Passive House Planning Package

....the essential Passive House design tool

Before we start,
please open a blank PHPP
file

Content
Day 1
1. Introduction to Passive House and Recent Developments in Ireland
2. Definition of Passive House and PHPP overview
3. Basic construction physics
4. Verification Sheet, Climate data, Areas worksheet
5. Lunch
6.
7.
8.
9.

Calculation of U-values
Windows and Shading
Checking Energy Balance
Fun Quizz

Day 2
1. Ventilation
2. Annual Heat Demand and Heat Load
3. Domestic Hot Water and Solar Hot Water
4. Lunch
5. Electricity, Boiler and Primary Energy
6. Super Quizz spot the mistakes
3

Passive House Introduction &

Recent Developments in Ireland

2002 - Time Flies:

First SEI & REIO See the Light Conference

2004 - Out of the Blue Passive House Completed

2006 - SEAI REIO - The International Passive House Conference

The Irish Delegation largest non-German speaking group in the last two years

SEAIs Suite of Passive House Guidelines

Residential New Build

Residential Retrofit

Non-Domestic

2009

2009

The only suite of English language guidelines in the world

Available from SEAI REIO E-Mail renewables@reio.ie

2009 - Passive House Certification

Available in Ireland

2009 Irish Passive House

Association Initiated

2010 - Irish Passive House Academy

10 Day Certified European Passive House Designer Course

First CEPH Class March 2010

European Passive House Projects

Trans-European Passive House Training

European Passive House Projects

What is the Passive House standard

A passive house building is one which a comfortable interior
climate can be maintained without conventional heating or cooling
systems (adamson 1987 and feist 1988).

The building primarily heats and cools itself, hence

passive...

Its a 23 year old concept.

Passivhaus

Passive House

Passive House

Passive House

House

School

Passive House

Passive House

Apartments

Factory

Passive House

Passive House

Offices

Church

From modest beginnings in 1992

First Passive House, Kranichstein, Germany
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Feist, Prof. Dr. Bott / Ridder / Westermeyer

To exemplary 21st Century Commercial Projects

Energon Offices - Architect Stefan Oehler

how

does a passive house work its a balancing act?

Passive House Schematic Composition

fresh air

exhaust air

thermal
insulation

avoid
thermal
bridge
effects

air tight
construction

extract
air

ventilation with
heat recovery

filter

supply air
passive solar
gain through
windows

Passive House Standard

there is no official
recipe to achieve the
passive house
standard
passive houses have to be
modelled with the
passive house planning
package (PHPP)

PHPP

DEAP

Why Use PHPP?

10,000+ completed projects

Residential, commercial, new build, retrofit
Tried, tested, verified
Used globally
Excellent design tool
Continuously expanding

Lets start
with some building physics

U-Value: [ W/mK]
Definition:Heat quantity in J (Joule), which goes in 1 second, by
1C different temperature, through 1m
wall, from one side to the other.

Interior (i)

+2 0
C

Exterior (e)
-1 0 C

Heat transfer coefficient:

Overall ability to transfer heat Measured as the reciprocal of thermal resistance
Rsi : interior surface heat transfer coefficient
Rse: exterior surface heat transfer coefficient
Which direction would you expect least resistance to transfer
heat? upwards, downwards or horizontal?
Which direction would you expect most resistance to transfer
heat? upwards, downwards or horizontal?

Values from DIN EN ISO 6046

Low
Resistance

Medium
Resistance

High
resistance

Direction
upwards

horizontal

downwards

For components touching the earth Rse=0

The higher the number, the greater resistance to transfer heat

Page 53 of PHPP Handbook

Thermal conductivity - Lambda value ()

A number which expresses the heat
transfer rate of a material
Which of these is a better insulator:
= 0.035 W/(mK), or = 0.350 W/(mK)?

