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basics:the_passive_house_-_historical_review [2016/08/24 09:39] – [Systematic Research: Vagn Korsgaard and the DTU zero-energy house] kdreimanebasics:the_passive_house_-_historical_review [2022/08/27 19:13] (current) – [Literature] wfeist
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 ===== Traditional Passive Houses ===== ===== Traditional Passive Houses =====
  
-{{:picopen:china_traditionell.jpg?300 }} <- ** Traditional building in Southern China.  In this climate, cooling rather than heating, is required.**\\ \\ In many climate regions of the world, if buildings are "sensibly" constructed, no heating is required and neither is active cooling (e.g. in some parts of Iran, on the coast of Portugal, some parts of China...). "Passive Houses" have always been built there, although they weren't known as such. [[http://www.ekostaden.com/information/nyheter.aspx?pageID=8&parentID=147&introID=147&sectionID=4&newsID=606|Bo Adamson]] (1990) was the first to classify these houses as passive houses, and the question whether it was possible to transfer this principle to Europe using technical means gave the idea for a research project concerning "passive houses" See [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review#Literature|[Adamson 1992] ]].\\+{{:picopen:china_traditionell.jpg?300 }} <- ** Traditional building in Southern China.  In this climate, cooling rather than heating, is required.**\\ \\ In many climate regions of the world, if buildings are "sensibly" constructed, no heating is required and neither is active cooling (e.g. in some parts of Iran, on the coast of Portugal, some parts of China...). "Passive Houses" have always been built there, although they weren't known as such. Bo Adamson (1990) was the first to classify these houses as passive houses, and the question whether it was possible to transfer this principle to Europe using technical means gave the idea for a research project concerning "passive houses" See [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review#Literature|[Adamson 1992] ]].\\
 \\ \\
 ===== Traditional Passive Houses in Iceland ===== ===== Traditional Passive Houses in Iceland =====
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 ===== The Research Ship "Fram" was a Passive House (!) ===== ===== The Research Ship "Fram" was a Passive House (!) =====
  
-{{:picopen:fram_nansen.jpg?300 }} <- ** Fridtjof Nansen's polar ship, the "Fram", was a Passive House (1883)**\\ \\ The first fully functioning Passive House was actually a polar ship and not a house: the Fram of Fridtjof Nansen (1883).\\ \\ He writes: +{{:picopen:fram_nansen.jpg?300 }} <- ** Fridtjof Nansen's polar ship, the "Fram", was a Passive House (1893)**\\ \\ The first fully functioning Passive House was actually a polar ship and not a house: the Fram of Fridtjof Nansen (1893).\\ \\ He writes: 
-"... // The sides of the ship were lined with tarred felt, then came a space with cork padding, next a deal panelling, then a thick layer of felt, next air-tight linoleum, and last of all an inner panelling. The ceiling of the saloon and cabins . . . gave a total thickness of  about 15 inches.  ...The skylight which was most exposed to the cold was protected by three panes of glass one within the other, and in various other ways. ... The Fram is a comfortable abode. Whether the thermometer stands at 22° above zero or at 22° below it, we have no fire in the stove.  The ventilation is excellent, especially since we rigged up the air sail, which sends a whole winter‘s cold in through the ventilator; yet in spite of this we sit here warm and comfortable, with only a lamp burning. I am thinking of having the stove removed altogether; it is only in the way.//"\\ (from Nansen: "Farthest North", Brockhaus, 1897))\\+"... // The sides of the ship were lined with tarred felt, then came a space with cork padding, next a deal panelling, then a thick layer of felt, next air-tight linoleum, and last of all an inner panelling. The ceiling of the saloon and cabins . . . gave a total thickness of  about 15 inches.  ...The skylight which was most exposed to the cold was protected by three panes of glass one within the other, and in various other ways. ... The Fram is a comfortable abode. Whether the thermometer stands at 22° above zero or at 22° below it, we have no fire in the stove.  The ventilation is excellent, especially since we rigged up the air sail, which sends a whole winter‘s cold in through the ventilator; yet in spite of this we sit here warm and comfortable, with only a lamp burning. I am thinking of having the stove removed altogether; it is only in the way.//"\\ (from Nansen: "Farthest North", Brockhaus, 1897)\\
 \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\
  
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-===== Systematic Research:  Vagn Korsgaard and the DTU zero-energy house =====+===== Systematic Research:  Vagn Korsgaard and the DTH zero-energy house =====
  
