gas boiler for a heat pump found that more than 80% were satisfied with the change, and satisfaction levels were similar between respondents who installed a heat pump in a new-build home or in older properties, despite persistent concerns that heat pumps are only effective in modern buildings.

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A fridge but in reverse? The fascinating science of heat pumps - visualised

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Despite being more like a refrigerator than a gas boiler, this home heating technology could slash Britain's emissions, and bills

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Air-tightness is a key factor in any low energy build, but is often overlooked in comparison to energy sources and insulation. Lenny Antonelli examines how air-tightness is achieved in buildings, from design stage down to the final sealing.

Andreas Schmidt likens air-tightness to a good wind-proof jacket. "If I'm wearing a wool jumper on a windy day, the wind will blow right through it. If I put on a wind or rain jacket and zip it up, then the wool insulation can do its job properly. It's the same with a building. You might have insulation in your house, but you'll still be cold if the wind is penetrating." Schmidt is the Irish representative of Swiss air-tightness specialists SIGA, who entered the Irish market in November last year. "The idea is to keep all the warm air inside the building and all the cold air outside, to prevent draughts and high heating bills," he says.

Air-tightness - essentially meaning the elimination of draughts - is crucial to reducing energy demand in buildings. Chris Montague of Building Envelope Technologies, who provide a range of air-tightness services to the Irish construction industry, says there are two steps to achieving it: "achieving air-tightness is 50 per cent design and specification, and 50 per cent construction quality. You can have a great design for air-tightness but if it's not put together correctly it won't succeed. Likewise, no matter how good the build quality is, the design has to be right."

The first step is simply deciding how air-tight you want your building to be, Montague says. "You can go as low as passive standards or you can build something that simply meets the building regulations, depending on your target energy consumption." Air-tightness of 0.6 air changes per hour (ACH) at 50 Pascals (Pa) pressure is required for passive house certification, though it's common for new Irish buildings to be as high as 10-15ACH at 50 Pa.

Air changes per hour is just one of many units for measuring air-tightness - the other most common being air permeability, which is measured in cubic metres per hour per square metre of external envelope area (m3/hr/m2). Air changes per hour is the accepted metric for measuring air-tightness in many continental European countries, while air permeability emanates from the UK, and is used to express the air-tightness requirement for new homes under the recently changed Part L of the Building Regulations.

For typical dwellings it is reasonable to assume only a marginal difference between ACH and air permeability results, according to Niall Crosson of Ecological Building Systems. "A house achieving an air permeability of 10m3/hr/m2 at 50Pa could be assumed to have an ACH at 50 Pa of say, 9. This can change dramatically with more complex building forms." As a rule of thumb, Crosson asserts, the ACH or air permeability at 50 Pa can be divided by 20 for non-complex building forms to estimate air change rates under normal conditions. "There is a methodology for calculating a more exact figure, but it's not necessary for conventional dwellings".

New homes must now achieve a result of 10m3/hrs/m2 at 50 Pa or better, as per the reference house in the technical guidance documents of Part L of the building regulations, which furthermore make measuring air permeability mandatory by means of blower door testing. However, the latest revision stipulates that new homes must consume 40 per cent less energy than this reference house, though builders have the discretion as to how exactly this target is met - and can choose how to claw back the necessary reductions by going beyond the minimum requirements in everything from added insulation, to renewable energy or high efficiency boilers, to improved air-tightness. Because sealing a building during construction involves relatively little or no cost - at least down to an air permability of about six or seven m3/hr/m2 at 50 Pa - it is one of the most cost effective ways of making large strides towards compliance.

Chris Montague continues: "When you've decided on your target energy consumption, you then have to consider all the various components of the building to make sure they will satisfy the level of performance you want."

A crucial step in designing an air-tight building is introducing an air-tight barrier - essentially a continuous air-tight layer that runs around the building. "In your plans, if you can follow an air-tight line around the house without interruptions, you've done a good job with your design," Andreas Schmidt says. "But if there's an interruption in your line, the builder can't build air-tight. If nobody thought about how to connect the air-tight membrane to a window or skylight at the design stage, how will the builder be able to do it?"

