Passive Homes

Get your building certified through a Passive House Orginization & by following these Rules!

1 Insulation | Use quality insulation for walls, ceiligs, and floors.

2 Airtightness | Must not exeede the 'air pressure test' threshold for air leakage.

3 Windows | Use well insulated windows and window frames. Instal with consideration of solar heat gain and shade. Windows should have a high G-value, or total solar transmitance, of at least 50% and a low U-Value of ""0.80W/(m²K)"" or less. (The U-Value measures the quality of insulation, lower values are more inulative.

4 Shading | Use home fixtures like overhangs or shutters, or use (diciduous) trees and trellises.

5 Renewable Energy | Must not exceed so many kilo Watt hours per year OR exeeced the Watt peak-demand limit per unit of usable living space. Year round, living areas must fall in the range of acceptable temperatures (around 70°) - excluding, usually, a few days per year.

6 Ventilation | Ventilation should be considered when constucting walls and windows. Postition stuctures so that cool air can enter and flow through the home. To circulate air and keep living areas comfortable, use passive ventilation methods like vents, louvers, or even wind towers.

7 Thermal Mass | Use materials with the ability to absorb, hold, and relase heat to cool your home in excess heat and to warm it in the cold.

---