Building Certification Guide

Imprint and Disclaimer

Published by Editing and content

Passive House Institute Zeno Bastian Rheinstr. 44-46 Dragos Arnautu 64283 Darmstadt Corinna Geiger

Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 6151-82699-0 Fax: +49 (0) 6151-82699-11 Other authors [email protected] Dr. Jürgen Schnieders www.passivehouse.com Dr. Berthold Kaufmann

Tomas Mikeska Søren Peper 4th edition, Darmstadt, August 2021

Layout Copyright Gergina Radeva This free guide is published by the Passive House Institute. Electronic copies may only be distributed in its complete and unmodified form. Translations are only permitted after a written agreement with the Passive House Institute. Scope of content and exclusion of liability

This Guide is intended to supplement to the "Criteria for the Passive House, ©2021 Passivhaus Institut EnerPHit and PHI Low Energy Building Standards" ("Criteria") published by the Passive House Institute and posted online. It explains the Criteria's require-

ments given here in a brief and precise manner. Images The Guide was compiled with the greatest care and to the best of our Unless otherwise indicated, all copyrights for illustrations and images are knowledge and belief. However, no liability can be accepted for any content- held by: related shortcomings or errors. Any liability for the accuracy and completeness of the contents and data and in particular for any damage or consequences © Passive House Institute arising from the use of the information presented here is therefore excluded. © Photos cover left to right: Michael Tribus Architecture, Olaf Reiter, Peter Ruge Architekten / Jan Siefke, Jörn Hustedt, Kasel Stein Hemmes, Architekt Deimel, Norman A. Müller

Welcome to the Building Certification Guide!

I am delighted that you are interested in the Passive House Institute's building certification quality assurance program. To date, thousands of builders around the world have already certified their buildings as Passive House projects or EnerPHit retrofits. Twenty years

of experience shows that the high level of comfort and energy savings associated with these standards is achieved through independent quality testing.

I hope that this first edition of this guide will fully answer your questions about building

certification. If you are still missing important information, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

[email protected]

I wish you every success in your energy efficient construction or renovation project!

Zeno Bastian Passive House Institute

Sections one and two of this guide are aimed at building professionals and building owners who are interested in energy efficient construction and renovation. They present the energy standards of the Passive House Institute and explain the advantages and process of building certification.

The third section serves the Designers and Consultants as an aid in the certification process. It explains clearly what is meant by the precise requirements in the certification Criteria and what types of documents can be submitted as proof. However, the Guide does not replace the Criteria published on the website of the Passive House Institute. These remain the legally valid definition of the Passive House and EnerPHit Standards.

Contents Imprint and Disclaimer ...... 2 Windows and doors ...... 33 Welcome to the Building Certification Guide! ...... 3 Shading ...... 37 1 . Introduction ...... 5 Ventilation ...... 38 Benefits of certification ...... 6 Heating and domestic hot water ...... 42 Energy Standards ...... 7 Cooling ...... 46 2 . General information regarding certification...... 11 Electrical appliances and lighting ...... 48 Criteria ...... 12 Renewable energy ...... 50 Passive House Certifiers ...... 14 Airtightness Testing ...... 53 First steps...... 15 Photographs ...... 56 Certification procedure ...... 16 Construction manager's declaration ...... 57 Consultancy services and energy balances ...... 18 4 . Appendix ...... 58 Quality assurance for step-by-step retrofits...... 19 Other sources of information ...... 59 Certification Platform ...... 20 FAQ ...... 61 3. Documents to be submitted ...... 21 Glossary ...... 63 Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) ...... 23 The Passive House Institute introduces itself ...... 68 Architectural planning documents ...... 25 Example documents ...... 69 Standard and connection details ...... 30

1. Introduction

|6 Benefits of certification

Quality assured!

During the building certification process, the de-  above and beyond what is required for the tailed planning is carefully and comprehen- Passive House Standard. Construction costs sively examined. Supporting documents from can be saved this way. the construction, such as the airtightness test,  With a plaque on the building’s facade, the complete the quality control. A certificate is high efficiency Standard can be made visible only issued if the exact Criteria as defined are to the public. met without exception.

Advantages for the Designer Advantages for the owner  Prevention of errors due to thorough exter-

 Certainty that the agreed-upon energy nal checking of planning prior to the start of standard will actually be achieved. construction.  Increase in property value through inde-  Recognition as a Certified Passive House

pendent quality assessment. Designer is possible by submitting a certi-  The reviewed energy balance using the Pas- fied building. sive House Planning Package (PHPP) can be

submitted for various subsidy programs.

www.passivehouse-international.org →

Passive House → Legislation & Funding

 The Certifier can spot energy-saving measures which would be too costly and go

|7 Energy Standards

Passive House

More comfort – less energy

Passive House buildings are characterised by particularly high levels of comfort with very low energy consumption. This is achieved primarily

through the use of Passive House components Valletin ©Jakob Kanzleiter Valletin©Jakob (e.g. Passive House windows, insulation, heat

recovery). From the outside, Passive House buildings do not differ from conventional buildings, because "Passive House" means a standard

and not a particular type of construction. Werkstatt Architektur Solln_AWV

Why Passive House?

 Excellent levels of comfort

 Consistent fresh air all throughout the building

 Structurally-sound and durable construction  Extremely low energy costs - even with ris-

ing energy prices  Improved indoor air quality and hygiene  Passive House buildings are eligible for sub-

sidies in many countries / regions

A.Müller Norman picture: Dornbirn One LCT

EnerPHit PHI Low Energy building Architecture Passive House benefits also in existing buildings For the difficult cases The Passive House Standard cannot always be The PHI Low Energy Building Standard is suitable

Frankenberg © Michael Tribus Tribus Michael © Frankenberg achieved in building renovations at a reasonable for buildings which, for a variety of reasons, may

cost. This is due, for example, to unavoidable not quite reach the stringent Passive House Cri- thermal bridges through existing basement teria: walls. The Passive House Institute has devel-  Small buildings in cold and shaded loca- oped the EnerPHit standard for such buildings. tions

The EnerPHit seal provides the certainty that an  Countries in which suitable Passive House optimum thermal protection standard has been components are not yet fully available

implemented for the respective existing build-  Buildings that aim for but miss the Passive

ing. Through the use of Passive House compo- House Standard due to errors in planning or nents, EnerPHit certified buildings offer nearly execution all the advantages of a Passive House building to

the residents - while at the same time offering The requirements for energy demand, airtight-

Tochoji Temple © Miwa Mori Miwa © Temple Tochoji ness and comfort are lower than for Passive optimum cost-effectiveness. House buildings. The required documentation is An EnerPHit retrofit includes the insulation of the same as for the Passive House Standard, so the floor, exterior walls and roof with Passive that certification provides accurate assessment

House insulation thicknesses, installing Passive of the building's energy demand. House windows and reducing air leaks. A ventilation system with heat recovery ensures relia-

ble fresh air. Thermal bridges are reduced to a

reasonable extent.

The Passive House Institute offers the EnerPHit Retrofit Plan (see page 19) for step-by-step re-

furbishments, as well as quality assurance through a pre-certification.

Five key principles

The Passive House, EnerPHit and Low Enegy Building Thermal insulation Standard s can be used worldwide. Passive House windows Necessary measures differ depending on the local climate. Typically, the following 5 measures lead to the Passive House. A well-insulated building keeps warmth in during winter and heat out during summer.

In temperate and cold climates, triple-glazing and insulated window frames ensure heat gains Airtightness in winter. In warmer climates, double glazing is

usually sufficient.

Adequate ventilation A Passive House building has a continuous air- strategy tight outer shell. This protects the building structure, prevents energy losses and improves comfort.

Thermal bridge reduced design Passive House buildings are supplied with consistent fresh air via the ventilation system. The heat exchanger ensures that air is supplied to rooms at nearly the room temperature without The five key principles the need for additional heating – cold and heat remain outside. Especially in temperate and cold climates, Pas- sive House buildings are planned without ther-

mal bridges. This ensures even lower heating costs and prevents building damage.

|10

With “Plus" and “Premium" ready for a renewable energy future

The low energy demand of Passive House build- Sustainable energy supply with the PER ings can be easily supplied with renewable en- process ergy. The supply of renewable energy naturally varies The Passive House Institute has developed an depending on solar radiation, wind strength and innovative method to optimize buildings in precipitation. For a future supply with 100% re- planning for the use of renewable energy. The newable energy, some of the generated elec- benchmark for this is the need for renewable tricity must be stored temporarily. This energy primary energy or PER (see box). The lower the storage process invariably results in losses. Par- PER demand, the less is the effort and the space ticularly in seasonal long-term storage e.g. the required for solar energy or wind power to sup- generation of storable methane gas, only about ply the building. In this way, the full renewable one third of the original energy is available. The supply can be realized cost-effectively and in a PER demand expresses how much renewable way that is environmentally friendly energy has to be generated originally to cover In addition to the tried-and-tested Passive the entire energy demand of a building. It also House Classic Standard, buildings that have a accounts for the storage losses. particularly low PER demand and additionally produce renewable energy (for example with Example: In regions remote from the equa- photovoltaic panels on the roof) can reach Pas- tor electricity generated by photovoltaic is sive House Plus or even Premium. Analogously, highest during summer. However, the en- the EnerPHit classes Classic, Plus and Premium ergy demand for heating is greatest in win- are available for retrofits of existing buildings. ter. A low heating demand, as typical for Passive House buildings is therefore particu- Detailed information about the PER-method larly useful in order to avoid storage losses and the Passive House classes can be found and thus achieving a low PER demand. at www.passipedia.org → Passive House certification → “The new Passive House Classes”

|11

2. General information regarding certification

|12 Criteria

Transparent, clearly defined requirements Where can I find the Criteria?

The Passive House Criteria were defined by the The latest version of the document "Criteria for Passive House Institute 20 years ago. They pre- the Passive House, EnerPHit and PHI Low En- cisely define the different requirements which a ergy Building Standard" ("Criteria") is always building must fulfil in order to achieve the highly available on the Passive House Institute web- efficient Passive House Standard. In addition to site. The German, English and Spanish versions the Passive House Standard, the current docu- are published directly by the Passive House In- ment containing the Criteria also includes the stitute. These represent the legally valid defini- EnerPHit Standard that was introduced in 2010 tion of the Passive House Standard. for building retrofits using Passive House com- International partners of the Passive House In- ponents and the requirements for a PHI Low En- stitute have prepared translations of the Crite- ergy Building which were introduced in 2015. ria in other languages on their own responsibil- Anyone buying or commissioning a house built ity. Since the Passive House Institute does not to one of these three standards should always check all these translations, they are only in- expressly demand a building in accordance tended as information and in case of doubt are with the definition set out by the Passive not legally binding. Translations may not neces- House Institute – preferably with certification. sarily contain the latest version of the Criteria. This will ensure legal certainty in case of con- In principle, certification will take place accord- flict. ing to the currently valid version of the Criteria applicable at the start of the planning. New ver- The English version of the Criteria as well as sions of the Criteria that are published during translations can be found at www.pas- the course of the project do not have to be sivehouse.com → Certification → Buildings adopted. → Energy Standards | Criteria

|13

Outline of the Criteria Verification using the Passive The Criteria consist of two main parts besides House Planning Package (PHPP) the introduction: the actual Criteria and the Compliance with the Criteria is verified specifi- "Technical regulations for building certifica- cally through the energy balance calculation us-

tion". ing the PHPP. The PHPP automatically checks The requirements for the Passive House, Ener- whether the requirements of the chosen Stand- PHit and the PHI Low Energy Building Standards ard are complied with ("Verification" work-

are fully specified in Section 2 "Criteria". In ad- sheet).

dition, this section also contains general mini- Because additions or minor adjustments are mum requirements for thermal comfort, user made to the Criteria from time to time, you

satisfaction and structural integrity that are not must make sure that the Criteria are verified us- energy-relevant and which apply equally for all ing the appropriate version of the PHPP. The

three standards. © GraphicTwister © version number can be found in the footer of Furthermore, the boundary conditions which the Criteria. The first digit of the version number are to be applied in the PHPP for verification of of the PHPP and Criteria should be the same. the three Standards are specified here – for example with reference to the indoor tempera- Can my building be certified?

ture or the hot water demand. Section 2 can Certification can be applied to a wide range of also be used as a definition of the three Stand- uses, e.g. residential, office/administration or ards irrespective of certification, e.g. for a build- schools. For special uses such as swimming pool, ing specification. supermarket, hospital or other, the requirements may differ from the normal Passive Section 3 "Technical Regulations for Building House criteria and must therefore be agreed di- Certification" describes how verification of rectly with the Passive House Institute. compliance with the Criteria takes place in the context of certification. Besides specifying the In general, only entire buildings or annexes to certification procedure, in particular it also con- existing buildings that contain at least one ex- tains a list of all the documents to be submitted ternal wall, a roof area and a ground floor slab to the Certifier. and/or basement ceiling can be certified. Spe- cial regulations can be found in the FAQ section

(see page 61).

|14 Passive House Certifiers

The Passive House Institute itself provides certification in Germany, Austria and internationally.

