Beautiful energy-saving facades of apartment buildings. Energy efficient ventilation

Today, the problems of energy efficiency of housing in Russia are the most pressing. And this concerns not only the increased cost of electricity, but also the deterioration of the environmental situation caused by the greenhouse effect. About an energy-efficient residential building for the first time

Principles of building an energy efficient house

The main task of an energy efficient house- This reduces energy costs, especially during the winter months.

The main principles of building a house are:

  • 15 centimeter thermal insulation layer;

House project
  • simple shape of the building and roof;
  • use of environmentally friendly and warm materials;
  • installation of mechanical ventilation;
  • use of natural energy;
  • orientation when building a house to the south;
  • elimination of cold bridges;
  • 100% tightness of the building.

Most Russian buildings of the same type have natural heat, which is ineffective and leads to large heat losses. And in the summer, this technology does not work at all, as in other times of the year, when constant ventilation of the premises is necessary. Installing a special air recuperator will allow you to use already heated air to heat the incoming air.

The recuperation system provides up to 90% of the heat by heating the air.

It is worth noting that building a large house will lead to large heat losses.


It is worth focusing on the areas for actual living and their use. Because heating unused spaces and rooms is simply unacceptable. The construction of a house must be calculated for the exact number of people living in it. And the remaining rooms in the house will be heated by natural human heat and the operation of household appliances.

An energy efficient house is usually built taking into account all climatic conditions and their use. Sunny days or windy days should be a clue for you to choose certain energy sources. And it is important to achieve tightness not only through window and door openings, but also through the use of special double-sided plaster, reliable and of high quality, and protection from the wind. It should also be remembered that the more, the greater the heat loss.

Taking into account the energy efficiency of a house at the design stage

When choosing a specific place to build a house, it is necessary to take into account the natural landscape. The selected area should be flat and without elevation changes. In general, any landscape feature can be used to increase efficiency. For example, the height difference will provide a low-cost water supply.

You should also consider the position of the house relative to the sun in order to use solar lighting instead of electric lighting.

High-quality and must be provided from the very beginning of construction. Because energy efficiency is impossible without this type of insulation.

The canopy and porch slope should be optimal in width so as not to create shadows in natural light, and at the same time protect the building from overheating and protect the walls from rain. must be designed taking into account the mass of snow cover in winter. You also need to organize proper gutters and roof insulation.

All these measures will reduce maintenance costs and increase the lifespan of the house.

Measures to improve the energy efficiency of a wooden house

Increasing the energy efficiency of an already built house is quite possible. Although, it is necessary to take into account the return of the house. If the house is in good condition and is not subject to demolition in a few years, then it can be reconstructed.

Energy losses can be reduced using modern materials and technologies. The first thing you need to start with is identifying heat leaks. Cold bridges take away a significant part of the heat of the entire house. Therefore, it is very important to find such places in the tightness of walls, roofs, window and door openings.

Most often, problem areas can be found in the place of removal, plinth and other structures. Be sure to insulate the attic and ceilings in the basement and cellar. In an apartment building, vestibule doors bring a significant effect.

The presence also indicates depressurization of the room. Old or incorrectly installed windows significantly reduce the level of heat in rooms. Sometimes just replacing them reduces heating costs several times.

It is also worth noting that all insulation material must be clean and environmentally friendly for human life. An excellent option would be to use warm plaster to further seal the insulation of all walls. This building material copes well with depressurized seams and various joints. Polyethylene can be used as an insulating material, installing it under wooden sheathing. And the thickness of this material must be at least 200 microns.

These days, such houses are increasingly gaining popularity in Russia and Belarus, as they require less heating costs and are well ventilated. We wish you to build the best economical and high-quality home!

Construction of energy efficient houses – is there any benefit? When it comes to building their own private home, people begin to consider all possible options for projects and designs in addition to those familiar to everyone, which are considered standards. Most people want to make their home as economical as possible in terms of electrical energy consumption. The ideal option in this case is to build an energy-efficient house, or as it is also called a “passive house”.

Such structures can be of several types (straw, domed houses) and are characterized by various features that should be taken into account by those who want to build such a house.

Such a concept as energy efficient house, includes many characteristics that are aimed at ensuring that the house has maximum savings in the consumption of electrical resources. In this case, there will always be comfortable conditions and a favorable microclimate indoors.

