Upload
passive-house-plus
View
334
Download
29
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Â
Citation preview
editors letter
ph+ 3
ABC Certified Average Net Circulation of 6,272
for the period 01/01/13 to 30/06/13
Issue 10
PUBLISHERS: Temple Media Ltd.PO Box 9688, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, IrelandT: +353 (0)1 2107513 / +353 (0)1 2107512
Email: [email protected]
EDITORIALEDITOR: Jeff ColleyE: [email protected]
DEPUTY EDITOR:Lenny AntonelliE: [email protected]
REPORTER:John HearneE: [email protected]
REPORTER:Kate de Selincourt
CONTRIBUTORSRichard Sharpe, European Centre for Environment &
Human HealthKevin M Neary, passive house designer
Martin Murray, Martin Murray ArchitectsDes Crabbe, OA StudiosJason Walsh, journalist
Mike Jacob, Trunk Low Energy BuildingMonica Walsh, homeowner
UK SALESStephen MolyneuxE: [email protected]
READER RESPONSE/ ITDudley ColleyE: [email protected]
ACCOUNTSOisin HartE: [email protected]
ART DIRECTORLauren ColleyE: [email protected]
PRINTING: GPS Colour Graphics, T: +44 (0) 28 9070 2020
www.gpscolour.co.uk
Publishers circulation statement: 9,000 copies
of Passive House Plus (Irish edition) are printed and
distributed to the leading figures involved in sustainable
building in Ireland including architects; consulting,
m&e and building services engineers; developers;
builders; energy auditors; renewable energy companies;
environmental consultants; county, city and town
councillors; key local authority personnel; and to
newsagents nationwide via Easons.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in Passive
House Plus are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the publishers.
Cover: Herefordshire Archives & Records CentrePhotograph: Dennis Gilbert
n Laoghaire-Rathdown County Councils inspired decision to demand that all
new buildings meet the passive house standard will deliver world class performance
without increasing prices. As I explained in an Irish Times article on the initiative,
one of the reasons why passive house wont cause price increases is that anyone
building a new home in Ireland has to achieve 60% energy reductions and install a renewable energy
system to meet prima facie compliance with building regulations anyway. Thats thanks to changes to
Part L of the Building Regulations that this magazines predecessor Construct Ireland helped to bring
about from 2008 to 2011 changes which in turn emerged from initiatives we worked on with Fingal,
Wicklow, Dublin City and, yes, Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in 2005 and 2006.
The Construction Industry Federation has immediately assumed a defensive posture, arguing
in the same Irish Times article that the draft policy would cause construction prices to increase, and that
if the policy goes ahead there will be very few houses built in Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown next
year. The CIF raised similar objections as long ago as 1978, when it argued against proposals to make
insulation mandatory for new homes on the spurious basis that it would cause house prices to rise.
I invite the CIF to tap into the expertise that has accumulated on passive house in Ireland including
within its own membership and speak from an informed position. No builder or subcontractor whos
committed to quality has anything to fear from passive house. My colleagues in the Passive House
Association of Ireland would welcome the opportunity to explain the risks inherent in less considered
energy efficiency approaches, and the benefits passive house can bring for the whole industry
developers, designers, tradespeople and suppliers alike and ultimately to building occupants.
The fact is that compliance with Part L typically means an A2 or A3 BER, bringing construction
costs up close to and in some cases above passive house levels, but with no guarantee that
the building will actually work. Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown deserve great credit for committing
to a building standard that actually works a standard thats firmly rooted in building science.
So theres a pressing need to adopt passive house while allowing any other approaches that can
demonstrate equivalent performance without delay, as some of the approaches the construction
industry is taking to meet new building regulations will fail to deliver anticipated energy savings,
while compromising indoor air quality and leading to the need for repair work.
Part L is driving people to better insulate new homes, but not necessarily to design out cold
bridges, or put in effective ventilation. The standard approach in the industry is still to knock
holes in walls for ventilation, and theres no credible evidence to show that this works, least
of all in low energy buildings. (This is not to be confused with demand-controlled mechanical
ventilation, which is backed by solid evidence, including substantial monitoring studies.)
Passive houses work. We have the benefit of 25 years of detailed monitoring to show that these
buildings are genuinely energy efficient, healthy, comfortable and built to last. So the construction
industry has nothing to fear from passive house and much to gain. Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown
have shown great vision and leadership in backing an approach that delivers demonstrably high
quality sustainable buildings. Once the industry stops blindly objecting, and instead engages
and starts working out how to deliver this cost-effective quality standard, it wont look back.
Regards,
the editor
D
cont
ents
6 NEWS
22 BUILDING OR UPGRADING?Passive House Plus is here to make your project more sustainable
24 COMMENT
28 INTERNATIONALThis issues international selection of passive and low energy building includes
two homes built for retirement one in Austria, one in New Mexico a
striking house in a Romanian forest, and an out-of-this-world passive-certified
dome in tropical south-west China.
38 NEW BUILD38 Irelands first passive house pharmacy
Late last summer, work finished on architect Paul McNallys
latest super low energy project: a three-storey building in Tipperary
that has become Irelands first certified passive house pharmacy.
46 EU president sets passive precedent
Motivated by the experience of building and living in a passive
house, one of Irelands leading political figures has become a
public advocate for the standard. Passive House Plus visited the
house to find out why.
52 Smart Dublin passive house shows tiny heating bills
Building this stylish south Dublin passive house, which recently
picked up a Made in Germany energy efficiency award, demanded
a steep learning curve, not least when it came to airtightness
but despite the struggles, it ultimately gave its owners their
dream low energy home.
58 Hereford archive chooses passive preservation
Safeguarding historic documents and other artefacts requires
stable building conditions. Until now this was usually achieved
with the expensive and energy-hogging use of heating and cooling
equipment, but a new approach by Herefordshire Council used
the passive house approach to conserve energy, money and
the countys precious historical archives.
66 Essex house nears passive against the odds
When Mike Jacob of Trunk Low Energy Building started planning
to build this unique Essex home, it seemed likely to run way over
budget, and still fail to meet the passive house standard. But
rethinking key details and making tough compromises got the
house within touching distance of passive, while slashing costs.
72 Pennine farmhouse marries traditional style with passive
performance
From a distance Steel Farm looks like a traditional Northumberland
farmhouse, with its sandstone exterior and cluster of outbuildings.
But inside, it is something very different.
78 UPGRADE78 Fabric-first retrofit rejuvenates Dublin social housing
Built in the 1970s, Rochestown House was a cramped, cold and
damp social house block in Sallynoggin, Co Dublin that has now
been completely transformed, thanks to a deep energy retrofit
inspired by passive house principles.
84 UKs 1st Enerphit, six years on
Six years after it was completed, Passive House Plus takes a
look at a pioneering low energy upgrade that went on to become
the UKs first certified Enerphit project, to find out how it has
performed and what lessons have been learned.
88 INSIGHTThe case for making passive house mandatory
There is a growing sense that passive houses time has come. Following
on from the examples set by umpteen municipalities and local authorities
in continental Europe, there are signs of public bodies in Ireland and the
UK making the passive house standard mandatory. Jeff Colley describes
the rapidly unfolding events and puts forward some key points to take note
of as events unfold.
28
38
46
58
66
84
ph+ 5
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
SEAI: Deap targets arentthe only way to meet Part LSpecifications for new homes which fall short
of energy performance targets in the Dwelling
Energy Assessment Procedure software may
nonetheless comply with Part L of the Irish
Building Regulations, the Sustainable Energy
Authority of Ireland has said. This is potentially
a significant development for passive house,
a proven ultra low energy building strategy
which is often undermined by the relatively crude
assumptions in the Irish regulatory guidance
and Deap software.
Responding to questions from Passive House
Plus, SEAIs CEO Dr Brian Motherway said:
SEAI does not claim that achieving a certain
outcome in Deap is the only acceptable or ap-
propriate way of demonstrating full compliance
with Part L of the building regulations.