In addition, there are many accredited Passive House building Certifiers globally. These are contractually authorised by the Passive House

Institute to perform certification using its seal and in accordance with its standards. Most Cer- tifiers operate mainly in their respective coun-

tries. In principle however, any Certifier may certify buildings in any other country if they know the language well and have the necessary

expertise. There is no national monopoly for a specific Certifier.

The accredited Certifiers have extensive practi-

cal experience relating to Passive House build-

ings, supplemented by intensive two-stage training.

Passive House building Certifiers course, Darmstadt 2017 The exact requirements for becoming a Certifier can be found at www.pas-

sivehouse.com/training → Certificates | Ex- ams → Building Certifier

Passive House building Certifiers meeting, Darmstadt 2016

|15 First steps

Which Certifier should I choose?

Certification can be done by the Passive House  Initial energy balance with the Passive Institute or one of the accredited Certifiers. A House Planning Package (if available) full list of all Certifiers with contact data can be  (preliminary) design plans (floor plans, found on the Passive House Institute's website. cross-sections, elevations) If possible, it is advisable to engage a Certifier in  Brief project description (use, construction your own country as they will be more familiar type) with the local construction technology and stat-  Total construction costs utory provisions. In principle however, Certifiers  What previous Passive House experience from other countries may also be engaged. The do the Designers (architects and building languages in which certification can be per- services engineers) have? formed are stated in the list of Certifiers.  Other special features of the project

The list of accredited building Certifiers can If the quotation corresponds with your expecta- tions, you can engage the Certifier. be found at www.passivehouse.com → Cer- tification → Buildings → Building Certifiers

How much does certification cost? Request a quotation There are no centrally fixed prices for certifica- If you have chosen a Certifier, you can contact tion. Each Certifier calculates their offer so that hem via e-mail or telephone and request an of- the expected expenses for meticulous checking fer for the certification of your building. The Cer- of the respective building are covered. In addi- tifier will usually ask you for the following infor- tion, a modest fee is included in this calculation mation, on the basis of which they can calculate which every Certifier pays to the Passive House an offer: Institute to cover expenses for the on-going support and resources that it provides to all Cer-  Useful area of the building tifiers.  Approximate time schedule of the construction project

|16 Certification procedure

Each certified building will appear on a world We strongly recommend that you contact the ucts and the complete Passive House Plan- map but the precise address of the building and certifier at an early stage of the planning as the ning Package (PHPP) calculation should be the owner’s name is not included. The map is to certifier can identify any problems in the con- submitted to the certifier preferably before be found at www.passivehouse.com → Certifi- struction project and can easily remedy these at the start of the construction work. After a cation → Buildings this stage. However, in general, certification can careful review and comparison with the en-

also be applied for after the building has been ergy balance calculation, the certifier will in- completed. form the client of any necessary correc- tions. If all is well, the Certifier will confirm The certification procedure typically consists of that the envisaged energy standard will be the following phases: achieved with the implementation of the  Initial check – at the start of the project planning at hand. Execution of the construc-

The Certifier will check whether the project tion work can now begin contains special aspects and will clarify how  Queries regarding certification – Continu- these should be assessed in the building cer- ally during planning and construction

tification. For planning decisions which affect the en-  Preliminary review – design phase ergy balance, it may make sense to coordi- Assessment of the concepts for the design, nate with the Certifier at an early stage how

insulation and building services, and of the these decisions will be assessed in the context of certification if the Passive House de- Map data © 2021 Google, INEGI preliminary version of the PHPP calculation for consistency with the certification crite- signer is uncertain. This is particularly im-

Additionally, we recommend that you enter a ria. This kind of preliminary review makes portant in the case of large projects and more exact description of the building in the in- sense particularly in the case of large pro- where the Passive House designers are less jects, and if the planning team has little ex- experienced. Continuous communication ternational Passive House Database. This database is often viewed by building owners looking perience with the Passive House Standard. during the course of the project outside of for suitable Designers for their building projects  Design stage review – before the start of the actual assessment times may incur con- using the reference projects. construction work siderable time expenditure for the Certifier, All energy-relevant planning documents, therefore it is advisable to clearly state in Passive House Database: the technical data of the construction prod- the agreement whether this is included in www.passivhausprojekte.de the offer.

|17

 Final review – after completion of the con- planned so that even though the airtight enve- struction work lope of the building may be complete, it is still

After completion of the construction work, accessible. any changes to the planning will be updated If all Criteria have been fulfilled, the building in the final review and proof from the exe- owner will receive the following: cution of construction work (e.g. airtightness test, documentation of flow rate ad-  The Certificate justment of the ventilation system, con-  A supplementary booklet with documenta- struction manager's declaration) will be tion of the energy balance calculation and checked. all relevant characteristic values of the building Checking execution of the construction work -  A wall plaque (optional)

optional

Stein Hemmes Stein

, el s Checking execution of the construction work on Ka The authenticity of the certificate will be con- site does not automatically constitute part of firmed by an identification number that will be the certification procedure. Additional quality Passivhausin specially issued to the Certifier by the Passive assurance of the construction work by the certi- House Institute for each building. This can be fying authority does however make sense if the found in the bottom of the certificate. construction management does not have any experience with the construction of Passive

House buildings or with EnerPHit retrofits. Within the last several years, Passive House

has rapidly increased in popularity, with Taking into account of the certification proce- several thousand units certified according dure in the project schedule

Jörn Hustedt Jörn to the strict Passive House Institute certifi-

, Hamburg, Hamburg, , count in the project schedule in order to avoid Current information on the number of cer-

Building delays or implementation of the construction tified Passive Houses can be found at:

work before clearance by the Certifier. This ap-

Winter www.passivehouse-international.org → plies particularly to the main review and ap- iPHA proval after changes to the planning. The time of the airtightness test should also be carefully

|18 Consultancy services and energy balances

Passive House project planning is an important buildings and have extensive practical experi- part of the planning for a building. The most im- ence in addition. portant tool for this purpose is the Passive The Passive House Institute as well as most of House Planning Package (PHPP). An energy con- the accredited Certifiers offer consultancy ser- sultant uses PHPP to calculate the building's en- vices and Passive House project planning. How- ergy balance and annual demands. ever, in order to ensure impartial assessment, The PHPP model shows exactly which measures accredited Certifiers may not certify a building will have to be planned and implemented to for which the Certifier has also performed pro- achieve the Passive House or EnerPHit Stand- ject planning. ard. For example, these may include the thickness of the thermal insulation and the quality of Search for a Certified Passive House De- the windows and ventilation system. signer or Consultant at www.passivhaus- The energy consultant should also make sugges- planer.eu → Search for Certified Passive tions for building optimisation, e.g. for avoiding House Designers thermal bridges. The architect can then use this information in the planning. The design planning and execution planning together with the PHPP calculation are then submitted to the Cer- tifier for checking.

We recommend that one of the more than 5000 Certified Passive House Designers or Consult- ants should be entrusted with the Passive House project planning. They have received training concluding with an examination set by the Passive House Institute. Many Certified Pas- sive House Designers or Consultants have spe- cialised in the construction of Passive House

|19

Quality assurance for step-by-step retrofits.

Many building owners do not wish to com- The pre-certificate provides building owners pletely modernize their building all at one time and planners the certainty that upon comple- and in-stead renovate only those components tion of all of the steps of their plan, they will of their building which are currently in need of achieve the standard which they are aiming to repair. In this case it is often possible to simul- meet. taneously bring the thermal protection to a future-proof level at little extra cost using Passive House components.

You should be prepared for the current and all subsequent modernisation steps before start- ing. This is the only way to be sure that every- thing fits together and the building owner can count on having a comfortable building with low energy costs once the final step is completed. The EnerPHit Retrofit Plan (to be found in the PHPP files) provides a methodology for this type of overall plan. For additional quality assurance, the Passive House Institute offers pre-certification as an EnerPHit (or a Passive House) project.

This requires a carefully prepared EnerPHit Ret- rofit Plan showing that the first retrofit step has been implemented achieving at least 20% energy savings. The exact requirements are explained in the "Pre-certification for step-by-step retrofits" section of the Criteria.

|20 Certification Platform

The Passive House Institute has created a free, designed checklist which makes reference to all The Certification Platform interactive, comprehensive online platform for the important aspects regarding the two main

the Designer and Certifier to use for communi- focus areas: energy efficiency and quality assur- Passive House Certifier cation and checking all requirements of the Cri- ance. teria and their progress towards building certifi- With a step-by-step retrofit project, every ac- cation. 1. Creates a Designer account for the pro- tion must be correctly scheduled and carefully

ject’s Passive House Consultant and addi- The goal of the online platform is to offer guid- recorded in order to allow and optimize future

tional Observer accounts for other individ- ance for Designers of Passive House buildings improvements. The Online Certification Plat-

uals involved in the project and Certifiers throughout the certification pro- form centralises the information, allowing the

2. Creates a new project and customizes cesses. In this way, the quality assurance is set team to establish the optimal retrofit steps.

the checklist according to the project char- to the highest standards, optimizing the deci- When the time comes for the next refurbish-

acteristics sion making process. ment step, the information regarding work al-

ready completed is available on the Platform, 3. Reviews project documentation up- One of the key characteristics of the online cer- regardless of whether the team changes. loaded by the PH Consultant tification platform is the capability to adapt every project type ranging from new building The Online Certification Platform is the back-

projects to step-by-step retrofits. This makes it bone of the entire information exchange which valuable for implementing quality assurance in takes place during the certification process be-

Passive House and EnerPHit projects. tween the Designer and the Certifier. It also cre- Project Design & ates a record of the process. Construction Team The Platform is structured to enable an interac-

tive workflow which is supported by comments, The online certification platform can be 1. Receives the login information via an au- reminders and checkboxes. It is designed to im- found at certification.passivehouse.com tomated email from the Certification Plat- prove quality assurance and streamline the cer- form tification process. 2. Accesses the Platform The communication between the Project Team 3. Starts compiling project documentation and the Certifier is organised around a carefully following the well-structured checklist

|21

3. Documents to be submitted

|22

The documents that must be submitted to the Certified Passive House Certifier are listed in the section on "Documents components to be submitted" in the Criteria. Among other things, these include the plans for the building The extensive use of certified Passive House envelope and building services and technical components streamlines planning and certifica-

data sheets for the energy-relevant products. tion because independently certified energy

The Certifier will check whether the submitted relevant characteristic values for the PHPP cal-

documents contain the information required for culation are available for these components. In © salda.it © komfovent © verification and whether they correspond with principle, the installation of non-certified prod- the input in the PHPP. The section order in this ucts is permissible; however, in this case it may chapter matches the section order of the Crite- be time-consuming or difficult to provide relia- ria and the one of the Certification Platform. ble proof of the characteristic values.

Meticulous planning is absolutely essential for Certified component database: implementing high quality construction work on www.passivehouse.com → component da- site to achieve Passive House buildings and En- tabase erPHit retrofits. If planning is meticulous, not only success is likely, but all the documents that

are necessary for certification will already be present and these will only need to be submit- Plans ted to the certification platform. The Designer’s All plans are to be submitted in a file format work assembling and uploading the documenta- that can be read by the Certifier, usually as a tion will be relatively easy. .pdf, .dwg or .dxf file. These must be to scale and must include all necessary dimensions for determining the relevant measurements (Treated Submitting documents digitally Floor Area, envelope surface areas, junction lengths etc.). All areas of the façade, windows All documents are submitted digitally via the etc. that are entered in the PHPP must be easily Platform – unless the Certifier has agreed oth- identifiable in the plans. If necessary, additional erwise. Signed hard copy documents such as the markings (in colour) and labelling or position Blower-Door report may be uploaded as a scan. numbers should be added to the plans.

|23 Passive House Planning Package (PHPP)

Whether a building achieves the energy stand- Compliance with the Criteria must be verified ard defined by the Passive House Institute is al- using the latest version of the PHPP available ways verified by means of an energy balance when planning started. However, transferring calculation using the PHPP. At the same time, to a newer version introduced after the plan- the PHPP is an accurate, well organized energy ning process started is not necessary. The PHPP efficiency planning tool for architects and spe- calculation should be submitted as an Excel file cialised planners. (not as a printout or a .pdf file).

The energy demand calculated with the PHPP has been compared with the measured energy PHPP-Workshops can be found at consumption for a large number of buildings – www.passivhausplaner.eu → Courses/Ex- and found to be in excellent agreement. The aminations PHPP is used worldwide and is now available in PHPP and designPH can be purchased at over 20 languages. As an addition to the PHPP, www.passivehouse.com → PHPP → PHPP / the 3D planning tool designPH facilitates design designPH order form modelling and data input.