The normal electrical energy consumption for a house of this type is 15 kW/hour based on an area of ​​1 m2. Over the course of a year, energy will be consumed in an amount that does not exceed 120 kW/hour per 1 m2. When considering energy efficient homes, it's best to familiarize yourself with each system individually.

Architectural question

When starting to create an energy-saving house project, even its location, size and the presence of additional “thermal” buffers should be taken into account.” These include verandas, garages, basements, etc. Regarding location, the ideal option would be a latitudinal direction. Also equally important is the ratio of the external and internal area of ​​the building. For windows, choose the most suitable location and size. Most of the windows will be located on the south side of the structure and in those rooms that will be used most often.

Solar tubes are often used to enhance the flow of heat energy in a home. This is an element with a diameter of up to 35 cm, which serves to receive heat on the roof and redirect it to the rooms inside the house. As for the roof, the maximum possible gentle slope is provided here. This will make it possible to retain snow in winter and thereby create additional insulation.

Thermal insulation

As for insulation, constant heat loss occurs through the surface of the floor, walls and roof, which leads to such a step as insulation of these structures. For walls and roofs, similar materials are suitable as insulation, but the main point is to maintain the thickness of the insulation; it should be 20 cm. To prevent the outflow of heat from the interior through the windows, you can use glass filled with inert gas or selective glass. To insulate the floor on the ground floor, you can use various materials, for example, self-leveling mixtures or.

A prerequisite for construction is insulation. To do this, you can use sprayed polyurethane, expanded clay or foam. Is it profitable to build an energy-efficient house in Russia? Definitely. Even with the initial costs, you will build it cheaper than many other home options, and you will enjoy the savings in the future.

Ventilation system

The ideal option for energy construction would be the construction of a ventilation system, which is equipped with a recuperator. Such a system will eliminate all heat leaks, and it works on the principle of air masses. The cold, fresh air flow that is directed into the house will pass through the heated air in the room. Heating will occur due to the heat transfer of the exhaust air from the room towards the fresh flow.

Heating

When building these types of houses, the use of autonomous heating systems is not required.

But if you still want to install heating, you can use the following devices:


Varieties

As for the construction of this type of house, the classification is based on the level of electrical energy consumption:

  • Passive. This house is characterized by a resource consumption of approximately 30% compared to a conventional house. In such a house there is no cold bridge due to well-equipped insulation, but the thickness of the walls is 30 cm. The room is also provided with a ventilation system and additional elements of heating equipment. Collectors are most often used. The building is equipped with a supply of electrical resources that is considered independent.
  • Ultra-low energy consumption. In terms of specific resource consumption, this is from 17 to 45 kW per hour/m2 per year.
  • Low consumption. Energy resources can be consumed in the range of 37 to 60 kW per hour/m2 per year.
  • Reduced energy consumption. In this case, the savings percentage is 70%. The thermal insulation material that is laid into the wall structure will be 16 cm or more in thickness. During installation, a heating system is used that operates on a circular principle.
  • Zero consumption. Such houses are distinguished by the fact that they simply do not have electricity in the form of communication. Certain structures can generate electrical energy themselves and feed it into the public grid. The walls should be 40 cm thick. The houses have mechanical ventilation, as well as tanks and collectors in which warm water is stored.

How to build correctly?

Among the methods of building energy-efficient houses, Finnish is most often used. For construction, you will need to use frame technology, and in this case, building a house with your own hands will not be difficult.

To do this, you can use the following algorithm and understand how to build:

  1. The foundation that will be ideal for a Finnish-type house is pile or. Let's deal with them first.
  2. The house is built from timber, which should be carefully treated with certain materials before starting work. Before tying, the surface of the foundation should be covered with a layer of waterproofing film or other similar material.

Note, that when constructing the harness, you should ensure that the location is strictly horizontal.

