Passivhaus

The university town of Freiburg, Germany has a well-deserved reputation as the European capital of environmentalism and sustainable architecture and urban design. The city is perhaps best known for the development of two model sustainable urban districts, Rieselfeld and Vauban, both of which integrate multi-modal transportation linkages, ecological storm water management, low-energy passive solar houses, combined heating and power (CHP) systems, mixed uses (both public and private), local schools and a variety of shops to meet everyday needs, thus reducing greatly the need for private car ownership.

Abstract: While the Passivhaus design approach and certification depend on the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP) steady-state building simulations, including the natural ventilation assessment, design, and planning, this paper aims to assess the effectiveness and behaviour of the Passivhaus ventilation plan taken from the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP) natural ventilation tab through the implementation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), building modelling and simulation. The study approach provides useful and informative assessment for building designers to manipulate natural ventilation plans in a more efficient way, leading to a more accurate decision making and increased flexibility in the design process.
The results, through a case study, have unveiled the fact that airflow patterns are of an uncomfortable airspeeds at certain locations, surpassing 2 and 3 m/s at specific inlet air velocities, causing turbulence at some points of coverage, where these outputs could be implemented in adjusting the architectural design decisions regarding airflow direction.

This briefing paper describes the aspirations and sustainable strategies in the development of the new
Norwich Research Park Enterprise Centre (NRPEC) at the University of East Anglia (UEA). It aims to
share the knowledge and challenges at the early stage of this project.

Governments all around the world have promulgated a series of measures to reduce carbon impacts from built environment sector in-order-to tackle global climatic change. Scientists and practitioners are working individually as well as in conjunction to conceptualize, design and develop various models and methods for reducing carbon footprints and energy consumption from housing stock. This research project investigates the underlying relation between zero carbon buildings and zero energy buildings. Two different standards, ultra low energy efficient Passivhaus standard and the fabric energy efficiency standard (FEES) proposed by zero carbon hub (ZCH) are used to understand the performance of buildings in terms of carbon emission and energy consumption.
The stringent legislative requirement for producing ‘zero carbon’ dwelling by the year 2016 enforces designers and builders to look for alternative means to reduce carbon footprints and energy consumption from domestic dwellings. At the same time the Energy performance building Directive (EPBD) proposal to produce ‘nearly zero energy’ buildings by 2020 further necessities to look for the energy efficient means to improve energy performance of the dwellings.
In this project, the same model house has been used to make a comparative study using two different tools, passive house planning package (PHPP2007) and government’s standard assessment of energy rating of dwellings (SAP2009) tools, in terms of carbon emission and energy performance of the dwelling. Attempt has been made to understand underlying assumptions and differences between these two tools and findings of the comparative study are presented in this project.
The results from the analysis will provide probable estimation of real world carbon emission and energy consumption from the domestic dwelling. Furthermore, findings from this research will provide guidelines and procedures to practitioner for developing best approach that comply with government regulations in context of the UK.

Energy efficient models have become the path to reduce energy consumption and Greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment in many developed countries. According to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), new buildings constructed within the European Union (EU) countries are expected to be nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs) by 2020, while new public buildings are expected to adhere to this target by 2018. The Passivhaus approach has been identified by several researchers as a possible roadmap to achieve nZEBs. The meticulous engineering and high standards of the Passivhaus building fabric, in addition to the high comfort levels, are the main reasons behind the success and widespread of the standard. Recently, in 2013 the Passivhaus principles have been applied to an experimental residential project in the hot and arid climate of Qatar. The project is composed of two identical buildings, one built according to the Passivhaus standard and the other according to normal practices in the country. The thermal performance and comfort levels of both buildings were assessed through dynamic simulation and on-site measurements. Results indicated that at least 50% reduction in annual operational energy, water consumption, and CO2 emissions were achieved in the Passivhaus model in comparison to the standard model. This paper aims to highlight the lessons learned through the Passivhaus project; first by exhibiting the Passivhaus criteria that have been met, second by showcasing the outcomes of the project, and third by displaying the barriers and difficulties that have been associated with building according to the standard in Qatar. Finally, recommendations and general guidelines are suggested towards a possible adoption of the Passivhaus standard in Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries

Gli edifici ad alta efficienza energetica costruiti in Europa adottano prevalentemente la tecnologia delle pareti multistrato leggere (pareti stratificate a secco con la tecnologia S/R, pareti prefabbricate con il sistema SAAD, pareti in legno, etc) con un pacchetto costituito, quasi totalmente, da materiali strutturali a bassa densità ed isolanti termici ad elevato spessore (anche 20-30 cm), a basso peso specifico e, quindi, a bassa massa di accumulo, al fine di ottenere valori di trasmittanza termica stazionaria molto bassi (inferiori comunque a 0,15 W/mqK). E’, comunque, da considerare che tali tecniche di super-isolamento, trovano indicazione soprattutto in zone climatiche continentali del nord e centro Europa, dove i consumi per il riscaldamento invernale prevalgono nettamente su quelli per il raffrescamento estivo. Inoltre, mentre nel periodo invernale il requisito principale è la protezione del trasferimento del calore dagli ambienti interni all’esterno, durante il periodo estivo, uno dei requisiti è quello dello smaltimento, di notte, del sovraccarico termico accumulato durante il giorno: purtroppo, questa tipologia di involucro “iperisolata”, essendo caratterizzata da una bassa massa termica e, quindi, da una limitata inerzia termica, non permette di “scaricare” adeguatamente nelle ore notturne, il calore accumulato durante il giorno innescando, così, un processo di surriscaldamento. In zone climatiche calde e temperate come, ad esempio, l’area del bacino del mediterraneo, tale fenomeno di sovraccarico termico risulta molto spesso
irreversibile se non vi è, nella costruzione, un perfetto controllo delle fonti di irraggiamento solare (effetto serra) ed un’adeguata
gestione degli apporti gratuiti di calore all’interno dell’edificio (persone, elettrodomestici ed apparecchiature elettriche, illuminazione artificiale, etc). Oltretutto, con questa tipologia di involucro non è possibile sfruttare i benefici dei sistemi passivi di riscaldamento, vista la limitatezza e, in alcuni casi, la totale mancanza di superfici dotate di massa di accumulo termico in grado, quindi, di accumulare il calore quando necessario, per poi distribuirlo agli spazi interni quando l’effetto del guadagno solare cessa. Anche per quanto riguarda il raffrescamento passivo, la massa di accumulo termico appare necessaria in quanto potrebbe essere sfruttata come vero e proprio pozzo termico.
A questi inconvenienti si è cercato di porre rimedio mediante l’adozione di elementi strutturali dotati di massa di accumulo termico (come, ad esempio, solai e pavimenti massivi, corpi scala in cemento armato, strati di intonaco interno ad alto spessore, etc) e/o l’impiego, nella stratificazione delle tamponature esterne, di materiali dotati di una maggiore densità e/o calore specifico (ad esempio pannelli in legno massiccio tipo X-LAM, lana di legno e fibra di legno ad alta densità, fibra di legno mineralizzata, fibre di cellulosa o canapa, intonaci in terra cruda, etc.); tuttavia, il ricorso a tali soluzioni, anche se in alcuni casi consente di raggiungere degli ottimali valori di trasmittanza termica periodica e dei discreti valori di sfasamento ed attenuazione, non permette, comunque, di raggiungere
degli adeguati valori di capacità termica areica interna periodica, di massa termica e di ammettenza interna estiva. Infatti, in area
climatica mediterranea e, comunque, in zone dal clima caldo e/o temperato, un involucro edilizio altamente performante dal punto di vista energetico, se caratterizzato da una scarsa ammettenza interna e da un’insufficiente capacità termica areica interna periodica, (che in parole povere rappresenta la capacità di un componente edilizio di accumulare i carichi termici provenienti dall'interno) può innescare, all’interno dell’edificio, dei fenomeni di surriscaldamento sia nella stagioni estive che nelle stagioni intermedie, (soprattutto in ambienti con alto indice di affollamento) e, quindi, delle condizioni di estremo discomfort termico.