Niall Crosson of Ecological Building Systems elaborates on the air-tight barrier. "It's typically the line that separates the heated conditioned air inside from the cool unconditioned air outside. If I take my plans and draw a line continuously around the perimeter, wherever I have to lift my pen off the sheet of paper, wherever there's a break, that's where we need to find a solution." Ecological Building Systems was established in 2000 as a division of the MacCann & Byrne group, specialising in green building products, including the Pro Clima intelligent air-tight system and a range of natural insulation materials.

So, physically speaking, what exactly is an air-tight barrier? In some cases, it simply means ensuring all of the normal construction components are fitted and sealed properly to prevent air leakage. In other instances, a special air-tight membrane should be introduced to the construction.

Niall Crosson elaborates: "In build, wet plaster is very reliable as an air-tight layer. But you need to plaster all areas, even if they're not exposed. I've seen block buildings fail air-tightness tests because they haven't plastered unseen areas like behind toilets and sinks, and behind suspended ceilings. In the majority of cases a membrane is not required for masonry build, but it's critical the plaster runs completely around the external envelope."

"In lightweight construction, such as timber or steel frame, a membrane is a core part of ensuring air-tightness. You have to appreciate the importance of allowing the moisture to dry out particularly in timber frame or timber elements of block construction, and this is where breathability is key. Using an intelligent air-tight membrane greatly increases drying capacity."

Ecological Building systems supply an intelligent membrane that regulates the diffusion of moisture through the air barrier (vapour control layer, or VCL). "Our membrane acts as an air barrier and intelligent vapour check rather than solely focusing on air-tightness," Niall Crosson says. "It allows building components to dry out rapidly in the event that moisture penetrates into the building envelope. In winter months it prevents vapour from getting in, while in the summer it becomes up to fifty times more vapour open and allows it diffuse out. You may never need an intelligent membrane, but in the event of the unforeseen on site or over the life of the building it increases your drying levels."

Do particular building materials or systems have an advantage when it comes to air-tightness? "The assessment presumes that timber frame is inherently more air-tight than masonry," Chris Montague says, "and some anecdotal evidence says that timber frame houses are generally more air-tight. But that's not the case in our experience. A masonry house is relatively straightforward structurally. If you consider that in relation to a timber frame house, which will have a vapour control membrane and many joints, the timber frame is a lot more complicated. It's much easier to mess up with a timber frame build than masonry. That said, timber frame houses can be very air-tight."

If reducing carbon emissions is the principle aim though, concrete block is probably not the best option. Cement production currently accounts for five per cent of global man-made carbon emissions, though ground granulated blastfurnace slag, a lower carbon alternative derived from steel industry wastes, is abundantly available in Ireland thanks to the impressive growth of Dublin-based supplier Ecocem, in particular. And while timber-frame building might not be as structurally simple as masonry, it does lend itself to pre-fabrication in factory, which allows for precision building and strict quality control. Chris Montague is convinced that 'system' building makes it easier to achieve high levels of air-tightness.

"The system builds we've tested have performed very well," he says. "You don't have to reinvent the wheel every time you reach an interface, as it will have been dealt with already." Indeed, most super air-tight buildings in Ireland are constructed using a closed-panel timber frame system, in which insulation is precisely fitted to the timber panels during pre-fabrication.

Indeed, as recent case study articles in Construct Ireland have suggested, some closed panel timber frame homes are achieving superlative levels of air-tightness. A house in Malahide (1 ) built by the German company Project Oecotop achieved an air permability of 0.37m3/hr/m2 at 50 Pa whilst the two Botanic Homes passive houses (2)in County Carlow achieved 0.4ACH at 50 Pa. In terms of masonry, the ground breaking Easton News affordable housing development (3)in Kildare showed that with the right attention to detail in design and on site, full-fill cavity wall construction can achieve air permeability as low as 2.26m3/hr/m3 at 50 Pa.