  1. When making a wall structure from timber, we fasten everything together using pins or self-tapping screws, and the elements must be joined groove to groove.
  2. For the floor, plywood or sheets are used. The floor trim must be laid, while maintaining the distance that will be optimal for installing the sheets.
  3. On top of the bottom trim, you will need to install a log with a distance that will be equal to the width of the insulation material. In places where the load will be increased, the joists should be joined.
  4. After the OSB boards have been laid, you can lay out the material with which you will insulate the floor, for example, mineral wool.
  5. After this, spread a layer of material on top.
  6. To prevent the floor from rotting, create a gap for ventilation. An excellent option would be to use boards that need to be laid along the entire length of the subfloor. Attach sheets of OMB or plywood on top.
  7. For the manufacture of floors, it is recommended to use beams that have a cross-section of 24.5 * 5 cm. The laying step should be 30-35 cm.
  8. Attach plywood on top of the beams, and this way you can build a subfloor/ceiling for the attic or a full second floor.
  9. To make the rafter system, use beams on top of which the sheathing will be attached.
  10. An important point is insulation. First, we provide protection from the wind, and for this we will need to sheathe the frame. To do this, use plates.
  11. A film should be attached to the surface of the slabs, and then a stand, which will be the basis for creating the exterior decoration of the house.
  12. The inside of the house also requires insulation. The material that needs to be used for this is mineral wool or cellulose.

Manufacturers

Manufacturers say that it is even possible to build an energy-efficient turnkey house:

  • To begin with, they design a frame house and do everything turnkey. When ordering, specialists will help you so that you can choose the optimal materials that are of the best quality.
  • Construction of Finnish houses, which are the embodiment of modern technologies, various projects that are not similar to each other and are unique.
  • In addition to building a house, it is planned to use innovative resource conservation systems (electricity). Among other things, we note that all systems and equipment are installed and configured by professionals.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of modern energy efficient houses are the following:

  • External attractiveness. Due to the fact that wood or materials made from it are used to build a house, it is possible to create the most unusual and unique projects.
  • High level of security, reliability. If you meet all the necessary conditions and adhere to the requirements, you will receive a structure that will be resistant to negative environmental factors.
  • Environmentally friendly. Living in such a house is absolutely harmless to human health.
  • Ease of construction. You can even build a house with your own hands, and it is not necessary to hire a team of workers or use equipment. Construction time is short.
  • Saving. This advantage has also become a purpose. Living in such a house does not require large expenses.

We have put together some useful recommendations for you:

  • Before starting construction, take into account all the features of the location, namely the topography, climate, soil. The choice of the most suitable materials will depend on this.
  • Be careful when choosing a foundation, because although the structure of the house is not that heavy, when building a house with two floors it is better to give preference to a strong and reliable foundation.
  • Use plasterboard or plywood for interior decoration. The best option would be to use ceiling panels for cladding.

Conclusion

Building an energy-efficient home for year-round use will be an unmistakable choice.

In addition, the process does not require large financial costs and operation makes it possible to save money.

If we take into account that the life of the house reaches up to 100 years, and the house is comfortable and cozy, then living in it will only bring positive emotions. As you can see, such construction is beneficial in all respects.

The problems of depletion of certain resources, environmental degradation and ever-increasing utility bills are closely intertwined. This is especially noticeable in private households. One of the options for solving these problems is the construction of energy efficient houses. They are often talked about with the fashionable prefix “eco”.

Energy efficient houses - a little terminology

An energy-efficient house involves rational consumption of resources to maintain a comfortable microclimate in it. Energy losses are minimized, and everything consumed is used to the maximum. This is achieved through proper laying of communications, installation of high-tech equipment, and the use of heat-saving materials.

The terms “energy efficiency” and “energy saving” should not be confused. The first is a qualitative indicator, the second is quantitative. That is, energy saving at home is consumption of fewer resources to ensure the same conditions in it.

A house where energy consumption is close to a few percent of the average values ​​in conventional buildings is called energy passive. It is practically independent of conventional external energy sources. Priority is given to the use of renewable resources - wind energy, solar heat.

Residential building energy efficiency class

The volume of energy consumption in a house determines its energy efficiency class. The higher it is, the more comfortable the microclimate is formed in residential premises, the lower the utility bills.

Currently in Russia the following energy efficiency classes are distinguished:

  • A++, A+, A;
  • B+, B;
  • C+, C, C-;

The energy efficiency class of a residential building is determined on the basis of current legislation. The calculations are based on the annual consumption of resources in a separate house. It is analyzed taking into account existing standards.