Preparing the energy balance for the building using the PHPP

We recommend that a Certified Passive House Designer be entrusted with the preparation of the PHPP calculation for your building. In principle however, anyone who is sufficiently qualified can prepare a PHPP calculation for certification. Participation in a PHPP Workshop is recommended if you do not have any experience in using the PHPP. Training as a certified Passive House Designer also includes a PHPP basic course.

|24

PHPP: Rules for certification This Guide provides only an overview of how the worksheet serves to assist in the selection. How- aspects that affect the energy performance of ever, adjacent locations can have very different For certification, all PHPP worksheets that are rele- the building are accounted for in PHPP. The climates if the geographical features are differ- vant for the respective building must be filled in. PHPP reader should refer to the PHPP Manual for ent, e.g. coastal and inland areas, hilltops and worksheets with calculations that are not relevant for more detailed modelling instructions. valleys, cities and countryside. the building may remain empty – for example, the Therefore we strongly recommend that the use worksheet "Cooling units" will remain empty if the of a climate data set should be agreed with the building is not actively cooled. The use of the work- Climate data Certifier at an early point in time. If a matching sheet “Ground” is optional. If it is not being filled, the climate data set is not available in the PHPP, the PHPP will estimate the heat losses through the The climate-relevant boundary conditions play Certifier can commission the Passive House In- ground on a simplified assumption basis. an important role for the heating and cooling demands as well as for dimensioning of the sys- stitute with the preparation of a new climate The Criteria specify boundary conditions for the PHPP tems. Realistic results can only be calculated data set for a fee to cover the costs. calculation, which must be applied. As a rule, these with the PHPP if a climate data set matching the are already pre-set in the PHPP and may not be location of the building is used. changed without consultation with the Certifier. Summer temperature tool can be found at The PHPP works with climate data sets which Similarly, for certification, the modelling conventions www.passivehouse.com → Literature & consist of monthly average values, supple- described in the PHPP Manual must be adhered to. Tools → Tools & aids mented with data for calculating the heating For example, the manual describes how the Treated and cooling loads and the location-specific PER Floor Area should be calculated. The purpose of this tool is to modify exist- factors. ing PHPP climate data for higher tempera- Because the PHPP is an Excel file, in principle the user Permissible climate data sets tures during summer months. The modified has the option of changing the mathematical formu- temperature profile can be used to test a lae. This allows for greater flexibility of the calculation Only climate data sets which have been checked building's summer comfort under extreme - for example in the case of buildings with special and approved by the Passive House Institute summer conditions, future climate projec- uses. may be used for building certification. In the tions or for inner city locations (urban heat menu in the PHPP worksheet "Climate", these However, this must always be agreed with the Certi- island) can be identified by means of a 7-digit number fier. For buildings with common uses such as residen- before the name of the location. tial buildings, offices, and schools, formulae generally do not need to be changed. The Certifier usually ex- In addition, the climate data set must match the ports the values into an empty PHPP file prior to building location. The geographical proximity to checking in order to exclude any manipulation of the the location naturally plays a key role. The aux- formula. iliary calculation at the top right of the "Climate"

|25 Architectural planning documents

File formats and reference to the PHPP As explained on page 22, dimensions and other main difference being that the TFA excludes the values inserted in PHPP must be clearly set out areas occupied by internal walls.

in plans and other supporting documentation so Careful ascertainment of the TFA is absolutely the Certifier can easily and quickly find them. essential as it is the denominator in calculating In particular, plans and optional other support- the area-specific values of the Criteria. If the ing files (e.g., Excel calculators, CAD drawings, Certifier calculates a smaller TFA, those area-

etc.) must support and calculate these three im- specific values increase, and the building may portant measurements: Treated Floor Area, the not meet the Criteria or be certified. volume for air leakage testing, and the volume The rules for determining TFA are described in for ventilation rates. the PHPP Manual in the section relating to the "Areas" worksheet. The calculation must be documented with dimensions and calculations Treated Floor Area for every room, either in the PHPP worksheet Example rooms / access areas in non-residential buildings

The Treated Floor Area (TFA) is the reference "Areas" or as a separate spreadsheet. The names of rooms used in this calculation sheet area on which all the characteristic values for the energy demand in the PHPP are based. This must correspond with the names used in the

means that the total energy demand e.g. for floor plans. space heating is divided by the number of An article on Differentiation between Vv square metres of Treated Floor Area, which re- and Vn50 values can be found at: www.pas-

sults in an area-specific value. In this way, iden- sipedia.org → Mechanical systems → Venti- tical limit values can be specified for buildings of lation varying sizes and it is easy to compare buildings

with each other. The TFA is approximately Single Family Home TFA and Vn50 calcula- TFA stairs equivalent to the gross internal floor area, the tion - see the ‘example documents‘ section.

|26

Example plans

Site plan

Neighbouring buildings including their height and distance to the proposed building must be represented on the site plan if they shade the building. Show topography if possible.

Angle of deviation from North

Neighbouring vegetation or / and any other elements which shade the building, including height and type of vegetation (e.g. coniferous or decidu-

ous) must also be shown

Graphic identification of the building envelope intended for certification J Passive House, Romania | blipsz architecture

Scale: Complete address: Geographic coordinates:

1:200 Passive House str. 1 44 °00`N, 25°30`E, Angle of deviation Passive City, 12345 Height above the sea level: See page 27 for acceptable file formats from North: +/-0.00=556.0m and general requirements 206°

|27

Floor plan

Cross section lines

Dimensions

Clear and accurate representation of walls, windows, and doors

Graphic identification and calculation of each assigned TFA together with the surface calcu-

lated, and code names and the percentage used in the calculation

Graphic identification of areas where the room

height is below 1 m or 2 m to support TFA calculation

Any unconditioned (i.e. non-heated) adjacent spaces must be marked and named accordingly

J Passive House, Romania | blipsz architecture Scale: See page 27 for ac- 1:50 ceptable file formats or and general require- Graphic identification and external dimensions Graphic identification of the airtight layer 1:100 ments of the thermal envelope

|28

Section Roof assembly 1 – Green roof 30 mm roof vegetation 40 mm extensive soil layer Metal profile Geotextile membrane 70mm 15-30 g gravel Drainage layer Mechanical protection layer Synthetic waterproof membrane, re- sistant to root penetration 200 mm thermal insulation EPS + slope EPS

200 mm thermal insulation EPS Diffusion and vapour barrier membrane 130 mm reinforced concrete slab Gypsum board ceiling Correct representation of walls,

windows, doors, roofs, and floor

systems

Description of each unique envelope assembly (including heterogeneous layers, e.g.: wood/insulation) with their features: manufacturer and product, thickness, thermal conductivity

Dimensions

Scale: J Passive House, Romania | blipsz architecture 1:50 See page 27 for acceptable file formats and general or Graphic identification and external dimensions requirements Graphic identification of the airtight layer 1:100 of the thermal envelope

|29

Elevation

Show outdoor and exhaust air vents, grid types, distance from ground

Make sure to show clearly and to name any unheated adjacent rooms accordingly

Show the different type of surfaces (e.g. cladding, stucco etc.)

Make sure to name all surfaces and windows using the same naming convention on the drawings, on the window schedule and in the PHPP

Correct representation of walls, windows, and doors

Make sure to show clearly the wall surfaces in contact with the ground as well as the ground line for semi-buried walls

Dimensions

Scale: J Passive House, Romania | blipsz architecture See page 27 for acceptable 1:50 or file formats and general requirements Graphic identification and external dimensions 1:100 of the thermal envelope

Für Mauerwerk- und Betonmateria- lien: a| Widerstandsklasse b| Verstärkungsgrad c| Volumendichte

|30 Standard and connection details

Detailed construction drawings should be prepared and submitted to the Certifier for all as- semblies and connections of the building envelope. The thermal bridge details must be easily identifiable in the PHPP.

Thickness in mm of heterogeneous layers

Description of each component of the detail (incl. heterogeneous layers), product manufacturer and name, thickness [mm], thermal conductivity

For masonry/concrete materials: a| resistance class b| reinforcement degree

c| volume density

Scale:

1:5 J Passive House, Romania | blipsz architecture or 1:10 or See page 27 for acceptable file formats and Graphic identification and external dimen- Graphic identification of the airtight layer 1:20 general requirements sions of the thermal envelope

|31

Required product verification facilitates thermal bridge free construction.  Manufacturer, model type and technical If thermal bridges are unavoidable, then the thermal bridge coefficient (value) for each data sheets especially of insulation materials with a very low thermal conductivity thermal bridge must be verified. Where possi- (< 0.032 W/(mK)). Rated values of the long- ble, documented values of comparable constructions are sufficient verification. If the con- term thermal conductivity according to national product standards or building author- struction differs slightly, a moderately higher ity approval are admissible. value should be used as a conservative assumption. Otherwise, a thermal bridge calculation in  In hot and very hot climates: verification of the radiation characteristics of the surface accordance with EN ISO 10211 will be neces- of walls and roofs. sary.  Verification of moisture characteristics Calculated thermal bridge details for all relevant (see further below) particularly in the case connection points are available for certified Pas-

of interior insulation and in hot, humid cli- sive House wall and construction systems and mates (if there are doubts on the part of the can be requested from the manufacturer. These Certifier regarding protection against exces- are admissible as verification for the thermal

sive moisture accumulation). bridge coefficient if the actual implementation corresponds with the calculated details to a large extent.

Thermal bridge calculations Certified wall and construction systems can Passive House buildings should be planned in a be found at www.passivehouse.com → thermal bridge free manner as far as possible component database → Building services which simplifies the Passive House certification. Documentation of a thermal bridge calcula- This is the case when the insulation thickness is not reduced at the connection detail and if tion for a connection detail adjacent to the there are no penetrations of the insulation layer outside air and to the ground – see the ‘example documents’ section. by materials with a higher thermal conductivity. If that is the case, then thermal bridge calcula- Thermal bridges catalogue can be found at: tions will not be necessary for Passive House www.passipedia.org → Basics → Building verification. physics – basics

The use of certified Passive House construction systems with predefined connection details

|32

Verification of protection against moisture

For most typical Passive House constructions, These Criteria will be deemed to have been met proof of protection against moisture is not nec- if: essary. Verification will be required by the Cer-  moisture accumulation does not occur tifier only in rare cases where there are doubts  the critical moisture content of the building regarding the flawless functioning of the build- materials is not exceeded ing component assembly.  the risk of mould growth in the building component layers of the old interior plaster, Verification of moisture protection for the interior insulation and the new interior interior insulation (in climates requiring surface is considered to be small. heating) Verification of moisture protection in In the case of interior insulation it is often difficult to provide verification of protection against other cases moisture. A hygrothermal simulation is ideal Other cases in which verification of moisture for this purpose. It provides comprehensive in- protection may be required are e.g. insulation formation about the processes taking place within a building component and is therefore measures in hot, humid climates and certain flat suitable for evaluating the functional efficiency roof constructions in climates requiring heating. and durability of constructions. The prerequisites for a positive evaluation of a construction in the context of building certification are fulfilled if:

 durability is not diminished by the insulation measure, and  health impairment due to the measure is not likely to occur or a construction that was previously problematic is positively in- fluenced by the interior insulation.

|33

Windows and doors

In the PHPP the characteristic values are sepa- Verifications which state only the characteristic façade, verification for curtain walls, glazed and rately calculated from the product data of the in- values for an entire window of a standard size solid doors, roof windows, light domes, smoke dividual window or curtain wall components (see (Uw-value) are not enough for certification. exhaust flaps etc. are also necessary. The follow- the following table). Besides the characteristic values of window in the ing remarks apply also for these products.