 {{:picopen:korsgaard_dth_nullenergi.jpg?300 }} <- ** The DTH zero-energy house on the campus in Kopenhagen.**\\ \\ The "DTH zero-energy house" by Prof. Vagn Korsgaard (Kopenhagen, 1973) was also a Passive House. At the Technical University of Denmark, simulations were systematically carried out, designs were optismised and the first zero-energy house was built. The building was later used as a guest house for the university. However, the active solar technology was not renewed after it became defective. As a result, the "zero-energy house" objective was set aside in favour of the "low-energy house". {{:picopen:korsgaard_dth_nullenergi.jpg?300 }} <- ** The DTH zero-energy house on the campus in Kopenhagen.**\\ \\ The "DTH zero-energy house" by Prof. Vagn Korsgaard (Kopenhagen, 1973) was also a Passive House. At the Technical University of Denmark, simulations were systematically carried out, designs were optismised and the first zero-energy house was built. The building was later used as a guest house for the university. However, the active solar technology was not renewed after it became defective. As a result, the "zero-energy house" objective was set aside in favour of the "low-energy house".
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 \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\
  
-===== Working systematically in Germany: Hörster, Steinmüller and the Philips Experimental House =====+===== Working systematically in Germany: Bergmann, Bruno, Hermann, Hörster, Steinmüller, Kersten, Klinkenberg and the Philips Experimental House =====
  
-{{:picopen:philips_experimentierhaus.jpg?300 }} <- ** The Philips Experimental House (from: Hörster et al))**\\ \\ parallel to the Scandinavian and American developments, systematic study of energy-efficient buildings was carried out in Germany by H. Hörster (research group leader), B. Steinmüller (building models and simulations) and others, with funding by the Federal Ministry of Research. A super-insulated experimental house, built in 1974/75, equipped with ground heat exchangers, controlled ventilation, solar and heat pump technology and “inhabited” by a computer served as a test and calibration object for computer models, used to explore the opportunities of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. These studies showed potential energy savings by a factor of 10 to 20 with passive measures alone for Europe and America, thus proving that such measures are an important step on the way to energy efficient buildings.+{{:picopen:philips_experimentierhaus.jpg?300 }} <- ** The Philips Experimental House (from: Hörster et al))**\\ \\ Parallel to the Scandinavian and American developments, systematic study of energy-efficient buildings was carried out in Germany by DrHorst Hörster (research group leader), DrBernd Steinmüller (building models and simulations), Dr. Günther Bergmann, Dr. Richard Bruno, Dr. Wilhelm Hermann, Dr. Reinhard Kersten, and Ing. Klaus Klinkenberg, with funding provided by the Federal Ministry of Research. A super-insulated experimental house, built in 1974/75 in Aachen, equipped with ground heat exchangers, controlled ventilation, solar and heat pump technology and “inhabited” by a computerserved as a test and calibration laboratory for computer models, used to explore the possibilities of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. These studies showed the potential for energy savings in the order of 10 to 20 times for Europe and America using passive measures alone, thus proving that such measures are an important step on the way to energy efficient buildings. Dr. Bernd Steinmüller has been engaged again in research on efficient buildings since 1997 and continues to be a [[:pioneer_award|pioneer]], disseminating original ideas worldwide
  
-Experiences from this project also were incorporated into Passive House research from the very beginning.\\+Experiences from this project were incorporated into Passive House research from the very beginning. \\
  
 Read more: [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review:Passive versus Active Measures in Europe & America]]. See also [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review#Literature|[Hörster 1980] ]]. Read more: [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review:Passive versus Active Measures in Europe & America]]. See also [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review#Literature|[Hörster 1980] ]].
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 These experiences gave the Passive House research the assurance and confidence that physics works in practice too.  A. B. Lovins visited the Passive House in Darmstadt Kranichstein in 1995.  It was he who suggested that the Passive House should be considered not just as a research project, but also as the energy standard of the future. See [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review#Literature|[Lovins 1978], [Carlock 1985], [Weizsäcker, Lovins 1995] ]].\\ These experiences gave the Passive House research the assurance and confidence that physics works in practice too.  A. B. Lovins visited the Passive House in Darmstadt Kranichstein in 1995.  It was he who suggested that the Passive House should be considered not just as a research project, but also as the energy standard of the future. See [[Basics:The Passive House - historical review#Literature|[Lovins 1978], [Carlock 1985], [Weizsäcker, Lovins 1995] ]].\\
  