Motherways comments add further weight to
the case for passive house as an alternative
method of compliance with Part L, made by
leading EU law & sustainable energy law expert
Philip Lee in issue nine of Passive House Plus
(Irish edition). As Lee explains, the legal obligation
is to comply with Part L itself rather than the
technical guidance documents, which dont
have the force of law. Part L consists of a few
paragraphs, including a requirement to de-
sign new homes to reduce the primary energy
demand and associated carbon emissions in
so far as is reasonably practicable using
Deap to calculate both energy demand and
carbon emissions while generating a reasonable
proportion of energy from renewable sources.
Writing in Passive House Plus, Philip Lee posited
a passive house with a reasonably sized renewable
energy system as an alternative method of
meeting Part L, while noting that Part L itself
needs to be updated to avoid breaching EU
law by specifying a minimum level of renew-
able energy in the regulation itself rather
than in the non-binding guidance document
due to a requirement of article 13(4) the RES
Directive which kicked in at the end of the year.
The targets in Deap incorrectly viewed by
many in the industry as mandatory for Part L
compliance include some but not all of the
backstop targets set out in Technical Guidance
Document L, namely the renewable energy gen-
eration targets of 10 kWh/m2/yr thermal energy
or 4 kWh/m2/yr electrical, backstop U-values
for all of the dwellings main elements and overall
energy efficiency and carbon emissions targets,
respectively called maximum permitted energy
performance coefficients (MPEPCs) and maximum
permitted carbon performance coefficients
(MPCPCs). Other key TGD L targets such as
airtightness test results, thermal bridging fac-
tors and boiler efficiency are omitted.
According to Brian Motherway: Deap is the
calculation methodology specified by Regulation
L3(a) to calculate primary energy consumption
and carbon dioxide emissions. As it is specified
by the Regulation, and not the Technical Guidance
Document, for the purpose of calculating primary
energy and CO2 emissions, it is not subject to
article 7(3). The EPC and CPC must be cal-
culated in Deap. Other parameters specified
in the TGD L can be demonstrated through
alternative approaches if deemed appropriate
by the designer / assigned certifier.
Philip Lee has explained to Passive House
Plus that while complying with L3(A) requires
the use of Deap to calculate the dwellings
EPC and CPC, this doesnt mean in the case
of a demonstrably low energy building such
as a passive house that the dwelling must
meet the maximum permitted EPC and CPC
targets of 0.4 and 0.46 respectively in TGD L,
on the basis that it can be demonstrated that
the dwelling has reduced energy demand and
carbon emissions in so far as is reasonably
practicable.
Responding to questions from Passive House
Plus that the wording in Deap may falsely lead
the industry to view that hitting targets from TGD L
is required to comply with Part L, Brian Motherway
drew a distinction between conformance and
compliance.
The report in question is described as a
"conformance" report and not a "compliance"
report. he said. The conformance report can
assist designers in achieving compliance
without the necessity for multiple checks.
However the issuing of a conformance report
in Deap does not prevent a designer/ builder
/ owner / certifier from adopting alternative
approaches to those described in the TGD L
provided that the relevant requirements of the
Regulations are complied with. The report
specifically refers to TGD L at the top of the
page you cite. Responsibility for compliance with
Building Regulations rests with the owner, de-
signer, assigned certifier and builder. The Local
Authority is responsible for enforcement.
The conformance report was originally developed
for, and in consultation with, DECLG. We have
discussed this matter with DECLG officials,
who have confirmed their agreement with the
points set out above. Notwithstanding this, if
it is the case that there is any confusion in the
market with reference to the language used
in Deap, I am open to addressing this confusion
either in the generality or specifically in the
formal review of Deap, which as you know is
scheduled to take place in 2015, while again
noting that SEAI does not determine what
constitutes compliance with the regulations.
SEAI is keen to ensure clarity around these
issues for all stakeholders.
(above) Although Deap appears to indicate that failingto hit certain targets from TGD L means non-compliancewith Part L, SEAIs CEO Dr Brian Motherway tellsPassive House Plus that this isnt the case
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
Michael Bennett & Sonsto sell passive semi-ds at170,000Wexford-based developer and contractor Michael
Bennett & Sons have a planning application
for twelve certified passive houses at their
Madeira Oaks development in The Moyne,
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
The first four houses -designed in conjunction
with passive house specialists MosArt - will
be offered to the market for 170,000, and
will also boast A2 BERs and a 10 year insur-
ance-backed Homebond guarantee. These
houses will represent the first steps towards
passive houses being affordable for all,
Michael Bennett told Passive House Plus.
Bennett is guaranteeing that the combined
heat and hot water bills will be no more than
200 per year, subject to the houses being
operated as expected.
The overall Madeira Oaks development fea-
tures 180 houses, and has been progressed
gradually over the last 14 years. "We've built
them all to a high standard, it's all about quality,"
Michael Bennett told Passive House Plus.
Our maximum house build in any one year
has been 20, which allows us concentrate on
quality housing both in terms of finishes,
and the actual construction itself.
Bennett & Sons previously built two A3 rated
houses on the Madeira Oaks site, and these
included 5KW wood burning stoves, oil-fired
central heating and heat recovery ventilation.
But Michael Bennett told Passive House Plus
that by stripping back the number of mechanical
systems and taking a fabric-first approach
with the passive house standard, he can build
for less. The timber-framed, rendered block
certified passive houses will feature heat pumps
and solar PV systems.
"Passive houses allow for a different standard
of living comfort, energy costs are massively
reduced with annual fuel more than 80% reduced.
This is something everyone should be able to
avail of."
Michael Bennett & Sons is also behind the
Isover award-winning Grange Lough passive
house development in Rosslare Strand, Co
Wexford, and was main contractor on a passive
house certified new build for former president
of the European Parliament Pat Cox, which
is featured on page 46 of this issue of Passive
House Plus.
(above) An A3-rated house at Madeira Oaks; the new170,000 passive houses will be built in similar style
Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has
voted to make the passive house standard
mandatory for all new buildings in the area as
part of its latest development plan.
At a meeting of the local authority on Wednesday,
11 February, councillors voted by 23 votes to
14 to add wording to the 2016-2022 local de-
velopment plan stating it is, Council policy
that all development in new buildings should
be built to the Passive House standard.
The motion also stated that nearly zero energy
buildings (NZEBs) or other lower energy standards
may be considered as appropriate alternatives.
The Passive House Association of Ireland together
with Passive House Plus, which has offices
based in the area, organised a trip for coun-
cillors to Niall and Monica Walshs passive
house in Mount Merrion in advance of the
vote, during which presentations on the pas-
sive house concept and its benefits were
made. The 256 sq m house, which is profiled
on page 52 of this issue, has cost less than
200 per year for combined space heating
and hot water since the family of four moved in.
The draft development plan will now enter a
public consultation period that will begin on 2
March and last for ten weeks.
Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has
a history of demanding higher energy efficiency
standards than national regulations. It was
one of the first local authorities, back in 2007,
to demand that buildings be constructed to
more stringent energy efficiency standards than
national regulations, passing 40% energy and
carbon reduction targets, along with mandatory
renewable energy systems. Within months of Dn
Laoghaire-Rathdowns initiative, the government
committed to introducing the 40% improvements
into building regulations for new homes.
Echoing its reaction to the 2007 initiative, the
Construction Industry Federation immediately
came out in opposition to Dn Laoghaire-Rathdowns
passive house target, claiming it would lead to
an increase in the cost of new build in the area.
To read more on the rationale for making passive
house mandatory, read a piece by the editor
on page 88.
Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown tomake passive house mandatory
ph+ 7
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
SEAI Energy Show to take place on 25 & 26 March
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Irelands
Energy Show 2015 takes place at the RDS,
Dublin on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26
March. This annual two-day business event,
which last year saw 160 companies exhibit their
sustainable energy products and services, is
the premier energy trade exhibition in Ireland
and will feature the latest innovations in energy
efficient design and building techniques.
Visitors to the 2015 Energy Show can learn
how to maximise energy savings for buildings,
with solutions ranging from building energy
management systems for large premises to
time and temperature controls for SMEs, and
from heat recovery systems to high efficiency
boilers and lots in-between. In addition to the
exhibition, the show will feature best practice
retrofit demonstration areas, networking op-
portunities with international markets, an elec-
tric vehicle pavilion and a wide range of free
workshops, seminars and briefing events.