Overview of the window components and the characteristic values that are to be verified

Verification required

Component Product Characteristic value Hints Glazing Manufacturer Thermal transmission coefficient Passive House Certificate or manufacturer's calculation in accordance with To two decimal places for values be- and product (Ug-value ) EN 673 (Ug) and EN 410 (g-value) → example verification – see the “example low 1.0; only modelled values; not name documents” section values from physical testing Solar energy gain coefficient (g-value) To two decimal places

Frame Manufacturer Thermal transmission coefficient Passive House Certificate or mathematical verification in accordance with To two decimal places for values be- and product (Uf-value) EN ISO 10077-2 → example verification – see the “example documents” sec- low 1.0; only modelled values; not name of the tion values from physical testing frame Facing frame width From the Passive House Certificate or drawings of the frame profiles Manufacturer Glazing edge thermal bridge Suitable tabular values from PHI spacer certification, window frame Passive and product House Certificate (only if same combination of frame and spacer), or name of the → example verification – see the “example documents” section spacer → www.passivehouse.com → Component Database → Glazing edge bond Installation in Installation thermal bridge Passive House Certificate (if installation situation matches), example instal- the wall lation situations from the PHPP User Manual or other thermal bridge cata- logues (if matching) or thermal bridge calculation → example verification – see the “example documents” section Shading Possibly man- Reduction factor for temporary solar E.g. tabular value from PHPP User Manual, Section on "Shading; information elements ufacturer and protection such as blinds or roller shut- on regulation of solar protection” (manual / automatic) product name ters Overall window Window schedule from manufacturer with dimensions and product information about the frames, glazing and spacers for each different window

|34

Window schedule

Name Door 1 Window 1 Window 2 Quantity 2 6 2 Make sure to use the same naming

convention on the drawings and in the PHPP

Dimensions

Dimensions 1 x 2.255 m 1.2 x 1.55 m 2.06 x 2.285 m Area 2.255 m² 1.86 m² 4.707 m² Type of glazing and frame „PH Glazing“ „PH Glazing“ „PH Glazing“ (U-values, lambda) Glazing Ug = 0.6 W/m² Ug = 0.56 W/m² Ug = 0.56 W/m² g-value= 0.55 g-value= 0.50 g-value= 0.50 „PH Frame, SWISSPACER Ul- „PH Frame, SWISSPACER Ul- „PH Frame, SWISSPACER Ultimate“ timate“ timate“ Area Frame Uf = 0.59 W/m² Uf = 0.59 W/m² Uf = 0.59 W/m² PU on wood PU on wood PU on wood Materials Facing frame L 0.16m; r 0.08m; t 0.08m; L 0.11m; r 0.11m; t 0.11m; L 0.11m; m 0.12m; r 0.04m; t Scale: width b 0.16m b 0.11m 0.11m/0.04m; b 0.1m/0.04m 1:50 Glazing edge or thermal bridge glazing edge = 0.049 W/mK glazing edge = 0.029 W/mK glazing edge = 0.029 W/mK 1:100 Installation thermal bridge installation = 0.02 W/mK  installation = 0.005 W/mK  installation = 0.005 W/mK

|35

Explanation of terms Thermal transmission of the frame (Uf-value) Thermal transmission coefficient of This value describes the thermal insulation ef- glazing (Ug-value) fect of the window frame. Only calculated val- This value describes the thermal insulation ef- ues may be used for Passive House certification fect of the glazing (without the glazing edge). (not values from physical testing). In the case of The lower this value is, the lower the heat losses plastic frames, any reinforcements that are pre- will be in winter and heat gain will be in sum- sent must be taken into account. mer. With values below 1.0 W/m²K, verification

must always be given to two decimal places. If Verification through: this is not possible, the Certifier will use a less  Passive House Certificate favourable value rounding up.  Calculation in accordance EN ISO 10077-2

Verification through: Glazing edge thermal bridge  Passive House Certificate (Ψglazing edge)  Calculation in accordance with EN 673 or ISO 15099 made available by the manufac- The value for the glazing edge thermal bridge turer represents the additional heat losses caused by the spacer at the glazing edge. It is determined Energy transmission (g-value) by the thermal characteristics of the particular spacer, the glazing, and the installation situation This value gives the percentage of solar radia- of the glazing in the frame. tion striking the outer surface of the window which passes into the building through the glaz- Verification through: ing and acts as a heat source (heating period) or  The glazing edge thermal bridge is stated in Note: Sometimes special requirements for sound as a heating load (cooling period) here. This is the certificate for the Passive House suita- insulation, safety, privacy etc. apply for specific between 1 (all radiation passes through) and 0 ble window frame. If the same spacer is windows. This often has a significant negative influ- (no radiation passes through). used as that stated in the certificate, then this value can be used for the certification. ence on the Ug and g-values. For the certification, Verification through:  For certified Passive House spacers, values these values must be verified for each window and  Passive House Certificate for the glazing edge thermal bridge are used in the PHPP, already during preliminary plan- available for a large number of frame types. ning.  Calculation in accordance with EN 410 or ISO 15099 made available by the manufac- The values for the frame type that matches best with the frames used in the building turer can be used

|36

 Tabular values can be used if these are suf- different installation situation for each window ficiently on the safe side. Generally the glaz- side (top, bottom, sides) as well as for any im-

ing edge thermal bridge becomes smaller if plementation variants with and without shading the glass unit is thicker or if the frame co- elements etc. The distance between the outer vers more of the glass and if this part of the reveal edge and the glazing edge must also be

frame is insulated better. These rules can be identifiable on the drawing – this is relevant for applied to find out if the tabular value for calculating the shading in the PHPP. the respective situation is justifiable  Thermal bridge calculation for the specific Verification through: combination of frame and spacer based on ISO 10077-2  For certification as a Passive House suitable component, installation thermal bridges are also calculated for different installation sit- Installation thermal bridge (Ψinstallation) uations. These can be used if the certifi- Glazing edge, cool, temperate climate Additional heat losses (winter) and gains (sum- cate’s installation detail matches that of the mer) occur where the window frame connects actual project

to the wall. PHPP accounts for these as "instal-  Verified catalogue values (if the catalogue's

lation thermal bridges". The installation thermal installation detail matches that of the cur-

bridge is smaller if the window is installed in the rent project)

insulation layer and the frame is covered with  Other example details that can be used are insulation on the outside. included in the PHPP User Manual  If no values can be determined in any other Caution: PHPP contains an example installation thermal bridge value of 0.040 W/(mK) which way, then it will be necessary to calculate

GmbH passivhausfenster pro Picture: can be used as a preliminary value to save time the installation thermal bridge for the window details that exist in the building. Simpli- when beginning design of a building. This value Component Database: is not a default value. It represents a window in- fied calculations in which the thermal con-

www.passivehouse.com → component data- stallation that has been reasonably thought out. ductivity of a substitute panel is determined base Poorly detailed installations can have consider- using the window U-value and used as a ably higher psi-values. Certification requires substitute object in the heat flow calcula- Window frames verification of the precise installation thermal tion may lead to incorrect results and may Spacers (glazing edge) bridge psi-value. only be used after consultation with the Glazing Certifier A detailed drawing must be prepared for each

|37

Shading

Movable shading elements Calculation

A product data sheet should be submitted for The results of separate programs / tools may

movable shading elements which states the not be used for building certification. Here, the type of element, and if relevant, its geometry. standard shading algorithms of the PHPP must There are three possibilities for verification of always be used.

the shading factor: A distinction is made between three frequently

 Standard factors from the table in the sec- occurring shading situations: tion on "Temporary solar protection" in the  Shading by horizon PHPP User Manual  Shading due to window reveal  Using the values calculated by the manufac-  Shading due to cantilevered element / over- turer. In doing so, the U-value of the glazing hang Beasweiler high school, Rongen Architekten Rongen school, high Beasweiler installed in the building must not be greater

than that used in the manufacturer’s calcu- Please refer to the PHPP manual for more lation detailed information on the shading calcu-  Calculation according to EN 13363 lation.

Alternatively, the shading calculation of Fixed shading elements designPH 2 may be used for building certification. Complex shading scenarios can be ana- For fixed shading elements a detailed section lysed in detail and exported to PHPP as shading drawing should be submitted stating the shad- factors. ing characteristics that are relevant for the

PHPP. Usually this is the horizontal and vertical More details about designPH can be found

Rocking Horse Nursery, Aberdeen Scotland Aberdeen Nursery, Horse Rocking distance from the outermost shading edge of at: the element to the upper edge of the glazing. www.passivehouse.com → PHPP → designPH

|38

Ventilation

In order to ensure excellent indoor air quality, Apart from this, condensation must not form in- Passive Houses always have a comfort ventila- side the heat exchanger during the measure-

tion system mechanically ventilating all rooms ment. In most evaluation procedures, the tem- in the building. In most climates, a heat recov- perature difference is measured at the ducts on ery unit ensures that the ventilation heat losses the room side (supply air and extract air). These

remain extremely low. values are unsuitable for accurate energy balances for buildings and are therefore not per- Ventilation unit missible for use in the PHPP.

The efficiency of the ventilation system heat re- For devices with a Passive House Certificate the covery unit plays an important role for the en- efficiency values were correctly ascertained and Haustechniksysteme Aerex : ergy demand of a Passive House. The heat re- can be used directly for the PHPP and certifica-

Picture covery efficiency indicates the percentage of tion, as long as the device is operated at the out- the heat from the stale air extracted from the put range stated in the certificate. rooms and exhausted from the building that is For non-certified devices it may be difficult to transferred to the fresh air from outdoors that determine permissible efficiency values. If so, is supplied to rooms. Modern devices have effi- then a safety factor may need to be applied in ciency of up to 90% or higher so that very little order to ensure the building will actually func- heat desired in winter is lost (or undesirable tion as a Passive House. In the case of non-cer- heat in summer is gained. tified devices, the applicable heat recovery effi- For realistic calculation of the ventilation heat Ventilation heat recovery ciency should definitely be clarified with the losses in the PHPP, it is essential that the heat Certifier at an early stage. In the case of large Component database for ventilation systems recovery efficiency of the device used is deter- orders, e.g. for a multi-storey building, manu- with capacity smaller or bigger than 600m³/h) mined by means of a test bench measurement facturers of ventilation units can often be con- can be found at www.passivehouse.com → of the temperatures in the two ducts connecting vinced of the advantages of product certifica- component database → Building services the device with the outside (outdoor air and ex- tion. haust air).

|39

Secondly, the electricity demand of the ventila- not the maximum (design) volumetric flow tion unit in watt-hours per cubic metre of supply is used in the PHPP

air should be verified. This is determined at the  Non-residential buildings: Volumetric flow standard volumetric flow that is planned for the should be determined for the specific pro- building and must include the demand for the ject, with 15-30 m³/h per person (special

device control unit. This value can also be taken uses may require more); different operating Zoning of the comfort ventilation systems with supply and extract air and from the Passive House Certificate. For non-cer- times and stages should be taken into ac- heat recovery tified units the values calculated by the manu- count; written confirmation by the building

facturer for the volumetric flow and pressure owner / user regarding the planned mode loss present in the respective building are ac- and schedule of operation should be sub- ceptable. mitted as verification

 Avoid dry air: During the heating period, avoid excessively high air change rates caus- ing relative humidity levels of less than 30% Dimensioning the ventilation system (according to the PHPP worksheet "Ventila- tion") For certification, the Designer must submit  The ventilation volume flow rate must be

complete dimensioning of the planned system adjustable for the actual demand. In resi- including at least the following information: dential buildings the volume flow rate must  Dimensioning of the total volumetric flow be user-adjustable for each accommoda-

and the individual volumetric flows at each tion unit (three settings are recommended: valve and at air transfer openings standard volume flow / standard volume  For some buildings the Certifier may require flow +30 % / standard volume flow -30 %).

pressure loss calculation of the duct net-  The ventilation system must not cause un- work and the electricity demand resulting pleasant draughts. from this (including standby demand and electricity for the control unit) Requirements for volumetric flows: Ventilation plans  Residential buildings: Average volumetric Complete plans of the ventilation system must flow of 20-30 m³/h per person, at least 0.3 be submitted that include at a minimum the fol-

Thermography of supply air pipes fold air exchange according to the PHPP cal- lowing information: culation; the average volumetric flow and

|40

 Ventilation ducts: Verification and technical data o position sheets of ventilation components o length o cross section dimensions Besides the ventilation unit, product data o if necessary insulation material thick- sheets should also be submitted for the follow- ness, thermal conductivity, and vapour ing components (if present): tightness (cold air carrying ducts only)  Frost protection mechanism (e.g. pre-heat-  Ventilation outlets: ing coil) o position and type of the supply and ex-  Post-heating coil tract air outlets  o position of the outdoor and exhaust air Ground-coupled heat exchanger: o openings calculation of the heat recovery efficiency o o air transfer openings: position and in case of brine heat exchangers: data cross-section sheets for the pump and other components if necessary  Built-in parts of ducts:

o sound absorber: position and type Checklist: Ventilation system correctly in- o additional sound protection measures stalled? can be found at:

for the ventilation unit are necessary in www.passipedia.org → Mechanical systems

the installation room if 25 db (A) in liv- → Ventilation Measurement of the volume flow rate ing areas or 30 db (A) in non-residential buildings or in extract air rooms in resi- Documentation of flow rate dential buildings are exceeded PH Luft – Tool that aids Designers of Passive House o filter: position and filter class in outdoor adjustment ventilation systems can be found at www.pas- air and extract air ducts After installing the ventilation system the air sivehouse.com → Literature & Tools → Tools & o frost protection mechanisms volume flow must be adjusted at all valves to Aids o heating coils the planned levels. This is the only way to en- o other built-in parts of ducts (fire safety Example documentation of a flow rate adjustment sure that the ventilation system will work as in- dampers etc.) – see the ‘example documents’ section tended and that the energy consumption corre-

 Ground-coupled heat exchanger sponds with the calculations. o length o installation depth and method This procedure will be documented by the ven- o material of tubes and diameter tilation engineer in the documentation of flow rate adjustment. The values in the final PHPP

|41 version must match the documented measured The measurement inaccuracy here is often House buildings it has become increasingly im- standard operation volumetric flows. much more than 10% of the measured value. In portant to consider the correct planning aspects any case, it should be ensured that measuring of kitchen extractor hoods in the energy balance The PHPP files contain a blank template for flow rate devices are used that have a measurement of the building. adjustment documentation, called the "FINAL PRO- range which matches the volume flow to be de- TOCOL WORKSHEET for Ventilation Systems". How- termined. Kitchen Exhaust Systems for Residential ever, other templates may also be used as long as the Kitchens in Passive Houses can be found at flow rate adjustment documentation includes at least Documented adjustment of all supply air and www.passivehouse.com → Literature & the following information: extract air valves must take place. Tools → Free literature → Research work → Ventilation  Object name If this is not possible technically in the case of  Address of the building site individual non-residential buildings, then at