SIGA's Andreas Schmidt doesn't believe any particular type of building has an air-tightness advantage. "There's really no difference. If you bring the right detail from design stage to construction, it doesn't matter what building material you use."

From an air-tightness perspective, the shape of a building is arguably as important as the materials from which it is constructed. "The simpler the shape of the building, and the simpler the geometry and the less junctions, the better it will be in terms of air-tightness," Chris Montague says. "You can't make every building simple, but it really does pay enormous dividends if the designers keep that principle in mind, and tries to rationalise and simplify things."

Niall Crosson emphasises the importance of simple design: "To achieve the best results we recommend trying to make the design as uncomplicated and straightforward as possible. Things like bay windows are very difficult to seal for air-tightness. You're adding on multiples of man hours by trying to seal them tightly."

While 'complex' designs featuring bay windows, L shapes and angular projections may be popular, this doesn't lend itself to lowering energy demand. Simple shapes are inherently more sustainable - they require less material to build, reduce the surface area through which heat can escape from the building, and reduce the number of intersections and joints where air leakage is possible. Perhaps more imagination is needed to marry simple shapes with innovative design and appealing aesthetics.

Of course getting the design right is just the first step towards air-tightness - implementing it is the next. "Picking your builders and making sure they're trained is perhaps the most import thing," Andreas Schmidt says. "If the builders just get the (sealing) product, they might be lost." Both SIGA and Ecological Building Systems run air-tightness courses and seminars for those in the building trade, and both companies also offer on-site consultation.

So what are the most common points of air infiltration and leakage in buildings? All of the experts Construct Ireland spoke to offered a similar list: Doors and windows, skylights, service penetrations, overlaps between sheets of VCL, and junctions between the VCL and the building. Both SIGA and Ecological Building Systems sell a range of specialist air-tight tapes and adhesives designed to seal specific problem areas.

Niall Crosson explains Ecological Building System's whole house air-tight system: "The Pro Clima intelligent air-tight system focuses on windows, floor , service penetrations and continuous sealing of the vapour control layer. For literally almost every detail there's a specialist solution. Durability and health are vital; you need a system that will last the life of the building without emitting any harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Studies have shown that gaps in the VCL can reduce insulation performance by up to 4.8 times, therefore a durable seal is critical."

"We manufacture all of our own tapes and adhesives," says SIGA's Andreas Schmidt. "We don't use any solvents, residential poisons or toxins. We work with this stuff every day so we want it to be healthy. Products with solvents and high boiling points also dry out much faster and become more brittle over time. Also, it's very important for us to test the products not only in the lab, but on the building site under real conditions. We have long-term experiments running on site, as well as tests in the lab. Many of our products are patented." After Schmidt spoke to Construct Ireland, he offered us an impromptu demonstration of SIGA's air-tight products, and some basic installation training, from the back of his car on a miserably wet day along Dublin's Ormond Quay. Despite the soaking rain, everything was impressively sticky.

According to Pat Kyne of PK Energy Controls, specialists in air-tightness testing, Irish buildings have a number of common air-tightness flaws. "The issues vary from building type to building type," he says. "The worst case is typically the dormer bungalow. The warm roof area of the dormer bungalow is parallel with a crawl space that runs around the perimeter that is ventilated through the eaves. When the wind picks up you've got positive pressure on the windward side of the house, the wind blows over the roof and you get a negative pressure on the opposite side. The air will move and take the path of least resistance."

"It enters the crawl space, hits the wall, moves down into the floor void that runs underneath the bedrooms, and from there it can go anywhere. This can causes a lot of air currents under the floor. It's a widespread problem, and you get an average of about eight to twelve air changes per hour at 50 pascals in a dormer. If you go downstairs and remove a recess light fitting, you'll feel the air moving at a very high velocity across the floor void. The effectiveness of any insulation in the floor void is dramatically reduced." Kyne says that introducing a vapour control layer is the most effective way of solving this problem.