This year a new SEAI energy theatre will be
located in the main hall, with free talks updat-
ing attendees on the latest policy and market
developments in energy efficiency and re-
newable energy. Topics will include: briefings
on the latest energy statistics for Ireland and
their implications for business, energy man-
agement standards like the new energy efficient
design standard IS 399, BER workshops, how
to maximise tax incentives like the accelerated
capital allowances, electric vehicles, and best
practice in energy efficiency for the residential,
commercial and public sectors. These talks are
free to all visitors and sessions will be available
for pre-booking on www.seai.ie/energyshow.
Representatives from a host of worldwide
embassies and trade organisations will be
available to meet with Irish companies to dis-
cuss business opportunities abroad. Different
countries will be present at scheduled times and
full details are on the website. The Energy
Show is a free business exhibition and will be
open each day from 10am to 6pm. For further
details visit www.seai.ie/energyshow.
(above) Last years SEAI Energy Show at the RDS
Low energy builders Pat Doran Construction are
currently on site with the construction of a number
of passive and ultra low energy projects, including
a 400 square metre retrofit project in Rathgar,
Dublin that is aiming for Enerphit certification,
the Passive House Institutes retrofit standard.
Father-and-son team Pat and Paul Doran recently
spent two weeks studying at the the Komzet
Centre for Vocational Excellence in Germany.
The team said that studying in Germany made
them aware of how airtightness and low energy
building is embedded in construction culture
over there, from the architect at design stage
right through to the workers on site.
Pat Doran became certified as a passive house
tradesperson in both building envelope and
services following his studies in Germany. I found
the passive house approach very practical, the
construction details on eliminating cold bridging,
installing windows and airtightness made a lot
of sense to me both as a carpenter and a builder,
he said. Once you start building at this standard
its impossible to build any other way.
Meanwhile his son Paul qualified as a certified
passive house consultant. I found its a very
scientific approach with a focus on building physics
and its very hard to argue with conclusions which
have the maths to support them, he said. On
site this translates to a rigorous attention to detail
where your goal is to dramatically reduce heat
loss from the building.
Paul Doran added: After construction of my own
low energy house in 2012, we decided this was
the way to build.
(pictured) Pat Doran (left) and Paul Doran (right)on site on their Enerphit project in Rathgar, Dublin,along with their passive house qualifications
Pat Doran Construction on site with passive projectsafter German study trip
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
ComfortDisc offers passive house discount
ComfortDisc is currently offering a limited discount
to clients building passive houses who specify
its ducting system, and allow it to monitor the
systems performance post occupation. The
Mullingar-based firm wants to collect data on
real-life applications of the system in advance of
applying for passive house certification. The
offer is open to residential and commercial
buildings.
The company plans to install sensors in a number
of projects and remotely monitor internal con-
ditions as well as the systems performance.
ComfortDisc is a modular energy efficient small-
diameter duct distribution system that can provide
zoned heating, cooling, heat recovery and air
filtration.
The systems modular design means that it can
be operated as heating only, HRV only, heating
with HRV, cooling only, cooling and HRV, or
heating, cooling and HRV.
The ComfortDisc HRV option can use a carbon
dioxide sensor to vary the ventilation rate as
the occupancy levels increase or decrease.
ComfortDisc eliminates the use of radiators or
underfloor heating by delivering warm or cool
air into the room through small 125mm diameter
discs. Each disc is connected by a three meter
length of sound attenuated ducting to the in-
sulated rigid metal manifold ducting. The heated
or cooled air is generated by a heat pump or
other source, such as solar thermal storage.
There is also a DX coil option available for air-
to-air heat pumps.
A concentrated jet of air exits each disc mixing
the room air evenly from floor to ceiling, giving
unsurpassed comfort and even room temper-
atures wall to wall. The outlets are generally
placed at the perimeter of each room in areas
where occupants will typically not sit or stand
underneath them.
Eamonn Fidgeon of ComfortDisc told Passive
House Plus that one advantage of the system
in passive buildings is that it allows for more
specific temperature control in each room or
zone. It gives you more comfort and flexibility
in the control of temperatures. With a passive
house, it doesnt take much energy at all to heat
it up or down, so having the option to increase
or decrease temperature within your low energy
building gives you greater comfort. Visit
www.comfortdisc.com for more information.
(above) ComfortDisc utilises 125mm discs to discretelyrelease tempered air into buildings such as this convertedschoolhouse in Kilquigin, Co. Wicklow
Heating specialists Versatile have launched
the new ultra-compact Zehnder ComfoAir 180
to the Irish market. The system is certified by the
Passive House Institute to have a heat recovery
efficiency of 82% and an electric power consumption
of 0.27 W/m3.
The compact nature of the unit means it is de-
signed to be installed in a kitchen or bathroom
cupboard, and it is ideally suited for new build
and renovation of flats, apartments and small
townhouses up to 105 square metres in size.
The system includes the Zehnder ComfoPipe Plus
twin duct modular system, which has a low
profile and is designed for small spaces and
retrofit.
It has unique modular ductwork thats designed
to fit easily above a kitchen unit, for example,
Versatiles Tony Kennedy told Passive House
Plus. It also features a combined two-in-one
external wall grill, meaning just one external
vent is visible on the outside of the dwelling.
It looks just like one grill, which is aesthetically
important to architects, Tony Kennedy said.
The unit is designed to be controlled by Zehnders
easy-to-use ComfoSense controller. The sys-
tem features automatic 100% filtered summer
bypass, frost protection and ventilation of up to
180 m3/h at 160 Pascals.
(above) The Passive House Institute certified ZehnderComfoAir 180 system is designed to be compact forsmaller homes, and comes with a two-in-one externalwall grill
Versatile launch new compact passive house MVHR system
ph+ 9
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
Components centre stage at 2015 InternationalPassive House ConferenceThe passive house standard enables every
building owner to benefit from the energy revolution,
with certified passive house components ensuring
cost-effectiveness. This basic concept will be
the focus of the 2015 International Passive House
Conference, held from 17 to 18 April 2015 in
Leipzig.
Over a hundred speakers from all over the world
will present exemplary projects and solutions
for building and ventilation systems and windows
within the context of new builds and retrofits.
An exhibition will provide specific examples
of products currently available on the market.
The conference programme is now online at
www.passivehouseconference.org
Passive house components allow building
owners to save hard cash, says Dr. Wolfgang
Feist, director of the Passive House Institute.
The certificate provides planners and archi-
tects with a high reliability that the calculated
energy efficiency of a building will be achieved in
practice. Besides the economic viability of the
passive house standard, the focal points of the
event will include challenges of specific building
uses and of different climatic circumstances.
The conference takes place under the auspices
of Sigmar Gabriel, German Federal Minister
for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Over a third of total energy consumption in in-
dustrialised countries is attributable to buildings
and to heating in particular. Up to 90 percent
of this energy can be saved in a passive house,
meaning the remaining energy demand can
easily be covered by renewables. The passive
house standard is therefore an ideal basis for
the nearly zero-energy building, requested in the
EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive,
which comes into effect for all new buildings
in 2021, and for all new public buildings in 2019.
Since 1997, the International Passive House
Conference has been held annually by the
Passive House Institute in different locations.
The city of Leipzig, the Saxony Chamber of
Architects and the University of Innsbruck are
co-organisers of the 2015 conference. Some
of the lectures are embedded into the EU-funded
EuroPHit (step-by-step retrofits) and PassREg
(Passive House regions with renewable energies)
projects. In addition to the exhibition, the con-
ference will be complemented by a number of
workshops and excursions.
(above) Congress Centre Leipzig, the venue for the2015 International Passive House Conference
ISH, the worlds biggest trade fair for water
and heating technologies, will take place in
Frankfurt am Main from 10 to 14 March, at
the exhibition grounds of Messe Frankfurt.
Messe Frankfurt expects that around 2,400
exhibitors from all around the world will present
their latest products and innovations, across
over 260,000 square metres of exhibition space.
ISH pitches itself as the worlds leading trade
fair for the bathroom experience, building, energy,
airconditioning technology and renewable en-
ergies.
Comfort meets technology is the motto of
this years fair. ISH stands for future-oriented
subjects, such as resource conservation and
the use of renewable energies, as well as de-
mographic change and the associated changing
conditions in the fields of water and energy,
says Wolfgang Marzin, president and chief
executive officer of Messe Frankfurt.