 Name and address of the tester least the volumetric flows in the ventilation unit More information about energy-efficient cafeterias and commercial kitchens can be  Time of adjustment (outdoor air / exhaust air) and in the main ducts found at  Manufacturer and model type of the ventilation of the ventilation system should be measured. www.passipedia.org → Non-residential Pas- system There are three possible methods of calibra- sive House buildings  Standard operation volumetric flows tion:  Adjusted volumetric flows for standard operation  Calibration (mass or volumetric flows) of outdoor  Recommended: measurement of the cen- Summer ventilation air and exhaust air (10% is the maximum allowa- tral volumetric flows at the outdoor air in- In many climates summertime window ventila- ble imbalance) take and the exhaust air outlet - opening must be easily accessible tion is helpful for avoiding overheating or for reducing the cooling demand. It is strongly recommended that for measuring the  Alternative 1: the central device has a suffi- volume flows, devices should be used which utilise ciently accurate internal volumetric flow In case of doubt the Certifier may demand a the method known as zero-pressure compensation. measurement system written confirmation from the owner or future Only in this way will it be possible to ensure reasona-  Alternative 2: calibration using the sum of user stating that the summer ventilation strat- ble accuracy of the measurement. the adjusted supply air and extract air vol- egy given in the PHPP will and can actually be Most measuring devices for determining small volume flows (only suitable for systems with implemented – e.g. if night-time window venti- only a few valves) ume flows, such as those which occur at individual lation is entered for a residential building lo-

supply air or extract air valves in Passive Houses, are cated on a high-traffic road. only suitable to a limited extent as the volume flows Kitchen ventilation to be measured lie in the lowest measurement range In view of the higher energy efficiency require- of the devices. . ments and comfort requirements of Passive

|42

Heating and domestic hot water

The remaining, extremely small heating de- value must be known for different outdoor air mand of a Passive House can be met using sim- temperatures (typically for -7 °C, 0 °C and +7 °C)

ple, cost-effective technology. Because the en- for this purpose. ergy demand for hot water generation is of a scale similar to that for heating the building, at- For hot water generation (heating up and re- tention should be given to efficient technology heating), the heating capacity and the COP also for hot water generation. value for an outdoor air temperature of 20°C must also be known in addition in order to be able to assess hot water operation in the sum-

mer. Measured values for at least three operat- Heat generators ing points and for hot water at 20°C outdoor Compact heat pump units temperature must be provided. It is desirable to have values that have been measured by an in- These devices are modelled in the PHPP “Com- dependent test laboratory. pact” worksheet. All relevant data for certified

Passive House compact heat pump units can be Certified heat pump compact units can be found in the certificate. found at In the case of non-certified devices, the param- www.passivehouse.com → component da- Function diagram of a Passive House compact unit with exhaust air heat pump eters of the integrated ventilation with heat re- tabase → Building services covery are important for adequately accurate calculation in the PHPP worksheet "Compact".

Evidence of these must be provided similarly to the parameters of ventilation units (section Heat pumps "Ventilation Unit"). Space heating with heat pumps Apart from that, the values for heating capacity Heat pumps are modelled in the PHPP work- and efficiency (COP - coefficient of perfor- sheet "HP". For a sufficiently accurate calcula- mance) for different operating points are re-

: © Bin Garten im © : tion, values for the performance and efficiency © Drexel&Weiss © Foto quired for assessing the heat pump. For heating (COP - coefficient of performance) of the heat

Compact heat pump unit operation, the heating capacity and the COP pump for different heat source (outdoor air,

|43 ground, water) and heat sink (hot water) tempera- submitted. At least the length and number of must be used for this. Should there be any devi- tures are required. Measured values must be availa- borehole heat exchangers must be evident from ations from the standard values in the PHPP, ble for at least three testing points. It would be desir- this. The pre-set values may be used for the then this must be agreed with the Certifier in able to have values that have been measured by an other entries in the "HP Ground" worksheet. For advance. independent test laboratory; however, data from the more accurate calculation, project specific val- If the primary energy demand is calculated ac- manufacturer's product data sheet is also admissible. ues may also be entered for the other input if cording to the new method (PER) then the fol- these are evident in the submitted configura- lowing input will be required in the PHPP: Hot water generation with heat pumps tion planning as well.  Under the point 'heat network' the percent- For heat pumps that utilise indoor air as a heat source, Verification is also required for the soil type se- age of the useful heat which is supplied by the actual efficiency in climates requiring heating de- lected in the PHPP, e.g. from national guidelines pends on the type of space heating being used (heat on utilisation of geothermal energy. pump, gas boiler etc.). the district heating network at the boundary Boiler of the building plot must be entered against the energy fed into the heat network by the Note regarding air-to-air heat pumps for heating The PHPP worksheet "Boiler" provides the cal- energy provider. If 70% is entered, this systems and stand-alone heat pump water heat- culation of the boiler efficiency and the final en- means 30% network losses and only 70% ers: ergy demand with standard values for certain useful energy. If exact data is not provided, it Often, the technical data of the heat pump is not boiler types. Alternatively user-defined inputs will suffice to roughly estimate the heat losses in the network by means of the auxil- available in the form required for input into the can be used. A product data sheet for the boiler iary calculation included in the PHPP from PHPP calculation. In such cases, as a makeshift so- should be submitted in both cases. For the user- Version 9.7 onwards. lution the necessary input values can be deter- defined calculation, all parameters entered in mined using a simplified estimate from the availa- the PHPP must be apparent from this data It is also necessary to select the energy sources for the cogeneration process or dis- ble manufacturer's data. sheet. trict heating and for the peak load boiler, For further information please get in contact with District heating which becomes active if the output of the the building Certifier of the project. primary heat generator is insufficient for the District heating supply and its primary energy main winter period. Here it is only possible performance is calculated in the PHPP-work- to select the energy sources which are pro- sheet "District heating". vided in the PER system. For example, if heating oil is still being used today, then 22- Borehole heat exchangers and ground collectors If the requirement for the primary energy de- EE-Methanol should be selected, while 33- mand according to the classic method (PE) is If a ground source heat pump is used (vertical or hor- EE-Gas should be selected if natural gas is met, then evidence of the PE factors for the izontal loops) the PHPP worksheet "HP Ground" must used. Furthermore, it should be stated used heat source must be provided. As a rule, also be completed. The design documents prepared whether cogeneration is also used for hot one of the power plants specified in the PHPP by the engineer or the contracting company should be water generation in the summer. If this is not

|44

the case, then the energy source for hot water heated volume of the building. A mechanical  Thermal insulation: type, thickness and generation in summer should be selected in the convenience ventilation system should also be thermal conductivity next box and then the question should be an- operated at the same time. The provision of Thermal bridge free installation particularly of swered whether the energy for hot water in sum- combustion air for the fireplace and in particu- hot water pipes has a big influence on the en- mer is also supplied by the district heating network lar the safety mechanisms that may be neces- ergy demand. In the PHPP worksheet (and applied with the network losses), or whether sary for any malfunctioning of the ventilation the heat is provided locally (e.g. via a continuous "DHW+Distribution", if 'moderate' or 'good' is system must be ensured satisfactorily. The air- flow heater). selected under 'insulation quality of fittings, tightness of the construction must also be as- pipe fasteners etc.' then evidence of the corre-  In the section for 'CHP plant and peak load boiler', sured for a high quality Passive House building sponding implemented quality should be pro- only the contribution percentages of the CHP plant envelope. and peak load boiler (if used) must be entered. All vided by means of example photographs. The the information mentioned above must be pro- measures required for this are described in the vided by the supplier. Additional information about combustion PHPP User Manual.

heat to be found at The performance ratio or the utilisation factor of the Pumps district heating transfer station should be verified www.passipedia.org → Planning and Build- ing a Passive House → Building services → with the relevant product data sheet that should be The standard values given in the PHPP may be made available by the building services engineer (typ- Heating and DHW used for the electricity demand of the heating ical values are between 90% and 95%). circulation pump and for the hot water circula- Storage and distribution tion and storage tank charging pump. If lower Solar thermal collectors values are to be used, then verification of the Solar thermal collectors are modelled in the “So- The following aspects are entered in the power consumption should be provided by larDHW” worksheet. The characteristic values should "DHW+Distribution" worksheet. means of the appropriate product data sheets. be verified using the relevant product data sheet or Pipes Hot water storage tank test report. If no data is available it is permitted to use the standard characteristic values given in the PHPP Building services plans should be submitted A product data sheet containing the heat loss for one of the three types: flat collector, improved flat that provide the following information for all rate in W/K should be provided for the hot wa- collector or vacuum tube collector. space heating distribution pipes, as well as for ter storage tank. If only information relating to hot water circulation pipes and distribution the EU efficiency class is available, then as an al- Solar energy storage: see section "Hot water storage pipes: ternative the heat loss rate can be calculated us- tank" (further on this page). ing an auxiliary calculation in the PHPP work-  Position Combustion heat  Length sheet "DHW+Distribution". For performance An important aspect, especially in the Passive House,  Nominal width of pipe ratings outside the European Union, consult is the operation of the heat generator inside the with your Certifier. For solar storage tanks, in

|45 addition to information about the storage tank vol- Waste water pipes (and rainwater down- Hot water demand ume in litres the standby proportion as a percentage pipe within the envelope) should also be included in the data sheet. The hot water demand for residential buildings Externally vented pipes that travel vertically is specified as 25 l per person and day (trans- Heat recovery from shower waste water through the building contribute to heat loss lated to a water temperature of 60°C). This through the stack effect that occurs when the standard value must not be deviated from. Wa- If heat recovery from the draining shower water takes temperature of the air in the ground pipe is ter saving fittings for residential buildings can- place, then for certified devices this can be taken into higher than external air. not be taken into account at present. account simply by selecting the appropriate component. To avoid the stack effect, if possible, waste wa- For non-residential buildings the hot water de- Non-certified devices can also be taken into account. ter downpipes within the building envelope mand in the PHPP should be calculated specifi- The following assessment without more exact verifi- should be equipped with a pipe air admittance cally for the respective building. For typical of- cation will be accepted for this: efficiencies which are valve aerator instead of a roof vent. fice use, a demand of 12 l/(P*d) can be set if de- measured in accordance with NEN 7120 (Dutch KIWA To mitigate positive pressure build-up, some ju- tailed calculations are not undertaken. certificate), CAPE/RECADO-PQE (French measure- risdictions require that the piping system still re- ment in accordance with CSTB, measured value for tain one pipe vented to the outside. In such hot and cold water connection) or CSA B55 (Canadian cases, the main ground pipe may be vented to test standard) are entered as steady-state efficien- the outside prior to entering the building. Simi- cies. The effective dead time of 10 seconds per litre of larly, rain water downpipes within the thermal fresh water content of the device can be assumed. envelope should have a P-trap installed near the top of the pipe.

Certified drain water heat recovery systems can If this one or more of these solutions are not

be found at possible or permitted, or in the case of rainwa- www.passivehouse.com → component database ter downpipes on the inside, the additional heat → Building services losses must be taken into account in the PHPP

(see PHPP User Manual, worksheet "Areas"). In such cases, it is recommend to insulate the

entire vertical network of pipes with 50 mm in-

sulation. The position, length, type of venting, of

the pipes and the type, thickness and thermal

conductivity of the pipe insulation must be rec- ognisable in the submitted technology planning.

|46

Cooling

Passive cooling measures such as shading ele- Furthermore, verification of the efficiency of the ments and night-time ventilation are adequate specified cooling devices must be submitted.

for many Passive House buildings in the sum- The device’s properties must be confirmed by mer. the manufacturers' data sheets. Specifically, the following must be considered: Depending on the climate, building, and usage, Split devices (ducted and unducted): the usual additional active cooling measures and equip- information relating to the SEER/ ESEER is too ment may be necessary. In this case, limits on optimistic as a value for the seasonal perfor- useful energy demand for cooling and dehumid- mance factor and is therefore unsuitable. Un- ification apply, and the numerical value for less specified otherwise, the EER (measured at those limits depends on the climate, the inter- an outdoor temperature of 35°C and indoor temperature of 27°C) should be used for the nal heat and moisture loads and (in the case of non-residential buildings) the air change rate. seasonal performance factor. For higher cooling demand values, there is also This value is no longer used in the European en- Rocking Horse Kindrgarten, Aberdeen Scotland Aberdeen Kindrgarten, Horse Rocking an additional limit for the cooling load. The re- ergy label but can be derived from the manufac-

quirements for a specific application are given turer's data sheet. The power rating and the re- in the "Verification" worksheet in the PHPP. spective circulating air volume flow and the type of regulation (variable/fixed speed) is also re- Complete construction plans of the cooling sys- quired. tem will be required for the certification. Water-based cooling, e.g. concrete core tem-

Documentation of the mode of operation in- perature control, chilled ceilings, chilled beams,

cluding the following information cold-water cooling coils: the seasonal performance factor results from the manufacturer's

Nossen Labor,  on/off mode: yes or no? data sheet for an outdoor temperature of 35°C  fan continuously on, even if compressor and a typical cold water temperature. With free is off? cooling, for instance through borehole heat ex-

 relation of recirculation air volume flow changers in cool, temperate climates, the pump power consumption must be verified and taken and cooling power

Picture: Mirko Hertel Fotografie, Hertel Mirko Picture: into account in the PHPP calculation.

|47

Separate dehumidifier: Information regarding  Thermal insulation: type, thickness and the efficiency at 26.7 °C and 60% air humidity, thermal conductivity as is common in the USA can be used directly  Design forward flow temperature (i.e. distri- after conversion from l/kWh into kWh/kWh bution supply temperature) (multiplied by 0.7 kWh/l). European data is of- Refrigerant pipes of split devices that are inside ten based on 30 °C/80% and is therefore unsuit- the building are not taken into account in the able; such values can be converted to common PHPP, therefore verification does not have to be

boundary conditions by division by a factor of submitted for this. 1.4.

