passive house plus issue 10 (irish edition)

editors letter

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ABC Certified Average Net Circulation of 6,272

for the period 01/01/13 to 30/06/13

Issue 10

PUBLISHERS: Temple Media Ltd.PO Box 9688, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, IrelandT: +353 (0)1 2107513 / +353 (0)1 2107512

Email: [email protected]

EDITORIALEDITOR: Jeff ColleyE: [email protected]

DEPUTY EDITOR:Lenny AntonelliE: [email protected]

REPORTER:John HearneE: [email protected]

REPORTER:Kate de Selincourt

CONTRIBUTORSRichard Sharpe, European Centre for Environment &

Human HealthKevin M Neary, passive house designer

Martin Murray, Martin Murray ArchitectsDes Crabbe, OA StudiosJason Walsh, journalist

Mike Jacob, Trunk Low Energy BuildingMonica Walsh, homeowner

UK SALESStephen MolyneuxE: [email protected]

READER RESPONSE/ ITDudley ColleyE: [email protected]

ACCOUNTSOisin HartE: [email protected]

ART DIRECTORLauren ColleyE: [email protected]

PRINTING: GPS Colour Graphics, T: +44 (0) 28 9070 2020

www.gpscolour.co.uk

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distributed to the leading figures involved in sustainable

building in Ireland including architects; consulting,

m&e and building services engineers; developers;

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in Passive

House Plus are those of the authors and do not

necessarily reflect the views of the publishers.

Cover: Herefordshire Archives & Records CentrePhotograph: Dennis Gilbert

n Laoghaire-Rathdown County Councils inspired decision to demand that all

new buildings meet the passive house standard will deliver world class performance

without increasing prices. As I explained in an Irish Times article on the initiative,

one of the reasons why passive house wont cause price increases is that anyone

building a new home in Ireland has to achieve 60% energy reductions and install a renewable energy

system to meet prima facie compliance with building regulations anyway. Thats thanks to changes to

Part L of the Building Regulations that this magazines predecessor Construct Ireland helped to bring

about from 2008 to 2011 changes which in turn emerged from initiatives we worked on with Fingal,

Wicklow, Dublin City and, yes, Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in 2005 and 2006.

The Construction Industry Federation has immediately assumed a defensive posture, arguing

in the same Irish Times article that the draft policy would cause construction prices to increase, and that

if the policy goes ahead there will be very few houses built in Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown next

year. The CIF raised similar objections as long ago as 1978, when it argued against proposals to make

insulation mandatory for new homes on the spurious basis that it would cause house prices to rise.

I invite the CIF to tap into the expertise that has accumulated on passive house in Ireland including

within its own membership and speak from an informed position. No builder or subcontractor whos

committed to quality has anything to fear from passive house. My colleagues in the Passive House

Association of Ireland would welcome the opportunity to explain the risks inherent in less considered

energy efficiency approaches, and the benefits passive house can bring for the whole industry

developers, designers, tradespeople and suppliers alike and ultimately to building occupants.

The fact is that compliance with Part L typically means an A2 or A3 BER, bringing construction

costs up close to and in some cases above passive house levels, but with no guarantee that

the building will actually work. Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown deserve great credit for committing

to a building standard that actually works a standard thats firmly rooted in building science.

So theres a pressing need to adopt passive house while allowing any other approaches that can

demonstrate equivalent performance without delay, as some of the approaches the construction

industry is taking to meet new building regulations will fail to deliver anticipated energy savings,

while compromising indoor air quality and leading to the need for repair work.

Part L is driving people to better insulate new homes, but not necessarily to design out cold

bridges, or put in effective ventilation. The standard approach in the industry is still to knock

holes in walls for ventilation, and theres no credible evidence to show that this works, least

of all in low energy buildings. (This is not to be confused with demand-controlled mechanical

ventilation, which is backed by solid evidence, including substantial monitoring studies.)

Passive houses work. We have the benefit of 25 years of detailed monitoring to show that these

buildings are genuinely energy efficient, healthy, comfortable and built to last. So the construction

industry has nothing to fear from passive house and much to gain. Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown

have shown great vision and leadership in backing an approach that delivers demonstrably high

quality sustainable buildings. Once the industry stops blindly objecting, and instead engages

and starts working out how to deliver this cost-effective quality standard, it wont look back.

Regards,

the editor

D

cont

ents

6 NEWS

22 BUILDING OR UPGRADING?Passive House Plus is here to make your project more sustainable

24 COMMENT

28 INTERNATIONALThis issues international selection of passive and low energy building includes

two homes built for retirement one in Austria, one in New Mexico a

striking house in a Romanian forest, and an out-of-this-world passive-certified

dome in tropical south-west China.

38 NEW BUILD38 Irelands first passive house pharmacy

Late last summer, work finished on architect Paul McNallys

latest super low energy project: a three-storey building in Tipperary

that has become Irelands first certified passive house pharmacy.

46 EU president sets passive precedent

Motivated by the experience of building and living in a passive

house, one of Irelands leading political figures has become a

public advocate for the standard. Passive House Plus visited the

house to find out why.

52 Smart Dublin passive house shows tiny heating bills

Building this stylish south Dublin passive house, which recently

picked up a Made in Germany energy efficiency award, demanded

a steep learning curve, not least when it came to airtightness

but despite the struggles, it ultimately gave its owners their

dream low energy home.

58 Hereford archive chooses passive preservation

Safeguarding historic documents and other artefacts requires

stable building conditions. Until now this was usually achieved

with the expensive and energy-hogging use of heating and cooling

equipment, but a new approach by Herefordshire Council used

the passive house approach to conserve energy, money and

the countys precious historical archives.

66 Essex house nears passive against the odds

When Mike Jacob of Trunk Low Energy Building started planning

to build this unique Essex home, it seemed likely to run way over

budget, and still fail to meet the passive house standard. But

rethinking key details and making tough compromises got the

house within touching distance of passive, while slashing costs.

72 Pennine farmhouse marries traditional style with passive

performance

From a distance Steel Farm looks like a traditional Northumberland

farmhouse, with its sandstone exterior and cluster of outbuildings.

But inside, it is something very different.

78 UPGRADE78 Fabric-first retrofit rejuvenates Dublin social housing

Built in the 1970s, Rochestown House was a cramped, cold and

damp social house block in Sallynoggin, Co Dublin that has now

been completely transformed, thanks to a deep energy retrofit

inspired by passive house principles.

84 UKs 1st Enerphit, six years on

Six years after it was completed, Passive House Plus takes a

look at a pioneering low energy upgrade that went on to become

the UKs first certified Enerphit project, to find out how it has

performed and what lessons have been learned.

88 INSIGHTThe case for making passive house mandatory

There is a growing sense that passive houses time has come. Following

on from the examples set by umpteen municipalities and local authorities

in continental Europe, there are signs of public bodies in Ireland and the

UK making the passive house standard mandatory. Jeff Colley describes

the rapidly unfolding events and puts forward some key points to take note

of as events unfold.

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passivehouse+ | Issue 10

News

SEAI: Deap targets arentthe only way to meet Part LSpecifications for new homes which fall short

of energy performance targets in the Dwelling

Energy Assessment Procedure software may

nonetheless comply with Part L of the Irish

Building Regulations, the Sustainable Energy

Authority of Ireland has said. This is potentially

a significant development for passive house,

a proven ultra low energy building strategy

which is often undermined by the relatively crude

assumptions in the Irish regulatory guidance

and Deap software.