Describes the sustainability strategies of the University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust, aiming to share the knowledge and successes of implementing these in its healthcare premises. Structured around the five key themes; waste, procurement, energy, travel and water, with community engagement as an overarching principle that underpins each of these themes.

Can the recent success of schools built in the UK adopting Passivhaus performance standards, overcome the barriers to the adoption of the method for school design in the US? The UK has seen a recent growth in the number of Passivhaus schools. These include: Bushbury Hill Passivhaus School (2011); Oakmeadow Passivhaus Primary School (2011); Swillington Passivhaus Primary School (2011); and Wilkinson Passivhaus School (2013).  The US is, however, yet to see such an enthusiastic adoption of Passivhaus standands for schools.
This paper will explore both the technical and wider performance qualities of the Passivhaus approach. It will examine the feasibility of Passivhaus methods for schools in the US, examining barriers of perception and performance. Passivhaus excels as a method to address energy efficiency, but schools operate at a number of other levels not only energy performance, and this paper examines through qualitative and quantitative data how Passivhaus standards may effects in aspects of school design.
Over the summer of 2014 case studies will be prepared of UK Passivhaus standard schools. Data will be collected on the current energy performance of those buildings. Architects will be interviewed about the design and construction process of the schools, and visits will be made to school buildings to collect information through interview about building management, user perceptions and behaviors. Where energy performance is being monitored and post-occupancy data has already been collected, this will also be utilized. This work will be carried out in collaboration with technical experts in the Department of Architecture, the University of Bath.
Currently, researchers are aware of only one school has been built in the US to Passivhaus standards: Center for Energy Efficient Design (CEED) in Franklin County, Virginia. In order to make comparison with UK schools, data will be collected examining the performance of this school. Telephone interviews will also be carried out with stakeholders, the architect, construction team and building occupants. As schools operate at a number of other levels, perceptions about Passivhaus Schools will be effected by a wider community involved in school designs and an online questionnaires will be developed and sent to stakeholders to determine these wider perceptions.
It is anticipated that barriers to the adoption of Passivhaus standards in schools in the US will be seen to span the range of concerns from design, to construction and building management. It is also anticipated that the single school built in the US will be seen to rate well in comparison to the apparently excellent performance of UK Passivhaus Schools. The aims of the paper are to determine what lessons learnt in the UK can be adopted in the US and what real and perceived barriers prevent the wider adoption of the method.

In the UK, over 40% of energy consumption is building related. The energy used in homes alone is
responsible for more than a quarter of CO2 emissions. CO2 is the main greenhouse gas and the most
significant cause of climate change. Most of the energy used in homes is produced using processes that
release CO2 into the air. Studies have found that a building’s energy use for space heating is
significantly influenced by occupant’s behaviour such as the opening of windows and the selected
thermostat setting. This influence is greater in energy efficient dwellings designed for low energy use.
The aim of this paper is to facilitate a better understanding of how occupant behaviour may effect
ventilation within Passivhaus buildings in particular.

Public, commercial and global research interest in the delivery of zero carbon housing has never been higher. The recent shift in design culture and legislative climate is reflected in a number of existing and developing low energy and zero carbon standards in the UK as well as Europe. Also, the number of homes built and certified under these standards is rapidly increasing, with many thousands built in Central and North of Europe. This paper reports on the outcome of an EC funded research on 'Marketable Passive Homes for Winter and Summer Comfort' and on the applicability of the German Passivhaus Standard to the context and climate of the UK. A case study is presented, which explores the applicability of the Passivhaus standard as a performance rather than a prescriptive standard. The paper suggests that some of the measures prescribed by the Passivhaus standard, such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, may not be necessary or desirable for the UK context and that the heating energy performance standard of 15kWh/m 2 .year can be achieved with a series of 'passive design' measures (e.g. thermal buffering, insulation, controlled natural ventilation, etc.). The paper will also report on the recently completed BASF house at the University of Nottingham's School of the Built Environment, which has been designed to meet the Passivhaus performance standard and that showcases an example of an affordable low carbon house.