-In 2011, at the International Passive House conference, this building was awarded the "Passive House Pioneer Award".+In 2011, at the International Passive House conference, this building was awarded the [[:pioneer_award|"Passive House Pioneer Award"]].
 \\ \\ \\ \\ \\ \\
  
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     * The lack of awareness regarding the importance of permanent [[Planning:Airtight construction|airtightness]]. Information about this was gained above all in Sweden. [[http://j.mp/Arne_Elmroth|Prof. Arne Elmroth]] is one of the leading pioneers in this field.     * The lack of awareness regarding the importance of permanent [[Planning:Airtight construction|airtightness]]. Information about this was gained above all in Sweden. [[http://j.mp/Arne_Elmroth|Prof. Arne Elmroth]] is one of the leading pioneers in this field.
 +
     * The lack of  good solutions for [[Planning:Thermal protection:Windows|high performance windows]] (Lovins: "We should have used a better thermal separation for the window frames." Due to this the windows  were often small or they had to be elaborately covered with temporary insulation.  These were the reasons why  this approach was not widely accepted.     * The lack of  good solutions for [[Planning:Thermal protection:Windows|high performance windows]] (Lovins: "We should have used a better thermal separation for the window frames." Due to this the windows  were often small or they had to be elaborately covered with temporary insulation.  These were the reasons why  this approach was not widely accepted.
 +
     * The lack of reliability of the energy efficiency of the technology used. In many projects the effect was that of "technological christmas trees": complicated technology which either didn't function, or didn't function for long.     * The lack of reliability of the energy efficiency of the technology used. In many projects the effect was that of "technological christmas trees": complicated technology which either didn't function, or didn't function for long.
 +
 It's also important to mention the developments and experiences of the pioneers in Switzerland (e.g. Conrad U. Brunner, Ruedi Kriesi and Josef Jenni) and in Austria (Helmut Krapmeier, Richard Caldonazzi, Sture Larsen, [[http://www.kiraly.at/|Josef Kiraly]] ).\\ It's also important to mention the developments and experiences of the pioneers in Switzerland (e.g. Conrad U. Brunner, Ruedi Kriesi and Josef Jenni) and in Austria (Helmut Krapmeier, Richard Caldonazzi, Sture Larsen, [[http://www.kiraly.at/|Josef Kiraly]] ).\\
 \\ \\
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 {{:picopen:energie_autarkes_solarhaus.jpg?300 }} <- ** The energy-autarchic solar house of the ISE in Freiburg. The building is used as a Passive House today.**\\ \\ The "energy-autarchic solar house" (ISE, Freiburg 1991/92, Wilhelm Stahl) was built around the same time as the Passive House in Darmstadt.  It is also very similar to the Passive House. The sometimes very complicated autarchic supply technology with hydrogen storage was not operated any more after the end of the measurement period. The passive technologies and the heat recovery proved to be very effective.  Today the ISE tests the efficiency of Passive House compact heating units under practical conditions in this house. {{:picopen:energie_autarkes_solarhaus.jpg?300 }} <- ** The energy-autarchic solar house of the ISE in Freiburg. The building is used as a Passive House today.**\\ \\ The "energy-autarchic solar house" (ISE, Freiburg 1991/92, Wilhelm Stahl) was built around the same time as the Passive House in Darmstadt.  It is also very similar to the Passive House. The sometimes very complicated autarchic supply technology with hydrogen storage was not operated any more after the end of the measurement period. The passive technologies and the heat recovery proved to be very effective.  Today the ISE tests the efficiency of Passive House compact heating units under practical conditions in this house.
 During the project construction, the Passive House Group exchanged information with the ISE and Wilhelm Stahl, and mutual support was provided by each.\\ \\ \\  During the project construction, the Passive House Group exchanged information with the ISE and Wilhelm Stahl, and mutual support was provided by each.\\ \\ \\ 
 +\\ \\
 ===== The Passive House in Darmstadt Kranichstein ===== ===== The Passive House in Darmstadt Kranichstein =====
  
