The passive house has a 40-50 cm thick wall from which the thermal insulation is 20-30 cm. Its function is based on some very simple physical laws.
The heatloss that streams outwards needs to be reduced to the minimum while the incoming solar energy needs to be used to the maximum. Modern blinds and shadings will protect from overheating.
What is a passive house?
A passive house is a building where the inside climate secures a comfortable feeling through winter and summertime without the traditional heating system.
The building must keep in line with: the wall, floor, roof, with the thermal insulation ability of the windows, with the building siting, with the quality of the applicable products, with the heating system that operates with a heat pump and ensures fresh, hygienic air inside and also with other natural energy sources (sun energy, wind energy). While in Hungary we do not even have enough funds to finance building renovation or retaining its condition, in Austria they specifically search for revolutionary building techniques and it is obligatory to employ building methods that decrease energy consumption.
Structure of the passive house
The passive house has a 40-50 cm thick wall from which the thickness of the outside thermal insulation is 20-30 cm. The thermal insulation rate of the bolster-wall- and roof structure reaches the 0.15 kWh/m2 rate. The outside windows are thermal insulated structures and have three layers of glass which is covered with foil and is filled with krypton gas. The heating and cooling of the fresh air in such buildings is done with using the energy of the Sun and the Earth.
Function of the passive house
Its function is based on some very simple physical laws. It reduces the heatloss that streams outwards to the minimum while it uses the incoming solar energy to the maximum. With the perfect thermal insulation, airlocking, eliminating thermal bridges completely and with compact building form, we prevent the heat from streaming out from the "thermal" cover. In passive houses the heating of the air coming in from outside is done by using the energy of the Sun and Earth. The countercurrent heat exchanger controls the constant blast and the heat of the used air heats up the incoming fresh air with 90% efficiency. Basically, heating up the inside field of the passive house is done by using sun energy. The big window surfaces facing south will let the sunshine in, which will heat up the air that the thermal insulated walls will not let out. Against overheating the traditional shadings and blinds will protect. Of course there are days when due to dull weather there is not enough solar energy to heat the inside of the house. At such times there are the solar cells which produce electricity or the sun collectors producing warm water (water can be stored in a tank). Energy consumption grows constantly all over the world and this can be compensated in the long term - or even nowadays- especially with the increase of energy efficiency and with the employment of renewable energy. In Austria, the rate of renewable energy is 23% and they would like to increase it to 25% by 2010, and to 45% by 2015. Unfortunately our houses are energy wasters, and according to experts the passive house-standard can be a big break-through in decreasing heating energy usage but other energy consupmtion (warm water, electricity) can only be decreased with the extensive use of renewed energy. These are excess costs which will return in the short run.
Why this is the future?
Today we have the technological tools available (and the practical experience that is needed to their adaptation) that would drastically decrease – even to less than one fifth!- the costs of one building's energy usage. The cost of building such houses – according to estimations - is 7-10% higher than a conventional house, but in return the operational costs can be drastically decreased: According to an article in HVG’s enclosure „Forma” (refering to Austrian examples) while the heating and warm water costs of a traditional (massive house like) 130 m2 family house is 800-900 EUR, in the case of a passive house these costs are only around 120 EUR. A further advantage is that the emission of harmful substances will decrease (first of all carbon dioxide) which becomes a more and more important aspect to European people, who like to be known as people who feel responsible for their environment.
Further information:
Masterplast Group Private Company Limited by Shares
H-8143 Sarszentmihaly, Arpad u. 1/A
Tel.: +36-22-801-300
Fax.: +36-22-801-382
E-mail: masterplast@masterplast.hu
