Massies de Mollet: Passivhaus Nursing Home

praxisadmin on 1 September 2021

Description Passivhaus design and consultancy for an elderly people’s residency located in Mollet del Vallès. This 6575 m2 building, designed by Genars and developed by FIATC Seguros via FIATC Residencias (Inverfiatc), is in the process of Passivhaus Classic certification. Praxis has delivered the PHPP modelling, design of the thermal envelope and airtight layer, advice on …

Massies de Mollet Nursing Home

Passivhaus

Description

Passivhaus design and consultancy for an elderly people’s residency located in Mollet del Vallès. This 6575 m2 building, designed by Genars and developed by FIATC Seguros via FIATC Residencias (Inverfiatc), is in the process of Passivhaus Classic certification.

Praxis has delivered the PHPP modelling, design of the thermal envelope and airtight layer, advice on low-impact materials, and analysis and optimisation of thermal bridges and construction details.

We’ve also undertaken a thermodynamic and daylighting study of the building, using DesignBuilder (EnergyPlus & Radiance), to assess natural light levels and analyse the risk of summer overheating.

Our work has also included an audit of the mechanical and electrical systems, with proposals for improvements and compliance with the Passivhaus standard, to ensure efficient operation and low maintenance costs. Praxis has also undertaken the Blower Door testing and on-site Passivhaus supervision and quality control.

Year: 2021

Location: Mollet del Vallès, Barcelona

Services:
Passivhaus consultancy, thermodynamic simulation, daylighting analysis, M & E consultancy, Blower Door testing

Mirador de Gràcia: Passivhaus Nursing home

ideadmin on 5 February 2021

Consultoría Passivhaus para una residencia geriátrica asistida ubicada en Barcelona capital, diseñada por el despacho de arquitectura Genars y promovido por FIATC Seguros a través de FIATC Residencias (Inverfiatc).

Mirador de Gràcia Nursing home

Passivhaus and nZEB

Description

Passivhaus consultancy for an elderly people residence located in Barcelona capital, designed by Genars architecture studio and developed by FIATC Seguros through FIATC Residencias (Inverfiatc). This 6575 m2 building is in the process of Passivhaus Classic certification.

Praxis has delivered the PHPP modelling, design of the thermal envelope and airtight layer, advice on low-impact materials, and analysis and optimisation of thermal bridges and construction details.

We’ve also undertaken a thermodynamic and daylighting study of the building, using DesignBuilder (EnergyPlus & Radiance), to assess natural light levels and analyse the risk of summer overheating.

Year: 2021

Location: Barcelona

Services:
Passivhaus consultancy, thermodynamic simulation, daylighting analysis, M & E consultancy, Blower Door testing

Learnlife Eco Hub: Passivhaus learning space

ideadmin on 16 January 2020

Passivhaus design & consultancy for a pop-up learning hub in Castelldefels, Barcelona, designed by the Learnlife team.

Learnlife Eco Hub: pop-up learning space

Passivhaus, M & E engineering, Blower Door

Descripción

Passivhaus consultancy for the Eco Hub, a pop-up learning hub in Castelldefels, Barcelona, designed by the Learnlife team, whose philosophy is to provide spaces that offer “a better way of learning, backed by science and research, that is learner-centred and focuses on self-determined, purpose-inspired and personal learning”.

Winner of the Green Solutions Awards 2022-2023 of Construction 21 Spain in the Low-tech Category, the Eco Hub consists of two prefabricated timber modules built by Tall Fusta and made from healthy and low environmental impact materials. Windows are made by Elke Wood Windows, with meranti frames and low-e argon filled double glazing. Each module is equipped with a Passivhaus certified Zehnder mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery, for optimum air quality.

Praxis has delivered the PHPP modelling, design of the thermal envelope and airtight layer, advice on low-impact materials, and analysis and optimisation of thermal bridges and construction detail, together with the design of the M & E systems: mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, space heating and cooling, hot water production, and solar PV. Praxis has also undertaken the Blower Door testing and on-site Passivhaus supervision and quality control.

Photos by Jordi Vila Marta – Argotphoto

International Passivhaus Projects database

Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database

Construction 21 Spain project database

Year: 2021

Location: Castelldefels, Barcelona

Services:
Passivhaus Consultancy, Blower Door Tests, Site supervision, MVHR design and specification, heating and cooling system design and specification

Ca Na Lola: Passivhaus Plus home, Mallorca

ideadmin on 20 July 2023

Ca Na Lola: Mediterranean Passive House

Passivhaus

Description

Ca Na Lola is a single-family home located in Campos, Mallorca, which has achieved Passivhaus Plus certification. The home has a very low level of air infiltration, with a Blower Door test result of 0.38 ach at 50 Pa. A solar photovoltaic generator installed in the garden generates approximately twice as much energy as the house consumes in an average year.