Public, commercial and global research interest in the delivery of zero carbon housing has never been higher. The recent shift in design culture and legislative climate is reflected in a number of existing and developing low energy and zero carbon standards in the UK as well as Europe. Also, the number of homes built and certified under these standards is rapidly increasing, with many thousands built in Central and North of Europe. This paper reports on the outcome of an EC funded research on 'Marketable Passive Homes for Winter and Summer Comfort' and on the applicability of the German Passivhaus Standard to the context and climate of the UK. A case study is presented, which explores the applicability of the Passivhaus standard as a performance rather than a prescriptive standard. The paper suggests that some of the measures prescribed by the Passivhaus standard, such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, may not be necessary or desirable for the UK context and that the heating energy performance standard of 15kWh/m 2 .year can be achieved with a series of 'passive design' measures (e.g. thermal buffering, insulation, controlled natural ventilation, etc.). The paper will also report on the recently completed BASF house at the University of Nottingham's School of the Built Environment, which has been designed to meet the Passivhaus performance standard and that showcases an example of an affordable low carbon house.

Research on the application of the Passive House standard both in warm
and cold climates and with a focus on difficulties-failures that stem from this
application, as well as the ecological/environmental aspect of this model,
led to the idea of developing a house model in such a way that it can provide
answers to the questions that arose throughout this study. The design of
residences in accordance with the principles of Passive House should neither
rule out, nor ignore the principles of Bioclimatic Design on Green Building as
fundamental for designing houses that are friendly to the environment and the
user. Τhe planning of buildings that aim at very low consumptions, as in the case
of the German standard, should be inextricably linked with the implementation
of Green Building principles on design, as well as the obvious use of materials
that are friendly to the environment and the user.
The extent to which a residence is ecological should be examined in parallel
with the energy conservation that is achieved in the building, so that the
discussion regarding environmental protection and human intervention has a
substantial meaning. The architect is required to resolve all difficulties/obstacles
that arise from this undertaking, in order that the architectural work is
robust and eco-friendly with very low power consumptions. On the ground of
this reasoning, the current postgraduate dissertation examines the combination
of all aforementioned fundamental principles, which are essential to the
formation of an environmental, sustainable architecture, with the aim of designing
a building on an existent place, that is formed as a small residential
area with defined limitations and a thorough examination, in order to produce
a proper outcome. The primary aim throughout the conduction of this study
was to design a residence from house materials that fulfils the principles of Passive
House and incorporates the Green Building principles to the highest possible
extent, without downgrading its architectural quality. The result indicates
that this project is plausible and flexible, determined by the existent choices,
and the outcome varies depending on the prioritization of the aforementioned
principles at each case.

Environmental considerations have called for new developments in building technologies to bridge the gap between this need for lower impacts on the environment and ever increasing comfort. These developments were generally directed at the reduction of the energy consumption during operations. While this was indeed a mandatory first step, complete environmental life cycle analysis raises new questions. For instance, for a typical low thermal energy consumption building, the embodied energy of construction materials now becomes an important component of the environmental footprint. In addition, the usual practice in life cycle analysis now appears to call for some adaptation-due to variable parameters in time-to be implemented successfully in building analysis. These issues bring new challenges to reach the goal of integrated design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of sustainable buildings.

