Who invented passive houses?

physicist Wolfgang Feist
German physicist Wolfgang Feist refined the passive house design to improve efficiency, and developed a passive house with an annual heating demand of 15 kilowatt-hours per square meter of living space.

When was passive house invented?

From the low-energy house to the Passive House Based on these considerations, the “Passive House” was launched in May 1988 by the author during a research period at the University of Lund/Sweden, together with the host, Professor Bo Adamson (specialising in building construction).

What are passive house standards?

Passive house (German: Passivhaus) is a voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, which reduces the building’s ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling.

How many passive houses are there?

60,000 Passive House buildings
With approx. 60,000 Passive House buildings in use worldwide (as of 2016), the Passive House Standard is rapidly spreading all over the world. As of today, Passive House buildings have been built in nearly all European countries (see map), the United States, Canada, and Japan – to mention but a few.

How do you qualify for a Passive House?

A Passive House is designed to be highly-insulated and air-tight, and is primarily heated by passive solar gain and internal gains from people and equipment. Energy losses are minimal. The window U-value recommendation for a Passive House is ≤0.8 W/m2/K (≤0.14 Btu/hr-sf-°F).

Can you open windows in a Passive House?

Can you open windows in a Passive House? Passive House occupants may open windows whenever they want. Of course, as with all houses, if windows are left open for longer periods with extreme outdoor temperatures, the inside air temperature will be affected and energy consumption for heating/cooling will increase.

Are passive homes worth it?

Conclusion. Passive house construction can greatly reduce heating and cooling costs in buildings, and the concept is not limited to the residential sector. The main benefits of a passive house project are durability, high air quality, occupant comfort, and potential energy savings of over 90%.

What does a passive house design do for the environment?

Passive house designs are created to use alternative energies for heating and cooling home interiors. Passive house design absorbs, accumulates and stores the maximum amount of heat or cold energy from the environment.

What are the elements of an energy efficient house?

While design costs, options, and stylesvary, most energy-efficient homes havesome basic elements in common: a well-constructed and tightly sealed thermalenvelope; controlled ventilation; properly sized, high-efficiency heating and coolingsystems; and energy-efficient doors, win-dows, and appliances.

Which is the best passive solar design strategy?

Passive solar design strategies vary by building location and regional climate, but the basic techniques remain the same— maximize solar heat gain in winter and minimize it in summer. Specific techniques include: • Start by using energy-efficient design strategies. • Orient the house with the long axis running east/west.

What are the features of an eco house?

Modern house design with inclined roof windows and solar panels. Architectural features, like sun shades, shutters and awning are great for eco homes. Using passive underground heating-cooling air or water systems, natural air ventilation and airtight structures are important elements of passive architectural designs.