Energy audits can only be carried out by specialized enterprises that meet the requirements of federal legislation. Assigned to a building energy efficiency class confirms the energy passport.

Energy Efficiency Basics

A well-functioning heating and ventilation system allows you to achieve high energy efficiency indicators. The quality of the home’s thermal insulation plays an important role.

More specifically, it is worth paying attention to the following:

  • The choice of building materials with low thermal conductivity.
  • Installation of energy-saving windows.
  • Good thermal insulation of walls, floors, ceilings. The formation of “cold bridges” should be prevented.
  • Powerful organization supply and exhaust ventilation rooms with recovery.
  • Efficient use of solar energy.
  • Construction of an insulated foundation.

As a result of the use of efficient technologies, costs may be 15-20% more than when building a standard house. However, the energy-efficient option is almost 60% cheaper to operate.

How to build a passive energy house

To make a residential building energy-passive, you need to turn its outer walls into a heat-insulating shell. A qualitative redistribution of heat will occur inside it. This will not only minimize energy consumption, but also eliminate heaters and air conditioners.

Insulated foundation using Swedish technologies

Heat loss through the base of the house can reach 15%. For this reason, it is impossible to build a truly energy-efficient house without thermal insulation of the foundation. In Russia and in many foreign countries it is performed using technology insulated Swedish stove ().

Such a slab is a shallow monolithic base made of reinforced concrete, laid on high-strength polystyrene foam. This insulation can withstand loads of up to 20 tons per 1 m2. Its deformation does not exceed 2%.

A water layer is laid on the reinforced polystyrene foam layer. Only then is the base poured with concrete. This “pie” absorbs heat well from the heated soil in the summer and cools slowly in the winter.

As a result, you can reduce the number of radiators heating on the ground floor of the house or do without them altogether.

Building materials and wall insulation

One of the main criteria for choosing building materials for walls is their thermal conductivity. The lower it is, the more heat will be retained in the house. The most energy efficient materials in this regard are:

  • logs;
  • cellular concrete; sandwich panels;
  • ceramic blocks;
  • ceramic brick.

Frame construction technologies allow these materials to vary widely. In frame houses, the walls are a “pie” of sheathing and insulation. Each such layer ensures reliable heat conservation in the house.

One of the common wall insulation schemes in frame houses:

  1. A layer of stone wool at least 20 cm thick is laid between the load-bearing posts.
  2. Sheathing the frame. These could be OSB boards or other material that retains heat well.
  3. Counter battens are attached on top of the cladding for mounting the facade.
  4. Another layer of thermal insulation in the form of a 5-centimeter layer of glass wool is laid between the counter-battens.

Such walls for the most economical energy-passive houses are the best option in terms of price and quality ratio.

Features of energy-saving windows

In an energy-passive house, heat input from the sun plays a significant role. This is why experts recommend placing most windows on the south side of the building. Some projects involve the construction of entire glass galleries there. They act as thermal buffers.

Window designs are only energy-saving. They are distinguished from standard designs:

  • Triple sealing circuit.
  • More cameras in the profile.
  • Low thermal conductivity - 0.6-0.7 W/m2K.
  • The ability to transmit up to 50% of solar heat into rooms.
  • Maximum noise absorption coefficient.
  • Using argon or krypton to fill the space between the glasses.
  • The presence of at least two double-glazed windows.
  • There is a slight difference between the temperature on the surface of the glass and the surrounding surfaces. It rarely exceeds 4.2°C.

Energy saving windows plays a significant role in creating a comfortable microclimate in an efficient home. They promote uniform heat distribution without temperature asymmetry.

Organization of forced ventilation with heat recovery

A forced ventilation system not only provides a comfortable microclimate in the house, but also reduces heat loss. The presence of appropriate equipment allows you to avoid ventilating rooms by traditionally opening windows. When installing a recuperator (heat exchanger), only dirty air leaves the room, and the heat remains in the house.

In practice it looks like this:

  1. Through the supply valve, cold air from the street enters the device.
  2. There it passes through a filter system and enters the heat exchanger.
  3. In the recuperator, cold air from the street and warm air from the house move towards each other. They are isolated using a special plate, so they do not mix.
  4. Due to the temperature difference, heat from the exhaust flow is transferred to the supply flow.
  5. The cooled air from the house is discharged outside, and the heated outdoor air passes through another filter and enters the rooms.