Responding to questions from Passive House

Plus, SEAIs CEO Dr Brian Motherway said:

SEAI does not claim that achieving a certain

outcome in Deap is the only acceptable or ap-

propriate way of demonstrating full compliance

with Part L of the building regulations.

Motherways comments add further weight to

the case for passive house as an alternative

method of compliance with Part L, made by

leading EU law & sustainable energy law expert

Philip Lee in issue nine of Passive House Plus

(Irish edition). As Lee explains, the legal obligation

is to comply with Part L itself rather than the

technical guidance documents, which dont

have the force of law. Part L consists of a few

paragraphs, including a requirement to de-

sign new homes to reduce the primary energy

demand and associated carbon emissions in

so far as is reasonably practicable using

Deap to calculate both energy demand and

carbon emissions while generating a reasonable

proportion of energy from renewable sources.

Writing in Passive House Plus, Philip Lee posited

a passive house with a reasonably sized renewable

energy system as an alternative method of

meeting Part L, while noting that Part L itself

needs to be updated to avoid breaching EU

law by specifying a minimum level of renew-

able energy in the regulation itself rather

than in the non-binding guidance document

due to a requirement of article 13(4) the RES

Directive which kicked in at the end of the year.

The targets in Deap incorrectly viewed by

many in the industry as mandatory for Part L

compliance include some but not all of the

backstop targets set out in Technical Guidance

Document L, namely the renewable energy gen-

eration targets of 10 kWh/m2/yr thermal energy

or 4 kWh/m2/yr electrical, backstop U-values

for all of the dwellings main elements and overall

energy efficiency and carbon emissions targets,

respectively called maximum permitted energy

performance coefficients (MPEPCs) and maximum

permitted carbon performance coefficients

(MPCPCs). Other key TGD L targets such as

airtightness test results, thermal bridging fac-

tors and boiler efficiency are omitted.

According to Brian Motherway: Deap is the

calculation methodology specified by Regulation

L3(a) to calculate primary energy consumption

and carbon dioxide emissions. As it is specified

by the Regulation, and not the Technical Guidance

Document, for the purpose of calculating primary

energy and CO2 emissions, it is not subject to

article 7(3). The EPC and CPC must be cal-

culated in Deap. Other parameters specified

in the TGD L can be demonstrated through

alternative approaches if deemed appropriate

by the designer / assigned certifier.

Philip Lee has explained to Passive House

Plus that while complying with L3(A) requires

the use of Deap to calculate the dwellings

EPC and CPC, this doesnt mean in the case

of a demonstrably low energy building such

as a passive house that the dwelling must

meet the maximum permitted EPC and CPC

targets of 0.4 and 0.46 respectively in TGD L,

on the basis that it can be demonstrated that

the dwelling has reduced energy demand and

carbon emissions in so far as is reasonably

practicable.

Responding to questions from Passive House

Plus that the wording in Deap may falsely lead

the industry to view that hitting targets from TGD L

is required to comply with Part L, Brian Motherway

drew a distinction between conformance and

compliance.

The report in question is described as a

"conformance" report and not a "compliance"

report. he said. The conformance report can

assist designers in achieving compliance

without the necessity for multiple checks.

However the issuing of a conformance report

in Deap does not prevent a designer/ builder

/ owner / certifier from adopting alternative

approaches to those described in the TGD L

provided that the relevant requirements of the

Regulations are complied with. The report

specifically refers to TGD L at the top of the

page you cite. Responsibility for compliance with

Building Regulations rests with the owner, de-

signer, assigned certifier and builder. The Local

Authority is responsible for enforcement.

The conformance report was originally developed

for, and in consultation with, DECLG. We have

discussed this matter with DECLG officials,

who have confirmed their agreement with the

points set out above. Notwithstanding this, if

it is the case that there is any confusion in the

market with reference to the language used

in Deap, I am open to addressing this confusion

either in the generality or specifically in the

formal review of Deap, which as you know is

scheduled to take place in 2015, while again

noting that SEAI does not determine what

constitutes compliance with the regulations.

SEAI is keen to ensure clarity around these

issues for all stakeholders.

(above) Although Deap appears to indicate that failingto hit certain targets from TGD L means non-compliancewith Part L, SEAIs CEO Dr Brian Motherway tellsPassive House Plus that this isnt the case


News

Michael Bennett & Sonsto sell passive semi-ds at170,000Wexford-based developer and contractor Michael

Bennett & Sons have a planning application

for twelve certified passive houses at their

Madeira Oaks development in The Moyne,

Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

The first four houses -designed in conjunction

with passive house specialists MosArt - will

be offered to the market for 170,000, and

will also boast A2 BERs and a 10 year insur-

ance-backed Homebond guarantee. These

houses will represent the first steps towards

passive houses being affordable for all,

Michael Bennett told Passive House Plus.

Bennett is guaranteeing that the combined

heat and hot water bills will be no more than

200 per year, subject to the houses being

operated as expected.

The overall Madeira Oaks development fea-

tures 180 houses, and has been progressed

gradually over the last 14 years. "We've built

them all to a high standard, it's all about quality,"

Michael Bennett told Passive House Plus.

Our maximum house build in any one year

has been 20, which allows us concentrate on

quality housing both in terms of finishes,

and the actual construction itself.

Bennett & Sons previously built two A3 rated

houses on the Madeira Oaks site, and these

included 5KW wood burning stoves, oil-fired

central heating and heat recovery ventilation.

But Michael Bennett told Passive House Plus

that by stripping back the number of mechanical

systems and taking a fabric-first approach

with the passive house standard, he can build

for less. The timber-framed, rendered block

certified passive houses will feature heat pumps

and solar PV systems.

"Passive houses allow for a different standard

of living comfort, energy costs are massively

reduced with annual fuel more than 80% reduced.

This is something everyone should be able to

avail of."

Michael Bennett & Sons is also behind the

Isover award-winning Grange Lough passive

house development in Rosslare Strand, Co

Wexford, and was main contractor on a passive

house certified new build for former president

of the European Parliament Pat Cox, which

is featured on page 46 of this issue of Passive

House Plus.

(above) An A3-rated house at Madeira Oaks; the new170,000 passive houses will be built in similar style

Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has

voted to make the passive house standard

mandatory for all new buildings in the area as

part of its latest development plan.

At a meeting of the local authority on Wednesday,

11 February, councillors voted by 23 votes to

14 to add wording to the 2016-2022 local de-

velopment plan stating it is, Council policy

that all development in new buildings should

be built to the Passive House standard.

The motion also stated that nearly zero energy

buildings (NZEBs) or other lower energy standards

may be considered as appropriate alternatives.

The Passive House Association of Ireland together

with Passive House Plus, which has offices

based in the area, organised a trip for coun-

cillors to Niall and Monica Walshs passive

house in Mount Merrion in advance of the

vote, during which presentations on the pas-

sive house concept and its benefits were

made. The 256 sq m house, which is profiled

on page 52 of this issue, has cost less than

200 per year for combined space heating

and hot water since the family of four moved in.

