Thermal Insulation
All opaque building components of the exterior envelope of the house must be very well-insulated.  For most cool-temperate climates, this means a heat transfer coefficient (U-value) of 0.15 W/(m²K) at the most, i.e. a maximum of 0.15 watts per degree of temperature difference and per square metre of exterior surface are lost.

 

Passive House Windows
Passive Houses make efficient use of the sun, internal heat sources and heat recovery, rendering conventional heating systems unnecessary throughout even the coldest of winters.  During warmer months, Passive Houses make use of passive cooling techniques such as strategic shading to keep comfortably cool.

The window frames must be well insulated and fitted with low-e glazings filled with argon or krypton to prevent heat transfer.  For most cool-termperate climates, this means a U-value of 0.80 W/(m²K) or less, with g-values around 50% (g-value= total solar transmittance, proportion of the solar energy available for the room).

 

Adequate Ventilation Strategy
A ventilation system imperceptibly supplies constant fresh air, making for superior air quality without unpleasant draughts.  A highly efficient heat recovery unit allows for the heat contained in the exhaust air to be re-used.

Efficient heat recovery ventilation is key, allowing for a good indoor air quality and saving energy. In Passive House, at least 75% of the heat from the exhaust air is transferred to the fresh air again by means of a heat exchanger.

 

Airtightness of Building
Passive Houses allow for space heating and cooling related energy savings of up to 90% compared with typical building stock and over 75% compared to average new builds.  Vast energy savings have been demonstrated in warm climates where typical buildings also require active cooling.

Uncontrolled leakage through gaps must be smaller than 0.6 of the total house volume per hour during a pressure test at 50 Pascal (both pressurised and depressurised).

 

Thermal Bridge Reduction Design
Passive Houses are praised for the high level of comfort they offer. Internal surface temperatures vary little from indoor air temperatures, even in the face of extreme outdoor temperatures.  Special windows and a building envelope consisting of a highly insulated roof and floor slab as well as highly insulated exterior walls keep the desired warmth in the house – or undesirable heat out.

All edges, corners, connections and penetrations must be planned and executed with great care, so that thermal bridges can be avoided.  Thermal bridges which cannot be avoided must be minimised as far as possible.