The cycle is constantly repeated, as a result of which the heat does not leave the building.

Heating system and its adjustment

A heating system is an auxiliary tool if there are sealed windows, a warm water floor and high-quality wall insulation. In mild winter conditions, a house built using efficient technologies can do without it altogether. However, in most regions the winters are harsh, so a heating system is necessary.

  • Heat pumps. They allow you to receive heat from non-freezing layers of soil, air and water by cooling them. It is then transferred to the building's heating circuit.
  • Condensing gas boiler. Heat is obtained from condensate, which is formed during the combustion of gas.
  • Infrared energy saving panels. Objects in the room are heated 15-20 minutes to a comfortable temperature. They then release heat to the air over a long period of time. To obtain the desired effect, the panels can be turned on every hour for only 15 minutes.
  • Stove-fireplace with a system of heat accumulating hoods.

For rational consumption of electricity, heating equipment is equipped with a variety of sensors and control systems.

Thus, an energy-efficient house is not only economical, but also safe for the environment and people. However, it is difficult to build it turnkey with your own hands. At almost every stage of work it is necessary to involve experienced craftsmen.

Video: what to build an energy-efficient house from

On September 23-24, the seminar “The experience of Germany and Ukraine in housing management and thermal sanitation of buildings” was held in the city of Zaporozhye.

Seminars and events of the German-Ukrainian project “Energy-saving refurbishment of residential buildings” are held in Ukraine during 2012-2015. The event took place with the financial support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation FOR FREEDOM.

This seminar brought together representatives from different parts of Ukraine: Kherson, Odessa, Krivoy Rog, Kharkov, Melitopol, Lvov. And, of course, the project partners from Germany.

This is not the first time this team has gathered in such a composition, and what is especially pleasing is that every time I see more and more new faces.

I decided for myself the motto of this meeting: “Winter is coming!” - short, concise, but still so much meaning. This, in fact, was the main topic of conversation. Everyone is very concerned about the coming winter, or more precisely, the heating season.

How will we spend the winter? How to heat our homes? How to keep warm?

Probably every Ukrainian is now asking himself these questions and looking for any solutions. Only now the people gathered at this seminar think not only about their living space, but also about their condominiums, cities and regions.

Just as every housewife has her own recipe for borscht, every specialist in the field of energy efficiency has her own solutions and advice on how to use energy most efficiently. Having listened to a lot of speeches at this seminar, I got the impression that each “housewife” told her own recipe for borscht. They are, in principle, very similar, the ingredients are almost identical, but each cook wants to add something of his own, some mushrooms, some beans, and always a piece of soul. To summarize, I would like to present to your attention the first Energy efficiency recipe book.

Set lunches

Before you start preparing lunches, you need to clearly know how many people you are cooking for, no matter what happens: a few servings are extra. Translating all this into the topic of energy efficiency, the process of thermal modernization should be carried out comprehensively using the “Economically feasible model for sustainable energy development of heat supply.” The sequence of cooking steps is very important here. First, we carry out thermal modernization of the building, that is, we reduce energy consumption, then, simultaneously with personnel training, we reconstruct heating mains and install a biofuel boiler, taking into account the reduced energy consumption. As a result, all products (money) are used rationally and with maximum efficiency.

Fedor Barulin, Chairman of the Board of the Regional Council of Entrepreneurs LLC, leading expert of the Regional Energy Service Campaign LLC, Kherson

Energy-efficient snacks from Vadim Demchenko

  1. "Window under film"

Ingredients:

— energy-saving film for windows “Third Glass”

Apply energy-saving film to the previously prepared window; it is almost transparent and transmits up to 85% of light. Without additional heating, you get an increase in room temperature by 3-6 o C.

  1. "Ventilation ducts under a fur coat"

Ingredients:

- ventilation duct

- “door”, can be replaced with cardboard

In addition to windows and doors, heat escapes through ventilation ducts, especially if you live on the top floors. Because the ventilation openings cannot be completely closed equip them with a special door or cover them with a piece of cardboard. This will help increase the temperature by 5 - 7 o C

  1. "The batteries are lukewarm"

Ingredients:

- battery

— heat insulator (extruded polystyrene foam or chipboard)

- foil

To keep the room warm, we need a heat shield. To prepare, take a heat insulator and stick foil on it, or you can immediately use ready-made polyisol, which you can purchase at any hardware store. Next, place it between the wall and the battery. The dish is ready to eat. The heat output of the radiator will increase by 20%, while the cost of heating the room will decrease by 4%.

