Airtightness

Airtightness is crucial for Low Energy Homes, significantly enhancing energy efficiency and indoor comfort. This involves meticulous construction techniques to eliminate air leaks through walls, roofs, and floors. High levels of airtightness prevent draughts and heat loss, maintaining a stable indoor temperature. 

Controlling Air Infiltration

By controlling air infiltration, airtightness improves ventilation system effectiveness, ensuring consistent air quality and reducing the need for additional heating and cooling. This results in lower energy consumption, reduced utility bills, and a more comfortable living environment throughout the year.

MVHR

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) plays a pivotal role in achieving the Passivhaus standard, dramatically improving energy efficiency and indoor air quality in low energy homes. MVHR systems operate by continuously extracting stale, moisture-laden air from inside the building and replacing it with fresh, filtered outdoor air. During this process, a heat exchanger transfers warmth from the outgoing air to the incoming air, minimizing heat loss and reducing the demand on the heating system. 

Excellent Air Quality

This innovative technology ensures a constant supply of fresh, oxygenated air while maintaining a stable and comfortable indoor temperature. By significantly reducing the need for additional heating and guaranteeing excellent air quality, MVHR systems contribute to lower overall energy consumption and enhanced comfort for occupants throughout the year. The installation of an MVHR system is a key strategy in creating a healthier, more energy-efficient living environment in low energy homes.

Thermal Envelope

An enhanced thermal envelope is crucial for Low Energy Homes, ensuring exceptional energy efficiency and comfort. This involves using high-performance insulation materials to significantly reduce heat loss through walls, roofs, and floors. By employing advanced insulation techniques, these homes maintain a stable indoor temperature, preventing heat from escaping during the winter and keeping cool air inside during the summer. 

Consistent Indoor Climate

This results in a more consistent and comfortable living environment, which also translates to lower energy consumption and reduced utility bills. Additionally, the enhanced thermal envelope contributes to the overall durability and longevity of the building by protecting it from temperature extremes and moisture damage.

Low Impact Material

Low impact materials play a crucial role in Low Energy Homes, which aim to reduce the environmental footprint of buildings. The selection of building materials is based on several key factors, including their embodied energy, recyclability, and local availability. By carefully considering these aspects, Low Energy Homes promote the use of materials that significantly reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable built environment.

Minimising Embodied Carbon

Embodied energy refers to the total energy required to produce, transport, and install a material. Materials with low embodied energy, such as timber from sustainably managed forests, recycled steel, or locally sourced stone, require less energy during their production and transportation processes. By choosing materials with low embodied energy, Low Energy Homes minimize the carbon emissions associated with the construction phase, further reducing their environmental impact and promoting sustainability in the built environment.

Renewables

Renewable energy sources are essential for Low Energy Homes. Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) extract heat from the air, while Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) harness stable underground temperatures. Solar panels generate electricity or heat water using the sun's energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, lowering carbon emissions, and minimizing environmental impact. 

Energy Independence

By promoting energy independence, decarbonization, and responsible resource management, Low Energy Homes align with broader environmental sustainability goals and contribute to a greener future.

Overheating

Overheating is a critical consideration in Low Energy Homes, aimed at ensuring comfort and energy efficiency. Effective design strategies are employed to mitigate overheating risks, such as incorporating adequate shading, optimizing window placement, and using thermal mass to absorb and store heat. Cross ventilation is another key strategy, allowing cool air to flow through the building and replace warm, stale air. 

Adequate Shading

By preventing overheating, occupant comfort is enhanced while reducing the need for energy-intensive cooling solutions, thereby contributing to lower energy consumption and more sustainable living environments in Low Energy Homes.

High Performance Glass

Triple glazing is a key component in achieving high energy efficiency and comfort levels in Low Energy Homes. With three panes of glass and insulating gas, triple glazing significantly reduces heat transfer compared to double glazing. Low Energy Homes require low U-value windows, which triple glazing provides, ensuring excellent insulation and stable indoor temperatures. 

Minimise Draughts

Triple glazing minimizes draughts, cold spots, and external noise, enhancing comfort. By reducing energy consumption and improving the living environment, triple glazing contributes to the goals of energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and environmental sustainability in Low Energy Homes.