Hint - the lower the number, the less heat is transferred

Page 51 of PHPP Handbook

Useful reference on Thermal conductivity

Calculating U-Values - manually

1

U-Value =

(Rsi + d / + Rse)

Example of a Solid Concrete wall:

Rsi horizontal = 0.13

d = 0.150m,
= 2.1
Rse horizontal = 0.04

Please calculate the U-value!

Calculating U-Values - manually

1

U-Value =

(0.13 + .150 / 2.1 + 0.04)

1

U-Value =

0.2414

U-Value =

4.142 W/m2K

Now Lets do the same

in PHPP

U-value for components with several layers

1
U=
Rsi +d1/1+ d2/2+ . . . + dn/n+ Rse

In PHPP, add 200mm of polystyrene to the concrete wall, = 0.035 W/mK

Introducing the
Case Study Project
(you can also work with your own project if you like)

Heights of the walls:

Ground floor 3.59m
First floor 2.957m

External Footprint = 11.38m x 9.78m

Ground floor treated floor area 86.56 m

First floor treated floor area 84.64 m

Total Treated Floor area 171.20 m

Window Frame U-value: 1 W/(mK)

Glazing g-value: 0.51 or 51%
Glazing U-value: 0.6 W/(mK)
Door U-value: 1.10 W/(mK)

SHADING OF GROUND FLOOR

WINDOWS:
O reveal=0.23 m
D reveal=0.105 m
O over=0.23 m
D over=0.105 m
SHADING OF FIRST FLOOR
WINDOWS:
O reveal=0.23 m
D reveal=0.105 m
O over=0.52 m
D over=0.85 m

Window Frame U-value: 1 W/(mK)

Glazing g-value: 0.51 or 51%
Glazing U-value: 0.6 W/(mK)
Door U-value: 1.10 W/(mK)
SHADING OF WINDOWS
O reveal=0.23 m
D reveal=0.105 m
O over=0.23 m
D over=0.105 m

Overview of inputs to PHPP

Verification

Climate Data

U-List

Areas

Summer
U-Values

SummVent

Ground
WinTyp

W indows
Shading-S

Shading

Ventilation

Press.Test

Heat
Requirement

Heat Load

yes
Target reached?

no

Inputs to PHPP

Step 1 - Verification (Climate Data, Occupants)

Step 2 - Calculate the U-values
Step 3 - Input of the areas (all the walls with external dimensions)
Step 4 - Input of the heat losses via the ground
Step 5 - Sheet WinTyp and Windows. Be careful with the orientation (north,
east, south, west)
Note: Put in the windows individually if they have different shading, make separate line for
fixed windows and separate line for opening windows

Step 6 - Input of the shading

Step 7 - ventilation sheet
Step 8 - Input of thermal bridges
Step 9 & 10 - Input summVent, summer and summer shading
Step 11 - Input DHW + Distribution, SolarDHW, Electricity, Boiler and PE
Value

Overview of PHPP cells

All sheets are write-protected but no password

required take care!
Yellow boxes enter data / descriptors
Red triangles hints for data entry
Green boxes = key results

Page 17 - 21 of PHPP Handbook

PHPP Verification Sheet

Note: Specific Space

Heat Demand is rounded.
If less than 15.499kWh/
m2/a, then project can be
certified as a Passive
House

Insert images of building and project description

Insert planned number of occupants
temperature
Measure the enclosed volume (external dimensions)

Choose Building Type

Set the interior

PHPP Climate Data Sheet

Currently just two data sets for Ireland Dublin and Birr
More datasets on the way...
Heating load data for 2 weather conditions why?
Gt = heating degree days (higher for Birr (colder) than Dublin)

PHPP U-Values Sheet

- Label each Assembly (eg. top ceiling)

- Insert interior and exterior thermal resistances (upward, horizontal,
downward?)
-Generally insert layers from inside to outside
-If some layers are of mixed materials, insert % (eg. wood)

Exercise Case Study House

Please calculate the U-Values for
walls, floor and ceiling 20 minutes

PHPP U-List sheet

-Pre-designed assemblies can be selected from here

-Otherwise, no input required

We use external measurements in PHPP

Measuring Treated Floor Area (TFA)