The present study deals with the reflections (concerns) that have arisen from the application of the German standard Passive House globally, by placing emphasis mainly on the European area. The possibility of applying the Standard in different conditions and climates as well as the reviews that result from its practical application both in the cold climates, in which it was created, and in warmer ones, are under constant evaluation, paving the way for the application of the Standard in Mediterranean climates too. However, the abundant years of experience resulting from the application of the Standard mostly in cold climates have raised a number of concerns.
The predominant research subject is the consideration of the aforementioned reflections under an energy perspective, but also by exploring the ecological impact of the existing applications. The necessary definitions and the theoretical framework of these reflection (concerns) are presented firstly, while, at the same time, the questions under research are examined spatially and through time. At the same time, the current state of the art regarding the present study is reviewed and the gaps of knowledge in this field are identified, while highlighting the need for further research. Finally, we present the contemporary trends regarding the development of the Passive House standard, as well as the establishment of new standards as a result of the aforementioned investigation and of identifying its positive and negative elements, with the aim to develop suitable grounds for discussion and for a novel scientific orientation. The conclusions that were drawn of the stated inferences is presented in the final part of this research project by highlighting the gaps that should be managed with analysis and experimentations from both, the scientific community and the construction industry.
As we are going through an age of technological revolution that takes place in a period of global climate change, the questions concerning energy consumption and the environmental impact of construction selections is more critical than ever. The contribution of scientific knowledge to the successful handling and management of contemporary requirements in this field is considered crucial.

Keywords : Passivhaus, ecology, concerns, difficulties, energy balance, Mediterranean climate

A crescente demanda de energia mundial, juntamente com o aumento demográfico, gera a necessidade da procura de soluções de projetos de edificações mais sustentáveis, duráveis e de elevada performance energética. O conceito PassivHaus, após mais de 20 de existência e mais de 40.000 edifícios construídos, continua a evoluir e a mudar a forma como concebemos, planejamos e construímos edifícios. Ultimamente a adaptação da metodologia PassivHaus a diferentes climas tem crescido de forma exponencial, impulsionado principalmente pela preocupação da diminuição do consumo de energia. Um exemplo é o projeto Passiv-On que analisa a aplicação da norma PassivHaus em países do sul europeu e de clima temperado. Face às necessidades atuais de desenvolvimento de soluções minimizadoras do consumo energético nos edifícios, o desígnio da norma PassivHaus é promover um conforto higrotérmico, eficiência energética e a otimização técnico-econômica ao abrigo. Apesar do crescente uso desse conceito no mundo, não há nenhuma edificação PassivHaus no Brasil e na América do Sul. Dadas as diferenças climáticas e construtivas de cada região, a aplicação deste conceito no Brasil necessita um estudo aprofundado para que as suas exigências sejam garantidas e dimensionadas de acordo com o local onde se inserem. Desta forma, um dos objetivos fundamentais deste estudo foca-se na adaptação e aplicação dos conceitos da PassivHaus as oito zonas bioclimáticas brasileiras para três diferentes projetos propostos: edificação ao abrigo do conceito PassivHaus; edificação passiva de baixo custo construtivo e outra com tecnologia corrente. Todo trabalho será acompanhado do desenvolvimento de simulação energética que permita quantificar o contributo de diferentes medidas. Para isso será utilizado a simulação computacional com o uso do método oficial na análise do dimensionamento de um edifício passivo PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) e também com simulação dinâmica com o programa computacional Energyplus. Como etapa final, será feito um estudo técnico-econômico comparativo das edificações propostas para avaliar o custo das tecnologias construtivas aplicadas no Brasil. Com essa análise será avaliado, comparativamente o período de retorno do investimento em todas as zonas bioclimáticas, tendo em conta as metodologias financeiras “net present value”, custo crescente da energia, ações de durabilidade e manutenção. Espera-se que os resultados a serem alcançados tragam importantes contribuições para o avanço das edificações brasileiras, no sentido de serem mais eficiente energicamente ao mesmo tempo que tenham maior nível de conforto térmico. Além da relevância nacional, o trabalho também poderá ser de grande valia para o desenvolvimento de uma arquitetura energicamente mais eficiente para os países com clima semelhante ao brasileiro.

