Passivhaus Architectural Designer

Passive House, or Passivhaus as it’s most commonly known, is an energy efficiency standard for buildings.

Buildings that are built to this standard require very little energy in their use. Through careful design and execution in construction, a well insulated and sealed building envelope is achieved by making optimal use of solar gain which results in low energy consumption and low bills from your energy supplier.

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What are the benefits of Passivhaus?

There are many clear benefits of Passivhaus over the minimum performance requirements set by building regulations.

These benfites include:

Thermal comfort

Less draughts and a steadier air temperature all year round means you’ll be more comfortable as fluctuations in temperature, even by a degree or two, are significant enough to affect comfort levels.

Living in a Passivhaus will mean using appliances (televisions, ovens, kettles, games consoles, hair dryers, amongst others) will contribute to heat gains throughout the building. This heat is generated through normal day-to-day activities so why waste it? Having a highly insulated but airtight building means this heat is retained.

Most Passivhaus homes will suffice from a heated towel radiator in the bathroom/s and underfloor heating is only provided as a comfort back up.
A mechanical ventilation and heat recovery unit will extract warm, stale air and moisture from kitchens when cooking or boiling food, utility rooms when drying and airing clothes, and bathrooms when showering. Before the air is expelled to the outside, the heat within the air is recovered by the heat recovery device as it passes the air over a heat exchanger.

Colder fresh air is pulled in from the outside is passed over the heat exchanger if warm air is to be supplied to bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and other living spaces. If warm air is not required, in the summer months a ‘Summer Bypass’ mode can be selected.
The air provided to living spaces will also be filtered to remove smells and particles.

Thermal bridges are designed to be limited as much as possible to reduce the amount of potential heat loss. This is also integral around openings so that there are no leaky, draughty windows. In addition to the attention to detail around openings, all critical junctions are looked at and assessed for their performance in relation to thermal bridging.

Lower energy bills

With the prices of energy ever increasing, building to Passivhaus performance standards or principles, will mean a reduction in energy use resulting in lower energy bills.

Installing photovoltaic [PV] panels with battery storage will go further in reducing energy consumption by generating and storing it on site so that it can be re-used at a later date.

The mechanical ventilation units are efficient in their energy consumption and do not contribute towards using lots of electricity.

Improved indoor environment for health and wellbeing

Triple glazed windows along with high levels of insulation contribute significantly to the reduction of external noise. This improves quality of life considerably and can help with reducing risk of airborne infections, and reduces the potential for condensation and mould to occur. The necessity of mechanical ventilation prevents polluted air entering the building as units are installed with air filters to sift out contaminated air and nasty particles.

Reduced environmental impact

Passivhaus buildings are likely to emit less carbon than those built to current building regulations requirements. Combining the fabric first approach, as well as electrical generation and storage, goes much further in terms of energy saving and carbon reduction, but an additional step – and although not required for a Passivhaus to be compliant and certified – is to build with ecological and natural materials that have low embodied carbon, ensuring that they are sustainably sourced.

Buildings with materials that have low embodied carbon have been produced or mined using less energy (by use of electricity or heat, transportation and processing etc), they have required less chemicals or other products to treat or enhance the material, and they have been sourced or manufactured locally to the building in which they are installed.

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How can we help?

Prior to the formation of setting up GO Architecture, Director Gareth Cavill has been fortunate to have 6 years’ experience working exclusively on Passivhaus projects, consisting of 25 dwellings across 6 projects that were certified Passivhaus and a further 32 houses.

These projects ranged from one off self build houses, bespoke new builds, through to multiple plot housing developments. We can help guide you through the whole process of designing and building a Passivhaus.

We have strong technical ability to provide the necessary design detailing to a high standard. Clear and concise technical information allows for a successful delivery of a Passivhaus or low energy building project.

If you are interested in finding out more about Passivhaus, or would like to book a free consultation then get in touch with us today.

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Our Latest Passivhaus Projects

Explore our latest Passivhaus projects, showcasing cutting-edge designs and superior energy efficiency.

From ultra-insulated living spaces to sustainable, low-energy homes, see how we’ve helped clients achieve exceptional comfort and reduced environmental impact. Find inspiration for your own Passivhaus project.

Weald House, Keymer
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Corvalla, Isle of Man
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Passivhaus FAQs

Are Passivhaus homes better for the environment?

Yes, Passivhaus homes are better for the environment. They emit less carbon, save more energy, and can use sustainably sourced, low embodied carbon materials, reducing the overall environmental impact significantly compared to homes built to current building regulations.

What improvements in indoor environment can be expected from a Passivhaus home?

Passivhaus homes offer an improved indoor environment with reduced external noise, lower risk of airborne infections, and minimal condensation and mould, thanks to triple glazing, high levels of insulation, and efficient mechanical ventilation with air filters.

How does living in a Passivhaus home impact energy bills?

Living in a Passivhaus reduces energy use and lowers energy bills due to high levels of insulation, airtightness, efficient mechanical ventilation, and the potential use of photovoltaic panels with battery storage.

What is Fabric First?

The principles of Fabric First focus on the building fabric for energy efficiency rather than bolt on technologies. The fabric is integral to the overall building, whereas bolted on technologies are not. If a building meets a particular energy performance with technologies but has poor performing fabric or if the technologies are removed or fail, then the performance does not continue to meet the original designed specification. Allowing for a better performing fabric means that the building is designed to use less energy and therefore does not require technologies to meet a particular specification. A Fabric First approach combined with technologies can not only reduce energy, but produce energy.

Elements that make up the Fabric First approach are generally adopted from the ‘Passive’ principles of good thermal values for the ‘Fabric’ which consist of the floor, walls and roof. Components such as windows, doors and ventilation units will need to be of sufficient specification to complement the fabric and a good airtightness strategy would need to be incorporated.

Can you recommend any builders and tradesmen?

We can assist with the selection of suitable builders, suppliers and sub-contractors for your project.

Passivhaus Designer