Definition of "Passive house"

A passive house is a construction that has limited to zero carbon footprint. These kinds of houses have been developed as an answer for the necessity to lower pollution for the benefit of our planet as well as our own well being. Passive house design is something to be discussed with a passive house designer. There are many things to take into consideration when embarking on a passive house project. Passive house plans are rigorously developed in order to follow the passive house standards.

Getting certified for a passive home

In order to get your passive house certificate from PHIUS, there are several tests that the house itself must pass. The most difficult one is the air-tight test which is performed by an inspector with the help of a blow-door. This test installs the blow-door on the main entrance to the house and blows air inside the house to check the pressure as well as possible leaks. If leaks are found, the test is failed and the passive house certification is not granted. Making sure that there are no leaks can be done by implementing a building envelope that completely isolates the walls, flooring and ceiling.

In order to follow the passive house standards, you should work with a passive house architect and designer. They will take into account the materials used, the density of the windows, the heating system, the roof positioning, the passive house plans as well as the furniture brought in the house.

A passive house does not use solar panels for heat but systems that use the heat from the indoor air in order to heat the air coming from outside. The ventilation system does this and it allows for fresh, but at the same time, warm air inside the house.

So what is a passive house

Passive house definition is a construction that saves up to 90% energy for both cooling and heating. Heating a passive house is done with heat recovery ventilation that uses the heat recovered from the residents and the sun in order to heat the new air coming inside the house. It has no air leaks and uses high-performance doors and windows.



image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Measure of the value of all goods and services produced by the economy within its boundaries and is the nation's broadest gauge of economic health. GDA is often a measure of the state of ...

Mortgage banker is the person or business that originates mortgages and receives payments. The mortgage banker typically sells these mortgages to investors and obtains service fees for the ...

Uncertainty in the price of real estate due to market, economic, political or other conditions. ...

If you have been wondering what can cause a market failure, the most common answer is externalities. An externality is an indirect cost or benefit to a neutral third party that comes from ...

If you are a real estate investor and you come across this term, you might wind up wondering … What is the operating expense ratio? The operating expense ratio (OER) is a way for ...

Technique used to estimate how the value of a parcel of land will affect its ability to support a given commercial improvement leaving sufficient residual net income to maintain adequate ...

As a legal term, abandonment defines a deliberate renunciation of rights to an asset or a business relationship. What does abandonment mean in real estate? In real estate, abandonment, ...

Provision in an insurance policy that caps the insurer's liability by stipulating that the owner of the property that has experienced damage must have another policy that covers usually at ...

Creditor's control over property. When a loan is secured with pledged assets, the creditor has the right to go to court to obtain possession of the property if the borrower defaults. The ...

Popular Real Estate Questions