Building a passive house to save energy – what should you consider?

Energy-saving houses are an increasingly common topic in the construction industry. Opportunities and new construction measures are being soughtEnergy costscan lower. It's not just about building new houses accordingly, but also about effectively renovating old ones. The reason for this is the prices for all types of fuel and energy are constantly rising. They are particularly popularPassive house to save energy. But what exactly is a passive house?

Passive house to save energy with environmentally friendly architecture

Passive houseto save energy – high-quality materials

This is a house that is so effectiveinsulationhas that energy consumption is ten times lower than with normal building standards. But this is not only achieved through the correct use of high-quality materials. Certain things must also be taken into account during project planning. The more expensive materials that are used to build a passive house to save energy are only of use if the project planning is carried out by qualified specialists. Otherwise, you risk spending a lot of money without getting the expected result. Remember that this is a future-oriented investment that should not be a waste of money. If these and the following realistic requirements for a passive house to save energy are met, you have the opportunity to build a house that drastically reduces energy consumption.

Passive house with an underground back - warmth in winter and coolness in summer

The basics that characterize a passive house for saving energy

Apart from good insulation, ventilation unexpectedly also plays an important role in saving energy in a passive house. Because when ventilating a building by opening the windows or even the doors
most of the warm air is lost. After a house has been insulated airtight, a ventilation system should be installed that supplies the house with fresh air, but at the same time also returns the lost warm air into the rooms. A heat exchanger is used for this.

Passive house with sliding doors

The windows for a passive house to save energy

Equally important are of course the windows and doors, which are used to save energy in a passive house. The following should be noted when it comes to windows: The windows you choose should of course be of high quality. The heat transfer should not exceed the coefficient Uw ≤ 0.8 W/m2*k. This coefficient indicates good thermal insulation. In terms of air permeability, class 4 is recommended. These requirements are necessary for the passive house to pass the so-called “blower door test” to save energy. This is used to measure the airtightness of the building and to determine the limit of uncontrolled air exchange, i.e. the heat that is lost through closed windows or other joints. If the building has a ventilation system, ventilation through open windows is no longer necessary. Of course, you can still ventilate the rooms in this way, but the loss of heat must be taken into account.

Sliding shutters for the passive house

The windows are not necessarily a weak point in the building, as is often wrongly thought. If they are distributed correctly, they can even contribute to energy saving and make an important contribution to warming the house, as they allow sunlight to penetrate the rooms and thus warm them up. There should be enough windows on the south side of the house, while they should be avoided on the north side. In this case, in order to save energy in the passive house, you should definitely think about sun protection for the summer, otherwise overheating can occur. Blinds or awnings, for example, can help here.

Passive house with open shutters for the winter

All in all, a passive house to save energy gives you an unexpected level of living comfort that is not the case with normal building standards. The reason for this is an even, pleasant heat and air temperature that is not disturbed by drafts, as is the case with normal windows, for example. Thanks to the practical ventilation system, you will no longer need regular ventilation through open windows, even despite the high temperatures.

The passive house with closed shutters for the summer

Passive house architecture – solar radiation in winter and summer and ventilation

Design idea for the passive house with solar system

Modern passive house