Mistakes very common take care!
Think of it as the carpeted area
Rooms > 2m high are counted completely. If height is
between 1m and 2m, take 50%. Rooms with <1m not
counted.
Area of stairs not counted, openings in the floor not
counted (eg. galleries)
Secondary rooms not regarded as living space
reduced to 60% of floor space (eg. plant room)
Chimneys, columns with height >1.5m and base area
> 0.1m2 not counted
Page 45/46 of PHPP Handbook

PHPP Areas Sheet

-Insert Treated Floor Area (carpeted area)

-Insert exterior door (referring to solid wooden doors)
-Insert descriptor for all elements (walls (all orientations), floor slab and roof)
-Assign to Group Number at top of sheet
-Insert dimensions subtract solid wooden doors where relevant (dont subtract windows)
-Select Building Element Assembly (linked to U-List)

Exercise Case Study House

Please complete the Areas sheet
30 minutes

The window: A long way from a low interest product...

to the most important component of the Passive House?

Uw-Value for windows

Ug* A glass +Uf* A frame +spacer*L glass edge

+installation*L fitting edge

Uw=

A window
U = U-value, A = area, L = length
= linear thermal bridge [W/mK]

Extremely
poor
Einbau
Extrem
ungnstiger
(normal) installation

W/(mK)
E=

w,
U
inbau
eff0,15
=
W/(mK)
1,19
W/(mK)
installation
W/
(mK)

Einbau
Empfohlener

Recommended
installation

E=

w,
U
inbau
effinstallation
0,005
= 0,78
W/(mK)
W/(mK)
W/(mK)

W/
(mK)

Passivhaus Dienstleistung GmbH

www.passivhaus-info.de

Example of window on
wood support
Frame to be completely
covered by insulation
Fixed externally to blocks with
brackets
Tape for air-tightness
Timber support below for
weight

Source: [PHD]

25/05/10

57

Source: [PHI]

Solar gains:
reduction factor * g-value * window area *global irradiation

QS = r * g * A * G
0.50 * 0.510 * 20.00 m * 385 kWh/(ma)
= 1,963? kWh/a
E-A.2 13 10/09

Author: PHI / PHD

PHPP WinType Sheet

-2 entry tasks in this sheet, glazing (top) and frames (bottom)

-For glazing, enter g-Value and Ug-Value
-For frame type, enter Ug-Value, frame dimensions, and thermal bridge of
spacer and installation detailing
25/05/10

59

Exercise Case Study House

Please complete the WinType sheet
(copy the Case Study House, or try
your own specification) 20 minutes

25/05/10

60

PHPP Windows Sheet

-One of the most time consuming sheets to enter in PHPP

-Enter quantity and description of windows
-Enter orientation (0 degrees = north, 90 = east, 180 = south and 270 = west)
-Enter angle from the horizontal (90 degrees = vertical, 0 = horizontal)
-Enter window rough openings (width and height)
-Select where the windows are installed (linked to Areas)
-Select glazing, frame & Specify installation

Page 65 of PHPP Handbook

Deviation to northern orientation

Installation
(left, right, sill, head)

Exercise Case Study House

Please complete the Windows
sheet 30 minutes

Day 1
1.
Introduction to Passive House and Recent Developments in Ireland
2.
Definition of Passive House and PHPP overview
3.
Basic construction physics
4.
Verification Sheet, Climate data, Areas worksheet
5.
Lunch
6.
7.
8.

