Passive [Solar] House
I have always been an enthusiastic advocate of passive solar design. The concept is so simple: rearrange the building components to maximize the harvesting and storing of solar energy. Do…
Passive House Concept
Passive House in a nutshell
Passive House is a building concept that is very energy-efficient, requiring such a small amount of heat that it can be heated by mainly passive heat sources, such as incoming sunlight, household appliances and inhabitants.
A HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilation) system is a necessary, and the only active component of the system. Depending on the climate, a small post heater is needed to heat the incoming air to a comfortable temperature.
Passive House reduces the required energy to heat a building by:
- smart design
- increasing thermal insulation
- air tightening the building envelope
- installing high performance windows
- incorporating an HRV system.