  1. “Lukewarm batteries with dark brown sauce”

In addition to the previous recipe, you can repaint the batteries dark brown; it has been proven that this color gives off 8 - 10% more heat than white. To do this, remove layers of old paint from the batteries, making their surface smooth, then use a brush to paint the batteries from top to bottom.

Vadim Demchenko, Head of the Department for Investment Activities, Zaporozhye City Investment Agency, Zaporozhye

Winter preparations for Zaporozhye

98% of the city's heat needs are provided by large gas boiler houses and there are only 30 small boiler houses that can be converted to alternative fuel, that is, the only way out is to use electric heating for additional heating. In order to minimize the possible negative consequences of the massive use of electricity, it is planned to install switching devices - “insulated Christmas trees” in the entrances of apartment buildings. Their installation will provide additional time to troubleshoot problems and restore power supply. Also, additional teams of electricians are being formed to quickly respond to the situation.

Alexander Sin, mayor of Zaporozhye


Separate nutrition according to the German method

The essence of the technique is the thermal modernization of centralized heating networks. Since some areas of the city are quite remote from the thermal power plant, the length of the heating main is very long, which results in frequent accidents, delays in repairs, large losses, and, of course, huge sums for their maintenance. As a solution to this problem, Ralph Protz proposed “separate power supply”, that is, those areas that are as far as possible from the thermal power plant must be transferred to individual boiler houses. A similar technique has already been used in Dnepropetrovsk, which led to a significant reduction in gas consumption. And for starters, we need to move away as much as possible from gas consumption towards renewable energy sources.

Ralf Protz, Director of the Competence Center for Large Housing Estates, Berlin

Irina Yaremko,

Project manager,

KHOO "Regional Council of Entrepreneurs"

With rising energy prices and decreasing reserves of fossil fuels, the issue of energy conservation has become very acute. One of the main vectors for the development of energy-saving technologies is energy saving in construction.

Passive house project with layout of all communications

The use of new approaches to construction, the use of modern building materials and modern energy metering devices has made it possible to significantly reduce energy costs and energy losses of buildings.

In addition, energy-saving technologies must be accessible, environmentally friendly, not affect the usual way of life and be safe for human life.

A passive energy-efficient house is a building with low energy consumption (for heating and household needs). Ideally, a passive house should not require heating at all by conventional means. A passive house allows you to reduce energy consumption tenfold. This efficiency is achieved by using new technologies that increase.


We are talking not only about new building materials, but also about a new approach to the design of structures. They try to reduce the size of the house, remove all heat leaks and use non-traditional energy sources to maintain optimal temperature inside the building (for example, use solar energy to heat water).

Passive house technologies are especially effective in public buildings, where heat gain comes from a large number of visitors, which helps reduce energy costs.
And in Kyiv in 2012 they moved from words to action and built such a passive energy-saving house.

The term passive house is often placed next to energy-independent house and energy-plus house. This means that, along with ideal thermal insulation materials and technologies, engineering solutions are used that make it possible to completely abandon the consumption of external energy, and in some cases also to produce in excess of the required standards.

To do this, passive houses are equipped with blocks of solar panels combined with storage devices.

In those climatic zones where this is possible, the sun comes to the aid. In some areas where thermal waters are located close to the surface of the earth, their energy can be used - common in Kamchatka, some areas of Lake Baikal, and in the Tyumen region of the Ural region.


Scheme for mounting solar panels

A house that remains comfortable to live in without additional heating, and also does not use electricity and other resources for its own needs, can be called energy independent. And if the energy received is also enough for other needs, then it will be an energy plus house.

Technologies for building an energy-saving house

When constructing a passive house, both traditional materials (wood, brick) and non-traditional building blocks made from recycled materials are used. And of course, a large number of houses are built from modern materials with low thermal conductivity.