The draft development plan will now enter a

public consultation period that will begin on 2

March and last for ten weeks.

Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has

a history of demanding higher energy efficiency

standards than national regulations. It was

one of the first local authorities, back in 2007,

to demand that buildings be constructed to

more stringent energy efficiency standards than

national regulations, passing 40% energy and

carbon reduction targets, along with mandatory

renewable energy systems. Within months of Dn

Laoghaire-Rathdowns initiative, the government

committed to introducing the 40% improvements

into building regulations for new homes.

Echoing its reaction to the 2007 initiative, the

Construction Industry Federation immediately

came out in opposition to Dn Laoghaire-Rathdowns

passive house target, claiming it would lead to

an increase in the cost of new build in the area.

To read more on the rationale for making passive

house mandatory, read a piece by the editor

on page 88.

Dn Laoghaire-Rathdown tomake passive house mandatory

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News

SEAI Energy Show to take place on 25 & 26 March

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Irelands

Energy Show 2015 takes place at the RDS,

Dublin on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26

March. This annual two-day business event,

which last year saw 160 companies exhibit their

sustainable energy products and services, is

the premier energy trade exhibition in Ireland

and will feature the latest innovations in energy

efficient design and building techniques.

Visitors to the 2015 Energy Show can learn

how to maximise energy savings for buildings,

with solutions ranging from building energy

management systems for large premises to

time and temperature controls for SMEs, and

from heat recovery systems to high efficiency

boilers and lots in-between. In addition to the

exhibition, the show will feature best practice

retrofit demonstration areas, networking op-

portunities with international markets, an elec-

tric vehicle pavilion and a wide range of free

workshops, seminars and briefing events.

This year a new SEAI energy theatre will be

located in the main hall, with free talks updat-

ing attendees on the latest policy and market

developments in energy efficiency and re-

newable energy. Topics will include: briefings

on the latest energy statistics for Ireland and

their implications for business, energy man-

agement standards like the new energy efficient

design standard IS 399, BER workshops, how

to maximise tax incentives like the accelerated

capital allowances, electric vehicles, and best

practice in energy efficiency for the residential,

commercial and public sectors. These talks are

free to all visitors and sessions will be available

for pre-booking on www.seai.ie/energyshow.

Representatives from a host of worldwide

embassies and trade organisations will be

available to meet with Irish companies to dis-

cuss business opportunities abroad. Different

countries will be present at scheduled times and

full details are on the website. The Energy

Show is a free business exhibition and will be

open each day from 10am to 6pm. For further

details visit www.seai.ie/energyshow.

(above) Last years SEAI Energy Show at the RDS

Low energy builders Pat Doran Construction are

currently on site with the construction of a number

of passive and ultra low energy projects, including

a 400 square metre retrofit project in Rathgar,

Dublin that is aiming for Enerphit certification,

the Passive House Institutes retrofit standard.

Father-and-son team Pat and Paul Doran recently

spent two weeks studying at the the Komzet

Centre for Vocational Excellence in Germany.

The team said that studying in Germany made

them aware of how airtightness and low energy

building is embedded in construction culture

over there, from the architect at design stage

right through to the workers on site.

Pat Doran became certified as a passive house

tradesperson in both building envelope and

services following his studies in Germany. I found

the passive house approach very practical, the

construction details on eliminating cold bridging,

installing windows and airtightness made a lot

of sense to me both as a carpenter and a builder,

he said. Once you start building at this standard

its impossible to build any other way.

Meanwhile his son Paul qualified as a certified

passive house consultant. I found its a very

scientific approach with a focus on building physics

and its very hard to argue with conclusions which

have the maths to support them, he said. On

site this translates to a rigorous attention to detail

where your goal is to dramatically reduce heat

loss from the building.

Paul Doran added: After construction of my own

low energy house in 2012, we decided this was

the way to build.

(pictured) Pat Doran (left) and Paul Doran (right)on site on their Enerphit project in Rathgar, Dublin,along with their passive house qualifications

Pat Doran Construction on site with passive projectsafter German study trip


News

ComfortDisc offers passive house discount

ComfortDisc is currently offering a limited discount

to clients building passive houses who specify

its ducting system, and allow it to monitor the

systems performance post occupation. The

Mullingar-based firm wants to collect data on

real-life applications of the system in advance of

applying for passive house certification. The

offer is open to residential and commercial

buildings.

The company plans to install sensors in a number

of projects and remotely monitor internal con-

ditions as well as the systems performance.

ComfortDisc is a modular energy efficient small-

diameter duct distribution system that can provide

zoned heating, cooling, heat recovery and air

filtration.

The systems modular design means that it can

be operated as heating only, HRV only, heating

with HRV, cooling only, cooling and HRV, or

heating, cooling and HRV.

The ComfortDisc HRV option can use a carbon

dioxide sensor to vary the ventilation rate as

the occupancy levels increase or decrease.

ComfortDisc eliminates the use of radiators or

underfloor heating by delivering warm or cool

air into the room through small 125mm diameter

discs. Each disc is connected by a three meter

length of sound attenuated ducting to the in-

sulated rigid metal manifold ducting. The heated

or cooled air is generated by a heat pump or

other source, such as solar thermal storage.

There is also a DX coil option available for air-

to-air heat pumps.

A concentrated jet of air exits each disc mixing

the room air evenly from floor to ceiling, giving

unsurpassed comfort and even room temper-

atures wall to wall. The outlets are generally

placed at the perimeter of each room in areas

where occupants will typically not sit or stand

underneath them.

Eamonn Fidgeon of ComfortDisc told Passive

House Plus that one advantage of the system

in passive buildings is that it allows for more

specific temperature control in each room or

zone. It gives you more comfort and flexibility

in the control of temperatures. With a passive

house, it doesnt take much energy at all to heat

it up or down, so having the option to increase

or decrease temperature within your low energy

building gives you greater comfort. Visit

www.comfortdisc.com for more information.

(above) ComfortDisc utilises 125mm discs to discretelyrelease tempered air into buildings such as this convertedschoolhouse in Kilquigin, Co. Wicklow

Heating specialists Versatile have launched

the new ultra-compact Zehnder ComfoAir 180

to the Irish market. The system is certified by the

Passive House Institute to have a heat recovery

efficiency of 82% and an electric power consumption

of 0.27 W/m3.

The compact nature of the unit means it is de-

signed to be installed in a kitchen or bathroom

cupboard, and it is ideally suited for new build

and renovation of flats, apartments and small

townhouses up to 105 square metres in size.

The system includes the Zehnder ComfoPipe Plus

twin duct modular system, which has a low

profile and is designed for small spaces and

retrofit.

It has unique modular ductwork thats designed

to fit easily above a kitchen unit, for example,

Versatiles Tony Kennedy told Passive House

Plus. It also features a combined two-in-one

external wall grill, meaning just one external

vent is visible on the outside of the dwelling.

It looks just like one grill, which is aesthetically

important to architects, Tony Kennedy said.

The unit is designed to be controlled by Zehnders

easy-to-use ComfoSense controller. The sys-

tem features automatic 100% filtered summer

bypass, frost protection and ventilation of up to

180 m3/h at 160 Pascals.

