The AECB CarbonLite Plymouth Passivhaus Designer course is fast approaching! The course will take place in May/June as follows:

Week 1  (Monday 21st-Friday 25th May inclusive)

Introduction to Passivhaus

Science of Passivhaus

PHPP

Week 2  (Monday 11th – Friday 15th June inclusive)

Building Services for Passivhaus

Construction of Passivhaus

Revision session

Certified Passivhaus Designer Examination

An additional 1 day Thermal Bridging course will take place on Wednesday 6th . . . → Read More: Become a Passivhaus Designer in Plymouth

We’re always getting asked about the extra cost of sustainable buildings, Nick Grant puts his finger right on it in this fantastic article in bdonline.

As for low energy buildings is there an extra cost?

Yes, there will definitely need to be more time (and therefore cost) spent during the design,  and its likely it will require greater attention on site to get these new details right but these are short . . . → Read More: How much for a sustainable building?

If you are at Ecobuild this week you why not see us at our 3 seminars, all in the North Gallery 4&5:

Tues 20th, 11:50 John Trinick is talking about the “Essential steps to achieving Passivhaus Standards” 15:45 Peter is talking about Passivhaus construction and techniques.  See link

Wed 21st, 10-12 meet us at the Passivhaus Trust stand

Thurs 22nd, 14:15 Peter will be on a . . . → Read More: Come and meet us at Ecobuild!

North east Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell made a house call with a difference, when he visited a recently-completed accredited Passivhaus in his constituency, specially built to demonstrate the benefits of gold standard energy efficiency.

Developed by St Andrews company, Passivhaus Associates, and built to rigorous standards, Sunnyside, tucked away on Old Mill Road, Craigrothie, is so efficiently insulated that it is heated to a comfortable level by the . . . → Read More: Sunnyside, Craigothie gets official stamp of approval

We’ve started a co-heating test on one of the 20 Passivhaus dwellings at Ford Farm in Cornwall.  Ford Farm was our very first Passivhaus design projects so getting to test it now it’s built is fantastic – we’re all hoping for some really cold, overcast weather, let’s see what Bodmin Moor can deliver!

Email Dawn or go to the CarbonLite website for more information on the courses on offer

As part of the CarbonLite Passivhaus Designer course in Birmingham there will be two exclusive visits to recently completed projects in the area:

Bushbury Hill Primary School –  the first (of 3) passivhaus schools in the UK, you will be . . . → Read More: Be the first to see PH school & vicarage

A milestone in the UK building industry was reached today with the formal certification of the first Passivhaus schools in the UK. We are delighted to announce the completion of the rigorous certification process, and issue Passivhaus Certificates for the first three Passivhaus schools in the UK:

Bushbury Hills Primary School in Wolverhampton, commissioned by Wolverhampton City Council, designed by Architype and built by Thomas Vale Construction Montgomery Primary School . . . → Read More: First Passivhaus Schools in UK receive certification!

Bushbury, Oakmeadow & Montgomery primary schools are now occupied and going through the final checks before we award Passivhaus Certification.  We’re aiming to certify all three on the same date to avoid competition between the three which could undermine the incredible commitment the design & construction teams have given over the last couple of years to bring these schools into fruition.

This is the first time we’ve certified a . . . → Read More: Schools near certification

Congratulations to Sally and Mike!  (Hat-sizing = convective bypass??)

See Sally’s article on bridging the design & reality gap that occurs in building energy use published in this month’s CIBSE journal here