A.Müller Norman : The Certifier will require further documentation

proving that the cooling and dehumidification Picture load calculated in PHPP can be covered by the

existing technology. If the cooling and dehumidification functions are not separate, it will also

Dornbirn One LCT be checked whether the sensible heat ratio

(SHR) of the installed devices is sufficient for dehumidification in general.

Cooling distribution

Losses from any cooling distribution system will only occur if pipes lie outside of the thermal en-

velope of the building, or if pipe networks on the inside are operated in the warm season even when cooling is not necessary. In this case

building services plans should be submitted in Pirna © Steffen Spitzner Steffen © Pirnain showing the following information for all cool-

ing distribution pipes:

 Position Single family home Singlefamily  Length

 Nominal width of the pipe

|48

Electrical appliances and lighting

Because heating and cooling demands are very Residential buildings small for Passive House buildings and EnerPHit For residential buildings, the standard values retrofits, the energy demand for other purposes pre-set in the "Electricity" sheet may be used. is a larger percentage of the total primary en- Verification of the characteristic values of indi- ergy demand. Therefore, efficient use of elec- vidual devices is not necessary. tricity is even more important.

Balance boundary Note: the example PHPP calculation in the files that come with the PHPP contains lower In the PHPP only the electricity consumption characteristic values for household appli- that occurs within the heated building enve- ances. These may not be used as standard lope is considered. This corresponds to the bal- values! ance boundary, which also applies for all other characteristic values of the energy balance. The Single family home in Pirna © Steffen Spitzner Steffen © Pirnain home Singlefamily lighting for the underground car park or the cir- If appliances that are more efficient than those culating pump for the pool in the garden thus specified are used in the building, device spe- will not be taken into account. There are excep- cific values can be entered in PHPP. In this case, tions to this rule for appliances which are com- provide the appropriate data sheets showing monly located both inside and outside of the their standard electricity consumption to the heated envelope. For example, energy demand Certifier. of washing machines must also be taken into ac-

count even if they are located outside of the Non-residential buildings heated building envelope in the unheated base- In contrast with residential buildings, there are ment. The exact rules are described in the Crite- no standard values for the electricity demand ria in the section on "Boundary conditions for

School Frankfurt am Main am Frankfurt School for non-residential buildings, therefore individ- - the PHPP calculation". ual verification is always necessary in the PHPP

Bonifatius worksheet "Electricity non-res".

|49

Lighting electricity demand is always necessary because these are not included in the standard value. If detailed planning for lighting is not available,

then a value for the installed lighting and the full load hours will be calculated in the PHPP based Other electricity demands on the usage profile in the worksheet "Use non-

res". Alternatively, user-defined values can be Many elements that impact the electricity de-

used if these can be verified with the appropri- mand of the building are not considered in as- ate lighting planning. sessment of standard buildings (e.g. for building code compliance) and are, consequently, often

Office applications Michael Tribus Architecture Tribus Michael

ignored. Examples include elevators, domestic All applications with a significant electricity de- cold water pumps, extract fans in auxiliary rooms (garbage rooms, elevator machine mand such as PCs with monitors, photocopiers, rooms). Frankenberg School, Frankenberg printers, servers etc. must be taken into account

in the PHPP. Data sheets should be submitted The Project Team should work with the ap- which show the power consumption in the nor- pointed Certifier early in the design process to mal and energy-saving (standby) modes. identify these elements and agree how they

should be assessed. Kitchen Appropriate data sheets verifying the character- As a rule, standard values for the energy de- istic values entered in the PHPP should be sub- mand per warm meal can be used for cooking mitted for all these electricity loads with signifi- and washing. Separate verification for cooking cant demands. equipment will not be necessary in this case.

Alternatively, detailed verification can be pro- Entenmann in Korb, Martin WamslerMartin Korb, in Entenmann Usage profile vided with which lower characteristic values can be achieved, in which case technical data sheets The usage profiles used in the PHPP ("Use non-

should be submitted showing the consumption res" worksheet) must be verified through writ- Single family home Singlefamily information of the cooking and dishwashing ap- ten confirmation by the building user. pliances. A tool for calculating the electricity demand for Tips for energy efficient server can be elevators can be found at For refrigerators and freezers, and for other rel- found at www.passipedia.org → Passive www.passivehouse.com → Literature & Tools → evant appliances which are not directly used for House Certification → Building Certification Tools & Aids preparing meals, separate verification of the

|50

Renewable energy

Energy efficiency and renewable energy generation The energy revolution can only succeed with the Note: In the same way, for verification with simultaneous advancement of high energy effi- the PHPP it does not matter how much of ciency and the use of renewable energy. Due to the generated electricity is used on site. their small energy demand, Passive Houses and There is no differentiation between the elec- EnerPHit retrofits offer optimum conditions for tricity that is fed into the public grid and can the cost-effective supply with renewable en- then be buffered or used directly by others, ergy. In order to achieve the Passive House / En- and the electricity used on site! erPHit classes Plus and Premium, proof of renewable energy generation is necessary. With- out energy generation, a building can achieve

only the Classic Standard.

The generated renewable energy can in princi-

ple not be deducted from the energy demand. However, the PER limit will be increased to a

limited extent if more renewable energy is generated than is necessary to meet the renewable energy generation requirement. Conversely, the renewable energy generation requirement is reduced if the PER demand is smaller than the limit value.

The Passive House with the "Plus"

|51

Area reference for renewable Note: Because the specific renewable primary energy demand [kWh/(m²TFAa)] and re- energy newable energy generation [kWh/(m²foot- In the PHPP, the energy demand for heating, printa)refer to different areas, they cannot be cooling, primary energy etc. is based on the directly compared with one another.

Treated Floor Area (roughly corresponding with the living or useful area). This makes sense be- What kinds of renewable energy cause the energy demand can be depicted per

square metre of useful area in this way. can be taken into account? Generation of renewable energy typically takes This is different in the case of renewable energy place on site or near the building mostly by generation. If a building parameter or limit means of photovoltaic modules on the roof. The value based on the living/useful area was also cost / benefit ratio is not always optimal in the used here, then single-storey bungalows would case of small systems. With some buildings the be preferred over multi-storey buildings be- conditions are also unfavourable, e.g. with cause for the former, the potential generation Calculation of the projected building footprint strong shading or unfavourable orientation. area (e.g. a roof for mounting solar thermal or photovoltaic systems) is relatively large com- Therefore, as an alternative the building owner pared to a small living area. or (long term user) may satisfy the requirement

by investing in new renewable energy genera- However, single storey buildings have higher tion systems which are not spatially associated space consumption and use of natural re- with the building, e.g. by participating in the fi- sources, and therefore shouldn't be preferred nancing for the construction of a wind farm. It is over multi-storey buildings in the PER evalua- only possible to satisfy the requirement by in- tion. That is why in the PHPP the generated re- vestment in new systems; purchase of existing newable energy is based on the "projected renewable energy generation systems does not building foot-print". This is equal to the largest count. The amount of electricity that can be exterior dimensions of the building, which counted will be determined according to the Picture: Bjmullan Picture: roughly equates to the roof area that is useable ownership share of the owner / user in the total for a photovoltaic system and also equates to investment. the base area that is occupied by the building. Thus a similar renewable energy generation re- Many kinds of renewable energy can be taken quirement applies for all buildings regardless of into account, e.g. photovoltaic systems, solar the number of storeys. power plants, wind power, and hydro power.

|52

The following may not be taken into account:  Efficiency of the inverter taken from the data sheet  Biomass utilisation (is already taken into  account in the PHPP in the biomass budget, Number of the modules, proof of this e.g.

more information at www.passipedia.org → through purchase receipts  Alignment, inclination and shading from Passive House Certification → The New Pas- sive House Classes) the corresponding planning

 Waste-to-energy plants and geothermal The following verification must be submitted for energy use (are not sustainably "renewa- renewable energy generation systems that are ble“) not installed on the building:

 Solar thermal energy (is considered part of the heat generator, thus it reduces the PER  appropriate proof of ownership demand in the PHPP and therefore cannot  possibly with evidence of the ownership

additionally be taken into account as re- share as a percentage of the overall system Photovoltaics on the roof WamslerBaumgärtner Picture: newable energy)  Verification of the forecasted annual electricity generation of the system (simula- Necessary verification for renewa- tion) ble energy generation An example for a confirmation sheet for re- The characteristic values of photovoltaic sys- newable energy generation systems that tems which are installed on the building or on are not installed on the building – see the

the building plot are entered in the PHPP in or- ‘example documents’ section der to calculate the annual electricity yield after the power inverter. The following documents

must be submitted for verification of the characteristic values entered in the PHPP:

 Module data sheet with: o rated current, rated voltage and rated power o temperature coefficient of the short-circuit current and the open- Vertical photovoltaics on the facade Graumann Thomas Picture: circuit voltage

|53

Airtightness Testing

An excellent level of airtightness of the building Volume calculation envelope is essential for low energy consump-

tion, thermal comfort and structural integrity. The air volume Vn50 within the heated building Therefore airtightness must be verified by envelope which is to be used for calculating the means of a measurement (known as the n50 air leakage value should be determined Blower-Door-Test). For certification, a com- separately for each room. The calculation must pleted test report signed by the tester is to be be clearly documented in the report and should submitted (as a scan) which proves compliance correspond to the value entered in the PHPP. with the limit value. The total air volume within the thermal enve- The airtightness measurement must be per- lope should be taken into account (including formed in accordance with EN 13829 (Method staircases). A more exact explanation of special A). Alternatively, the measurement may also be

performed in accordance with ISO 9972 features is given in Figure 1. (Method 1). However, in this case the net air Regardless of the degree of completion of the volume according to EN 13829 must be used for building, the dimensions as at completion

calculating the n50-value. In deviation from the should always be used (e.g. if screed has not norms, one series of measurements each for been applied). Volumes above suspended ceil- positive pressure AND for negative pressure ings do NOT count towards the air volume. This will be necessary. is irrespective of whether the ceiling already

exists, is airtightly connected with the wall, or has various holes in it ("acoustic ceiling"). The reduction in the volume due to plaster layers

does not have to be taken into account. An article on Differentiation between Vv

and Vn50 values can be found at: www.passipedia.org → Mechanical systems → Venti- lation

Single Family Home TFA and Vn50 calcula- Figure 1: Information for calculating the air volume within the air- tion - see the ‘example documents’ section. Figure 2: The volume of window reveals, doors and tight layer of a building. The dotted red outline represents the air- passages are not taken into account in the volume tight layer. calculation. |54

Time of the measurement Carrying out the measurement Airtightness of the fully completed building Method A or B? controls, so test after the building is completed. For the energy balance of a building in the PHPP, However, all work for fittings, screed, cladding the utilisation conditions during normal building etc. is already completed at this point and operation are of significance, therefore the air- therefore many important connections and tightness measurements in Passive Houses penetrations of the airtight layer can no longer must be performed according to EN 13829 be accessed in a non-destructive manner. Re- Method A. However, in the case of Passive maining leaks in the airtight layer can then no Houses there is normally no difference between longer be rectified. This would not be appropri- the Method A (utilisation conditions) and ate. Method B (testing of the building envelope). For this reason, air leakage should be measured The outdoor air and exhaust air openings of the ventilation system are the only purposely in- immediately after the completion of the airtight layer (e.g. window installation, airtight- tended openings, which are sealed for the measurement. Exact and comprehensible docu- Measurement of the air speed during the pressure test at one ness membrane in the roof, etc.) so that leaks not yet correctly adjusted window using an anemometer mentation for all temporary sealing is required are easily located and repaired. Missing building envelope components at the time of the meas- for the measurement used for certification. urement will complicate and compromise this In non-residential buildings with intermittent result, and if you rely on this testing before con- operation, installed dampers (e.g. HRV vents, struction is complete, a result where compo- dryer vents) must be closed during the airtight- nents are missing is acceptable for certification ness measurement, however they must not be in only exceptional cases. additionally taped. After this “construction-stage" air leakage Other sealing work measurement, the building management in No other sealing work for the building envelope charge should ensure that subsequent construc- should be carried out for the measurement tion does not damage the airtight layer. If for (key-holes, non-airtight windows, cat-flaps any reason there are concerns in this regard, etc.). then another measurement should be carried Temporary sealing of the outdoor air and exhaust air openings The only exceptions are temporary taping over out. In normal cases, one airtightness measure- of the ventilation system during the measurement for missing building components which can af- ment is sufficient. fect the airtightness (e.g. missing door thresh-

old, missing odour trap in a water pipe). Again, this taping over should be documented in detail.

|55

Report of the airtightness test complete?