Typical two storey masonry houses also face common problems. Kyne continues: "The most common problem here is also in the floor void. Joists run across the width of the house where they are butted into the wall, where they usually rest on the inner leaf of the cavity wall. The most common method is to butter up around the joists with mortar, but if they aren't sealed up correctly any air free in the cavity can get into the floor void, and the problem is especially bad with partial fill cavity walls." Kyne suggests filling the cavity to help remedy the problem if refurbishing, but recommends sealing the joists to the block properly during construction - or preferably resting them on hangers.

"A full fill cavity wall gives a much better performance than a half or partial fill," he says. "After it's pumped and the bond on the bead is set, you get a minute leakage at 50 Pascals. In terms of air-tightness in a masonry house, full fill is the way to go."

"If the boards aren't tied to the cavity, it makes the problem worse. You can see the joists on the infrared camera - they look like blue fingers streaming in from the cavity wall. I've tested houses that use the conventional method of supporting the joists in the inner leaf of the cavity wall, and they have an average of about eight air changes per hour at 50 Pa. However I've tested a house where the joists rest on hangers, and it got a result of about five air changes per hour."

Kyne also cites ducts supplying extract fans and wall vents as places where air can leak easily if proper sealing is not in place. He stresses that it's much easier to seal tricky areas during the build then to solve problems retrospectively - emphasising the importance of air-tightness in the design. During construction, gaps between door and window frames and the building can be sealed up, joists can be sealed properly to the block-work or vapour control layer (or designed to rest on hangers) and service penetrations can be easily taped up. All of these tasks became more difficult once the build is complete. Hence Kyne recommends blower door tests at both first fix stage and on completion to ensure any breaches haven't occurred after first fix.

According to a SIGA energy calculator, basic attention to air-tightness can result in significant energy savings. The calculator estimates that, over a 200 day heating period, a house with eight air changes per hour and a 100m2 base, heated with oil to 20oC, will cost e4127 to heat, while an equivalent house with three air changes per hour will cost e1548 to heat.

Andreas Schmidt says that while attention to air-tightness inside is crucial, wind-tightness is also important. Wind-tightness is similar in concept, but refers to the external envelope of the building. If cold air can penetrate through to the vapour control layer, it lowers the temperature of the VCL. This causes the warm internal air to cool down when it hits the membrane, and condensation can occur, leading to mould and building damage.

"If cold wind and rain can penetrate your house you won't get the you want," Schmidt adds. "Take a skylight for example - it should be air-tight on the inside and windtight on the outside. If you stop all movement of air in the construction the insulation performs much better. If cold wind and rain can enter the building, then your structure can rot. It's important both sides are really tight."

Once a building is sealed, testing it is the next step. Blower door tests - in which a fan mounted on a door is used to pressurise or depressurise the building - are the most common, along with infrared thermography.

"We highly recommend that a test is done when the vapour control layer is still visible," Andreas Schmidt says. "You can then take a short piece of tape and repair any faults, but if the plasterboard is on then you're in trouble." Chris Montague stresses the importance of ensuring the person carrying out a blower door test is suitably experienced.

Ecological Building Systems provide an air-tightness quality control unit, the Pro Clima WINCON, a basic testing unit that allows builders to perform simple air-tightness quality assessments on site. "It's basically a fan mounted on a wooden frame with a pressure gauge," Niall Crosson says. "Prior to finishing, the builder can depressurise or pressurise the building very quickly and identify and seal leaks at any stage of the building process. It gives the builder more control instead of having to rely on the final blower door test. It doesn't replace the blower door test but it helps to increase awareness on site."

Despite the central role air-tightness has to play in low energy building, extreme levels of air-tightness aren't favoured by all in the green building community, due to the assumption that they necessitate the use of mechanical ventilation heat recovery () systems in order to maintain a healthy indoor atmosphere. Some green builders prefer to avoid super air-tight standards and the energy demand of MVHR systems, while still building well-insulated structures that are naturally ventilated and fuelled by low or zero carbon sources. It's worth noting that MVHR energy consumption is coming down as MVHR manufacturers switch to low wattage fans and motors whilst improving the efficiency of their heat exchangers. MVHR and high levels of air tightness generally go hand in hand - Pat Kyne recommends a minimum air-tightness level of three ACH at 50 Pascals in order to make MVHR effective. "It think it will become the standard, that every house is built air-tight with MVHR," he says.

