At Scholten Group, we believe in creating homes that are not only beautiful and comfortable but also environmentally friendly and energy-efficient. That’s why we are proud to be certified Passive House Builders, offering our clients the highest quality homes with the smallest environmental impact achievable.

Passive House buildings are known for their energy efficiency and sustainability, making them a popular choice for residential buildings. But can they be used for commercial and industrial purposes as well? The answer is a resounding yes.

The location of a Passive House building can affect its energy efficiency, as different climates and environmental conditions may require different design strategies. For example, buildings in hot climates may require more shading and natural ventilation, while buildings in cold climates may require additional insulation and passive solar heating.

Passive House building can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts associated with traditional building methods. By reducing energy consumption and incorporating sustainable materials and technologies, Passive House buildings can help to mitigate the environmental impacts of the built environment.

Passive House building is a sustainable and energy-efficient construction method that has gained popularity in recent years due to its ability to significantly reduce energy consumption and lower carbon emissions. Despite its benefits, there are still some misconceptions about Passive House building that may deter people from exploring this construction method.

Passive House buildings are designed to provide a comfortable indoor environment while also reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. But are Passive House buildings actually healthier than traditional buildings?

Yes, existing buildings can be retrofitted to meet Passive House standards, although it may require significant renovations and upgrades to achieve the necessary levels of insulation and airtightness. Retrofitting can provide significant benefits in terms of energy savings and improved indoor air quality.

Passive House buildings have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their high levels of energy efficiency and sustainability. These buildings are designed to consume very little energy while maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures, even in extreme weather conditions. But how do Passive House buildings achieve such high levels of energy efficiency?

Thermal bridge free construction is a building technique that focuses on minimising the number of areas where heat is lost in a building. This is particularly important for passive houses, where energy efficiency is a key goal. Thermal bridges are areas of a building where heat is lost, such as around windows, at corners, and at joints between different building elements. By reducing the number of thermal bridges, a building can be made more energy efficient, resulting in improved indoor comfort, lower energy bills, and a more sustainable building.

Passive houses are designed to be highly energy-efficient and comfortable, and the choice of windows is an important factor in achieving these goals. High-performance windows are specifically designed to be more energy-efficient than standard windows, and they play an important role in the overall energy efficiency of a passive house. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll take a closer look at high-performance windows, their benefits, the materials used in their construction, and the cost considerations of installing them in a passive house.

Thermal insulation is a critical component of passive houses, and it plays a key role in ensuring their energy efficiency and comfort. In this blog post, we will explore what thermal insulation is, how it is measured, what methods are used for testing it, and what benefits it offers. We will also discuss the various materials used with thermal insulation and the cost considerations involved.

Passive house construction aims to create energy-efficient and comfortable homes that consume a minimum amount of energy. To achieve this, passive houses must be built to strict standards that ensure proper control of four critical elements: water, air, vapour, and thermal. These four control layers are crucial in creating a well-insulated, airtight building envelope that prevents unwanted heat loss or gain, moisture buildup, and air infiltration.

Ventilation is a crucial aspect of building design, particularly in the context of passive houses. Passive houses aim to reduce the amount of energy required to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures, and proper ventilation is essential for this goal. Proper ventilation removes internal moisture, odors and harmful substances.

Passive House Certification is a guarantee that a building meets these Passive House standards in terms of comfort and high performance.

When building a new passive home or even an extension that meets the Passive House Criteria it is important to factor in the climate where the house is being built. This is called designing by climate and is a key criterion for meeting Passive Home Certification standards. So what does designing for climate mean?