-{{:picopen:passivhaus_kranichstein_sued.jpg?300 }} <- ** Passive House in Darmstadt Kranichstein, southern side **\\ \\ A team of scientists participated in the "Passive House Preparatory Research Project" – an international cooperation in which Bo Adamson and Gerd Hauser were also involved.  With funding by the State of Hesse, a systematic research on the requirements for energy-efficient buildings has been done and prototypes of new building components were developed and produced: including insulated window frames, reduced thermal bridges and CO2-regulated ventilation. +{{:picopen:passivhaus_kranichstein_sued.jpg?300 }} <- ** Passive House in [[http://www.passipedia.org/examples/residential_buildings/multi-family_buildings/central_europe/the_world_s_first_passive_house_darmstadt-kranichstein_germany|Darmstadt Kranichstein]], southern side **\\ \\ A team of scientists participated in the "Passive House Preparatory Research Project" – an international cooperation in which Bo Adamson and Gerd Hauser were also involved.  With funding by the State of Hesse, a systematic research on the requirements for energy-efficient buildings has been done and prototypes of new building components were developed and produced: including insulated window frames, reduced thermal bridges and CO2-regulated ventilation. 
-In 1990/91, based on plans by Prof. Bott/Ridder/Westermeyer, four terraced house residential units were built by for families in a joint venture: se detailed Passipedia article [[http://www.passipedia.org/examples/residential_buildings/single_-_family_houses/central_europe/the_world_s_first_passive_house_darmstadt-kranichstein_germany| here]]. The houses have been occupied since 1991. An accompanying monitoring programme provided  information about super-insulated building components, windows, ventilation heat recovery, user behaviour, indoor air quality, amount of internal heat sources and much else.\\+In 1990/91, based on plans by Prof. Bott/Ridder/Westermeyer, four terraced house residential units were built by for families in a joint venture: se detailed Passipedia article [[http://www.passipedia.org/examples/residential_buildings/multi-family_buildings/central_europe/the_world_s_first_passive_house_darmstadt-kranichstein_germany| here]]. The houses have been occupied since 1991. An accompanying monitoring programme provided  information about super-insulated building components, windows, ventilation heat recovery, user behaviour, indoor air quality, amount of internal heat sources and much else.\\
 \\ \\
 {{:picopen:passivhaus_kranichstein_nord.jpg?300 }} <- **Passive House Kranichstein, northern side**\\ \\ With normal use of the homes, this project confirmed the faultless functioning of all essential components – uninterruptedly to this day (...still true in March 2014).  The measured energy consumption for heating has remained less than 10 kWh/(m²a) since 1991, the savings in comparison with traditional buildings are higher than 90%. Very good indoor air quality has always been monitored, and the high level of thermal comfort was confirmed by field measurements and user surveys.   {{:picopen:passivhaus_kranichstein_nord.jpg?300 }} <- **Passive House Kranichstein, northern side**\\ \\ With normal use of the homes, this project confirmed the faultless functioning of all essential components – uninterruptedly to this day (...still true in March 2014).  The measured energy consumption for heating has remained less than 10 kWh/(m²a) since 1991, the savings in comparison with traditional buildings are higher than 90%. Very good indoor air quality has always been monitored, and the high level of thermal comfort was confirmed by field measurements and user surveys.  
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 The most essential point is: To be aware of the performance character of really comfortable and energy efficient buildings. To be able to design such a building, it's important to calculate the performance in advance - prior to construction. The performance includes thermal comfort (during Winter and during Summer), indoor air quality and energy consumption. In our century the tools for a reliable calculation of these performance characteristics are available - this is the key for a good design. And it is the key to passive house construction - because the [[http://www.passipedia.org/planning/tools|PHPP tool]] has been made available for all professionals in the field. This tool is reliable, easy to use and transparent; it can be used as the backbone for the communication between the investor, the architect, the engineers and the people on the construction side. All important issues can be dealt with - whether the design of the ventilation system, the optimization of insulation layers, how to avoid thermal bridging and how to guarantee good indoor comfort. That is the first and most important reason, why passive house now can be designed and built by every architect and builder (well, those who are motivated to do it).\\ The most essential point is: To be aware of the performance character of really comfortable and energy efficient buildings. To be able to design such a building, it's important to calculate the performance in advance - prior to construction. The performance includes thermal comfort (during Winter and during Summer), indoor air quality and energy consumption. In our century the tools for a reliable calculation of these performance characteristics are available - this is the key for a good design. And it is the key to passive house construction - because the [[http://www.passipedia.org/planning/tools|PHPP tool]] has been made available for all professionals in the field. This tool is reliable, easy to use and transparent; it can be used as the backbone for the communication between the investor, the architect, the engineers and the people on the construction side. All important issues can be dealt with - whether the design of the ventilation system, the optimization of insulation layers, how to avoid thermal bridging and how to guarantee good indoor comfort. That is the first and most important reason, why passive house now can be designed and built by every architect and builder (well, those who are motivated to do it).\\
 \\ \\
-The second reason is the availability of suitable products and reliable data about the performance of these products. Before the passive house development there have been no windows with U-values lower than 0,85 W/(m²K) available on the market - now there is a increasing number of producers with Hundreds of certified windows of such a quality. Before the passive house development there have been no air-to-air heat recovery systems with reliable heat recovery rates higher than 80% available. Now there are more than 100 products on the market, produced by enterprises in different countries. The information about these products has been published - the performance of such products is at least some factor two better than the performance of former standard systems. That, together with reliable data available from certification of the components, creates the background for a successful design of really energy efficient buildings. +The second reason is the availability of suitable products and reliable data about the performance of these products. Before the passive house development there have been no windows with U-values lower than 0,85 W/(m²K) available on the market - now there is a increasing number of producers with Hundreds of certified windows of such a quality. Before the passive house development there have been no air-to-air heat recovery systems with reliable heat recovery rates higher than 80% available. Now there are also Hundreds of certified products on the market, produced by enterprises in different countries. The information about these products has been published - the performance of such products is at least some factor two better than the performance of former standard systems. That, together with reliable data available from certification of the components, creates the background for a successful design of really energy efficient buildings. 
 \\ \\
 \\ \\
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 The constructive perspective is looking forward: With the scientific knowledge we have now, we could (!) use technology wise and sustainable - which will fit our needs, the needs of say same 9 or 10 Billion humans -, will not require unsustainable resources and will not change the natural energy and material flows too much, not so much, that it will be of any danger. Yes, one also may discuss what is really a "demand" - but it's obvious that this could be a dangerous path if it will end in distribution fights. So, using science in a wise and clever way will be the best solution available. And that means making science available for as much as possible humans. The constructive perspective is looking forward: With the scientific knowledge we have now, we could (!) use technology wise and sustainable - which will fit our needs, the needs of say same 9 or 10 Billion humans -, will not require unsustainable resources and will not change the natural energy and material flows too much, not so much, that it will be of any danger. Yes, one also may discuss what is really a "demand" - but it's obvious that this could be a dangerous path if it will end in distribution fights. So, using science in a wise and clever way will be the best solution available. And that means making science available for as much as possible humans.
  