Air-tightness was hardly thought of on building sites a few years ago, but things are quickly changing. "There's a massive change in awareness," Andreas Schmidt says. "That's not just because of the building regulations, but because builders now have to deliver more quality. People buying a house want to get quality for their money. With oil prices rising, people are looking for safe energy. The Irish market is still behind, but there are so many people who are interested in air-tightness and want to build better, and that's the amazing part for me." Pat Kyne adds: "If there is a design for air-tightness, the contractor should appoint one guy on each site to look after air-tightness. I think that might be starting to happen now."

Chris Montague agrees that awareness levels are improving, and believes that the Irish building sector is learning quickly. "Designing and constructing an air-tight building is a bit like riding a bike. The first time you'll fall off, the second time you'll be a bit wobbly, but the third or fourth time you'll know what to look out for, and then you're on your way."

1 Walsh, Jason 'Vorsprung durch Oeko-technik ', Construct Ireland Issue 12 Volume 3

2 Antonelli, Lenny 'Passive attack ', Construct Ireland Issue 2 Volume 4

3 Stuart, Jay 'Out of the Ordinary ', Construct Ireland Issue 9 Volume 3

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How & why to achieve excellence in air-tightness

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https://passivehouseplus.ie/articles/ventilation/solar-enhanced-ventilation

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Facades that don't make sense for the users or passers-by (#unhappyfacade), and some inspiring...

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 World Economic Forum on Instagram: "London hospitals are now considering local air quality data when making diagnoses. 

The Alliance for Clean Air is a partnership between the World Economic Forum and the Clean Air Fund that brings business leaders together to tackle air pollution. Learn more by tapping on the link in our bio."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
 World Economic Forum on Instagram: "London hospitals are now considering local air quality data when making diagnoses. 

The Alliance for Clean Air is a partnership between the World Economic Forum and the Clean Air Fund that brings business leaders together to tackle air pollution. Learn more by tapping on the link in our bio."

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1,652 likes, 132 comments - worldeconomicforum on February 9, 2024: "London hospitals are now considering local air quality data when making diagnoses. 

The Alliance..."

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Passivhaus and EnerPHit summary sheets for construction | WT Architecture posted on the topic | LinkedIn

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A detailed visual summary of Passive House terminology, metrics, principles and formulas by our Lucie Tinsdale. Sheets 1-4 available in her post below and sheets 5-6 scheduled for noon today. As signatories to the RIBA Climate Challenge 2030 we have been driving the studio's sustainability hard, focusing on both training as well as implementation of lessons learned on projects and within the practice. We are repeatedly humbled by construction industry's efforts to drive to Net Zero and by generous sharing of data and experiences. We believe the more collaboration and information sharing, the better the outcome for all so this is our first formal contribution to the mix. Going forward we will be sharing some of our on project experiences and achievements in Project Feature posts. If this is of interest to you, watch our space.

A P A S S I V E H O U S E J O U R N E Y As part of my Passive House study I created summary sheets as visual notes. I have now finished formatting 4 of the 6 sheets and would like to share these with the hope that they will be helpful to students and professionals doing a Passive House course, preparing for their Passive House exam or early on in their Passive House journey. The four sheets focus on terminology as well as information and parameter overviews. The last two sheets (to follow) cover all the energy balance formulas and how they relate to each other. Sheet 1: Passivhaus and EnerPHit Certification Criteria, Passivhaus Measurement Terms and Factors, Passive House Economics, Passive House Renewables. Sheet 2: Building - Construction Materials, Components and Composites (construction build ups), Typical thermal conductivity, Typical Passive House U-values, Typical non PH Window U-values, Thermal Comfort and Windows. Sheet 3: Climate/ Environment/ Location, Domestic heating and hot water, Air-tightness and Ventilation. Sheet 4: Building - MVHR, Ventilation and MVHR for Calculations Information has been collated from the course I did with Mosart ( Tomas O'Leary, MD of MosArt) and the Passive House Institute ( Passive House Institute) website as stated on each page. If anyone spots any errors or typos please let me know. . .#passivehouse #passivhaus #learning #cpd #architecture #sustainability #architecture #sustainablearchitecture #sustainabledesign #wtarchitecture