(above) The Passive House Institute certified ZehnderComfoAir 180 system is designed to be compact forsmaller homes, and comes with a two-in-one externalwall grill

Versatile launch new compact passive house MVHR system

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News

Components centre stage at 2015 InternationalPassive House ConferenceThe passive house standard enables every

building owner to benefit from the energy revolution,

with certified passive house components ensuring

cost-effectiveness. This basic concept will be

the focus of the 2015 International Passive House

Conference, held from 17 to 18 April 2015 in

Leipzig.

Over a hundred speakers from all over the world

will present exemplary projects and solutions

for building and ventilation systems and windows

within the context of new builds and retrofits.

An exhibition will provide specific examples

of products currently available on the market.

The conference programme is now online at

www.passivehouseconference.org

Passive house components allow building

owners to save hard cash, says Dr. Wolfgang

Feist, director of the Passive House Institute.

The certificate provides planners and archi-

tects with a high reliability that the calculated

energy efficiency of a building will be achieved in

practice. Besides the economic viability of the

passive house standard, the focal points of the

event will include challenges of specific building

uses and of different climatic circumstances.

The conference takes place under the auspices

of Sigmar Gabriel, German Federal Minister

for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Over a third of total energy consumption in in-

dustrialised countries is attributable to buildings

and to heating in particular. Up to 90 percent

of this energy can be saved in a passive house,

meaning the remaining energy demand can

easily be covered by renewables. The passive

house standard is therefore an ideal basis for

the nearly zero-energy building, requested in the

EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive,

which comes into effect for all new buildings

in 2021, and for all new public buildings in 2019.

Since 1997, the International Passive House

Conference has been held annually by the

Passive House Institute in different locations.

The city of Leipzig, the Saxony Chamber of

Architects and the University of Innsbruck are

co-organisers of the 2015 conference. Some

of the lectures are embedded into the EU-funded

EuroPHit (step-by-step retrofits) and PassREg

(Passive House regions with renewable energies)

projects. In addition to the exhibition, the con-

ference will be complemented by a number of

workshops and excursions.

(above) Congress Centre Leipzig, the venue for the2015 International Passive House Conference

ISH, the worlds biggest trade fair for water

and heating technologies, will take place in

Frankfurt am Main from 10 to 14 March, at

the exhibition grounds of Messe Frankfurt.

Messe Frankfurt expects that around 2,400

exhibitors from all around the world will present

their latest products and innovations, across

over 260,000 square metres of exhibition space.

ISH pitches itself as the worlds leading trade

fair for the bathroom experience, building, energy,

airconditioning technology and renewable en-

ergies.

Comfort meets technology is the motto of

this years fair. ISH stands for future-oriented

subjects, such as resource conservation and

the use of renewable energies, as well as de-

mographic change and the associated changing

conditions in the fields of water and energy,

says Wolfgang Marzin, president and chief

executive officer of Messe Frankfurt.

ISH is the leading trade fair for sustainable

sanitation solutions, innovative bathroom design,

energy-efficient heating technologies combined

with renewable energies, and environmentally-

friendly airconditioning, cooling and ventilation

technology.

Exhibitors with environmentally-friendly, design-

oriented bathroom solutions will exhibit in the

ISH Water section, which is to be found together

with the World of Installation Technology on

the east side of the exhibition centre, in halls

two, three, four, five and six.

Meanwhile the ISH Energy section with building-

services and energy technology, renewable

energies and cooling, airconditioning and ven-

tilation technology is located in the western

part of the Exhibition Centre, in halls eight,

nine, ten, eleven and the Galleria.

(above) Sustainable energy technologies featuredheavily at ISH 2013, a trend that will continue at thisyears show

ISH to host 2,400 exhibitors in building & energy technology

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News

OldBuilders bring space-age material tohistoric Dublin restoration

Conservation specialists the OldBuilders Company

are currently using Aerogel insulation, often re-

ferred to as a space age insulation because

of its use on space shuttles, to insulate a historic

19th century building in Killiney, Co Dublin.

Henry Thompson of the OldBuilders Company

told Passive House Plus that he is insulating

most of the dwellings attic with 300mm of hemp

wool insulation, because the material is natural

and vapour permeable.

However, some sections of the attic dont offer

as much space for insulation, with only 100mm

available, demanding the use of a thinner material

that offers excellent U-values and breathability.

Thompson told Passive House Plus that while

Aerogel isnt a natural material, it still offers

the breathability and moisture permeability

that is essential for keeping the structure of

historic buildings dry.

It has been used more in conservation in recent

times, where one has minimal space and a need

to maintain vapour permeability, essential in these

types of structures, he said.

The house in question is 650 square metres,

and was built in 1860. Thompson told Passive

House Plus that, in conservation, insulating

sold lime mortared walls is somewhat contro-

versial, due to its impact on architectural detail

and potential for interstitial condensation, so

most of the thermal upgrade work on this project

is focused on the roof. Only the basement walls

are being insulated with lime based silicate

boards which are bedded and finished in a

lime plaster. The project is a complete restoration,

including lime plastering, slate roofing, sash

windows, as well as new services.

The OldBuilders Company is a specialist

restoration contractor with expertise in lime

plastering, hemp-lime insulation, sash windows,

slate roofing and other conservation skills, as

well as new building construction using timber

frame and natural materials. Their works can

be seen at www.oldbuilders.com

(above) Aerogel insulation being installed on the roofof the house in Killiney

Passive house approved heat pump supplier

Nilan Ireland have called on SEAI to adopt the

EU's new energy labeling system for meas-

uring the energy efficiency of heat pumps.

According to the European Heat Pump Association,

energy labelling is a benchmark for the end-

consumer to see how economical, environmentally

friendly and/or energy saving the product is.

Taking all the performance indicators into

consideration, the product will be put in a cat-

egory ranging from A (best) to G (worst), with

the option of adding classes A+, A++ and

A+++ to accommodate for technical progress,

the association explains.

To achieve the label, heat pumps must be tested

to the EN14825 standard. This provides a seasonal

coefficient of performance figure (SCOP) that,

Maurice Falvey of Nilan Ireland said, shows a

heat pumps true season performance effi-

ciency across a range of temperature conditions.

Its created a benchmark for heat pumps to

be tested again, Falvey said. Under EN14825,

heat pumps can be tested against across three

different European climate zones.

However, the efficiencies stated on the energy

label are not yet automatically accepted by SEAI

for inclusion on its Harp database of heating

products. Falvey called on SEAI to accept the

system in order to create, a level playing field

across Europe.

He said that Nilans range of Compact P combined

heat recovery ventilation & air source heat

pumps had gone through extensive testing to

achieve the standard.

Rather than having national, voluntary or in-

stitutional energy labels, energy labelling will

be a harmonised European standard that will

tell consumers how their heating device will

function in terms of its energy consumption

over its life cycle. Energy labelling will come into

force for heating and hot water appliances

from September of this year.

Nilan calls for Ireland to adopt EU heatpump energy label scheme

ph+ 11


News

GMS becomes exclusive Irish agents forIsothane Technitherm insulation

Longford-based insulation specialists GMS

Insulations Ltd have become exclusive Irish

agents for Isothane Technitherm cavity wall

insulation. Technitherm is a closed-cell, high-

density, polyurethane insulation for masonry

cavity walls. It also serves as an all-in-one

BBA approved wall-tie replacement, delivering

structural stabilisation and thermal insulation,

and is ideal for hard-to-treat and non-standard

cavity walls.

