about Passivhaus design | a-dro desin Passivhaus

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Passivhaus is quite simply is the most rigorous, best researched and most successful low energy design and quality assurance standard for buildings there is. Buildings that are independently certified as having achieved the Passivhaus standard are ensured to provide internal comfort standards that are of the highest standard in terms of warmth and air quality, for the absolute minimum expenditure of energy and fuel costs – who wouldn’t want to live in a place with those credentials?

Passivhaus design focuses on the absolute energy performance of a building through key design parameters:

• the use of efficient building forms with high insulation levels, 
• the meticulous specification and location of windows and doors to take advantage of free solar gains
• the detailed consideration of air leakage reduction and thermal bridge-free construction 
• the installation of only the quietest, most energy-saving heat recovery ventilation systems
• the elimination of overheating risks through shading and natural venting
• inspection during the construction phase to confirm that all the above measures have been installed to the highest standard.

All these conditions are checked for compliance in advance through the use of the specialist design tools, designPH and the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP). Certified Passivhaus designers use this software to input data on local climate, thermal performance for wall, floor and roof constructions, ventilation design efficiency, fuel sources and internal heat gains – a 3D model of the building can also be used to test the impact of form, shading and window opening sizes and positions.