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A P A S S I V E H O U S E J O U R N E Y As part of my Passive House study I created summary sheets as visual notes. I have now finished formatting 4 of the 6 sheets and would like to share these with the hope that they will be helpful to students and professionals doing a Passive House course, preparing for their Passive House exam or early on in their Passive House journey. The four sheets focus on terminology as well as information and parameter overviews. The last two sheets (to follow) cover all the energy balance formulas and how they relate to each other. Sheet 1: Passivhaus and EnerPHit Certification Criteria, Passivhaus Measurement Terms and Factors, Passive House Economics, Passive House Renewables. Sheet 2: Building - Construction Materials, Components and Composites (construction build ups), Typical thermal conductivity, Typical Passive House U-values, Typical non PH Window U-values, Thermal Comfort and Windows. Sheet 3: Climate/ Environment/ Location, Domestic heating and hot water, Air-tightness and Ventilation. Sheet 4: Building - MVHR, Ventilation and MVHR for Calculations Information has been collated from the course I did with Mosart ( Tomas O'Leary, MD of MosArt) and the Passive House Institute ( Passive House Institute) website as stated on each page. If anyone spots any errors or typos please let me know. . .#passivehouse #passivhaus #learning #cpd #architecture #sustainability #architecture #sustainablearchitecture #sustainabledesign #wtarchitecture

A P A S S I V E H O U S E J O U R N E Y As part of my Passive House study I created summary sheets as visual notes. I have now finished formatting 4 of the 6 sheets and would like to share these with the hope that they will be helpful to students and professionals doing a Passive House course, preparing for their Passive House exam or early on in their Passive House journey. The four sheets focus on terminology as well as information and parameter overviews. The last two sheets (to follow) cover all the energy balance formulas and how they relate to each other. Sheet 1: Passivhaus and EnerPHit Certification Criteria, Passivhaus Measurement Terms and Factors, Passive House Economics, Passive House Renewables. Sheet 2: Building - Construction Materials, Components and Composites (construction build ups), Typical thermal conductivity, Typical Passive House U-values, Typical non PH Window U-values, Thermal Comfort and Windows. Sheet 3: Climate/ Environment/ Location, Domestic heating and hot water, Air-tightness and Ventilation. Sheet 4: Building - MVHR, Ventilation and MVHR for Calculations Information has been collated from the course I did with Mosart ( Tomas O'Leary, MD of MosArt) and the Passive House Institute ( Passive House Institute) website as stated on each page. If anyone spots any errors or typos please let me know. . .#passivehouse #passivhaus #learning #cpd #architecture #sustainability #architecture #sustainablearchitecture #sustainabledesign #wtarchitecture

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A P A S S I V E H O U S E J O U R N E Y As part of my Passive House study I created summary sheets as visual notes. I have now finished formatting 4 of the 6 sheets and would like to share these with the hope that they will be helpful to students and professionals doing a Passive House course, preparing for their Passive House exam or early on in their Passive House journey. The four sheets focus on terminology as well as information and parameter overviews. The last two sheets (to follow) cover all the energy balance formulas and how they relate to each other. Sheet 1: Passivhaus and EnerPHit Certification Criteria, Passivhaus Measurement Terms and Factors, Passive House Economics, Passive House Renewables. Sheet 2: Building - Construction Materials, Components and Composites (construction build ups), Typical thermal conductivity, Typical Passive House U-values, Typical non PH Window U-values, Thermal Comfort and Windows. Sheet 3: Climate/ Environment/ Location, Domestic heating and hot water, Air-tightness and Ventilation. Sheet 4: Building - MVHR, Ventilation and MVHR for Calculations Information has been collated from the course I did with Mosart ( Tomas O'Leary, MD of MosArt) and the Passive House Institute ( Passive House Institute) website as stated on each page. If anyone spots any errors or typos please let me know. . .#passivehouse #passivhaus #learning #cpd #architecture #sustainability #architecture #sustainablearchitecture #sustainabledesign #wtarchitecture

