Quote:
Originally Posted by Maciek
It's seems great. I will check it for sure. Thank you very much for your advice.
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Something else to keep in mind is that 'standard' building practices will not achieve the specifications that the PHPP has calculated.
There are high-performance building techniques that must accompany a Passive House build, if that is what you are after.
From what I have been able to determine, for the most part, conventional building materials can be used, but they are used in a way that minimizes heat loss.
It seems that 'thermal bridging' is a problem that standard construction often overlooks, but avoiding thermal bridging is integral to Passive House construction. I discovered that ignoring thermal bridging can reduce insulation effectiveness by 18%, that's a big loss.
Infiltration reduction is attacked with a vengeance in Passive House construction. A properly built Passive House must use mechanical ventilation to supply fresh air, and all fresh air enters through a heat exchange ventilator.
Finally, there are very few windows and doors that will meet Passive House standards, and those that are certified are very expensive.
Since the PHPP gives you a running total, you have the option of designing around super efficient doors & windows.
The up front costs to build a Passive House is high, but considering that a high efficiency heating system is not required, the total up front costs are only modestly higher.
You pay now or you pay later.
-AC