Quality Gallery

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Passive House & Passive Window Experts

Let us first understand the term Passive House....

What is a Passive House ?

The Term Passive House (Passivhaus in Germany) refers to a rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint.

The method was first developed in Germany and has since spread throughout Europe and North America. Passive House designers and builders implement the following 7 principles:

• Super Insulation.
• Eliminate thermal bridges.
• Create a building envelop that is infiltration-free through airtight construction.
• Provide proper ventilation by specifying energy or heat recovery ventilation.
• Specify high performance windows and doors – Passive House Windows
• Optimise passive solar and internal heat gains.
• Model energy gains and losses using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP)

A combination of all above results in 'ultra low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling'.

Passive House Benefits

• Use up to 90% less energy for heating/cooling than conventional buildings, therefore extremely energy efficient.
• Very comfortable all year around to live or work in.
• Superior indoor air quality due to continuous supply of fresh air (energy/heat recovery system)
• Reduced Carbon footprint through reduced energy consumption.
• Protection for building owners from future energy prices.
• Great return on investment.
• Reduced monthly cost of living.

The value of a Passive House/building should increase every time energy costs increase.

In summary its a investment for a sustainable future, ecologically and economically.

Passive House Windows

Passive House Windows are a technology in themselves, a passive house standard window features particularly high thermal insulation value.

The outstanding thermal insulation properties of a passive house window are due to its very high quality frame technology in combination with triple glazing. The U value of the finished window is a function of the U-value of the frame, the glazing, and the spacer installed for the edge seal.

The heat transfer coefficient Uw has to comply with the European standard , every window with an Uw less than or equal to 0.8W/m2K is therefore a Passive House Window.

Passive house windows also feature a high solar energy transmittance, meaning that the natural heat from the sun's radiation can be utilized more effectively., reducing the annual primary energy requirements. (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient).

Advantages of Passive House Windows

• High level of comfort, no 'pockets of cold air' developing in the proximity of the window.
• No temperature swings caused by different temperature layers in the proximity of the window
• The inside surface temperature of a passive house window will not drop below 17 degrees centigrade even in winter.
• More freedom of design internally as no need to install heating elements close to window areas.
• The extra costs for the Passive House windows are minimal and quickly out weighted by the high level of energy efficiency.

Here at Custom Fenestration we can offer 9 Passive Standard Window profiles and 3 Passive Certified profiles from our M Sora range; Comfort E112, Nature E112 and Optimo XLT.

For more information and full specifications please see our selection of M Sora Passive windows.