Incredibly important work by UK Architects Declare, along with UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStruct E), The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Construction Industry Council (CIC) , the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Built Environment Declares and PartZ to push for government to commit to sustainability and legislate requirements.

We are proud to be part of an industry grouping calling for political parties to commit the next UK Government to reduce embodied carbon emissions in building construction within two years of starting government. Today UK Architects Declare, along with UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStruct E), The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Construction Industry Council (CIC) , the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers ( CIBSE), Built Environment Declares and #PartZ have joined forces to send a consistent message to UK political party leaders about the urgent need for regulation of embodied carbon emissions in construction. As Zoe Watson, a member of AD's Steering Group and Head of Sustainability at Allies and Morrison, says: "With 2024 a general election year, we call on party leaders to make these manifesto commitments and for the next government to act on them." The Policy Position Paper says: "Around 1 in 10 tonnes of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions are so-called 'embodied carbon' emissions, related to the production and use of construction materials. They total 64 million tonnes CO2e per year, more than the country's aviation and shipping emissions combined." Today's release ties in with our ongoing work to develop our Building Blocks to Transform the Built Environment manifesto, of which embodied carbon regulation forms a significant part. At our industry launch event in November, Part Z co-author and Associate at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Tim den Dekker, delivered a presentation outlining the principles of Part Z, the proposed policy changes involved and how it ties in with an overall move towards a regenerative future for the construction industry and built environment. You can read the policy position paper here: https://lnkd.in/dDaisrfD#partz #ukgbc #istructe #embodiedcarbon #wholelifecarbon#mission #climatemission #getinvolved #policychange #systemschange #buildingblocks #builtenvironment #climateemergency #regenerativefuture #ukarchitectsdeclare #journey #manifesto #climateaction #architectsdeclare #reducingemissions #constructionsector #prioritise #resourceefficiency #circulareconomy #kickstart #urbanmining

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Passivhaus and EnerPHit summary sheets for construction | WT Architecture posted on the topic | LinkedIn

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P A S S I V E H O U S E S U M M A R Y S H E E T S Upon request we share all six Passive House summary sheets as PDF. Their original size is A3... | 12 comments on LinkedIn

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PHPP add on ribbon for PHPP software

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Recent Events involving PHribbon
28th April 2020 - Passivhaus Trust MASTERCLASS: Getting to Net Zero , Embodied CO ₂ demonstration
29th April 2020 - Assn of Sustainable Building Products, ASBP Embodied Carbon webinar, Embodied CO ₂ demonstration
6th May 2020 - RIBA North East Sustainable Futures Forum inaugural event including Embodied CO ₂ discussion
26th May 2020 - AECB webinar on PHribbon with real life examples, will cover all modules
16th June 2020 - AECB Stock Model Stock Model Seminar , Embodied CO ₂ part of the Stock Model used PHribbon
17th June 2020 - Passivhaus Trust Net Carbon Zero tutorial, Embodied CO ₂ demonstration
8th July 2020 - North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) online conference 2020, PHribbon demo 7-8pm UK time
20th Oct 2020 - Getting to Net Zero, PHribbon will be one of several seminars in a series (starting 2nd Sept) by the Passivhaus Trust
21st-29th Oct 2020 - Spanish Passivhaus Conference PEP
3rd Nov 2020 - AECB Webinar on PHribbon PAS2035, Operational CO2 and RIBA
25th Nov 2020 - UK Passivhaus Conference, UK futures, joint presentation with James Turner on Stirling Prize winner Goldsmith Street
4th Feb 2021 - Riverside Sunderland: University Design Challenge, Youtube
19th Apr 2021 - RIBA, Embodied CO ₂ Calculators
20th Apr 2021 - AECB standalone CO ₂ Calculator
14 Jul 2021 - Passivhaus Trust, Net Zero workshop, Embodied CO ₂ demonstration
4th Aug 2021 - Passivhaus Institut iPHA Webinar #4: Embodied carbon and energy in passive house constructions, with Benjamin Krick
2nd Nov 2021 - RIBA, Embodied CO2 Calculators
14th Dec 2021 - Southside Hereford University Design Challenge (using PHribbon for the Embodied)
24th Feb 2022 - Partel Building Performance Interactive 6, with Ben Adam Smith
15th Mar 2022 - AECB Webinar : Masonry Cavity Wall Construction - Embodied energy and buildability, with Chris Herring and Bill Butcher