Ca Na Lola has a timber structure with wood fibre insulation and a mineral mortar render as an exterior finish. The windows are shaded with external blinds and a pergola adds further shading on the south façade.

Mechanical ventilation with heat and moisture recovery is taken care of by a Zehnder Comfoair Q350 ERV unit with Passivhaus component certification for hot climates, recovering both heat and moisture.

A Mitsubishi air-to-water heat pump produces domestic hot water. A second Mitsubishi VRV heat pump delivers underfloor heating and cooling through ducted split units.

Links:

Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database

International Passivhaus Projects database

Year: 2022

Location: Campos, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares

Services:
Passivhaus Consultancy

Cabana GR4: Low energy home

ideadmin on 5 September 2023

PHI Low Energy Building certification for single family house with a treated floor area of 125.4 m², located in Castellcir, Barcelona.

Cabana GR4 Passivhaus

Passivhaus

Description

PHI Low Energy Building certification for single family house with a treated floor area of 125.4 m², located in Castellcir, Barcelona. Designed by Lluís Jubert of Taller d´Arquitectura, promoted by Núria Grau and Jaume Ribas and built by Albert Fargas of Farhaus.

The construction system is lightweight timber frame, using low-emission, bio-based materials with low environmental impact to reduce the building’s carbon footprint and provide a healthy indoor environment. The high level of insulation, minimised thermal bridges and triple low-e glazing with Farhaus timber frames, reduce heating energy demand in the winter. In the summer, external blinds reduce solar gains and overheating. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is provided by a Zehnder ComfoAir 180 HRV.

As part of the Passivhaus audit, Praxis revised the calculations and design documentation presented by the Passivhaus Consultant, which include architectural and M&E drawings and reports, the PHPP calculation, the Blower Door test report, ventilation commissioning documentation and photographs of the construction process and the completed building.

Links:

International Passivhaus Projects database

Spanish Passivhaus Platform (PEP) project database

Year: 2021

Location: Castellcir, Barcelona

Services:
Passivhaus certification

Cabrera de Mar: Passivhaus Plus home

ideadmin on 27 March 2024

Single-family home in Cabrera de Mar, Barcelona, certified Passivhaus Plus by Oliver Style of Praxis Resilient Buildings and designed by the architect Víctor Blanco of the VBTArquitecte office, with Alfred Núñez Aparicio as Passivhaus Designer.

Passivhaus Plus home in Cabrera de Mar

Passivhaus Certification

Description

The house has a ground floor, first floor and basement with a floor area of 249 m2. The Izodom construction system, with Passivhaus component certification, has 50mm BASF Neopor insulation on the inside and 150mm on the outside, which surrounds the reinforced concrete structure and eliminates thermal bridges. The roof is insulated with 160mm of XPS insulation, with 150mm on the floors. Passivhaus certified WERU Afino One PVC frames, together with low emissivity triple glazing with argon gas and external blinds, make up the high-performance windows.

The Blower Door test, carried out by Oliver Style of Praxis Resilient Buildings, gave an excellent result of n50 = 0.4 ach, even with a cooker hood extracting to outside with a Naber Thermobox non-return valve.

A Passivhaus certified Zehnder Comfoair Q450 sensible heat recovery unit takes care of the controlled mechanical ventilation.

Heating and cooling are with Daikin RXM + FDX/FBA air-to-air heat pumps and ducted indoor units.

A separate Daikin ERWQ02AV3 heat pump provides domestic hot water. A 6.8 kWp photovoltaic generator will generate approximately 131% of the home’s annual energy consumption, making it a final energy net zero energy building.

Links:

Pep – iPHA

Photos: Alfred Núñez Aparicio

Year: 2023
Location: Cabrera de Mar, Barcelona
Architecture: Olga Garcia Gomez, Alfred Núñez Aparicio
Services provided by Praxis: Passivhaus certification, thermal bridge calculations, Blower Door airtightness tests
Passivhaus Certification Class: Passivhaus Plus
Floor area: 249 m2
Thermal envelope area: 744 m2
Blower Door result: 0,4 n50
Heating Demand: 2 kWh/m2·a
Cooling Demand: 15 kWh/m2·a
Primary Energy Renewable consumption (EPR): 35 kWh/m2·a
Final Energy consumption: 26 kWh/m2·a
Renewable energy generation: 66 kWh/m2·a
CO2eq emissions: 14 kg/m2·a

Casa #SgPi: Passivhaus Premium home

ideadmin on 19 July 2023

Praxis has carried out the Passivhaus Premium certification of this single-family home in Sant Pere de Ribes, Barcelona, designed by the architect and Passivhaus Designer Sergi Gargallo of SgARQ Passivhaus Architecture.

Casa #SgPi

Passivhaus

Description

The house has a useful floor area of 254 m2 over a ground floor and three upper floors. The project was developed by reusing an existing structure that remained unfinished, built more than 10 years ago on the same plot, thus reducing the environmental impact of the house.

