Certified PASSIVE houses PROMISE a very low environmental impact.
The passive certification induces to respect certain specificities. Here are some key points.
Certification
To be recognized as a passive house, it must be certified by the Passivhaus Institute. It is a German energy performance label for buildings. The 3 best certifications proposed by this institute are described below.
Certification standards
The Classic Passive certification corresponds to:
- A heating requirement of less than 15 kWh of useful energy per m² of energy reference area per year
- A total consumption of primary energy (all uses, household appliances included) of less than 120 kWh per m² of energy reference area per year
- An air permeability of the envelope measured under 50 Pascals of pressure difference less than or equal to 0.6 per hour
- Indoor overheating frequency (> 25 ° C) less than 10% of the hours of the year
Concerning the Passive Plus and Passive Premium certifications, we must add to the above criteria a source of renewable energy production.
Thermal insulation from outside
In building to have this certification, we must start with thermal insulation. Outdoor insulation is one of the most important factors in limiting heat transfer and thermal bridging. The goal is to maintain an indoor temperature of between 20 and 25 degrees throughout the year.
Solar inputs
For the supply of heat, the sunshine of the building is important. For this, we must be attentive to positioning, cardinal orientation and openings. On the south facade, we capture a maximum of light and energy while in the North we limit all types of openings to minimize losses. On the other hand, the inhabitants and electrical appliances of the house also give off their own heat. Heating does not become necessary in a passive house.
Air sealing
The airtightness is also an essential criterion, because we have to limit the air passages as much as possible to keep a better performance within the building. The higher the airtightness, the greater the comfort of life. For this, the choice of woodwork is important because they avoid different heat transfer. Within the Avenidor construction, triple glazing was chosen for each of the bays and we conducted two blower door tests to verify compliance with the Passive Certification.
Ventilation
Aeration in a passive house must be ensured by a dual stream VMC. This system makes it possible to extract stale air from damp rooms and to inject fresh air into the living rooms. It then allows the extraction of bad odors and thus purifies the air. It regulates the moisture content and ensures a permanent renewal.
RT 2020
This corresponds to the thermal regulation that will soon be applicable for any construction project. Future builders are asked to use renewable energy to a minimum. « The RT 2020 will implement the concept of positive energy building. These are buildings that produce more energy than they consume. All constructions will have to be considered passive. The new regulations will allow freedom of design by simply limiting energy consumption. » (cf. RT2020 website)
Of course, we respect all its specificities, as AVENIDOR is certified as a Passive Premium Building. In fact, the AVENIDOR houses outclass the Passive certification and the future thermal regulation of the building. >