ISH is the leading trade fair for sustainable
sanitation solutions, innovative bathroom design,
energy-efficient heating technologies combined
with renewable energies, and environmentally-
friendly airconditioning, cooling and ventilation
technology.
Exhibitors with environmentally-friendly, design-
oriented bathroom solutions will exhibit in the
ISH Water section, which is to be found together
with the World of Installation Technology on
the east side of the exhibition centre, in halls
two, three, four, five and six.
Meanwhile the ISH Energy section with building-
services and energy technology, renewable
energies and cooling, airconditioning and ven-
tilation technology is located in the western
part of the Exhibition Centre, in halls eight,
nine, ten, eleven and the Galleria.
(above) Sustainable energy technologies featuredheavily at ISH 2013, a trend that will continue at thisyears show
ISH to host 2,400 exhibitors in building & energy technology
Photo
: M
esse F
rankfu
rt E
xhib
itio
n G
mb
H/P
etr
a W
elz
el
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
OldBuilders bring space-age material tohistoric Dublin restoration
Conservation specialists the OldBuilders Company
are currently using Aerogel insulation, often re-
ferred to as a space age insulation because
of its use on space shuttles, to insulate a historic
19th century building in Killiney, Co Dublin.
Henry Thompson of the OldBuilders Company
told Passive House Plus that he is insulating
most of the dwellings attic with 300mm of hemp
wool insulation, because the material is natural
and vapour permeable.
However, some sections of the attic dont offer
as much space for insulation, with only 100mm
available, demanding the use of a thinner material
that offers excellent U-values and breathability.
Thompson told Passive House Plus that while
Aerogel isnt a natural material, it still offers
the breathability and moisture permeability
that is essential for keeping the structure of
historic buildings dry.
It has been used more in conservation in recent
times, where one has minimal space and a need
to maintain vapour permeability, essential in these
types of structures, he said.
The house in question is 650 square metres,
and was built in 1860. Thompson told Passive
House Plus that, in conservation, insulating
sold lime mortared walls is somewhat contro-
versial, due to its impact on architectural detail
and potential for interstitial condensation, so
most of the thermal upgrade work on this project
is focused on the roof. Only the basement walls
are being insulated with lime based silicate
boards which are bedded and finished in a
lime plaster. The project is a complete restoration,
including lime plastering, slate roofing, sash
windows, as well as new services.
The OldBuilders Company is a specialist
restoration contractor with expertise in lime
plastering, hemp-lime insulation, sash windows,
slate roofing and other conservation skills, as
well as new building construction using timber
frame and natural materials. Their works can
be seen at www.oldbuilders.com
(above) Aerogel insulation being installed on the roofof the house in Killiney
Passive house approved heat pump supplier
Nilan Ireland have called on SEAI to adopt the
EU's new energy labeling system for meas-
uring the energy efficiency of heat pumps.
According to the European Heat Pump Association,
energy labelling is a benchmark for the end-
consumer to see how economical, environmentally
friendly and/or energy saving the product is.
Taking all the performance indicators into
consideration, the product will be put in a cat-
egory ranging from A (best) to G (worst), with
the option of adding classes A+, A++ and
A+++ to accommodate for technical progress,
the association explains.
To achieve the label, heat pumps must be tested
to the EN14825 standard. This provides a seasonal
coefficient of performance figure (SCOP) that,
Maurice Falvey of Nilan Ireland said, shows a
heat pumps true season performance effi-
ciency across a range of temperature conditions.
Its created a benchmark for heat pumps to
be tested again, Falvey said. Under EN14825,
heat pumps can be tested against across three
different European climate zones.
However, the efficiencies stated on the energy
label are not yet automatically accepted by SEAI
for inclusion on its Harp database of heating
products. Falvey called on SEAI to accept the
system in order to create, a level playing field
across Europe.
He said that Nilans range of Compact P combined
heat recovery ventilation & air source heat
pumps had gone through extensive testing to
achieve the standard.
Rather than having national, voluntary or in-
stitutional energy labels, energy labelling will
be a harmonised European standard that will
tell consumers how their heating device will
function in terms of its energy consumption
over its life cycle. Energy labelling will come into
force for heating and hot water appliances
from September of this year.
Nilan calls for Ireland to adopt EU heatpump energy label scheme
ph+ 11
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
GMS becomes exclusive Irish agents forIsothane Technitherm insulation
Longford-based insulation specialists GMS
Insulations Ltd have become exclusive Irish
agents for Isothane Technitherm cavity wall
insulation. Technitherm is a closed-cell, high-
density, polyurethane insulation for masonry
cavity walls. It also serves as an all-in-one
BBA approved wall-tie replacement, delivering
structural stabilisation and thermal insulation,
and is ideal for hard-to-treat and non-standard
cavity walls.
Technitherm has a thermal conductivity of
0.25 W/m2K, and delivers high levels of air-
tightness and moisture resistance, Gerry Sheridan
of GMS Insulations told Passive House Plus.
Installed in a standard 100mm cavity it can
deliver a U-value of 0.21, or in a 150mm cavity
it can deliver a U-value 0.17.
Technitherm also provides high level of airtightness
and acts as a barrier to moisture penetration.
It is the only cavity wall insulation to pass BRE
flood resilience test requirements for homes
in flood risk areas, Sheridan said, and was the
best performing type of cavity wall product ac-
cording to a recent report on flood protection
issued in the UK by the Department for Envi-
ronment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Environment
Agency and the Department of Communities
& Local Government. The materials rigid, closed-
cell nature means it maintains its physical in-
tegrity and has low moisture take-up when
exposed to flood waters.
Sheridan said Technitherm is also completely
CFC and HCFC free. GMS will be rolling the
product out through its existing network of
distributors in Ireland and the UK. Isothane is
an established manufacturer of polyurethane
prepolymers for use in chemical building products,
including structural waterproofing membranes,
construction sealant, adhesives, binders and
elastomers. The company has its manufacturing
base in the town of Accrington in Lancashire.
GMS Insulations is already the Irish agent for
Icynene spray foam insulation system. GMS
has also announced that it has received a Class
0 fire-rating and Class 1 surface spread of flame
rating for its Icynene Classic insulation, the
best ratings available.
(above) Isothane Technitherm being retrofitted to acavity wall; (right) Icynene Classic has received a Class0 fire-rating and Class 1 surface spread of flame rating
Leading Irish airtightness tester Greenbuild
has told Passive House Plus that improving
levels of airtightness on Irish construction
sites has driven the company to purchase a
new, smaller fan for pressure testing of buildings.
The companys Gavin O S told Passive House
Plus he recently ordered the Retrotec 351
European DucTester units, which weighs just
3.5kg. It offers a higher degree of sensitivity
to leakages in very airtight buildings, he said.
He added that his average airtightness test
result on typical housing developments is now
down around 2 air changes per hour, whereas
once it would have been 4 or 5. He said that as
airtightness levels get better, smaller and lighter
fans like the Retrotec 351 become more suitable.
The unit can also fit in various smaller openings
in a building, as opposed to the more traditional
blower-door machine. The Retrotec 351 European
DucTester is also ideal for pressure testing of
small spaces and as the name more than
suggests ductwork.
Greenbuild offers a range of services including
airtightness testing and consultancy, thermal
imaging, BER surveys and consultation on
low energy building. For more information
visit www.greenbuild.ie
(left) to more accurately gauge the increasingly goodairtightness levels of their clients, Greenbuild haveordered a fan originally designed for testing ductwork,the Retrotec 351 European DucTester
Irish airtightness standards gettingbetter Greenbuild
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
Aluwood supplying Viking passivehouse certified windowsPortarlington-based window supplier and in-
staller Aluwood is now supplying Passive House
Institute certified Viking Window AS products
to the Irish market. The Viking SW 14 Aluclad
Passive window boasts U-values of as low as
0.63. It has a 50mm profile of triple-glazing with
two low-e coatings, warm-edge Swisspacers,
and argon fill.
Aluwood also supplies slimmer profile (40mm)
Viking triple-glazed windows with an overall U-
value of 0.97, again with warm edge Swisspacer
bars, low-e coatings and argon fill. Mick Lawlor of
Aluwood told Passive House Plus that demand
for triple-glazing has grown rapidly over the
last few years, to the point where it now rep-
resents 80% to 90% of the companys business.