Technitherm has a thermal conductivity of

0.25 W/m2K, and delivers high levels of air-

tightness and moisture resistance, Gerry Sheridan

of GMS Insulations told Passive House Plus.

Installed in a standard 100mm cavity it can

deliver a U-value of 0.21, or in a 150mm cavity

it can deliver a U-value 0.17.

Technitherm also provides high level of airtightness

and acts as a barrier to moisture penetration.

It is the only cavity wall insulation to pass BRE

flood resilience test requirements for homes

in flood risk areas, Sheridan said, and was the

best performing type of cavity wall product ac-

cording to a recent report on flood protection

issued in the UK by the Department for Envi-

ronment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Environment

Agency and the Department of Communities

& Local Government. The materials rigid, closed-

cell nature means it maintains its physical in-

tegrity and has low moisture take-up when

exposed to flood waters.

Sheridan said Technitherm is also completely

CFC and HCFC free. GMS will be rolling the

product out through its existing network of

distributors in Ireland and the UK. Isothane is

an established manufacturer of polyurethane

prepolymers for use in chemical building products,

including structural waterproofing membranes,

construction sealant, adhesives, binders and

elastomers. The company has its manufacturing

base in the town of Accrington in Lancashire.

GMS Insulations is already the Irish agent for

Icynene spray foam insulation system. GMS

has also announced that it has received a Class

0 fire-rating and Class 1 surface spread of flame

rating for its Icynene Classic insulation, the

best ratings available.

(above) Isothane Technitherm being retrofitted to acavity wall; (right) Icynene Classic has received a Class0 fire-rating and Class 1 surface spread of flame rating

Leading Irish airtightness tester Greenbuild

has told Passive House Plus that improving

levels of airtightness on Irish construction

sites has driven the company to purchase a

new, smaller fan for pressure testing of buildings.

The companys Gavin O S told Passive House

Plus he recently ordered the Retrotec 351

European DucTester units, which weighs just

3.5kg. It offers a higher degree of sensitivity

to leakages in very airtight buildings, he said.

He added that his average airtightness test

result on typical housing developments is now

down around 2 air changes per hour, whereas

once it would have been 4 or 5. He said that as

airtightness levels get better, smaller and lighter

fans like the Retrotec 351 become more suitable.

The unit can also fit in various smaller openings

in a building, as opposed to the more traditional

blower-door machine. The Retrotec 351 European

DucTester is also ideal for pressure testing of

small spaces and as the name more than

suggests ductwork.

Greenbuild offers a range of services including

airtightness testing and consultancy, thermal

imaging, BER surveys and consultation on

low energy building. For more information

visit www.greenbuild.ie

(left) to more accurately gauge the increasingly goodairtightness levels of their clients, Greenbuild haveordered a fan originally designed for testing ductwork,the Retrotec 351 European DucTester

Irish airtightness standards gettingbetter Greenbuild


News

Aluwood supplying Viking passivehouse certified windowsPortarlington-based window supplier and in-

staller Aluwood is now supplying Passive House

Institute certified Viking Window AS products

to the Irish market. The Viking SW 14 Aluclad

Passive window boasts U-values of as low as

0.63. It has a 50mm profile of triple-glazing with

two low-e coatings, warm-edge Swisspacers,

and argon fill.

Aluwood also supplies slimmer profile (40mm)

Viking triple-glazed windows with an overall U-

value of 0.97, again with warm edge Swisspacer

bars, low-e coatings and argon fill. Mick Lawlor of

Aluwood told Passive House Plus that demand

for triple-glazing has grown rapidly over the

last few years, to the point where it now rep-

resents 80% to 90% of the companys business.

I think its finally sinking into peoples heads

that its the right way to go, he says.

Aluwood supplied and installed double-glazed

windows for phase one of the retrofit of Rochestown

House social housing in Sallynoggin, Dublin,

which is featured on page 78 of this issue of

Passive House Plus. The company developed

its own sill details for the project, to eliminate

thermal bridging, and delivered the windows

to site pre-fitted with airtightness tapes. Lawlor

told Passive House Plus that Aluwood supply

windows with high quality airtight tapes fitted

as standard now, even if they are not specified.

Triple-glazed Viking windows were also installed

on the Knights Hill low energy house in Essex,

profiled on page 66 of this issue of the magazine.

(right) The Viking SW 14 Aluclad Passive window

Leading Wexford-based solar power company

Solar Electric Ireland has completed the installation

of 200kWp of solar power across local authority

buildings in Tipperary.

The company supplied, installed and com-

missioned solar photovoltaic arrays on nine

public buildings across the county last year,

including Nenagh Leisure Centre, Nenagh

civic offices, Clonmel County Hall, and the

county council offices in Tipperary town.

Solar Electric Ireland was overall winner in

the PV specialist category at the 2014 Public

Sector Magazine Awards, in recognition of

the companys work, which included installing

102 ground and roof-mounted solar panels at

the Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig,

Co Wexford, a system totalling 25kWp.

The heritage park currently has an ESB bill of

around 36,000 which will hopefully be halved

once the whole solar array and other work

comes on stream, said the parks manager,

Maura Bell.

Solar Electric Ireland is an Irish owned company

specialising in solar photovoltaic systems. The

company offers bespoke turnkey systems,

from initial consultation to the design, supply

and installation, followed up by aftercare and

advisory service.

The company also recently installed a photo-

voltaic array at a large modernist-style passive

house in the Dublin Mountains. Solar Electrics

own offices feature a 4kWp PV array, sited on

a carport, to not only power the offices which

include LED lighting and state-of-the-art electric

heaters, but also the companys electric vehicles.

Managing director Tom Foley told Passive House

Plus that while he sees the recent closure of

Electric Irelands micro-generation scheme as

a retrograde step, he is optimistic there will be

a positive announcement regarding renewables

and micro-generation in the not-too-distant future.

He is hopeful a new scheme will be introduced

that invests in micro-generation, with a defi-

nite framework, and that offers the long-term

incentives required for people to invest in new

technologies.

There are opportunities out there that, if taken

now, will move the micro-generation agenda

forward so that Ireland can realise the targets

that are potentially achievable. he said.

Solar Electric Ireland bringsgreen energy to Tipp buildings

ph+ 13


News

Recoup wastewater heat recoverysystems tap into efficiencyHighway Wholesalers, the Waterford-based

supplier of kitchen, bathroom and water treatment

appliances, has launched Recoup wastewater

heat recovery systems (WWHR) to Ireland.

The Recoup system recovers up to 68% of

waste heat from showers by extracting heat

from water that flows down the drain.

With this system, hot water that goes down the

drain either clings to the side of the patented

Recoup pipe exchanger or drips on to a patented

coiled copper exchanger. The heat transfer

from the outgoing hot to the incoming cold allows

a temperature increase of around 15 degrees.

The pre-heated cold feed then feeds the shower

mixer, boiler and or hot water cylinder.

A recent report by the UKs National House

Building Council Foundation concluded that

wastewater heat recovery technology could

help to reduce household CO2 emissions by 7%.

