Seminar for IEMA, Leeds

Aesthetics of PassivhausFrom an architects perspective

Introduction

Please feel free to ask questions

• A bit about me

• Passivhaus aesthetic perspective

• Influencing Factors

• Planning – perceptions & challenges

• Conclusion

Passivhaus is often described as boxy and boring. From an architect’s perspective Neil will be elaborating on some of the aesthetic issues to consider when designing a Passivhaus some of which require a greater understanding from planners and the general public

• Associate director at DLG architects

• Always had an interest in low energy design - 1995 was only UK winner in an international Bioclimatic dwelling competition (completed 2010)

• 2010-2014 Have designed 2 buildings using Passivhaus Planning package

• Dec 2014 a qualified certified Passivhaus designer after 2 week intense course run by the AECB

A bit about me

Swift Passivhaus Mark I, HarrogateNeil Swift designed Bioclimatic dwelling, Tenerife

• At DLG architects we are hopeful of having our first certified project soon

• More likely to come from a private / end user client rather than the commercial sector

• We have seen some changes with Leading commercial clients such as M&S and one would hope they will come into the passivhaus fold in the near future

• Until then where possible we design using passivhaus principles

A bit about me

M&S, HarrogateAshville College, Harrogate

• Trial & error development

• Hard won fuel

• Orientation mattered

• Larger windows South

Passivhaus Aesthetic perspective

C20th suburban housingC17th Nidderdale farm house

Traditional aesthetic

• Any shape goes

• freely available fuel

• Orientation didn’t matter

• Windows any size

C18th

C20th

Passivhaus Aesthetic perspective

Tower block Vaxjo, Sweden

• Think inside Box dogma

• uninspiring

Early passivhaus aesthetic

Early Passivhaus 2000 , Brandenburg, architect Büro aDREI

Aesthetic informed by science

• Rooted in German technical know how and science

• The Porsche of building energy efficiency and comfort

• Historically not necessarily as good as Porche aesthetics!

Passivhaus Aesthetic perspective

• Form

• Orientation & Fenestration

• Window design

• Detail design

Influencing factors

Form

Influencing factors

• Not exactly passive but who designed it?

Aedas Leeds Calls scheme for Citu 2010 – based on passivhaus principles

Form

Influencing factors

Corridor houses Iceland

• Form Heat loss factor = Heat loss area / Treated Floor area

Emperor Penguin huddle

Form

Influencing factors

Passivhaus office Esberg Denmark

Form

Influencing factors

“If the edge fails then the space never becomes lively“

Christopher Alexander

• Think “outside the box” not just “inside the box”

Form

Influencing factors

• Pitched roof outside of thermal envelope flat roof adds relief

• Projections or insets minimise surface area

• Veranda's

Influencing factorsForm

Proctor Mathews, Hanam hall, Bristol Graham Bizley, Dundon Passivhaus, Somerset

Influencing factorsForm

• Rooms outside

• Entrance canopy.

Kimmo Lylykangas Architects

Architektur werkstatt vallentin house in puchheim

• Orientate on site to maximise heat gain ideal 30 degree due South

• South orientation Easy to control gains

• West & East hard to control prone to overheating

• Deeper window reveals generally

Influencing factorsOrientation & fenestration

De Vries House, Fullford, York

Swift Passivhaus MKII, Harrogate

Image c/o Quantum builders

• Glazing sized for minimum daylight

• Low use, low light room types best

Influencing factorsOrientation & fenestration

North elevation aesthetic

Pius Platz, Munich, Architects Allmann Sattler Wappner

• 25-35% glazing for South facing facades without overheating risk

• Glazing maximised for winter heat so shading important to minimise summer overheating

South elevation aesthetic

Influencing factorsOrientation & fenestration

Swift Passivhaus MKII, Harrogate

Swift Passivhaus MKII, HarrogatePius Platz, Munich, Architects Allmann Sattler Wappner

Windows

Influencing factors

• Windows - optimise daylight minimise heat loss especially on the North elevations

• Landscape v portrait

Landcsape orientated windows Portrait orientated windows

Rainham, London, Macreanor Lavington architectsPfullingen, Germany, Architekt Rainer Graf

• 25-35% for South facing facades.Glazing maximised for winter heat shading important to minimise summer overheating

• Fewer mullion reduced thermal bridges

• Generally deeper window reveals

Windows

Influencing factors

Wiesen, Germany, Architekt Hans Peter Halbritte

Influencing factors • Best quality architectural daylight

• Poor thermal bridging PSI values 10 times worse than windows = big heat loss

• Not the best for solar heat from sun

• Very hard to get flush with the roof

C/O Croft farm construction, Acomb, York,

Swift Passivhaus MK1, Harrogate

Windows

Influencing factors

• Thermal bridge free solar shading, car ports, canopies, bike stores, pv shades

• No eaves or thin eaves

Minimising Eaves details

Social Housing Wimbish - Parsons Whittley

Detail design

“Outside the box” elements

Entrance canopies

Architektur werkstatt vallentin

Influencing factorsDetail design

Timber -Beattie passivhaus system

Cavity wall, Acomb , York, Ann Thorne

SIPS

ICF

Cavity wall, Denby dale, Huddersfield Green Building Store

• Any materials /construction goes

Planning Perception & challenges

• A new aesthetic ? Smaller windows

• fitting in with streetscape

• Watch bay window precedents

The North facade

Swift Passivhaus Mark I, Harrogate

• Problematic detailing but can be overcome

• may need increased insulation elsewhere

Detail aesthetic

Planning Perception & challenges

Swift Passivhaus Mark II, Harrogate

Planning Perception & challenges

Detail aesthetic

Swift Passivhaus Mark II, Harrogate

Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, Key architects

• Historic areas demand traditional aesthetic

• Problematic detailing but can be overcome

Planning Perception & challenges

Detail aesthetic

Ritchie house, Maddison Park, Seattle Obermenzing schramelstrasse, Architektur werkstatt vallentin

Michael Tribus - Renovation of a former post office to a passivhaus certified civic office

Planning Perception & challenges

Detail aesthetic

Swift Passivhaus Mark II, Harrogate

Porche 2015 Porche designed VW beetle 1938

Porche designed VW beetle 1938

Passivhaus Build 2015Standard Built 1938 Standard Built 1938

• Easiest to design to the science and reflect a modern aesthetic

Conclusions

• Early pioneers focussed on building physics not architectural requirements

• Passivhaus community are continuously developing details and passivhaus architectural aesthetics are evolving

• You can create (traditional or contemporary aesthetic) anything but it may take considerable detail design development, modelling and cost

• Easiest to design to the science and reflect a modern aesthetic

• Planners are becoming more aware of the issues in delivering passivhaus schemes which helps!

Conclusions

Logic will get you from A to B imagination will take you everywhere – Albert Einstein

Thank you

vallentin-architekture