Is all general information included? The Checklist for download can be found - Tester: name, address and signature at: www.passipedia.org → Planning and - Object building a Passive House → Airtight con- - Date of test struction - Device - Measurement standard (norm) - Inside and outdoor temperatures - Wind velocity - Flow coefficient Cenv - Leakage coefficient CL

Is the airtightness measurement performed in accordance with EN 13829 (Method A) or alternatively in accordance with ISO 9972 (Method 1)?

Is room-by-room calculation of the air volume of the building included? Is the calculation correct?

Has the installation location of the fan been documented?

Has temporary sealing of the building envelope been recorded (sealing of outdoor air and exhaust air ducts at least)?

Has a series of measurements at excess pressure AND negative pressure been performed?

For each series of measurements, were 5 measuring points used at different pressure differences (highest value ± 50 Pa at least)?

Is the flow exponent "n" between 0.5 and 1.0 (otherwise indicates measurement error due to a change in the envelope e.g. window opening)?

Average value of the natural pressure difference between -5 and 5 Pa (measurement of the pressure difference before and after each measurement series)? Note: If the wind speed is greater than 6 m/s OR the wind force is higher than 3 Beaufort, the stated limiting values for the pressure difference will usually be exceeded.

Recommendation: Prior to the series of measurements, carry out a leak detection with negative pressure, repair large leaks and document this. Exception: For the measurement of tall buildings (e.g. high-rise buildings) special boundary conditions apply. Please contact your Certifier or [email protected]

|56

Photographs

The construction progress should be docu- Checklist of the building site pictures to be mented with illustrative photographs. How- submitted for building certification – see the ever, full photographic documentation of all ‘example documents’ section. measures is not necessary. Photos should be

taken preferably at a time when the installation

situation is not yet covered by cladding etc. Typ- ically, photographs of the following areas should be taken:

 Thermal insulation of the building envelope

(preferably with a measuring ruler in the picture to show the insulation thickness) o floor slab or basement ceiling

o perimeter area o wall insulation

o roof insulation

 Product data labels of o windows frames and glazing

o heating and cooling units

o ventilation unit  Insulation and attachments of the air ducts

 Insulation and attachment of heating, hot

water and cooling pipes and fittings  Other energy-relevant construction details,

e.g. thermal bridges

Example illustrative photographs

|57

Construction manager's declaration

In order to limit the costs for the certification, supervision of the construction work by the Cer-

tifier is not required for the building certification. Instead, with the construction manager's declaration the person appointed by the building owner for supervising the construction work assumes the legal responsibility for ensuring that the work has been carried out in accordance with the documents submitted for the cer- a.M. Frankfurt home tification. A template for the construction manager's declaration can be found at www.pas- family Multi sipedia.org → Passive House Certification → Building Certification → Examples of documents

that need to be submitted for certification. It suffices to submit the signed declaration as a scan.

|58

4. Appendix

|59

Other sources of information

Passive House and EnerPHit - Built projects Events general information Passive House Database International Passive House Open Days Passipedia Database with pictures and descriptions of sev- Passive Houses around the world open their The continually growing database of knowledge eral thousand built Passive House buildings and doors to the public on these days. relating to energy efficient construction and build- EnerPHit retrofits. www.passivehouse-international.org ing modernisation based on more than two dec- ades of experience with research and application www.passivehouse-database.org of this knowledge. International Passive House Conference www.passipedia.org Detailed project documentations The most important international Passive House

Detailed technical documentations for a large event where about 1000 international experts Active for More Comfort: The Passive House number of built Passive House buildings and Ener- come together. Free information brochure with basic information PHit retrofits. www.passivhaustagung.de/en about the Passive House Standard and retrofitting www.passivhausplaner.eu with Passive House components. www.passivehouse-international.org Passive House Award The Passive House Institute is the organiser of the Criteria for the Passive House, EnerPHit and Passive House Award. An international jury exam- ines the entries and judges them on criteria such PHI Low Energy Building standards as design, cost-effectiveness, innovation, energy Building Criteria of the Passive House Institute and supply and sustainability. description of the certification procedure. www.passivehouse-award.org www.passiv.de/downloads/03_building_crite- ria_en.pdf

|60

Certification and further training Organisations

Passive House and EnerPHit certification Passive House Tradesperson Passive House Institute

Information about the quality assurance pro- Information about the further training programme Independent research institute which has played gramme of the Passive House Institute. of the Passive House Institute and the largest da- a key role in the development of the Passive tabase with thousands of certified Passive House House Standard. www.passivehouse.com/03_certification/02_cer- Tradespersons. tification_buildings/01_benefits-of-certifica- www.passivehouse.com tion/01_benefits-of-certification.htm www.passivehouse-trades.org

International Passive House Association Component Database A global network connecting Passive House ex- Comprehensive database of certified Passive perts around the world. House suitable products. www.passivehouse-international.org www.componentdatabase.org

Passive House Designer

Information about the further training programme of the Passive House Institute and the largest database with thousands of certified Passive House Designers. www.passivhausplaner.eu

|61

FAQ

General What is the difference between a certified Pas- No, but extensive use of Passive House compo- sive House Designer and a Passive House Certi- nents all throughout facilitates planning and certi- Can I call my building a Passive House even if it is fier? fication because independently tested energy rel- not certified? evant characteristic values are available for the Certified Passive House Designers or Consultants PHPP calculation. However, installation of non- The Passive House Standard has been defined by have attained an approved qualification through certified products is also permitted, but it may be the Passive House Institute but purposely has not the Passive House Institute for calculating or plan- time-consuming or difficult to provide reliable been protected as a trademark. Even without cer- ning a Passive House building. There are several proof of the performance values in that case. tification it is possible for e.g. an energy consultant thousand certified Designers worldwide. to prepare Passive House verification using the For Passive House standard, EnerPHit standard ac- Search for Certified Passive House Designers on PHPP. If all the Criteria have been met then the cording to the energy demand method, and for the www.passivhausplaner.eu → Search for Certified building can be labelled as a "Passive House" even PHI Low Energy Building standard, components Passive House Designers without certification. Nevertheless, the Seal "Cer- may also be installed which do not meet the Crite- tified Passive House" with the Passive House Insti- Passive House Certifiers are contractually author- ria for Passive House suitable components. The tute logo cannot be used in connection with the ised by the Passive House Institute to certify Pas- prerequisite is that thermal comfort and protec- building in that case. sive House buildings in its name and in accordance tion against moisture are not impaired. with its methodology. In most countries there is

only one Certifier or only a few Certifiers. May only Certified Passive House Consultants Boundary conditions and Designers prepare the PHPP calculation for You can find a list of accredited building Certifiers building certification? on www.passivehouse.com → Certification → Can parts of a building be excluded from certifica- Buildings → Building Certifiers tion, e.g. retail spaces on the ground floor of a The Passive House Institute recommends that a building with residential and commercial use? Passive House Consultant or Designer should be entrusted with the PHPP calculation. However, ba- Is it only permitted to install certified Passive Yes, in certain situations. Fundamentally, it is al- sically anyone who is sufficiently qualified may House components or building parts which meet ways the entirety of an insulated and airtight prepare and submit this calculation to the Certi- the requirements for certified components? building envelope that is certified, e.g. a row of ter- fier. raced houses, apartment block or office building. It is not permitted to exclude parts of a building from the energy balance. In deviation from this

|62 fundamental rule, certification is possible for the Yes, but certification can take place either My building has a very high electricity demand following building parts: through an overall calculation for the row of due to the type of usage. Is compliance with the houses as a whole, or through separate calcula- limit value for primary energy still necessary for  Individual houses in a row of terraced tions for each terraced house. the building? housing www.passipedia.org → Passive House cer- Exact description of the procedure can be found If a very high electricity demand arises in the case tification → Building certification → Sup- on www.passipedia.org → Passive House certifi- of special use buildings (e.g. a hospital) then in plementary provisions to the criteria cation → Building certification → Supplementary consultation with the Passive House Institute the  Annexes of existing buildings as long as provisions to the criteria → Certification of ter- primary energy demand may also be exceeded. they have at least one exterior wall, a roof raced houses according to Passive House Institute Verification of efficient utilisation of electrical en- and a floor slab/basement ceiling criteria ergy for all large electrical applications will be nec-  The upper floors of a building with mixed essary for this purpose. Which uses are considered

use without the business or retail floor to be "efficient utilisation" in each case will be spaces on the ground floor, under the con- Is it possible to certify buildings with special uses, agreed with the Certifier. ditions described on www.passipedia.org such as swimming pool, supermarket or hospital A description for server rooms is available on → Passive House certification → Building as Passive House buildings? www.passipedia.org → Passive House certification certification → Supplementary provisions Passive House certification is also possible for spe- → Building certification → Supplementary provi- to the criteria cial use buildings. The requirements may differ sions to the criteria → Evaluation of server and  If individual apartments in an apartment slightly from the normal Passive House Criteria, server room efficiency for non-residential build- block are being modernised, then precer- therefore consultation with the Passive House In- ings that exceed the primary energy criterion tification on the basis of an EnerPHit Ret- stitute at an early stage of planning is essential. For rofit Plan is possible some uses certification can only be carried out by the Passive House Institute but not by other ac- Additional information on Step-by-step retro- credited Certifiers. fits with the EnerPHit Retrofit Plan can be found at: www.passivehouse.com → Certifica- tion → Buildings → Process Guidelines for indoor swimming pools can be found at: www.passivehouse.com → Litera-

ture & Tools → Free literature and project re-

For certification, must each separate house in a ports → Research work – Indoor swimming row of terraced housing comply with the require- pools ments individually?

|63

Glossary

Air change rate [1/h] Balance boundary Cool colours

This indicates how often the volume of air inside For verification using the Passive House Planning Cool colours are colours that have a low absorp- the building is replaced with fresh air from out- Package, the balance boundary constitutes the tion coefficient in the infrared range of the solar side the building in one hour. In residential Pas- insulated and airtight building envelope which spectrum. As a result of this, exterior surfaces sive House buildings this value is usually between encloses the heated or cooled building volume. that are coated with these colours absorb less 0.3 and 0.5 1/h. The energy flows which occur at this envelope heat in sunlight. In the EnerPHit building compo- surface (e.g. heat losses due to thermal conduc- nent procedure there is a requirement that cool Airtightness tivity or air exchange) are taken into account in colours should be used in hot and very hot cli- An excellent level of airtightness of the building this balance calculation. mates. envelope is necessary for achieving the ad- Construction manager's declaration Cooling load [W/(m²a)] vantages of a Passive House: a low energy demand, thermal comfort, a damage-free construc- Building certification by the Passive House Insti- The cooling load is the heat load that must be re- tion. It is also a prerequisite for efficient and reli- tute is predominantly based on a review of the moved out of the building in order to maintain able functioning of the ventilation system. The planning documents and PHPP. To verify that the the specified indoor air conditions even in the airtightness of a building is determined by means work is executed and the building is constructed most unfavourable case (high outdoor tempera- of a differential pressure test (Blower-Door test). in accordance with the reviewed planning docu- ture and solar irradiation). ments, the construction manager responsible for Airtight layer Climate zone the project signs a declaration to this effect. The The building component layer of the building en- Certifier will provide you with a template. Every location in the world belongs in one of the velope which prevents air from entering or es- seven climate zones defined by the Passive Cooling and dehumidification demand caping through the envelope. To achieve an ex- House Institute. In order to achieve the Passive [kWh/(m²a)] cellent level of airtightness of the building enve- House Standard, similar efficiency measures are lope, there should be only one airtight layer The useful energy which is necessary to maintain usually necessary in those locations which lie in which encloses the entire heated / cooled build- the desired indoor air conditions for cooling the same climate zone. The requirements of the ing volume without any breaks. The airtight layer (PHPP standard design temperature maximum EnerPHit building component method are based may be created using sheeting, plaster layers or 25 °C and 12 g/kg air humidity). This does not on the respective climate zone. In the Passive building components consisting of impervious take into account the efficiency of the equipment House Planning Package (PHPP) the climate zone materials (e.g. reinforced concrete). removing heat and humidity from the air.