Performance test data for the Recoup pipe system

is available under SAP Appendix Q, and technology

can be used to improve a buildings performance in

the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP).

The Recoup system is suitable for both new build

and retrofit in residential settings, as well as

commercial, hospitality and leisure buildings.

The system is discrete and does not require any

interaction or planned maintenance from the

user. For more information, visit www.hwl.ie

(above) The Recoup wastewater heat recovery system

Solar power supplier PV Tech has advised

anyone considering the installation of a solar

thermal system to first consider whether solar

photovoltaics (PV) can deliver greater energy

savings for the same capital cost.

Since 2008, solar thermal has been the most

common way that new households have met

the renewables requirement in Part L of the

building regulations. But in recent years the

capital cost of solar PV has dropped, to the

point where it is now comparable in price to

solar thermal, and in the majority of cases more

cost-effective, according to Mike ORourke of

PV Tech.

The energy cost savings with solar PV (coupled

with a hot water controller) depending on what

primary heating system youre using, your hot

water consumption and the proportion of self

consumption of PV power for electricity demands

can vary between two and four times

greater than with solar thermal, ORourke

told Passive House Plus.

He pointed out that, because he also supplies

solar thermal collectors through his installation

company, he is in an ideal position to compare

the two technologies objectively.

As an example, ORourke offered one cost

comparison calculation for a client weighing

up the potential savings of a solar hot water

system versus solar PV. The clients house

was around 270 square metres and occupied

by just two people, meaning it would not make

full use of the solar thermal systems ability to

generate solar hot water.

The main fuel in the house is wood logs which,

costing about 5c per kWh, means the savings

for a three-panel solar thermal system would

amount to just 60 per year or 102 if the

house was fully occupied. ORourke said that

the figures for a heat pump or wood pellet

heating would be similar. If the house was

fully occupied and heated with oil, at 10.5C

per kilowatt, the solar thermal system would

save an estimated 214.

By contrast, he said, the 1680Wp solar PV

system (including hot water controller) costing

about 15% less than the above solar water

heating system, would save an estimated 320.50,

or potentially up to 338 if all of the electricity

produced is used in the house rather than di-

verted to water heating (via an immersion).

ORourke also pointed out that its far easier

to meet the TGD L renewables target using

solar PV than solar thermal. Out of the above

mentioned systems, the solar thermal system

would meet the TGD L target for a house up

to about 197 square metres, whereas the solar

PV system would comply for a house of up to

361 square metres, he said.

PV Tech: solar PV more cost-effectivethan solar thermal

ph+ 15


News

KNX Tech brings home automationto Georgian manor in Waterford

Dublin-based intelligent building and home

automation experts KNX Tech have just com-

pleted one of the largest residential projects

in Ireland to date using KNX technology, at a

Georgian mansion in Co Waterford.

The system is designed to automate and in-

tegrate the huge buildings lighting, heating,

air conditioning and other services, meaning

it can be easily controlled through the central

GIRA Homeserver. The setup includes 157

dimming light circuits, 43 zones of underfloor

heating, and seven Daikin heat pumps.

The house has about half the amount of KNX

equipment as Connolly Hospital in Blan-

chardstown, Niall Walsh, technical director of

KNX Tech, told Passive House Plus, whose

own passive house - including a KNX system

- features on page 52 of this issue.

KNX is an international building control standard

for intelligent buildings. It enables the inte-

gration and programming of a range of prod-

ucts from different manufacturers from

heating systems and automated doors to

lighting to audio controls through a single

interface. Walsh told Passive House Plus that

KNX allows all these systems to speak the same

language, enabling them to operate seamlessly

across the same network, ensuring maximum

efficiency.

He said that getting mechanical and electrical

working together rather than against each other

maximises energy efficiency for example

occupancy sensors will let the system know

when the room or house is unoccupied, and

adjust the heating accordingly.

(above) This Georgian manor in Co Waterford is oneof Irelands biggest residential KNX projects to date

Daikin Europe NV and subsidiary company Rotex

Heating Systems GmbH are set to showcase

their best of breed climate control systems

in the run up to the EUs new energy labelling

directive, which will come into force later this

year.

New minimum efficiency standards for energy-

related products including heating and hot water

systems will require displaying the new energy

labels. By introducing a standardised label for-

mat, the EUs aim is to make it easier for pur-

chasers to obtain clear and comprehensive

information on product energy efficiency when

comparing different systems.

The ISH Exhibition, the worlds leading trade fair

for energy-efficient heating and air conditioning,

is due to be held in Frankfurt in March 2015.

As well as showcasing their latest innovations

in heat pumps, condensing boilers and solar

thermal systems, Daikin will unveil their new

energy efficiency labels at the show. Daikin

and Rotex heating and hot water systems per-

form to an A grade or higher, exceeding the

minimum market requirements.

The Daikin group offers a wide range of market

tested solutions in heating, domestic hot water

and cooling, from renewable energy technologies

to conventional systems, suitable for residential,

commercial and industrial applications across

Europe.

Peter Verkempynck, general manager, Heating

for Daikin Europe N.V., said: We have an informative

programme planned for the show, which will be

the ideal arena to show our latest innovations

and demonstrate our wide expertise and years

of experience in the heating market. Next to our

wide range of heat pumps, our solar thermal

systems have been independently tested to be

the most effective way to improve efficiency of

our gas and oil condensing boilers. This results

in the best possible energy labels for both re-

newable and traditional heating systems offered

by Daikin and Rotex.

You can visit Daikin and Rotex at Hall 8.0, Stand

E94 at ISH from 10 to 14 March at Messe Frankfurt,

Germany

(left) Daikin Europe's Richie Sherlock at ISH 2013

Daikin to showcase new energy label at ISH


News

Variotherm technology heats & cools energy-plusStuttgart research houseTechnology from Austrian heating and cooling

specialist Variotherm has been installed on a

pioneering new energy-positive house in Stuttgart,

Germany.

The Bruckmannweg 10 (B10) research house

produces almost twice as much energy as it

consumes, and is located in the heart of Stuttgarts

famous Weissenhof Estate, which was built

in the 1920s to showcase the international style

of modern architecture, and features two Le

Corbusier houses.

The B10 dwelling is of timber frame construction

infilled with vacuum insulation panels, specified

because the tight nature of the site meant the walls

had to be thin. The white-and-glass modernist style

house was completed last year, and boasts a solar

photovoltaic roof array that generates about 8,300

kilowatt hours per year and charges two electric cars.

A water-to-water heat pump is the main source

of heating, drawing on a water tank buried in

the ground nearby. Heat is delivered throughout

the house via Variotherm wall and ceiling based

heating and cooling systems. Solar thermal

collectors feature on the roof too.

The houses intelligent energy management

system can be controlled by smartphone or tablet,

while insulating panels roll down over the glazed

facade at night to keep heat in.

The car is kept within the thermal envelope of

the house, to test whether this will reduce the

vehicles need for heating and thus helps to

maximise battery life. Excess electricity is ex-

ported to the house next door.

During the first phase of the project, the building

will be open for members of the public to visit

and learn about the design. During the second

phase, two students will live in the house free

of charge. Data on the energy generated and

consumed by the building plus reams of other

information is being collected and analysed

by a team from the University of Stuttgart.

