A fundamental prerequisite for sustainable energy supply for the purpose of heating is the high level of energy efficiency of the Passive House with its reduced heating demand in comparison with conventional new buildings.

Experiences with Passive House heating systems over many years show that compact units have considerable advantages. Besides the economic benefits due to synergetic effects, positive aspects include the fact that less time is required for installation and start-up (and there are fewer error sources), as well as less installation space in the room. read more..

This article deals with the update of the feasibility studies prepared in the 20th and 26th sessions of the Research Group for Cost-effective Passive Houses [AkkP 20] and [AkkP 26] Using the example of an intensively researched building (low-energy house in Schrecksbach, details of which can be found in the section Heating and DHW systems in Passive Houses - Case study: Schrecksbach, Germany) and a Passive House standard “twin” building derived from this, the overall cost burden and cost structure were examined for a variety of system variants. read more...

An important aspect, especially in the Passive House, is the operation of the heat generator inside the heated volume of the building. A mechanical convenience ventilation system should also be operated at the same time. The provision of combustion air for the fireplace and in particular the safety mechanisms that may be necessary for any malfunctioning of the ventilation system must be ensured satisfactorily. The airtightness of the construction must also be assured for a high quality Passive House building envelope. read more...

Besides the particularly favourable CO2 balance, there are many other advantages of using biofuels, especially in the Passive House. Due to the extremely small heating demand, very little space is needed for storing fuels. In contrast with the situation in conventional buildings, the transportation and storage of fuels is not a problem. The required amount of fuel can be easily purchased and transported with the household shopping. read more...

Sound generation, sound dispersion and sound proofing in heat pumps

Certification and primary energy balance calculation for compact heat pumps

Structural soundproofing for building services systems – Proposed approaches for architects and planners

Calculation of primary energy and seasonal performance factor of heat pumps in Passive Houses

In the present article, analyses and measured data from 18 investigated Passive House projects with a total of 244 accommodation units were studied. The treated floor area of all projects totals 25,440m². Nine of the projects are located in Germany, eight are in Austria and one is in Switzerland. A detailed evaluation of the German projects was carried out due to more adequate data for these. The buildings differ as to the type of construction, (single-family, multi-family, terraced or semi-detached houses) the method of construction (solid, lightweight, mixed construction) and with regard to the kind of building services supply and heating systems in particular. read more...

Domestic wastewater is generally warmer than 20 °C, while wastewater from hot showers can reach as much as 35 °C. Considering the large amounts of water that need to be processed in buildings and how much water can contribute to heating, it makes perfect sense to use this heat source in some way. read more...

Climate change caused by humans is a threat to flora, fauna and our entire civilization. We must therefore reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable amount. Possible future solutions in the building sector include zero-carbon / zero-emissions buildings, which are already required in some areas. read more...