|64 is ascertained from the climate data of the build- EnerPHit Frequency of excessive humidity ing location. EnerPHit is a building standard that was devel- The number of hours in the year when the abso- Documentation of flow rate adjustment oped by the Passive House Institute for existing lute humidity of the indoor air is higher than 12 buildings which would only achieve the Passive g/kg. After installation of the ventilation system, the House Standard with great difficulty. Passive volume flows should be adjusted at all supply air fRSI: temperature factor House components are used for EnerPHit build- and extract air valves according to the planned ings so that except for the slightly higher energy The temperature factor is a dimensionless meas- flows. Apart from this, it should be checked demand, these buildings can benefit from almost ure for the ratio of the outdoor air temperature whether the overall mass flow of the air which all the advantages of a Passive House. and the minimum indoor surface temperature enters the building via the ventilation system cor- and can be used as an indicator for the risk of responds with that which leaves the building. EnerPHit Retrofit Plan mould and condensation formation. The follow- This procedure is also known as commissioning. The EnerPHit Retrofit Plan (ERP) is a document ing applies for this: the higher the temperature For building certification by the Passive House In- for building owners which contains a well factor is, the warmer the indoor surface and the stitute, a signed and completed protocol of ad- thought-out overall concept for step-by-step en- less the risk of mould or condensation will be. justment must always be provided to verify that ergy-efficiency modernisation of the building. It adjustment has taken place. g-value takes into account important interrelationships Efficiency of a ground-coupled heat exchanger: between the different energy saving measures. The total solar energy transmission factor, the g- ȠGHE [%] In this way, an optimal final result can be value for short, refers to the energy transmission achieved reliably and with manageable effort of a transparent building component, such as Ground-coupled heat exchangers are used for throughout the steps. The ERP file included in the glazing. The g-value is the sum of the direct trans- pre-heating the outdoor air in winter or for pre- PHPP files generates a basic outline for the Ener- mission of solar radiation plus the secondary in- cooling in summer before it enters the building. PHit Retrofit Plan when a completed PHPP calcu- ward emission of heat through radiation and con- In the simplest case, the outdoor air passes lation is imported. vection. A g-value of 1 thus corresponds to a heat through tubes laid in the ground. This efficiency gain of 100%. In modern triple-layer glazing, this is a measure of the efficiency of the ground-cou- Frequency of overheating value is about 0.55. pled heat exchanger and indicates to what pro- This describes the percentage of hours in a year portion the temperature difference between the Heating demand [kWh/(m²a)] on which the average indoor temperature ex- outdoor air and the annual average ground tem- ceeds 25 °C in buildings that are not actively perature is compensated. The heating demand is the useful energy which is cooled. For the building energy standards of the necessary for keeping the rooms inside the ther- Passive House Institute, this may not be higher mal envelope of the building at the desired in- than 10%. Values below 5% are recommended. door temperature (standard design temperature

|65

20 °C). This does not include the losses of the IHG: internal heat gains covery efficiency indicates the ratio of the trans- heat generator (e.g. boiler) and the auxiliary elec- ferred absolute humidity to the maximum trans- The internal heat gains consist of the total heat tricity necessary for heat generation and distribu- ferrable moisture. emitted by persons and appliances inside the tion. building. In the winter these gains contribute to Passive House Heating load [W/(m²a)] heating of the building, while in the summer they Passive House buildings are extremely energy ef- increase the cooling demand in the form of unde- The heating load is the heat emitted by the heat- ficient, comfortable, affordable and environmen- sirable heating loads. For residential buildings ing system which must be supplied to the heated tally friendly at the same time. "Passive House" is and some types of non-residential buildings (e.g. rooms in order to maintain the desired indoor not a brand name, it is a building concept that is office/administrative building, school) standard temperature even under unfavourable condi- accessible for all. With tens of thousands of build- values for the IHG are specified in the PHPP, tions (cold outdoor temperatures/ no solar irra- ings worldwide, the Passive House Standard has which must be used for the certification. diation). proved itself in practice for more than 25 years. Minimum thermal protection Heat recovery efficiency [%] Passive House Classes The minimum thermal protection describes the Put simply, the heat recovery efficiency of the A Passive House Classic is very energy efficient in standard which a building or the building enve- ventilation unit describes the percentage of the itself. With the classes Plus and Premium, the lope must comply with in order to meet the min- heat energy contained in the stale air extracted building is optimised even further for the effi- imum requirements for structural integrity of the from the building that is transferred to the supply cient use of renewable energy and also generates building (condensation/mould) and for thermal air by the heat exchanger and therefore is not renewable energy, e.g. by means of photovoltaic comfort. As a rule, Passive House buildings and lost. The method for determining the heat recov- modules on the roof. Similar classifications apply EnerPHit modernisations automatically meet ery efficiency that is used for Passive House veri- for the EnerPHit Standard. these relatively minimal requirements due to fication ensures correct calculation of the energy their excellent standard of thermal protection. Passive House components flows in terms of physics. Values determined in The building Criteria of the Passive House Insti- other ways are generally unsuitable for Passive tute contain specific requirements for the mini- These are building products such as windows, House verification. mum standard of thermal protection. thermal insulation, ventilation systems etc. which are suitable for use in Passive House build- The effective heat recovery efficiency of the ven- Moisture recovery efficiency [%] ings or EnerPHit retrofits. The Passive House In- tilation system is calculated using the heat recov- stitute specifies the requirements for Passive ery efficiency of the ventilation unit and a deduc- Some ventilation units also have moisture recov- House components and reviews performance as- tion for heat losses through the ventilation ducts ery in addition to heat recovery. The moisture re- sessment of components submitted to it for cer- between the unit and the thermal envelope of tification. Reliable characteristic values are avail- the building.

|66 able for the almost 1000 Passive House compo- buildings. As for Passive House buildings, verifica- newable energy generation as it basically corre- nents which have now been certified, which tion takes place using the Passive House Planning sponds to the area that is usable for the produc- makes possible the realistic calculation of the en- Package (PHPP). tion of solar energy. ergy demand of a building. PHPP: Passive House Planning Package Psi-value: thermal bridge coefficient [W/(mK)] PER: Renewable primary energy ([kWh/(m²a)] or [W/K] The PHPP is a clearly structured and easy to use The availability of renewable energies fluctuates energy balance software program. It is used for For Passive House verification according to ISO in dependence on solar radiation, wind force, and energy relevant planning and verification for the 10211, the thermal bridge coefficient or Ψ-value precipitation quantity. For a 100% renewable en- energy standards defined by the Passive House (Psi value) is calculated based on the exterior di- ergy supply in the future, some of the generated Institute. Excellent correlation of the calculation mensions (it must be identical to the reference power must therefore be stored intermediately. and the actual energy consumption measure- dimensions of the building envelope area). It de- This storage is inevitably associated with losses. ments in the building has been proved for a large scribes the additional heat losses in comparison Only a third of the original amount of generated number of projects. The PHPP can be ordered to the uninterrupted regular building component electricity will be available ultimately, particu- from the Passive House Institute's website. at a component connection (linear thermal larly in the case of seasonal long term storage, bridge) or a punctiform penetration. Pressure test air change rate n50 [1/h] e.g. due to generation of storable methane gas. Solar heat gains / solar load The PER demand expresses the amount of re- Series of measurements at negative pressure newable energy that must be generated origi- AND at positive pressure with a pressure differ- During the heating period, desirable solar radia- nally in order to meet the total energy demand of ence of at least 50 Pascals between the surround- tion through windows reduces the heating de- a building. Thus it also includes the storage ings and the inside of the building that is being mand. In the cooling period, undesirable solar in- losses. The PER method was developed by the measured. If this is divided by the net indoor air cidence on windows, roof and walls increases the Passive House Institute so that buildings can al- volume, this will result in an air change rate n at cooling demand in the form of the solar load. In ready be optimised during the planning for the 50 Pascal: this is the n50 value. In a Passive House the EnerPHit Criteria according to the building use of renewable energy. this value may not exceed 0.6 1/h. component method, for actively cooled buildings there is a requirement for the maximum solar PHI Low Energy Building Projected building footprint load that enters the building through the glazing The PHI Low Energy Building Standard is suitable Orthogonal projection of the heated or air-condi- surface. for buildings that do not quite achieve the Pas- tioned building envelope on a horizontal plane. SRI: Solar reflection index sive House Standard for various reasons. The re- This is used to describe the ground surface occu- quirements for the energy demand and thermal pied by the building. The projected building foot- The SRI is a parameter for the exterior surfaces of comfort are less stringent than for Passive House print serves as a reference area for assessing re- the building which describes the extent to which

|67 exposure to sunlight heats them. It takes into ac- the better the insulation effect of the building en- U-value of glazing indicates the energy losses count the absorption as well as the emissivity of velope will be. through the window glazing. For Passive House the surface. The higher the SRI value is, the less verification this value must be given to two deci- Treated Floor Area (TFA) the surface will heat up. In the EnerPHit building mal places. component method there is a requirement for This is the net floor area of a building which is to Uw: U-value of a window [W/(m²K)] the SRI for hot and very hot climates. be heated or air-conditioned. The TFA is approxi-

mately equivalent to the gross internal floor area, The U-value of a window (Uw) indicates the en- Thermal comfort the main difference being that the TFA excludes ergy losses through the entire window, therefore Thermal comfort is a subjective perception of the the areas occupied by internal walls. It is there- it does not automatically provide exact infor- body and is based on whether or not a person fore a measure for use of the building. The areas mation about the quality of the frame. This must feels comfortable in the surroundings. Among are weighted differently depending on the use of be examined more closely. other things, the indoor air temperature, the sur- the rooms – with 100% or 60%. The rules for de- Uw installed [W/(m²K)] face temperature of the building components termining the TFA are explained in the PHPP User and the air velocity affect the perception of com- Manual. The Uw-value when installed in a particular situa- fort (or absence of discomfort). The building Cri- tion under consideration of the installation ther- U-value [W/(m²K)] teria of the Passive House Institute contain the mal bridge. minimum requirements for thermal comfort, The thermal transmission (U-value) is a measure Ventilation heat losses particularly for the U-value of windows. for the heat flow through one or more layers of materials if different temperatures prevail on Thermal conductivity [W/(mK)] The heat losses which result from air exchange both sides. The unit for the U-value (W/m²K) de- with outdoor air during the heating period – ei- The thermal conductivity (also called the lambda fines the amount of energy per time unit which ther due to specific exchange via the ventilation value) describes how well a material conducts flows through an area of one square metre if the system or window ventilation or from unin- heat. Insulation materials have a very low ther- air temperature on both sides differs by one kel- tended exchange due to the escape of warm in- mal conductivity and therefore prevent un- vin. The smaller this value is, the better the insu- door air through leaks in the building envelope. wanted heat conduction e.g. through the wall of lation effect of the building envelope will be. In Passive House buildings, ventilation heat a heated building towards the outside. losses are reduced to a minimum due to ventila- Uf: U-value of a window frame [W/(m²K)] tion system heat recovery and a very airtight Transmission heat losses The U-value of a window frame indicates the en- building envelope. This is the heat flow through the exterior building ergy losses through the window frame. components depending on the temperature dif- Ug: U-value of glazing [W/(m²K)] ference in degree kelvin. The smaller this value is,

|68

The Passive House Institute introduces itself

The Passive House Institute (PHI) is an independent research institute founded by Dr. Wolfgang Feist with a continuously growing interdiscipli- nary team of employees. The PHI has played a particularly important role in the development of the Pas- sive House concept.

Since then, the Passive House Institute has assumed a leading position with regard to research on and development of construction concepts, building components, planning tools and quality assurance for particularly energy efficient buildings.

The Passive House Institute makes its knowledge available to everyone. Findings relating to the Passive House Standard, certification and training programmes, as well as the marketing of planning tools such as the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) and designPH thus cannot be considered a monopoly of any local institution in any country. The Passive House Institute does not enter into exclusive contracts. Provided that all prerequisites are met, the Passive House Institute is happy to collabo- rate with suitable partners at any time and in any country. The Passive House Institute may be contacted directly in case of questions regarding the certification of professionals, buildings and building components as well as all relevant consultancy services.

|69

Example documents

The following are links to examples of the most important documents that must be submitted for certification. They serve as an illustrative supplement to the documentation requirements described in the guide.

All example documents can be found at: www.passipedia.org → Passive House Certification → Building Certification → Examples of documents that need to be submitted for certification  Completed Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) for a residential  Confirmation sheet for renewable energy generation systems that are building as PDF not installed on the building site  Single family home detailed TFA and Vn50 calculation  Documentation of a thermal bridge calculation for a connection detail

adjacent to the outside air  Documentation of thermal bridge calculations for connection details adjacent to the ground  Glazing data sheet  Documentation of a window frame U-value calculation in accordance with EN ISO 10077-2  Documentation of a window installation thermal bridge calculation  Documentation of a glazing edge thermal bridge calculation in accordance with EN ISO 10077-2  Completed documentation of flow rate adjustment based on the “ventilation specification sheet”  Record of a airtightness test  Template for the construction manager declaration The Building Certification Guide in other languages can be found at:  Checklist Building site photographs www.passipedia.org → Passive House Certification → Building Certi-  Completed EnerPHit Retrofit Plan for a step-by-step renovation to the fication Guide EnerPHit Standard

|70