Passive House Perth

Green buildings focus more on environmental sustainability than just energy efficiency. They often include features like low VOC paints, recycled content products, and sustainable landscaping practices. However, these types of projects usually come at a premium price tag.

Passive houses typically have higher initial costs because they require extra materials such as concrete walls, special foundation designs, heating systems, ventilation systems, waterproofing membranes, geothermal heat pumps, etc. but those added expenses pay off very quickly! A new passive house could save $100 month over 30 years.

Exterior wall cladding allows solar gain while reducing U value. It helps keep the interior cool during the summer months and warm during the winter months. Double glazing reduces the transmittance of both visible light and infrared radiation from entering the space. This makes rooms feel more relaxed in summer and warmer in winter. Roof shingle system provides excellent long term maintenance free protection against water penetration and wear due to snow loads and wind uplift forces rain screen membrane protects the structure below from moisture damage caused by precipitation accumulation above the membrane.

The most common type of roofing system used in passive houses is called TPO. The advantage of this material over other types of roofs such as asphalt shingles is its ability to withstand extreme weather conditions like heavy winds and hail storms without leaking. In addition, there is no need for painting which saves money and time.

The window frame must have at least two layers of glass separated by one layer of polyethylene sheeting. There should not be more than 1/8" gap between each pane of glass. If you live in a cold area where temperatures drop well below freezing, consider adding additional layers of polyethylene film around your windows.

Doors, skylights, ventilation, heating & cooling, lighting, appliances, plumbing, electrical, floor coverings.

The best way to achieve good indoor air quality is through proper ventilation. Passive houses have very little fresh air exchange because they rely heavily on natural convection currents. Therefore, when designing a passive house, you must consider how much fresh air needs to enter your home each day. You should aim to have about 10 times more fresh air per person inside the house than what would typically be found outside.

A passive house heating system uses electricity only to run pumps that circulate heated water throughout the house. The circulation process creates a continuous cycle of transferring heat from one area to another. There are two types of systems used in passive homes; hydronic and radiant. Hydronic systems have been around since the early 1900s. Still, they were not widely adopted until recently because they required expensive plumbing fixtures and piping.

To achieve high levels of comfort in a building, it's necessary to ensure good airflow across all surfaces. Achieving this requires careful planning at every stage of construction. One way to do this is to use what is known as 'heat recovery ventilation. HRVs work by drawing warm outdoor air into the building via vents located near the top of each window frame. As the air passes over cold glass panes, some of its warmth is lost.

This simulation tool allows users to create detailed 3D models of buildings and their components such as HVAC equipment, lighting, appliances, furniture, etc., and simulate performance under different conditions. It provides information about the total annual consumption of electrical power, fuel oil, gas, steam, chilled water, space heating, and cooling.