I think its finally sinking into peoples heads
that its the right way to go, he says.
Aluwood supplied and installed double-glazed
windows for phase one of the retrofit of Rochestown
House social housing in Sallynoggin, Dublin,
which is featured on page 78 of this issue of
Passive House Plus. The company developed
its own sill details for the project, to eliminate
thermal bridging, and delivered the windows
to site pre-fitted with airtightness tapes. Lawlor
told Passive House Plus that Aluwood supply
windows with high quality airtight tapes fitted
as standard now, even if they are not specified.
Triple-glazed Viking windows were also installed
on the Knights Hill low energy house in Essex,
profiled on page 66 of this issue of the magazine.
(right) The Viking SW 14 Aluclad Passive window
Leading Wexford-based solar power company
Solar Electric Ireland has completed the installation
of 200kWp of solar power across local authority
buildings in Tipperary.
The company supplied, installed and com-
missioned solar photovoltaic arrays on nine
public buildings across the county last year,
including Nenagh Leisure Centre, Nenagh
civic offices, Clonmel County Hall, and the
county council offices in Tipperary town.
Solar Electric Ireland was overall winner in
the PV specialist category at the 2014 Public
Sector Magazine Awards, in recognition of
the companys work, which included installing
102 ground and roof-mounted solar panels at
the Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig,
Co Wexford, a system totalling 25kWp.
The heritage park currently has an ESB bill of
around 36,000 which will hopefully be halved
once the whole solar array and other work
comes on stream, said the parks manager,
Maura Bell.
Solar Electric Ireland is an Irish owned company
specialising in solar photovoltaic systems. The
company offers bespoke turnkey systems,
from initial consultation to the design, supply
and installation, followed up by aftercare and
advisory service.
The company also recently installed a photo-
voltaic array at a large modernist-style passive
house in the Dublin Mountains. Solar Electrics
own offices feature a 4kWp PV array, sited on
a carport, to not only power the offices which
include LED lighting and state-of-the-art electric
heaters, but also the companys electric vehicles.
Managing director Tom Foley told Passive House
Plus that while he sees the recent closure of
Electric Irelands micro-generation scheme as
a retrograde step, he is optimistic there will be
a positive announcement regarding renewables
and micro-generation in the not-too-distant future.
He is hopeful a new scheme will be introduced
that invests in micro-generation, with a defi-
nite framework, and that offers the long-term
incentives required for people to invest in new
technologies.
There are opportunities out there that, if taken
now, will move the micro-generation agenda
forward so that Ireland can realise the targets
that are potentially achievable. he said.
Solar Electric Ireland bringsgreen energy to Tipp buildings
ph+ 13
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
Recoup wastewater heat recoverysystems tap into efficiencyHighway Wholesalers, the Waterford-based
supplier of kitchen, bathroom and water treatment
appliances, has launched Recoup wastewater
heat recovery systems (WWHR) to Ireland.
The Recoup system recovers up to 68% of
waste heat from showers by extracting heat
from water that flows down the drain.
With this system, hot water that goes down the
drain either clings to the side of the patented
Recoup pipe exchanger or drips on to a patented
coiled copper exchanger. The heat transfer
from the outgoing hot to the incoming cold allows
a temperature increase of around 15 degrees.
The pre-heated cold feed then feeds the shower
mixer, boiler and or hot water cylinder.
A recent report by the UKs National House
Building Council Foundation concluded that
wastewater heat recovery technology could
help to reduce household CO2 emissions by 7%.
Performance test data for the Recoup pipe system
is available under SAP Appendix Q, and technology
can be used to improve a buildings performance in
the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP).
The Recoup system is suitable for both new build
and retrofit in residential settings, as well as
commercial, hospitality and leisure buildings.
The system is discrete and does not require any
interaction or planned maintenance from the
user. For more information, visit www.hwl.ie
(above) The Recoup wastewater heat recovery system
Solar power supplier PV Tech has advised
anyone considering the installation of a solar
thermal system to first consider whether solar
photovoltaics (PV) can deliver greater energy
savings for the same capital cost.
Since 2008, solar thermal has been the most
common way that new households have met
the renewables requirement in Part L of the
building regulations. But in recent years the
capital cost of solar PV has dropped, to the
point where it is now comparable in price to
solar thermal, and in the majority of cases more
cost-effective, according to Mike ORourke of
PV Tech.
The energy cost savings with solar PV (coupled
with a hot water controller) depending on what
primary heating system youre using, your hot
water consumption and the proportion of self
consumption of PV power for electricity demands
can vary between two and four times
greater than with solar thermal, ORourke
told Passive House Plus.
He pointed out that, because he also supplies
solar thermal collectors through his installation
company, he is in an ideal position to compare
the two technologies objectively.
As an example, ORourke offered one cost
comparison calculation for a client weighing
up the potential savings of a solar hot water
system versus solar PV. The clients house
was around 270 square metres and occupied
by just two people, meaning it would not make
full use of the solar thermal systems ability to
generate solar hot water.
The main fuel in the house is wood logs which,
costing about 5c per kWh, means the savings
for a three-panel solar thermal system would
amount to just 60 per year or 102 if the
house was fully occupied. ORourke said that
the figures for a heat pump or wood pellet
heating would be similar. If the house was
fully occupied and heated with oil, at 10.5C
per kilowatt, the solar thermal system would
save an estimated 214.
By contrast, he said, the 1680Wp solar PV
system (including hot water controller) costing
about 15% less than the above solar water
heating system, would save an estimated 320.50,
or potentially up to 338 if all of the electricity
produced is used in the house rather than di-
verted to water heating (via an immersion).
ORourke also pointed out that its far easier
to meet the TGD L renewables target using
solar PV than solar thermal. Out of the above
mentioned systems, the solar thermal system
would meet the TGD L target for a house up
to about 197 square metres, whereas the solar
PV system would comply for a house of up to
361 square metres, he said.
PV Tech: solar PV more cost-effectivethan solar thermal
ph+ 15
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
KNX Tech brings home automationto Georgian manor in Waterford
Dublin-based intelligent building and home
automation experts KNX Tech have just com-
pleted one of the largest residential projects
in Ireland to date using KNX technology, at a
Georgian mansion in Co Waterford.
The system is designed to automate and in-
tegrate the huge buildings lighting, heating,
air conditioning and other services, meaning
it can be easily controlled through the central
GIRA Homeserver. The setup includes 157
dimming light circuits, 43 zones of underfloor
heating, and seven Daikin heat pumps.
The house has about half the amount of KNX
equipment as Connolly Hospital in Blan-
chardstown, Niall Walsh, technical director of
KNX Tech, told Passive House Plus, whose
own passive house - including a KNX system
- features on page 52 of this issue.
KNX is an international building control standard
for intelligent buildings. It enables the inte-
gration and programming of a range of prod-
ucts from different manufacturers from
heating systems and automated doors to
lighting to audio controls through a single
interface. Walsh told Passive House Plus that
KNX allows all these systems to speak the same
language, enabling them to operate seamlessly
across the same network, ensuring maximum
efficiency.
He said that getting mechanical and electrical
working together rather than against each other
maximises energy efficiency for example
occupancy sensors will let the system know
when the room or house is unoccupied, and
adjust the heating accordingly.
(above) This Georgian manor in Co Waterford is oneof Irelands biggest residential KNX projects to date
Daikin Europe NV and subsidiary company Rotex
Heating Systems GmbH are set to showcase
their best of breed climate control systems
in the run up to the EUs new energy labelling
directive, which will come into force later this
year.
New minimum efficiency standards for energy-
related products including heating and hot water
systems will require displaying the new energy
labels. By introducing a standardised label for-
mat, the EUs aim is to make it easier for pur-
chasers to obtain clear and comprehensive
information on product energy efficiency when
comparing different systems.
The ISH Exhibition, the worlds leading trade fair
for energy-efficient heating and air conditioning,
is due to be held in Frankfurt in March 2015.
As well as showcasing their latest innovations
in heat pumps, condensing boilers and solar
thermal systems, Daikin will unveil their new
energy efficiency labels at the show. Daikin
and Rotex heating and hot water systems per-
form to an A grade or higher, exceeding the
minimum market requirements.