Calculation of U-values
Windows
Fun Quiz

Day 2
1.
Shading
2.
Ventilation
3.
Checking Energy Balance
4.
Annual Heat Demand and Heat Load
5.
Domestic Hot Water and Solar Hot Water
6.
Lunch
7.
Electricity, Boiler and Primary Energy
8.
Super Quizz spot the mistakes

Passive House Standard

Criteria 1: Maximum specific space heat demand
is 15 kWh/(ma) amount of fuel you use in a
year
Criteria 2: Pressurisation Test Result is 0.6 ACH
@ 50 Pascal
Criteria 3: Maximum specific primary energy
demand is 120 kWh/(ma) total amount of
energy consumed in a year for all needs
Criteria 4: Rule of thumb regarding heat load
should be less than 10W/m2 size of boiler
require to provide comfort in worst weather

Breaking all the rules glazed north facing facade

EFH Vallentin; Biburg/Alling 2000

Dont forget the shading!!

PHPP Shading Sheet

-Four sources of potential shading altogether

-(a) Shading object, eg. nearby building
-(b) Window reveal (sides of the window)
-(c) Overhang (top reveal, or balcony / roof overhang, whichever is greater)
-(d) Additional shading (often not relevant)

Position plan is needed for the input of the shading

Shading of ground floor window by neighbouring house

hHORI - Measure from the bottom of the glass

to height of shade giving object
Shade
Shadegiving
givingedge
edge

Height of the
Shading Object

hHORI

Horizontal
Distance

dHORI - Measure from the face of the glass

to shade giving object

Shading of first floor window by neighbouring house

Shade giving edge

Height of the
Shading Object

Horizontal
Distance

Measuring shading at side reveals

Dreveal

Distance from
Glazing Edge
to Reveal

Oreveal

Window Reveal
Depth

Shading by an overhang
If there is no overhang such as a
roof or balcony, then the
overhang is the top reveal

Overhang
Depth

Distance from
Upper Glazing
Edge to Overhang

Exercise Case Study House

Please complete the Shading sheet
30 minutes

Fun Quiz!
Have We Learned
Anything Today?

20 points
Which surface heat
transfer resistance is
bigger, the interior or
the exterior one?

40 points
What is the G-value of
a typical triple glazed
window?

55 points
Name three things that
are not included in
measurement of a
treated floor area

JOKER
50 points

100 points
What is the meaning
of the thermal
conductivity ?

90 points

10 points
Whats the max.
Space heat demand
for passive houses?
20 seconds

120 points
Explain the term:
radiation
temperature
asymmetry

120 points
Whats the meaning
of the - value? How
is it called?

JOKER
150 pionts

90 points
What factors are
included in the
estimation of solar
gains?

What is the thermal

resistance of the below
ground exterior
surface?

JOKER
100 points

100 points

40 points
What would be a
reasonable value
for polystyrene
insulation?

80 points

JOKER
75 points

Sketch how you

measure O Reveal
2

150 points
Name two thermal
bridges measured in
calculation of the UValues of windows?

150 points
What is the global
radiation to the
south in Oslo?

What might you subtract

from the area of a wall
in the Areas Sheet?

100 points
Sketch the
installation
annotation for four
adjacent windows

50 points
If there is no
balcony or roof
overhang, what do
you enter in the
Overhang depth?

Name two
construction principles
for passive house
windows.

JOKER
150 points

50 points

75 points

What is the reduction

factor for dirt on
windows

25 points

Explain Ud-value, what

s the maximum for
passive house doors?

You Have Worked Hard

Today
Thanks for Listening
Enjoy

Passive House Planning Package

....the essential Passive House design tool

Day 1
1.
Introduction to Passive House and Recent Developments in Ireland
2.
Definition of Passive House and PHPP overview
3.
Basic construction physics
4.
Verification Sheet, Climate data, Areas worksheet
5.
Lunch
6.
7.
8.
9.