Public, commercial and global research interest in the delivery of zero carbon housing has never been higher. The recent shift in design culture and legislative climate is reflected in a number of existing and developing low energy and zero carbon standards in the UK as well as Europe. Also, the number of homes built and certified under these standards is rapidly increasing, with many thousands built in Central and North of Europe. This paper reports on the outcome of an EC funded research on 'Marketable Passive Homes for Winter and Summer Comfort' and on the applicability of the German Passivhaus Standard to the context and climate of the UK. A case study is presented, which explores the applicability of the Passivhaus standard as a performance rather than a prescriptive standard. The paper suggests that some of the measures prescribed by the Passivhaus standard, such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, may not be necessary or desirable for the UK context and that the heating energy performance standard of 15kWh/m 2 .year can be achieved with a series of 'passive design' measures (e.g. thermal buffering, insulation, controlled natural ventilation, etc.). The paper will also report on the recently completed BASF house at the University of Nottingham's School of the Built Environment, which has been designed to meet the Passivhaus performance standard and that showcases an example of an affordable low carbon house.

Η παρούσα έρευνα αναπτύσσεται γύρω από τους προβληματισμούς που έχουν προκύψει από την εφαρμογή του γερμανικού προτύπου Passivhaus παγκοσμίως, δίνοντας έμφαση στον ευρωπαϊκό χώρο. Η δυνατότητα εφαρμογής του προτύπου σε διαφορετικές συνθήκες και κλίματα καθώς και οι κριτικές που προκύπτουν από την πρακτική εφαρμογή του τόσο στα ψυχρά κλίματα, στα οποία δημιουργήθηκε, όσο και σε θερμότερα, βρίσκονται σε διαρκή αξιολόγηση, ανοίγοντας ταυτόχρονα τον δρόμο για την εφαρμογή του προτύπου και σε μεσογειακά κλίματα. Ωστόσο, η πολυετής πείρα που προκύπτει από την εφαρμογή του προτύπου κυρίως σε ψυχρά κλίματα έχει σημειώσει ένα πλήθος προβληματισμών.
Βασικό ερευνητικό αντικείμενο της εργασίας αποτελεί η εκτίμηση των ανωτέρω προβληματισμών μέσα από ένα ενεργειακό πρίσμα αλλά και η οικολογική διάσταση των υφιστάμενων κατασκευών. Αρχικά δίνονται οι απαραίτητοι ορισμοί και το θεωρητικό πλαίσιο αυτών των προβληματισμών ενώ ταυτόχρονα εντοπίζονται αναλυτικά -χωρικά και χρονικά -τα υπό διερεύνηση ερωτήματα. Παράλληλα εκτιμάται η υπάρχουσα γνώση που έχει δημοσιευθεί ενώ εντοπίζονται και τα κενά της επιστημονικής έρευνας στο συγκεκριμένο τομέα. Τέλος παρουσιάζονται οι σύγχρονες τάσεις που αφορούν τόσο στην εξέλιξη του προτύπου όσο και στη δημιουργία νέων ως απόρροια της παραπάνω διερεύνησης και του εντοπισμού των θετικών και αρνητικών στοιχείων του, με στόχο την δημιουργία της βάσης για μία νέα συζήτηση και επιστημονική κατεύθυνση. Τα συμπεράσματα που προέκυψαν από τα διερευνώμενα ζητήματα, επισημαίνουν τα κενά που θα πρέπει να καλυφθούν με αναλύσεις και πειραματισμούς τόσο από την επιστημονική κοινότητα όσο και από τον κατασκευαστικό τομέα.
Διανύοντας μία εποχή «τεχνολογικής επανάστασης» που λαμβάνει χώρα σε μία περίοδο παγκόσμιας κλιματικής αλλαγής, τα ερωτήματα της ενεργειακής κατανάλωσης αλλά και της οικολογικής διάστασης των κατασκευαστικών επιλογών είναι καίρια. Η συμβολή της επιστημονικής γνώσης στην αντιμετώπιση και διαχείριση των σύγχρονων απαιτήσεων σε αυτούς τους τομείς κρίνεται περισσότερο από απαραίτητη.

