Passivhaus
If you want to make your dream home as sustainable as possible then Passivhaus (or Passive House) is something Greenheart have over 20 years experience in.
We offer a level of Passivhaus standard with all our new buildings, with many of our eco-buildings in Bristol and surrounding areas have achieved official passivhaus certification. We have even gone a step further by building one of only a handful of houses in the UK to achieve Passive House Plus certification.
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As an experienced sustainable Bristol contractor with over 20 years’ experience, Greenheart Sustainable Construction can offer you different options of Passivhaus to satisfy your project’s budget – ensuring you don’t have to compromise on the integrity of your sustainable home.
Right Image - A comparison between passivhaus vs non-passivhaus homes. Source: OVO |
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By working with us on your passive house, Greenheart will ensure you and your project have;
- Precise and accurate network of energy efficient insulation
- An entire vapour control and a thorough wind tightness throughout the structure
- A knowledge of cold bridging minimisation and accurate detailing
- The highest quality of sustainable materials from our transparent supply chain
- Installation of MVHR systems
We believe the key to successful Passive House construction is teamwork. From designer and consultant to plumber and labourer - everyone involved should understand the impact of what they do and be on board with the concept.
What is Passivhaus?
Passive House is a sustainable construction method created to make buildings as low energy as possible, while achieving optimum levels of comfort for occupants. Passivhaus concerns the airtightness of a building - ensuring that no air escapes and the air which is inside the building is controlled for freshness and thermally optimal.
To achieve a high level of Passive house quality at Greenheart we ensure every crack and corner of our sustainably sourced timber frame is sealed in using high quality airtight materials with breathable technology, ensuring control over ventilation and moisture for decades to come. All of these renewable materials will be of low embodied energy and minimal toxicity levels.
Once we’re satisfied that your building is sealed up, we verify the air quality to work out how much air needs to be removed or added per hour to keep the air fresh and comfortable. The less air changes per hour (ACPH) a building needs, the more efficient it is. Once we have tested this, we can inform you of your home’s level of Passivhaus.
We work with recognised industry professionals BAT Ltd on the air quality & permeability of our buildings.
To achieve a high level of Passive house quality at Greenheart we ensure every crack and corner of our sustainably sourced timber frame is sealed in using high quality airtight materials with breathable technology, ensuring control over ventilation and moisture for decades to come. All of these renewable materials will be of low embodied energy and minimal toxicity levels.
Once we’re satisfied that your building is sealed up, we verify the air quality to work out how much air needs to be removed or added per hour to keep the air fresh and comfortable. The less air changes per hour (ACPH) a building needs, the more efficient it is. Once we have tested this, we can inform you of your home’s level of Passivhaus.
We work with recognised industry professionals BAT Ltd on the air quality & permeability of our buildings.
Passivhaus to Suit every Budget
At Greenheart we offer three levels of Passivhaus;
Passivhaus Standard – We aim to incorporate a Passive house standard of air control within all our projects. To achieve minimum levels of Passivhaus, the number of air changes per hour (ACPH) in a building should be 0.6, which we always strive to achieve. If you want to incorporate a detail which may cause the building to exceed official passivhaus numbers, you can still be assured the high level of efficiency in your ecohome.
Passivhaus Certified – Built to official passivhaus standard specifications, we design using specialist software and the build has to follow the design precisely. It is then checked by certified assessors and The Passivhaus Trust, one of our official partners.
Passivhaus Planning Package - Greenheart have an established relationship with Passive House Certified Designer Piers Sadler to offer a complete Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) in order excellent levels of airtightness down to 0.1 air changes per hour (ACPH).
Passivhaus Standard – We aim to incorporate a Passive house standard of air control within all our projects. To achieve minimum levels of Passivhaus, the number of air changes per hour (ACPH) in a building should be 0.6, which we always strive to achieve. If you want to incorporate a detail which may cause the building to exceed official passivhaus numbers, you can still be assured the high level of efficiency in your ecohome.
Passivhaus Certified – Built to official passivhaus standard specifications, we design using specialist software and the build has to follow the design precisely. It is then checked by certified assessors and The Passivhaus Trust, one of our official partners.
Passivhaus Planning Package - Greenheart have an established relationship with Passive House Certified Designer Piers Sadler to offer a complete Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) in order excellent levels of airtightness down to 0.1 air changes per hour (ACPH).
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Currently, no UK Government legislation enforces Passive House modelling in domestic or commercial building developments. Because of this, taking on a Passive House model is a voluntary procedure and exceeds current Building Regulation criteria. This should be included within budget consideration when planning your new home.
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If you are considering a sustainable home, we recommend speaking with a knowledgeable sustainable builder. If you are planning an ecohome in Bristol or sustainable building in the South-West and want to work with an experienced passive house builder, feel free to drop Greenheart an enquiry. We are happy to work with you from conception to completion, or at any stage of the process if you already have an architect on board.