The house is also designed to be completely

recycled at the end of its life. It is about leaving

the generations that come after us a built en-

vironment without gigantic mountains of rubbish

or huge energy consumption, said its architect

Werner Sobek.

Variotherm products are supplied in Ireland and

the UK by Blackrock-based HWI Sustainable

Buildings.

Danish company Lacuna has launched its

range of low energy bi-folding doors in the UK

and Ireland. The Lacuna doors, which have

been tested at the IFT Rosenheim testing

centre in Germany, and certified by the ap-

proved testing centre at Danish Technological

Institute, have overall U-values down as low

as 0.7.

Company founder Henrik Bruns said: Having

spent a good part of my childhood in Green-

land, where the impact of wind, water and salt

is high almost all year around, it was important

to me that we produced a door which could

withstand such harsh conditions. We now have

doors successfully installed in Greenland, Norway

and on the Shetland Islands.

The doors are made from heat-treated beech,

and during the heating process (24 hours in a 198C

hot oven) the properties of the wood structure

changes permanently. In addition to the in-

crease in natural durability, the heat treatment

also makes the timber very stable and durable,

and accordingly it does not absorb moisture

and expand in humid weather.

Another advantageous effect of the heat treat-

ment is that it fills the timber structure with air.

Bruns added: Through a microscope one is able

to see that it consists of many small air pockets

neatly packed together; and it is these that give

the wood the excellent insulation properties

and thereby the low U-value.

Air permeability of the Lacuna bi-folding doors

has been tested to EN 12207 class four at +/-

600 Pa, and water tightness to EN 12208 Class

E1200. All ironmongery is made of the highest

marine-grade acid-proof stainless steel.(right) Lacuna low energy bi-folding doors, availablein the UK and Ireland

Lacuna launches low energy bi-folding doors

Photo

: Z

ooey B

raun

ph+ 17


News

Smet launches EasylationWall externalinsulation systemSmet Building Products has launched Easylation-

Wall, an easy-to-use external wall insulation

technology based on brick slips and utilising

natural stone or ceramics. The system incor-

porates extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation.

According to Smet, the main benefits of Easylation-

Wall include short construction time and assembly,

high insulation values, low cost due to the light

construction method, and a dry construction

method that is not weather dependent. The

system is also 99% recyclable and free of thermal

bridges, and is moisture-regulating. It comes

with a ten year product guarantee.

Smet director Joris Smet said EasylationWall

can be installed in new-builds and renovation

projects and is also very suited to off-site con-

struction systems, such as timber frame, steel-

frame and prefab concrete construction.

Planning conditions in some areas may dictate

that the existing brick faade may have to be

entirely replaced like-for-like in retrofit projects,

keeping the new faade consistent with the old.

EasylationWall EWI system complete with a

brick slip finish, results in both improved thermal

performance of the building and a faade fin-

ish in-keeping with the area, said Joris Smet.

The brick slips are created by sawing a shell of

approximately 22 mm thickness off a complete

whole brick. This is possible with almost any

type of brick clay fired brick, concrete brick

and calcium silicate brick. In addition to flat slips,

corner slips (L-shaped) and half bricks can

also be created. Any type of stone or ceramic

may be utilised to create the brick slip finish,

including natural stone, glass and ceramic.

The system can incorporate up to 30cm of insula-

tion and deliver U-values as low as 0.11. The high

density XPS insulation boards have a high thermal

resistance and excellent impact resistance for

durability, said Smet, adding that due to the

sealed cell structure, the system is damp proof.

Smet has partnered with leading supplier, Brick

and Stone, to distribute EasylationWall. We are

also delivering comprehensive training and

demonstrations to Brick and Stone, ensuring all

agents are proficient in the superior benefits of

EasylationWall external wall insulation system,

said Smet.

(above) The EasylationWall brick slip system

Munster Joinery has announced the opening of

a new showroom in Belfast with over 120 products

on display. The showroom offers architects,

builders and homeowners in Northern Ireland

the opportunity to see Munster products locally,

including the companys range of passive house

certified windows.

The purchase of windows and doors represents

a significant part of the spend on any project.

There are a wide range of factors to be con-

sidered such as thermal performance, acoustic

performance, solar gain, luminous factors and

weather-tightness as well as aesthetics. Be the

project new build, extension or refurbishment,

the customer is inundated with masses of lit-

erature for various products making it difficult

to differentiate. The hands-on clarity offered

by the showroom situation is the ideal way to

make an informed selection, said Marlene

OMahony, quality manager at Munster Joinery.

Window technology has become increasingly

more complex in recent years. Many of the

Munster products on display have been certified

as being suitable components for passive

housing and low energy buildings by the Passive

House Institute in Germany. O'Mahony says the

showroom will be an easy way for the customer

to get a feel for some of the technology involved

double, triple and even quadruple-glazing,

low emissivity glass coatings, warm edge spacer

bars, and low conductivity gas fills such as argon

and krypton.

The diversity of ranges, materials, colours, operating

systems, glazing types and levels of performance

on offer make it much simpler to select the

correct windows and doors for any project.

Munster Joinery is a family owned company

with manufacturing locations in Ireland and the

UK, and is now one of the largest window and

door manufacturers in Europe. The company

has responded to the energy challenge facing

businesses globally today by investing heavily

both in efficient product design and in green

and sustainable operations, O'Mahony said.

The company's 900,000 square foot production

facility in Ballydesmond, Co Cork is largely

powered by two on-site wind turbines with an

output of 4.2MW. Timber off-cuts and sawdust

from the process are used to fuel a combined

heat and power plant delivering 12MW thermal

and 2.8MW of electrical energy.

Munster Joinery opens Belfast showroom


News

Pro Clima launches Contega Solidoairtight & windtight tapesPro Clima has launched its new range of Contega

Solido airtightness and wind-tightness plaster

sealing tapes, for a range of internal and external

applications. The range is available in Ireland

and the UK from Ecological Building Systems.

It is widely accepted that to attain optimum

levels of airtightness in masonry construction,

the internal block must be plastered continuously

with a suitable plaster layer. In order to limit

air leakage, it is critical that the plaster on the

inside of external walls is continuous and bonds

to adjacent building elements continuously

without gaps or cracks occurring. Windows

and door junctions are often highlighted as

one of the primary areas where air leakage

occurs in buildings, particularly in masonry

constructions where the internal plaster layer

forms the airtightness layer and the external

plaster layer forms the wind-tightness layer.

Contega Solido SL is an internal airtightness

and vapour control sealing tape which may be

used to seal windows, doors or even beams

penetrating the external block walls, directly to

masonry or timber surfaces. Following this the

tape may be plastered directly on the specialist

fleece layer. Contega Solido SL tape may also

be used to seal vapour control layers (such as

Intello Plus) to block walls at wall plate level.

Contega Solido EXO is an external wind-tightness

and diffusion open sealing tape which may be

used to seal windows and doors to external

block walls or timber surfaces. It can also be

plastered directly on the specialist fleece layer.

Contega Solido EXO wind-tightness tape may

be used externally to seal windows or doors

to block surfaces, for plastering later.

Both Contega Solido SL & EXO feature two

release papers, allowing installers to activate

individual parts of the glue, for ease of instal-

lation at critical junctions. The Contega Solido

range also features Pro Climas patented solid

acrylic glue, guaranteeing optimum bonding

to surfaces.