The Daikin group offers a wide range of market
tested solutions in heating, domestic hot water
and cooling, from renewable energy technologies
to conventional systems, suitable for residential,
commercial and industrial applications across
Europe.
Peter Verkempynck, general manager, Heating
for Daikin Europe N.V., said: We have an informative
programme planned for the show, which will be
the ideal arena to show our latest innovations
and demonstrate our wide expertise and years
of experience in the heating market. Next to our
wide range of heat pumps, our solar thermal
systems have been independently tested to be
the most effective way to improve efficiency of
our gas and oil condensing boilers. This results
in the best possible energy labels for both re-
newable and traditional heating systems offered
by Daikin and Rotex.
You can visit Daikin and Rotex at Hall 8.0, Stand
E94 at ISH from 10 to 14 March at Messe Frankfurt,
Germany
(left) Daikin Europe's Richie Sherlock at ISH 2013
Daikin to showcase new energy label at ISH
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
Variotherm technology heats & cools energy-plusStuttgart research houseTechnology from Austrian heating and cooling
specialist Variotherm has been installed on a
pioneering new energy-positive house in Stuttgart,
Germany.
The Bruckmannweg 10 (B10) research house
produces almost twice as much energy as it
consumes, and is located in the heart of Stuttgarts
famous Weissenhof Estate, which was built
in the 1920s to showcase the international style
of modern architecture, and features two Le
Corbusier houses.
The B10 dwelling is of timber frame construction
infilled with vacuum insulation panels, specified
because the tight nature of the site meant the walls
had to be thin. The white-and-glass modernist style
house was completed last year, and boasts a solar
photovoltaic roof array that generates about 8,300
kilowatt hours per year and charges two electric cars.
A water-to-water heat pump is the main source
of heating, drawing on a water tank buried in
the ground nearby. Heat is delivered throughout
the house via Variotherm wall and ceiling based
heating and cooling systems. Solar thermal
collectors feature on the roof too.
The houses intelligent energy management
system can be controlled by smartphone or tablet,
while insulating panels roll down over the glazed
facade at night to keep heat in.
The car is kept within the thermal envelope of
the house, to test whether this will reduce the
vehicles need for heating and thus helps to
maximise battery life. Excess electricity is ex-
ported to the house next door.
During the first phase of the project, the building
will be open for members of the public to visit
and learn about the design. During the second
phase, two students will live in the house free
of charge. Data on the energy generated and
consumed by the building plus reams of other
information is being collected and analysed
by a team from the University of Stuttgart.
The house is also designed to be completely
recycled at the end of its life. It is about leaving
the generations that come after us a built en-
vironment without gigantic mountains of rubbish
or huge energy consumption, said its architect
Werner Sobek.
Variotherm products are supplied in Ireland and
the UK by Blackrock-based HWI Sustainable
Buildings.
Danish company Lacuna has launched its
range of low energy bi-folding doors in the UK
and Ireland. The Lacuna doors, which have
been tested at the IFT Rosenheim testing
centre in Germany, and certified by the ap-
proved testing centre at Danish Technological
Institute, have overall U-values down as low
as 0.7.
Company founder Henrik Bruns said: Having
spent a good part of my childhood in Green-
land, where the impact of wind, water and salt
is high almost all year around, it was important
to me that we produced a door which could
withstand such harsh conditions. We now have
doors successfully installed in Greenland, Norway
and on the Shetland Islands.
The doors are made from heat-treated beech,
and during the heating process (24 hours in a 198C
hot oven) the properties of the wood structure
changes permanently. In addition to the in-
crease in natural durability, the heat treatment
also makes the timber very stable and durable,
and accordingly it does not absorb moisture
and expand in humid weather.
Another advantageous effect of the heat treat-
ment is that it fills the timber structure with air.
Bruns added: Through a microscope one is able
to see that it consists of many small air pockets
neatly packed together; and it is these that give
the wood the excellent insulation properties
and thereby the low U-value.
Air permeability of the Lacuna bi-folding doors
has been tested to EN 12207 class four at +/-
600 Pa, and water tightness to EN 12208 Class
E1200. All ironmongery is made of the highest
marine-grade acid-proof stainless steel.(right) Lacuna low energy bi-folding doors, availablein the UK and Ireland
Lacuna launches low energy bi-folding doors
Photo
: Z
ooey B
raun
ph+ 17
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
Smet launches EasylationWall externalinsulation systemSmet Building Products has launched Easylation-
Wall, an easy-to-use external wall insulation
technology based on brick slips and utilising
natural stone or ceramics. The system incor-
porates extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation.
According to Smet, the main benefits of Easylation-
Wall include short construction time and assembly,
high insulation values, low cost due to the light
construction method, and a dry construction
method that is not weather dependent. The
system is also 99% recyclable and free of thermal
bridges, and is moisture-regulating. It comes
with a ten year product guarantee.
Smet director Joris Smet said EasylationWall
can be installed in new-builds and renovation
projects and is also very suited to off-site con-
struction systems, such as timber frame, steel-
frame and prefab concrete construction.
Planning conditions in some areas may dictate
that the existing brick faade may have to be
entirely replaced like-for-like in retrofit projects,
keeping the new faade consistent with the old.
EasylationWall EWI system complete with a
brick slip finish, results in both improved thermal
performance of the building and a faade fin-
ish in-keeping with the area, said Joris Smet.
The brick slips are created by sawing a shell of
approximately 22 mm thickness off a complete
whole brick. This is possible with almost any
type of brick clay fired brick, concrete brick
and calcium silicate brick. In addition to flat slips,
corner slips (L-shaped) and half bricks can
also be created. Any type of stone or ceramic
may be utilised to create the brick slip finish,
including natural stone, glass and ceramic.
The system can incorporate up to 30cm of insula-
tion and deliver U-values as low as 0.11. The high
density XPS insulation boards have a high thermal
resistance and excellent impact resistance for
durability, said Smet, adding that due to the
sealed cell structure, the system is damp proof.
Smet has partnered with leading supplier, Brick
and Stone, to distribute EasylationWall. We are
also delivering comprehensive training and
demonstrations to Brick and Stone, ensuring all
agents are proficient in the superior benefits of
EasylationWall external wall insulation system,
said Smet.
(above) The EasylationWall brick slip system
Munster Joinery has announced the opening of
a new showroom in Belfast with over 120 products
on display. The showroom offers architects,
builders and homeowners in Northern Ireland
the opportunity to see Munster products locally,
including the companys range of passive house
certified windows.
The purchase of windows and doors represents
a significant part of the spend on any project.
There are a wide range of factors to be con-
sidered such as thermal performance, acoustic
performance, solar gain, luminous factors and
weather-tightness as well as aesthetics. Be the
project new build, extension or refurbishment,
the customer is inundated with masses of lit-
erature for various products making it difficult
to differentiate. The hands-on clarity offered
by the showroom situation is the ideal way to
make an informed selection, said Marlene
OMahony, quality manager at Munster Joinery.
Window technology has become increasingly
more complex in recent years. Many of the
Munster products on display have been certified
as being suitable components for passive
housing and low energy buildings by the Passive
House Institute in Germany. O'Mahony says the
showroom will be an easy way for the customer
to get a feel for some of the technology involved
double, triple and even quadruple-glazing,
low emissivity glass coatings, warm edge spacer
bars, and low conductivity gas fills such as argon
and krypton.
The diversity of ranges, materials, colours, operating
systems, glazing types and levels of performance
on offer make it much simpler to select the
correct windows and doors for any project.
Munster Joinery is a family owned company
with manufacturing locations in Ireland and the
UK, and is now one of the largest window and
door manufacturers in Europe. The company
has responded to the energy challenge facing
businesses globally today by investing heavily
both in efficient product design and in green
and sustainable operations, O'Mahony said.
The company's 900,000 square foot production
facility in Ballydesmond, Co Cork is largely
powered by two on-site wind turbines with an
output of 4.2MW. Timber off-cuts and sawdust
from the process are used to fuel a combined
heat and power plant delivering 12MW thermal
and 2.8MW of electrical energy.