Calculation of U-values
Windows and Shading
Checking Energy Balance
Fun Quiz

Day 2
1.
Ventilation
2.
Annual Heat Demand and Heat Load
3.
Domestic Hot Water and Solar Hot Water
4.
Lunch
5.
Electricity, Boiler and Primary Energy
6.
Super Quizz spot the mistakes

Input of the ventilation data

20% of the Total Losses are Ventilation Losses

Dimensioning the air flow rate for air quality

Activities

Dimensioning the air quantity according to air quality

CO2production of
human being
litres / h

12

18

23

max.
allowed diff.
CO2

asleep

typical

working

required person-related
fresh air flow [m/h]

classified
according
to
EN 13770

for excellent air quality

IDA 1

400

30

45

58

for good air quality

IDA 2

600

20

30

38

for satisfactory air quality IDA 3

1000

12

18

23

moderate air quality

1200

10

15

19

Source: [PHI/Feist]

IDA 4

Author: WF / PHI

Compact Unit highly

efficient device for
providing heat, hot water
and ventilation with heat
recovery

Metal ducting for

supply and extract air

mechanical
heat recovery
ventilation
83% efficient delivering 0.4 ach and
consuming 70W/h

consumes
600 kWh/year
but recovers
3,000 kWh/year

Ceiling vent supplying fresh air

Air flow rates accurately measured with a digital anemometer

Measured Air Quality In bedrooms

Carbon dioxide
levels in
conventional
house

CO2
concentrati
on

Carbon
dioxide levels
in Out of the
Blue Air-tight
House
Peaks in graph represent night time

Clean filter
Filter after 6 months

Low temperatures = low humidity:

take care with air change rate <=0.3/h
OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE

30

LIVING ROOM TEMPERATURE

60.0%

LIVING ROOM RELATIVE HUMIDITY

25

50.0%

20

Degree Celsius

40.0%
15
30.0%
10
20.0%
5

10.0%

-5
07-Dec-07

08-Dec-07

09-Dec-07

10-Dec-07

11-Dec-07

12-Dec-07

13-Dec-07

0.0%
14-Dec-07

PHPP Ventilation Sheet

Insert Supply Air per person
Specify number of extract points for different room types
Keep an eye on Average Air Change Rate keep close to 0.3
Decide on Maximum Design Air Flow Rate
Enter wind protection coefficients e and f (Ireland is windy!)
Insert result of blower door test
Insert Net Air Volume used for blower door test
Choose heat recovery unit (if not certified by PHI, deduct 12%
from efficiency stated on brochure)
Specify length and insulation of ambient and exhaust ducting

Exercise Case Study House

Please complete the Ventilation sheet
30 minutes

Thermal bridges entries in Areas Sheet

Thermal Bridges reduce Transmission Heat Losses!

PHPP Summer Sheet

Overheating defined at 25OC
Frequency of overheating should be less than 10% (ideally
should be O%)
Influenced by thermal mass complete Specific Capacity cell
Insert Air Change Rate by Window Ventilation (derived from
SummVent sheet)
Insert Mechanical Ventilation Summer (derived from Ventilation
sheet)
Choose between manual night ventilation or automatic
mechanical ventilation

Heating degree hours

Heating days
[C]
20

i=20

15
10

Heating border 15

5
0

D J

M A

Heating Degree Hours: Gt

Coldness of climate
Sum of the temperature difference between inside and outside
Unit of measurement is kKh/a (kilo-Kelvin hours per year)
60 kKh/a

108 kKh/a 18 kKh/a

Helsinki
108 kKh/a
Copenhagen 83 kKh/a
Dublin
60 kKh/a
Lisbon
18 kKh/a

83 kKh/a

Specific Space Heat Demand

A passive house is a building with such a low heating

load that it can be heated by the ventilation system.
Criteria 1: energy used for specific space heat
demand is 15 kWh/(m a)

Specific Space Heat Demand - QH

1. Calculate heat losses
Transmission Losses

QT and Ventilation Losses QV

2. Calculate heat gains

Solar Gains

Qs and Internal Heat Gains QI

3. Difference = Specific Space Heat Demand

QH = QT + QV - *(QS + QI)
: utilization factor for heat gains, eg. 84%
(You cannot use all the free heat gains)

Transmission
heat losses:
Area of thermal envelope * U-value * Temperature-correction factor *
Heating degree hours

