Passive Housing can play a major role in reducing the impact of global
warming.
For anyone
considering a new build, WOW can provide any one of eleven varying
Interhabs styles or alternatively, assess the pre-planned design
elements for any domestic or commercial structure in relation to energy
efficiency, moisture ingress, and suitability for various renewable
energy resources including solar, heat recovery ventilation, insulation
materials, aperture options, draught proofing, blower door testing,
thermography or wind turbine configuration.. WOW can also offer a BER
and advisory reports from plans.
For further information on Interhabs Ireland, visit:
www.interhabs.ie
Due to the
recent high level of demand, Interhabs Ireland Ltd. are now at full
capacity within the design department and are unable to take on any
further full turnkey design projects until July 2008, however, there is
a facility to order a standard package from any one of eleven varying
styles. (see website:
www.interhabs.ie )
WOWenergy
have set up a specific department to cater for a full ecological design
service. Whether a builder, an architect or considering a self build, we
can assist. WOW can also offer BER (Building Energy Rating) and advisory
reports from plans.
WOWenergy are now moving towards passive house design and
with the use of specialised PHPP software, can help with all design
aspects.
Passive House Technology
The Passive
House is gaining considerable public interest against
a background of recent discussions on the acceleration of climate
change.
Passive houses
are no longer futuristic or exotic buildings for the minority.
They now
comprise a considerable proportion of new builds in Germany,
Austria
and the northern part of Italy. The passive house idea is gaining ground
beyond
Central Europe,
offering economically viable highly comfortable housing.
Orientation and
shading, as well as of heat losses to the ground, are designed in a way
that they can be used independently of climate and location.
An increasing
number of non-residential buildings e.g. schools and office buildings
are being developed according to the Passive House Standard. As an aid
to the development of such projects,
worksheets for the calculation of electricity demand and internal heat
gains in non-residential buildings are now available.
The target of
the PHPP is and remains that it should be a planning tool. It provides
all instruments which are necessary for the design of a well-performing
Passive House. Several examples show how diverse the planner's possibilities are. Sustainable buildings in the Passive House
Standard can be realized at any location in the world, which reduce
ongoing energy consumption by at least a factor four in comparison with
that of other types of new builds,
and can
be permanently integrated into a structure of sustainable energy
production. Professional software is now in use by WOWenergy to aid the
evaluation and specify in such areas as follows:
Elements
·
Orientation
·
Passive Solar Gain
·
Air Volume & Air Change Rate
·
Annual Heat Demand
·
Heat Load – Gains & Losses
·
Primary Energy Values
·
Calculating Auxiliary Electricity
·
Energy Source - Precise Heating System Sizing
·
Circulation Pumps & Pipes
·
Building Elements - Adjacent to Ground, Exposed to Air, Undisturbed
Soil, Inhomogeneous
·
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
·
Climate Data
·
Lighting
·
Windows
Energy
Balance
·
Consumer Electronics and Small Appliances
·
Cooking Cloth Drying Dishwasher Laundry
·
Cooling Load
·
Dehumidification
·
District Heating
·
Efficiency of Heat Recovery
·
Energy Service
·
Refrigerating and Freezing
Alan Hingston, Invest NI Trade Director states
"More than 10,000 Passive House units have been successfully built and
completed in
Europe. Positive feedback from owners and residents has confirmed what
had been projected: not only that energy costs can be reduced
drastically, but also that the comfort of living increases significantly
by using an energy efficient construction."