Munster Joinery opens Belfast showroom
passivehouse+ | Issue 10
News
Pro Clima launches Contega Solidoairtight & windtight tapesPro Clima has launched its new range of Contega
Solido airtightness and wind-tightness plaster
sealing tapes, for a range of internal and external
applications. The range is available in Ireland
and the UK from Ecological Building Systems.
It is widely accepted that to attain optimum
levels of airtightness in masonry construction,
the internal block must be plastered continuously
with a suitable plaster layer. In order to limit
air leakage, it is critical that the plaster on the
inside of external walls is continuous and bonds
to adjacent building elements continuously
without gaps or cracks occurring. Windows
and door junctions are often highlighted as
one of the primary areas where air leakage
occurs in buildings, particularly in masonry
constructions where the internal plaster layer
forms the airtightness layer and the external
plaster layer forms the wind-tightness layer.
Contega Solido SL is an internal airtightness
and vapour control sealing tape which may be
used to seal windows, doors or even beams
penetrating the external block walls, directly to
masonry or timber surfaces. Following this the
tape may be plastered directly on the specialist
fleece layer. Contega Solido SL tape may also
be used to seal vapour control layers (such as
Intello Plus) to block walls at wall plate level.
Contega Solido EXO is an external wind-tightness
and diffusion open sealing tape which may be
used to seal windows and doors to external
block walls or timber surfaces. It can also be
plastered directly on the specialist fleece layer.
Contega Solido EXO wind-tightness tape may
be used externally to seal windows or doors
to block surfaces, for plastering later.
Both Contega Solido SL & EXO feature two
release papers, allowing installers to activate
individual parts of the glue, for ease of instal-
lation at critical junctions. The Contega Solido
range also features Pro Climas patented solid
acrylic glue, guaranteeing optimum bonding
to surfaces.
For more information or samples of the Pro Clima
range of Solido tapes or any other airtightness
& wind-tightness enquiries, contact Ecological
Building Systems. More information is available
at www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com
(above) Contega Solido SL tape sealing a Pro ClimaIntello membrane to poroton construction
Ancon, specialist in the design and manufacture
of high integrity steel structural fixings, will in-
troduce its new Acoustic range of cavity wall ties
and shear load dowels at the UKs leading
sustainable construction event, Ecobuild 2015.
The company, which also offers ranges of low
thermal conductivity wall ties & balcony connectors,
has now turned its attention to improving the
sound resilience of buildings.
Ancon acoustic wall ties connect the leaves
of a cavity wall and feature a pre-compressed
acoustic isolation element to minimise the transfer
of airborne noise. Typical applications for these
high performance products are recording studios
and cinemas, however Ancon say they are
equally suitable for any new build residential
development, as they comply with Approved
Document E of the English building regulations
as a type A tie for separating walls. Available
in incremental lengths of 25mm, the new Ancon
ACOU range suits a cavity range of 50mm to
175mm.
The new Ancon acoustic dowel is designed to
transfer shear load and allow essential move-
ment at joints in concrete frames, while also
reducing impact sound through a building by
isolating adjacent concrete elements. The stain-
less steel Ancon dowel locates in a sound
damping sleeve that de-couples components
such as stairs from the main structural frame.
Typical applications include multi-occupancy
buildings, like hotels and apartments, where
unwanted noise can adversely affect a persons
concentration, relaxation and sleep.
Also on show will be Ancons full range of low
thermal conductivity, corrosion-resistant build-
ing products including basalt fibre wall ties for
masonry and timber frame buildings, stainless
steel brick support systems and insulated bal-
cony connectors. You can visit Ancon on stand
N3090 at EcoBuild to see examples of all new
products and to speak to a technical advisor.
(left) The new Ancon Acoustic range
Ancon launches Acoustic range at Ecobuild 2015
Are you designing, building or pricing a sustainable building?
Whether it's an energy upgrade of a small house, or you're looking
to achieve high green standards with a new home, office or factory,
Passive House Plus can help.
Fill in your details below, or online at www.passivehouseplus.ie &
your enquiry will be sent to the Passive House Plus advertisers that
provide the products or services you need. If you fill out your postal
address well even send you the next issue of Passive House Plus
free of charge!
PLEASE POST TO TEMPLE MEDIA LTD., PO BOX 9688, BLACKROCK, CO. DUBLIN, IRELAND
name:
profession:
company:
address:
phone:
email:
Site location (please list county):
Project type (tick box)
New home Home renovation/upgrade/extension New commercial/public building Upgrade/extension to a commercial/public building
Other (please state):
Floor area (approx. ft2 or m2):
Budget (approximate):
Stage (tick box)
Initial appraisal Pre planning Planning approved Pre tender Commencement notice
Project imperatives (tick box)
Certified passive Near passive/low energy Indoor air quality Low running costs Low environmental impact
Other (please state):
Estimated start date (please state):
Just tick the products/services you
would like more information on:
Air conditioning Air heating Airtightness & draughtproofing products Airtightness testing & consultancy BER assessors Building contractors Building control & automation Cavity wall ties Central vacuum systems Cladding & renders Conservation & restoration District heating Eco flooring Energy consultants External insulation Green cements & screeds Healthy building materials Heat pumps Heat recovery ventilation Heating controls Hemp lime building Insulation Passive house & low energy build systems Passive house building contractors Passive house consultants & designers Plasterboards Radiant heating & cooling Solar photovoltaic Solar thermal Sustainably sourced timber & wood products Thermal breaks Timber frame Underfloor and radiator alternatives Underfloor heating Waste water heat recovery systems Windows & doors Wood fuel / biomass stoves & boilers Wood panel products
Building? Upgrading?Passive House Plus is here to help!
I would like my project to be considered for feature in Passive House Plus (tick box)
Increasing household energy efficiency
through retrofitting existing properties
is now one of the UKs and Irelands
strategies to meet energy and climate
change targets, as well as helping to
protect against cold-related illnesses.
Greater insulation and sealing properties
to prevent heat loss can help those in
fuel poverty, which is a public health
problem affecting around 2.4 million
homes in the UK.
Yet throughout this process, the impacts
on the indoor environment have often
been overlooked. As we begin to un-
derstand the importance of internal
housing conditions to good health
and wellbeing, were shedding light
on how some building designs are
compounding indoor air quality problems.
It is generally accepted that living in
homes with reduced ventilation rates
can lead to problems with condensation
and mould growth. It is also known that
the state of our indoor environments
is influenced by a number of factors.
Heating, insulation, ventilation and
peoples behaviours, along with the
type, orientation and geographic location
of a property, all work to affect the air
quality in our homes.
Over recent years weve witnessed a
rise in allergic diseases that cant be
explained by factors such as genetic
changes alone. The United Kingdom
has one of the highest occurrences of
asthma in the world, with the disease
presenting substantial economic and
societal pressures. This has led to an
increased focus on indoor air quality
to explain this rise and a robust body
of evidence now suggests that rates
of allergic and respiratory disease are
linked to poor indoor housing conditions.
Yet no study has been able to assess
how increasing household energy ef-
ficiency may impact the health and
wellbeing of people living in homes
with inadequate ventilation and mould
growth.
Based at the University of Exeter Medical
Schools European Centre for Envi-
ronment & Human Health, we recently
published findings from a systematic
review, which showed damp and specific
types of mould can pose a significant
health risk to people with asthma.
We then conducted a study1 based on
700 social housing properties in Cornwall,
to examine how poor air quality and
dampness can affect the health of people
living in energy efficient homes.
We found that greater household energy
efficiency represented a higher risk of
asthma, but at the same time lowered
problems with indoor mould contamination.
There are a number of potential ex-
planations for these findings, but we
believe that a failure to heat and
ventilate the home is likely to lead to
exposure to dampness-related pollutants.
The study pointed to other possible
factors which can affect health in homes
with high humidity, such as different
types of moulds, house dust mites and
bacteria, as well as other biological,
chemical and physical pollutants not
assessed in this study. While greater
insulation in energy efficient homes
may reduce the risk of condensation,
this may be impacted by fuel poverty
where people make choices about
the way they heat and ventilate the
home to reduce the cost of fuel bills.
