The five principles of passive houses

Passivhäuser! or passive houses ! follow these criteria to meet their energy saving standards:

1. Thermal insulation in passive houses
Thermal insulation helps reduce energy loss ! both in winter and summer. How is this achieved? By implementing systems that face outwards and backwards! in facades! windows! roofs! exterior walls and ceilings.

2. Hermeticism
Thermal insulation is complemented by airtight systems . In other words! it is business and consumer email list not just a matter principles of passive of covering! but of doing it correctly to avoid air leaks that cause loss of temperature. In this way! energy efficiency standards are guaranteed.

3. High performance windows
High-performance windows ensure energy retention. Materials such as insulating and airtight frames and profiles are used for this purpose! as well as double and triple glazing. Depending on the type of home and window! it is advisable to choose the right one.

 Absence of thermal bridges

Thermal bridges transmit heat more easily to the outside! which means losing between 5 and 10%. Passive houses do not have thermal bridges ! either in the roof! the façade or in the shutter boxes. This is another way of avoiding areas that are hotter than normal.

5. Mechanical ventilation
Mechanical ventilation is used for several purposes. Firstly! to recover heat and reduce energy use! using two ventilation circuits! one that injects air from outside into the interior and another that expels mixed air! without mixing them! but taking advantage of the heat of the interior air. These systems also include air filters to avoid allergens! CEO2! suspended particles and other pollutants. Therefore! the air is cleaner .

Windows! insulation! the absence of thermal bridges… All these your visitors this can provide components are considered “passive” because they do not require energy to perform their functions and guarantee energy efficiency requirements.

Passive houses take advantage of the sun
Another advantage of these homes is that they use energy from renewable sources! especially solar energy. Therefore! the installation of photovoltaic panels is optimal for producing electricity for self-consumption. These are its benefits:

Solar energy is inexhaustible! unlike fossil energy sources.
This energy does not pollute with greenhouse gases and does not contribute to global warming.
Photovoltaic panels do not generate polluting waste.
Solar energy does not produce noise! so there is no noise pollution.
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On the other hand! self-consumption of solar energy from passive houses offers you several advantages:

Flexibility! because it is easy to adjust and adapt consumption appropriately

Safety! because nowadays! this type of installation does not pose any risk.
Savings. In the last 5 years! prices for renewable technologies have ar numbers reduced their costs by 80%! according to the Institute for Energy Diversification and Savings of Spain (IDAE). And! during 2023! the price of materials has continued its downward trend.
Are there passive house certifications?
The Passivhaus Institute Guide indicates that there are different Passivhaus certificates! depending on the type of building. These are:

Passivhaus certificate for new buildings! whether residential or not.
EnerPHit certification for renovated buildings! regardless of whether they are residential or not.
Now! the type of Passivhaus passive house certification has three subcategories: classic! plus or premium ! depending on the airtightness criterion! the most demanding being premium.