-And, although it might sound surprising, this is possible. We can reduce energy consumption by more than a factor of 5 (compared to average per person in the European Union) without reducing comfort and prosperity: see for example the Passive House concept and [[basics:energy_efficiency_-_the_key_to_future_energy_supply|"Energy efficiency"]].+Although it might sound surprising, this is possible. We can reduce energy consumption by more than a factor of 5 (compared to average per person in the European Union) without reducing comfort and prosperity: see for example the Passive House concept and [[efficiency_now:the_big_picture|"Energy efficiency"]].
  
 If we search back in history, we find some application of this concept - with much less advanced technology which has been available in these earlier times. So, there are traditional passive houses (see the upper part of this article). These have been solutions out of desperate hardship - thus, some of these solutions have been coined with the hardship that created them, so it might even be a danger to refer to these. There are such controversies going on: Some humans fearing a solution which is more efficient and uses less energy, because they fear that this might reduce their prosperity. But these fears are only based on missing information - that is, why the information has to be made available.   If we search back in history, we find some application of this concept - with much less advanced technology which has been available in these earlier times. So, there are traditional passive houses (see the upper part of this article). These have been solutions out of desperate hardship - thus, some of these solutions have been coined with the hardship that created them, so it might even be a danger to refer to these. There are such controversies going on: Some humans fearing a solution which is more efficient and uses less energy, because they fear that this might reduce their prosperity. But these fears are only based on missing information - that is, why the information has to be made available.  
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 **[Shurcliff 1980]** Super Insulated Houses and Double Envelope Houses, Brick House, Andover, 1st edition 1981 **[Shurcliff 1980]** Super Insulated Houses and Double Envelope Houses, Brick House, Andover, 1st edition 1981
  
-**[Weizsäcker, Lovins 1995]** Weizsäcker, U.; Lovins, A. & H.: Faktor Vier, München 1995+**[Weizsäcker, Lovins 1995]** Weizsäcker, E.; Lovins, A. & H.: Faktor Vier, München 1995
  
  
basics/the_passive_house_-_historical_review.1472024357.txt.gz · Last modified: 2016/08/24 09:39 by kdreimane