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Praxis Resilient Buildings, engineering for healthy, comfortable buildings
Freshen up: active cooling with radiant ceilings in a Passivhaus retrofit
The article presents an active cooling system using the supply air of the ventilation system with radiant ceiling panels, installed in a multi-residential building in the historic center of Girona, certified Passivhaus EnerPHit – Demand method.
Read more Freshen up: active cooling with radiant ceilings in a Passivhaus retrofit
Passivhaus in the Mediterranean? Strategies for keeping cool in a Passivhaus on the beach
A significant rise in temperatures is expected in the Mediterranean area in the coming years. Therefore, identifying and implementing effective strategies to reduce indoor temperatures in buildings and reduce the need for air conditioning is increasingly important. This article presents the strategies used in the design of a Mediterranean passive house, located at a stone’s…
Read more Passivhaus in the Mediterranean? Strategies for keeping cool in a Passivhaus on the beach
Hormipresa Arctic Wall: prefabricated construction system achieves Passivhaus component certification
Hormipresa Arctic Wall is a fully industrialised construction system, certified for passive houses in the warm-temperate climate zone, as the regular U-values of the exterior components are below 0,25 W/m²K and the connections meet the criteria of ‘thermal bridge free’.
Casa A, Somió, Gijón: single family home certified as PHI Low Energy Building by Praxis
Casa A, Somió, Gijón: single family home certified as PHI Low Energy Building by Praxis This single-family home is located in Somió, Gijón, Asturias, Spain, and was designed byArchitect Juan Ignacio Corominas, and certified as a PHI Low Energy Building by Oliver Stylefrom Praxis. Patricia Borràs was the Passivhaus Designer on the project. Outer walls…
Read more Casa A, Somió, Gijón: single family home certified as PHI Low Energy Building by Praxis
Lessons learned during 10 years of Passivhaus projects
Lessons learned during the design and construction of Passivhaus buildings over the past 10 years in Spain, identifying the importance of the heat loss form factor, along with successes and pitfalls related to thermal insulation, windows, airtightness, ventilation and active systems.
Read more Lessons learned during 10 years of Passivhaus projects
Keep cool and carry on: Passivhaus cooling experiences in the warm climates
With rising global temperatures and increasingly frequent summer heat waves, keeping cool in Passive House buildings has become a hot topic.
Read more Keep cool and carry on: Passivhaus cooling experiences in the warm climates
Thermodynamic analysis of an electric underfloor heating system
The article presents the results of a thermodynamic simulation study, comparing Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) floorboards with ceramic and stoneware floor tiles, heated with an electric underfloor heating system, for both dry and wet assemblies.
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DHW + PV: solar PV top-up for domestic hot water
Energy consumption from DHW use is often higher than heating and cooling requirements in a residential Passivhaus. This is mainly due to the large losses inherent in storing and recirculating hot water, and because heating and cooling demands are very low,
Dynamic hygrothermal simulation and full-scale validation of a structural insulated panel made from bio-based materials.
Given the environmental impact of the construction sector- responsible for 40% of the total primary energy consumption of the European Union- reducing both the embodied energy of materials at manufacturing stage and minimising operational energy consumption in buildings are urgent tasks.
Healthy home: materials and indoor air quality
The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that the air in our homes is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. After spending so much time at home during successive COVID lockdowns, the importance of living in a healthy home has perhaps become clearer than ever before.
Keys to the Passivhaus standard: what is it and how to achieve it?
The Passivhaus standard is a voluntary energy certification standard for new and retrofitted buildings, aimed at providing maximum comfort for occupants, excellent indoor air quality and near-zero energy consumption.
Read more Keys to the Passivhaus standard: what is it and how to achieve it?