An example of innovative building materials that effectively save heat and can be used with great success to build a passive energy-saving house

Heat leaves the building through the building envelope - walls, floor, roof and windows. When building a passive house, several layers of thermal insulation are used. It prevents the penetration of cold from the external environment and heat loss from the building itself. During construction, all enclosing structures are insulated, which reduces heat loss by 10-20 times.

Unlike a traditional one, in a passive house all the air passes through a recovery system. This allows you to take waste heat and return it back into the premises, rather than releasing it outside.


Diagram of thermal insulation and ventilation of a private energy-efficient house

Much attention is paid to windows. During construction, 2-3 chamber double-glazed windows are used, and the joints between the windows and the wall are carefully sealed and insulated. Often different window sizes are used, depending on the direction of the world (the largest windows face south).

Orientation of an energy-saving house on the site

A suitable location is selected for the construction of a passive house. Ideally, you need to choose an area that will be protected as much as possible from the effects of adverse external factors. But at the same time it should have maximum sunlight.

Read also

Prices for private house projects

If you do not have to choose a site, then you need to correctly locate the building on the available land. In this case, many factors must be taken into account. The building should be oriented to the south as much as possible. The light of the sun should not be blocked by neighboring buildings, fences, or plantings. This is necessary so that at any time of the year - winter and summer - the sun's rays enter the house as much as possible and heat the interior space.


Correct location of the house according to the cardinal directions

Before building a house, you need to obtain information about the wind rose from the local hydrometeorological center. This will allow you to determine the windiest direction and take measures to protect the building. This could be a planted green fence, a fence, a neighbor's house, or any other effective solution. Barrier protection of the house from the wind will prevent heat from blowing out of the building and reduce heat loss.

Passive house form

The outline of the building and the exterior as a whole are subject to no less requirements than the choice of the site where the building will be located. Any house loses heat through its enclosing surfaces; the larger their area, the more difficult it is to stop this process. Enclosing surfaces include all external structures: walls, floors, roofs, windows, doors.

Therefore, all passive house projects are calculated in such a way that, while maintaining the maximum useful internal volume, the area of ​​external surfaces is minimal.


One of the design options for a passive house

Hence, all passive house projects are made very compact, without unnecessary pretentiousness and luxury in the exterior. One-story buildings with a large building area and unnecessary architectural solutions in the form of bay windows and balconies are unacceptable here. Also, projects are deprived of internal angles and complex geometry in general. Most often, such houses are equipped with a pitched roof, which allows saving on building materials, simplifying the roof structure, removing cold bridges, and also ensures maximum insolation of the interior.

The placement of windows, their size and number are also strictly regulated. Windows in a passive house are both a way to lose heat and a way to accumulate it. Of course, the windows themselves cannot accumulate energy, but they let in sunlight, which illuminates and heats the interior, and with proper arrangement of internal partitions, it is also accumulated.


Table of heat loss through windows

Windows in an energy-saving house are arranged according to the following principle:

  • The maximum number of windows (up to 70-80%) is on the southern facade of the building. The quantity and size are selected in such a way that the sun’s rays penetrate as deeply as possible into the room at any time of the year (winter and summer), ideally reaching the far wall, heating it;
  • The eastern (20-30%) and western (0-10%) sides are equipped with windows to a lesser extent. They contribute almost nothing to energy production, but are more needed for natural lighting. On the windy side, the number of windows should tend to zero;
  • The northern facade of the building is made blank. There is practically no sun on that side, so the window will only serve as a heat transfer function.

Passive house involves the use of only special windows - energy-saving ones. Such windows are equipped with two- and three-chamber double-glazed windows. Also, special attention is paid to their installation.

The joints are carefully processed, sealed and insulated, which helps prevent unnecessary heat loss.

In this video you can see an example of equipment for a passive house that is completely independent of external power systems.

Interior layout of a passive house

It will also differ from the layout of an ordinary cottage. Designers of energy-efficient buildings prioritize the rules of Feng Shui. And even the inconvenience of consumers (although this factor is fully taken into account), and the principles of heat and energy conservation, and moreover, their accumulation.

To do this, all rooms in the house must be divided into two parts - living, which will include bedrooms, guest rooms, living room, children's rooms. And the buffer room is those rooms that make life more comfortable: kitchen, bathrooms, storage rooms and utility rooms, dressing rooms, hall, hallway.

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