Upcoming Events
25th May 2022 - Passivhaus Trust: Passivhaus and Embodied Carbon seminar

Related websites
AECB page on PHribbon

PH+ magazine issue 41, Embodied Carbon special

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Easy to use add-on for PHPP Users of the PHPP energy software will know it is a leader in accurate calculations for Passivhauses and low energy buildings including retrofits. AECB PHribbon makes using PHPP quicker, easier and it uses the

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HPH345: Why is the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) such a useful tool? – with Sarah Lewis - House Planning Help

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HPH345: Why is the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) such a useful tool? – with Sarah Lewis - House Planning Help

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Sarah Lewis, the Research and Policy Director at the UK Passivhaus Trust and author of PHPP Illustrated, explains what the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) is and how it is used during the design process. Interview with Sarah Lewis Sarah Lewis is the author of PHPP Illustrated and an architect with a wealth of experience […]

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Halton Mill

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Could THIS Be The Solution To Tackling the Energy Crisis?

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heat pump section on the component database

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heat pump section on the component database

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Heat pumps use existing heat sources such as outside air, soil or exhaust air to generate heat energy. The category of heat pumps and combi units includes single-unit and split heat pumps, as well as several variants and combination options. This includes the combination of heat pump and ventilation unit, as well as heat pump compact units, which offer an all-round package for heating, ventilation and hot water.
Passipedia

Type

Source

Sink

Function

Climate zones

Location/Avaliability

Date certified

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Heat Pumps in the Passive House Portal Component Database

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List of Heat Pumps in the Passive House Portal Component Database

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Architype graph showing the PH School and the C02 concentration levels.

https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/passive-house#item_1_lv3bwyiq

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Nadia Kravtcova

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Learn about building faster and more thermally efficient foundations for your Passivhaus or low energy build.

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This is part of the work done in conjunction with PHT to improve maintenance follow recent problems of systems not being maintained.

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by Gwilym Max Fordham

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PHPP plug-in: peak heating load - Max Fordham

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PHPP has a graph to display the heat gains and losses for the space heating demand approach, which is a very useful design tool to help understand the design, including which heat transfer mechanisms are significant or trivial.There’s not currently an equivalent graph for peak heating load.

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The Retrofit Pattern Book allows designers and manufacturers to show their best practice details to others. Our aim is to help improve retrofit standards to reduce fuel use, to increase comfort and to benefit health across all property types. Discussion forums are in development that will enable people to discuss the issues that make retrofits complex and come up with the best solutions. Everyone with an idea to contribute is encouraged to make an account and upload information. Any questions? Contact us.

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The Retrofit Pattern Book allows designers and manufacturers to show their best practice details to others. Our aim is to help improve retrofit standards to reduce fuel use, to increase comfort and to benefit health across all property types.

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HPH360: Why MVHR maintenance and servicing is important – with Richard Hollas - House Planning Help

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Richard Hollas from 21 Degrees explains why regular MVHR maintenance and servicing is essential, what it entails, and we accompany him step-by-step as he services a unit. Interview with Richard Hollas Richard Hollas, a commissioning and service engineer for 21 Degrees (formerly Green Building Store), details the process of servicing an MVHR unit, using Ben’s […]