Λέξεις Κλειδιά : Passivhaus, οικολογία, προβληματισμοί, ενεργειακό ισοζύγιο, μεσογειακό κλίμα

As the climate change casts its shadow on our future, while temperatures are rising in a noticeable pace, thermal comfort in buildings are subjected to that effect in terms of future levels. This paper aims at evaluating thermal comfort levels in a pilot Passivhaus building, while integrating building simulation software, implementing new tools alongside the Passivhaus Planning Package, to produce multiple parameters as a detailed output for assessing the building indoor thermal status of users, during current and different future timelines and CO2 emission scenarios. Findings have predicted a set of PPD values for different timeline-CO2 emissions combinations, including recording a jump in PPD from 35% at the historical recent timeline of 2003-2017, to 94% at the timeline of 2080s of high CO2 emission scenario, during summer peaks at each timeline. Results have also identified a set of descriptive outputs regarding psychrometry, thermal sensation, and effective temperatures.

This paper provides a brief overview of the subject of Passivhaus modernisation in Europe, focused on the implementation of same in the Nordic countries and includes an attempt at a preliminary typological schema for understanding the different issues, challenges and opportunities associated with Passivhaus modernisation of buildings in Europe, anno 2008.

The UK has seen a recent growth in the number of schools being built to Passivhaus standards. My research during the summer fellowship will examine both the feasibility of Passivhaus methods for extreme weather conditions, including those experienced in Iowa, and critically examine how to evaluate the performance of a sustainable school. Sustainable schools operate at a number of levels which can include energy performance, behaviours, ecology, education, community engagement, health and wellbeing. Passivhaus excels as a method to address energy efficiency and human comfort but how does it perform in other aspects of school design? How do Passivhaus schools address social sustainability or questions of community building, or indeed health and wellbeing in matters of air quality? How is the Passivhaus approach being marketed to the educational facilities community and parents whose children's schools are being rebuilt? What about questions of education: the relationship between school design and innovative pedagogy? My fellowship research will thus examine both the technical and wider performance qualities of the Passivhaus approach.

European Building Codes have transitioned towards Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) requirements in new constructions, demanding high levels of insulation and airtightness derived from research and standards developed in Northern and Central Europe. The use of these principles in Southern Europe, where solar radiation is greater and building typologies and user behaviour are different, may have had a negative impact in Thermal Comfort and Energy Demand and Consumption. In this study, six dwellings located in a 2018 27-storey Passivhaus-certified building were monitored for a period of 9–18 months in 2019 and 2020. In the spirit of a complete Post-Occupancy Evaluation, a User Comfort Survey was carried out. The obtained data were analysed and fixed-limit and adaptative comfort models were used to assess the compliance of several European Comfort Standards, namely, EN ISO 7730, EN 15251, CIBSE TM:52, CIBSE TM:59 and CIBSE Guide A. Experimental results confirmed the issues reported by oc...

Publisher: Elsevier NOTICE: This is the author's version of a work that was accepted for publication in Building and Environment. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Building and Environment, [92, October, 2015]

This research investigates the use of Building Energy Performance Simulation (BEPS) tools in the early stages of building design in UK architectural practices with a particular focus on the barriers and opportunities to their effective application and further uptake. Two primary methods of investigation were undertaken; the first was a wide survey among UK architects and architectural practices, where the responses of 418 participants were electronically gathered and analysed. A deeper understanding of the issues was developed through an analysis of the process of low-energy building design using semi-structured interviews with six representatives of well-established architectural practices in the UK. The findings reveal that while there is an increasing understanding of the importance of BEPS involvement at the early design stages, there was limited evidence of actual early implementation of BEPS tools other than a few well known but specialised tools such as Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) which were used mainly for domestic energy performance evaluation. However, many practices surveyed showed interest in achieving higher standards than the "basic" regulatory backstops, which has resulted in Passive House and BREEAM seeing increasing use in domestic and non-domestic projects respectively. Although there has been a significant increase in the development and availability of tools and methodologies for assessing building energy performance our study shows that the focus for future research needs to be shifted from the "tool development" to looking at methods of implementing and using such tools in practice at the early design stages.