Outer walls consist of a honeycomb brick with 10cm of high-performance EPS external thermal insulation. The roofs have between 10cm and 20cm of XPS insulation, and the window frames are Passivhaus certified WERU Afino One PVC with triple glazing and exterior shading devices.

An excellent result was achieved in the “Blower Door” air tightness test of n50 = 0.22 ach.

A solar photovoltaic array supplied by Prot Energia was installed on the roof, which generates 11,313 kWh/a of renewable energy. The owner also has an off-site solar photovoltaic installation that generates 10,609 kWh/a, totalling 21,922 kWh/a. The house is expected to consume a total of 6,864 kWh/a.

Through the Passivhaus certification process, Praxis audited all the calculation and design documents presented by the Passivhaus Designer, including the PHPP calculation, thermal bridge calculations, architectural and service drawings and reports, the Blower Door test report, the ventilation commissioning report, and photographic documentation of the entire construction process, to ensure that the building was built as designed and as calculated in the PHPP energy model.

PEP: https://www.plataforma-pep.org/ejemplos-ph/casa-sgpi/

iPHA: https://passivehouse-database.org/index.php?lang=en#d_7297

Photos: Joan Giribet

Year: 2023

Location: Sant Pere de Ribes, Catalonia

Services:
Passivhaus certification

Casa A: Low Energy Building, Gijón

praxisadmin on 5 September 2022

Description PHI Low Energy Building certification for a single-family detached home in Gijón, Asturias, designed by architect Juan Ignacio Corominas. The house has a treated floor area of 285 m2 distributed over a ground floor and a semi-basement. The construction system is mixed, combining honeycomb brick walls with external insulation, and a timber roof structure …

Passive House in Gijón

Passivhaus

Description

PHI Low Energy Building certification for a single-family detached home in Gijón, Asturias, designed by architect Juan Ignacio Corominas.

The house has a treated floor area of 285 m2 distributed over a ground floor and a semi-basement. The construction system is mixed, combining honeycomb brick walls with external insulation, and a timber roof structure with 28cm of thermal insulation.

Window frames are aluminum, Passivhaus certified, Cortizo COR 80.

As part of the audit, Praxis audited the calculations and design documentation presented by the Passivhaus Consultant, which include architectural and M&E drawings and reports, the PHPP calculation, the Blower Door test report, ventilation commissioning documentation and photographs of the construction process and completed building.

Year: 2021

Location: Gijón, Asturias

Services: Passivhaus certification

Casa AYA: straw bale passive house, Uruguay

ideadmin on 5 September 2023

Casa AYA is the first straw bale home built to Passivhaus standard in Latin America. Designed by Martin Comas of Arquitectura Regenerativa – aRRe, with Oliver Style of Praxis Resilient Building providing Passivhaus audits, the home is located in Carrasco, Uruguay.

Casa AYA

Passivhaus

Description

During the Passivhaus certification process, Praxis audited the calculation and design documents presented by the Passivhaus Designer, including the PHPP energy model, thermal bridge calculations, architectural and service drawings and reports, the Blower Door test report, the ventilation commissioning report, and photographic documentation of the construction process, to ensure that the building was built as designed and as calculated in the PHPP model.

Photos: Martin Comas

Enlaces:

International Passivhaus Projects database:

Year: 2022

Location: Carrasco, Uruguay

Services:
Passivhaus certification

Casa B: Low Energy Building, Gijón

praxisadmin on 6 September 2022

Descripción Certificación PHI Baja Demanda Energética para una vivienda unifamiliar aislada en Gijón, Asturias, diseñada por el arquitecto Juan Ignacio Corominas. La vivienda consta de 184 m2 distribuidos en una planta baja y una planta semisótano. La construcción es mixta, combinando muros de termo arcilla rectificada con aislamiento SATE y cubierta de estructura de madera …

Casa Pasiva B en Gijón

Passivhaus

Descripción

Certificación PHI Baja Demanda Energética para una vivienda unifamiliar aislada en Gijón, Asturias, diseñada por el arquitecto Juan Ignacio Corominas.

La vivienda consta de 184 m2 distribuidos en una planta baja y una planta semisótano. La construcción es mixta, combinando muros de termo arcilla rectificada con aislamiento SATE y cubierta de estructura de madera con 28cm de aislamiento térmico. Las carpinterías son Cortizo COR 80 de aluminio con certificación de componente Passivhaus.

En la auditoría, Praxis verifica todos los documentos de cálculo y diseño presentados por la Consultora Passivhaus, que incluyen planos y memorias de arquitectura e instalaciones, cálculo PHPP, informe del test Blower Door, puesta en marcha de ventilación, seguimiento de la obra y fotografías.

Año: 2021

Lugar: Gijón, Asturias

Servicios: Certificación Passivhaus