QT = A * U * ft * Gt
200 m * 0.150 W/(mK) * 1.0 * 60.0 kKh/a
= 1,800?kWh/a
Calculate transmission losses for current Building Regulations for walls?
Calculate transmission losses for Helsinki?
E-A.2 07 10/09

Source: [PHI]

Author: PHI / PHD

Transmission Heat Losses

Q T = A * U * f T * GT
or QT = (Ui * Ai * GTi + (i * li * GTi)
fT Temp. Factor (reduction factor)
GT Heating degree hours

Also include
thermal bridges

Ventilation
heat
losses:

= TFA * 2.5m

Ventilated volume * Equiv. air change * Heat cap. of air * Heating degree hours

QV = V * nequiv. * cp * Gt
428 m * 0.123 h-1 * 0.33 Wh/(mK) * 60.0 kKh/a
= 1,042
? kWh/a
Calculate ventilation for house of 100m2 TFA in Lisbon
E-A.2 11 10/09

Source: [PHI]

Author: PHI / PHD

Ventilation Heat Losses

QV = VV * n V * cp * GT

Solar gains:
reduction factor * g-value * window area *global irradiation

QS = r * g * A * G
0.32 * 0.51 * 11.83m * 192 kWh/(ma)
= 370.68?kWh/a
Calculate solar gains for south facing single glazed windows?
Calculate solar gains south facing for triple glazed windows?
E-A.2 13 10/09

Source: [PHI]

Author: PHI / PHD

Solar gains:
QS = r * g * AF * G

Internal Heat Gains:

Length heating period * spec. Internal Heat Gains * Treated Floor Area

QI = tHeat * qi * ATFA
0.024 kh/d * 205 d/a * 2.1 W/m * 171.2 m
= 1,768.8
? kWh/a

Calculate internal heat gains for 10,000m2 office building in Copenhagen?

E-A.2 15 10/09

Source: [PHI]

Author: PHI / PHD

Specific Space Heat Demand

Transmission Losses QT and Ventilation Losses QV
minus
Solar Gains Qs and Internal Heat Gains QI

QH = QT + QV - *(QS + QI)
: utilization factor for heat gains, eg. 84%
(You cannot use all the free heat gains)

Heating load
Passive House Criteria 4:
Power used to heat the building is 10 W/m
(normally 100 W/m2!)
Two critical days:
(1) a very cold but sunny day
(2) a moderately cold day but without much sun

Why?

Heating Load - PH
1. Calculate heat losses in worst possible weather
Transmission Losses

PT and Ventilation Losses PV

2. Calculate heat gains in worst possible weather

Solar Gains

Ps and Internal Heat Gains PI

3. Difference = Heating Load in worst possible weather

PH = PT + PV - (PS + PI)
For worst possible weather condition!

Existing buildings

Passive houses

Heating load
cold but moderate but
sunny day cloudy day

Greater transmission heat losses in cold but sunny weather

for this project

cold but
sunny day

Greater ventilation heating load in cold but sunny

weather for this project

moderate but
cloudy day

Shouldnt this be 2.1 W/m2?

No! planning for low internal heat gains
PH: Heat load:
Very cold but sunny day versus moderate day without sun
which ever is the greatest

PHPP heating load the last line

In this case the heat load

can be delivered through the ventilation system

Otherwise, radiant heat would be required, for

example radiators

PHPP DHW+Distribution Sheet

1.

Space Heat Distribution

Insert length of space heat distribution pipes (warm and cold region)
Specify insulation of space heat distribution pipes
Insert design flow temperature (55OC for rads, 35OCfor underfloor)
Insert design system heat load (from heating load sheet)

2.

DHW Distribution and Storage

Insert length and insulation of pipes

Consider Circulation Pipes and Individual Pipes
Insert heat released from storage (secondary calculation)

SolarDHW for the example house

Boiler inputs for the example house

PE Value for the example house

Where can I learn more?

www.passivehouseacademy.ie
Tomas O Leary, Managing Director:
Telephone 0404 25777, E-mail tomas@passivehouseacademy.ie