This study, published in the journal
Environment International in 2015,
raises questions about the way energy
efficiency improvements are made and the
importance of ventilation. It represents
the first time we have been able to com-
bine detailed asset management data
with information about occupant behaviour
and health, to assess the factors likely
to contribute to asthma, but there are
many questions yet to address.
It is vital that we continually improve the
energy efficiency of homes to reduce
the carbon footprint of the domestic
sector and make homes more affordable
to heat, but we need to address the
effectiveness of current ventilation
methods and the role of occupant
behaviours. For example future work
needs to consider how ventilation
systems cope with the requirements
of different types of buildings (e.g. houses
versus flats), fluctuating occupancy rates
and changes in behaviours, which may
include the use of different types of
mechanical ventilation systems.
Focusing on social housing enabled us
to explore a wide range of buildings,
from traditionally stone-built properties,
through to retrofitted homes and new
builds. But we were unable to explore
how homes with a SAP rating of >88
(Ed. roughly equivalent to a B1 BER)
and this should be assessed in future
work. We also need to overcome some
of the limitations of current work by
having a better definition of energy
efficiency the current SAP method-
ology does not account for variations
in occupant behaviours and the actual
day-to-day performance of a property
is likely to differ from its predicted energy
performance.
The extent to which a home is heated
and ventilated is also largely controlled
by the habits of its occupants, and the
way people live in their homes varies
hugely. Energy efficiency and the type
of ventilation system installed needs to
consider the impact of varying occupant
behaviours, which can increase the
indoor humidity at a property. This
problem may be worsened by the type
of heating system and by efforts to seal
cracks and gaps, if due attention isnt
given to addressing cold bridging and
ventilation. That said, this sealing work
may prevent vapour generated inside
the dwelling from condensing interstitially,
reducing the risk of unseen mould
growth in the structure when combined
with adequate heating and cold bridging
detailing.
Crucially, we know little about how
these behavioural factors contribute
to damp and mould in homes that
have been retrofitted to make them
more energy efficient an increasingly
important issue as huge swathes of
old housing stock is revamped. We
believe that occupant behaviours such
as drying washing on indoor racks,
not using extractor fans or opening
windows when showering, and not
ventilating the home during colder
months could partly explain our findings.
Our current study assesses how fuel
poverty behaviours, use of extractor fans,
perception of risk and the extent of
energy efficiency affects the extent
of indoor mould contamination. The
findings of this study builds on our
previous work and will be published
over the coming weeks to raise
awareness of the potential problems
resulting from fuel poverty.
Richard Sharpe is a PhD researcher atthe European Centre for Environment& Human Health. He has receivedfunding from the European SocialFund Convergence Programme forCornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Why poorly conceived energyefficiency efforts may cause asthma
A new UK study has unearthed a worrying correlation between energy efficiency and asthma. Studyco-author Richard Sharpe sheds light on work that demonstrates the need for energy efficiency approachesthat enhance rather than threaten occupant health.
1Sharpe, R., Thornton, C. R., Nikolaou, V. & Osborne, N. J. 2015. Higher energy efficient homes are associated with increased risk of doctor diagnosed asthma
in a UK sub population. Environment International, 75, 234-244
Passive house is nearing 25 years of
scientific facts, and so the question for
practitioners today is how we can best
link exemplary construction with everyday
building practices and on-site behaviours.
Top-down legislation as per Irelands
recent building control regulations is
little use without a bottom-up transformation
in the way we educate our workforce
and commission, tender and construct
buildings. We urgently need significant
social housing yet we have ungainly
legislation and a dearth of leadership.
This piece is based loosely on the following
facts, value judgements and hunches.
Which is which, I leave to the reader.
1. Small decisions are often agonised
over, while really big decisions are made
with abandon. Significant policy decisions,
particularly when politically opportune,
rarely get the scrutiny and circumspection
they deserve.
2. The really difficult things in construction
are full of small decisions. The person
making decisions on site should be en-
couraged to take responsibility for them.
3. Trying to design a low energy building
without adequate airtightness is akin
to watering a garden with a sieve. The
intentions of Part F (ventilation) of the
building regulations are not aligned
to Part L (conservation of fuel and energy).
Excess renewables are not an adequate
substitute for poor construction.
4. The 23% Vat rate on professional
services (such as passive house design)
negates the use of such knowledge,
denying future generations of the long
term benefits. All insulation materials
should also be zero Vat rated.
5. Sub-contractors do not a good main
contractor make. PPPs are not a
panacea for quality or effort. Low tenders
destroy cooperative construction.
6. You cannot change a building control
system in two years. The entire Irish
system needs to be significantly re-thought,
while educational, professional and
training systems require time to change.
7. Irelands new building control system
is a privatisation of risk, and a deskilling
of local authorities. (In line with the fact
that Ireland is one of the most politically
centralised administrations in Europe.)
8. Good politicians are good at being
re-elected; everything else is a bonus.
9. Government departments protect
their own budgets first. Cooperation with
other departments does not appear
to be part of their default value system.
10. Construction quality is a challenge
from the bottom up as much as from
the top down. We need a strategy to
meet in the middle; blue collar and
white collar makes green collar.
11. Many skills within the construction
industry can only be taught through
apprenticeship. Architecture might
well be one. In 2014 only four plasterers
in Ireland registered for apprenticeship.
12. Dublin is Europe's capital city for
solar space-heating suitability. A house
in Ireland can meet more than 20% of
its space heating demand through solar
for eight months of the year, versus seven
months in Hamburg and six in Frankfurt.
13. More people die annually as a result
of bad housing than die on the roads, or
by suicide. We need to ask why this is
not a priority issue for society to address.
14. Every 1 spent within communities
to create good low energy social housing
returns 3 to 4, based on savings made
against fuel poverty, hospital stays,
better health outcomes, job creation
and increased disposable incomes.
15. Addressing why people die due to bad
housing requires money, effort, sweat
and maybe tears. It needs government
departments to talk to each other - Health,
Social Protection, Environment, Energy,
Finance and the Taoiseach. One
suspects this isnt happening.
16. Professionalism is dead, killed by
lowest cost tenders. Professional in-
stitutes have become mere trade unions
for their members interests. They
might be better served by being more
vocal advocacies for their communities.
17. If professionals cannot shout stop
against building control regulations
which are paper heavy, legally fraught,
expensive to implement and not fit
for the consumer, then who does?
18. Lowest tenders are not necessarily
better. Average tender values give a
more accurate reflection of true project
costs and also professional services.
19. Architecture in general is neither a
fine art nor utilitarian engineering, it is a
craft-based skill combined with intelligent,
beautiful design. Good construction is
the result of collaboration, communication
and shared values, not competition.
20. No amount of inspection plans,
site inspections or occupancy certifi-
cates will protect a project against a
craftsperson with the attitude: I am
only here from the neck down. To
quote Admiral Hopper again, you
manage things, you lead people.
21. Good low energy buildings start
with south facing strategies. Planners
need education in low energy design
and site planning.
22. Front doors dont always have to face
the public road. Windows dont have to ape
traditional construction. Comfort, low energy
and good design are mutually inclusive.
23. Fenestration can be aesthetically
subjective; in PHPP, fenestration is
objective regarding energy use. If north
points have to be shown on plans let
them be relevant to the design. Inap-
propriate orientation costs money.
To achieve real build quality we need
a regulatory control system that rewards
scientifically verifiable strategies such
as passive house. We need a system
that helps develop design skill-sets and
apprenticeship pathways through a
stable industry, addressing fuel poverty,
attracting low property tax and meeting
local regulatory requirements. We need
a planning control methodology that allows
strategic construction-stage revisions to
refine energy use and focuses expenditure
not just on paper trails but on good
construction, adequately paid for by real
average tender procedures. We need
contractors with verifiable construction
skills, rewarded for having permanent
specialist staff and project management
skills, and answerable to a trained and
supported local building control authority,
in turn supported by a planning authority
willing to intervene within the free market
to control ill-considered applications. If we
actively support design influenced by sci-
ence we may yet bridge the gap between
blue and white collar and create a green
collar construction sector that holds
its rightful place within the economy
of a country, as opposed to being its
economic flywheel. A top down legislative
environment without responsible con-
tracting, bottom-up skills and verified
design strategies serves no good.
Martin Murray is an architect in privatepractice. He is