For more information or samples of the Pro Clima

range of Solido tapes or any other airtightness

& wind-tightness enquiries, contact Ecological

Building Systems. More information is available

at www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com

(above) Contega Solido SL tape sealing a Pro ClimaIntello membrane to poroton construction

Ancon, specialist in the design and manufacture

of high integrity steel structural fixings, will in-

troduce its new Acoustic range of cavity wall ties

and shear load dowels at the UKs leading

sustainable construction event, Ecobuild 2015.

The company, which also offers ranges of low

thermal conductivity wall ties & balcony connectors,

has now turned its attention to improving the

sound resilience of buildings.

Ancon acoustic wall ties connect the leaves

of a cavity wall and feature a pre-compressed

acoustic isolation element to minimise the transfer

of airborne noise. Typical applications for these

high performance products are recording studios

and cinemas, however Ancon say they are

equally suitable for any new build residential

development, as they comply with Approved

Document E of the English building regulations

as a type A tie for separating walls. Available

in incremental lengths of 25mm, the new Ancon

ACOU range suits a cavity range of 50mm to

175mm.

The new Ancon acoustic dowel is designed to

transfer shear load and allow essential move-

ment at joints in concrete frames, while also

reducing impact sound through a building by

isolating adjacent concrete elements. The stain-

less steel Ancon dowel locates in a sound

damping sleeve that de-couples components

such as stairs from the main structural frame.

Typical applications include multi-occupancy

buildings, like hotels and apartments, where

unwanted noise can adversely affect a persons

concentration, relaxation and sleep.

Also on show will be Ancons full range of low

thermal conductivity, corrosion-resistant build-

ing products including basalt fibre wall ties for

masonry and timber frame buildings, stainless

steel brick support systems and insulated bal-

cony connectors. You can visit Ancon on stand

N3090 at EcoBuild to see examples of all new

products and to speak to a technical advisor.

(left) The new Ancon Acoustic range

Ancon launches Acoustic range at Ecobuild 2015

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Increasing household energy efficiency

through retrofitting existing properties

is now one of the UKs and Irelands

strategies to meet energy and climate

change targets, as well as helping to

protect against cold-related illnesses.

Greater insulation and sealing properties

to prevent heat loss can help those in

fuel poverty, which is a public health

problem affecting around 2.4 million

homes in the UK.

Yet throughout this process, the impacts

on the indoor environment have often

been overlooked. As we begin to un-

derstand the importance of internal

housing conditions to good health

and wellbeing, were shedding light

on how some building designs are

compounding indoor air quality problems.

It is generally accepted that living in

homes with reduced ventilation rates

can lead to problems with condensation

and mould growth. It is also known that

the state of our indoor environments

is influenced by a number of factors.

Heating, insulation, ventilation and

peoples behaviours, along with the

type, orientation and geographic location

of a property, all work to affect the air

quality in our homes.

Over recent years weve witnessed a

rise in allergic diseases that cant be

explained by factors such as genetic

changes alone. The United Kingdom

has one of the highest occurrences of

asthma in the world, with the disease

presenting substantial economic and

societal pressures. This has led to an

increased focus on indoor air quality

to explain this rise and a robust body

of evidence now suggests that rates

of allergic and respiratory disease are

linked to poor indoor housing conditions.

Yet no study has been able to assess

how increasing household energy ef-

ficiency may impact the health and

wellbeing of people living in homes

with inadequate ventilation and mould

growth.

Based at the University of Exeter Medical

Schools European Centre for Envi-

ronment & Human Health, we recently

published findings from a systematic

review, which showed damp and specific

types of mould can pose a significant

health risk to people with asthma.

We then conducted a study1 based on

700 social housing properties in Cornwall,

to examine how poor air quality and

dampness can affect the health of people

living in energy efficient homes.

We found that greater household energy

efficiency represented a higher risk of

asthma, but at the same time lowered

problems with indoor mould contamination.

There are a number of potential ex-

planations for these findings, but we

believe that a failure to heat and

ventilate the home is likely to lead to

exposure to dampness-related pollutants.

The study pointed to other possible

factors which can affect health in homes

with high humidity, such as different

types of moulds, house dust mites and

bacteria, as well as other biological,

chemical and physical pollutants not

assessed in this study. While greater

insulation in energy efficient homes

may reduce the risk of condensation,

this may be impacted by fuel poverty

where people make choices about

the way they heat and ventilate the

home to reduce the cost of fuel bills.

This study, published in the journal

Environment International in 2015,

raises questions about the way energy

efficiency improvements are made and the

importance of ventilation. It represents

the first time we have been able to com-

bine detailed asset management data

with information about occupant behaviour

and health, to assess the factors likely

to contribute to asthma, but there are

many questions yet to address.

It is vital that we continually improve the

energy efficiency of homes to reduce

the carbon footprint of the domestic

sector and make homes more affordable

to heat, but we need to address the

effectiveness of current ventilation

methods and the role of occupant

behaviours. For example future work

needs to consider how ventilation

systems cope with the requirements

of different types of buildings (e.g. houses

versus flats), fluctuating occupancy rates

and changes in behaviours, which may

include the use of different types of

mechanical ventilation systems.

Focusing on social housing enabled us

to explore a wide range of buildings,

from traditionally stone-built properties,

through to retrofitted homes and new

builds. But we were unable to explore

how homes with a SAP rating of >88

(Ed. roughly equivalent to a B1 BER)

and this should be assessed in future

work. We also need to overcome some

of the limitations of current work by

having a better definition of energy

efficiency the current SAP method-

ology does not account for variations

in occupant behaviours and the actual

day-to-day performance of a property

is likely to differ from its predicted energy

performance.

The extent to which a home is heated

and ventilated is also largely controlled

by the habits of its occupants, and the

way people live in their homes varies

hugely. Energy efficiency and the type

of ventilation system installed needs to

consider the impact of varying occupant

behaviours, which can increase the

indoor humidity at a property. This

problem may be worsened by the type

of heating system and by efforts to seal

cracks and gaps, if due attention isnt

given to addressing cold bridging and

ventilation. That said, this sealing work

may prevent vapour generated inside

the dwelling from condensing interstitially,

reducing the risk of unseen mould

growth in the structure when combined

with adequate heating and cold bridging

detailing.

Crucially, we know little about how

these behavioural factors contribute

to damp and mould in homes that

have been retrofitted to make them

more energy efficient an increasingly

important issue as huge swathes of

old housing stock is revamped. We

believe that occupant behaviours such

as drying washing on indoor racks,

not using extractor fans or opening

windows when showering, and not

ventilating the home during colder

months could partly explain our findings.

Our current study assesses how fuel

poverty behaviours, use of extractor fans,

perception of risk and the extent of

energy efficiency affects the extent

of indoor mould contamination. The

findings of this study builds on our

previous work and will be published

over the coming weeks to raise

awareness of the potential problems

resulting from fuel poverty.

Richard Sharpe is a PhD researcher atthe European Centre for Environment& Human Health. He has receivedfunding from the European SocialFund Convergence Programme forCornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Why poorly conceived energyefficiency efforts may cause asthma

A new UK study has unearthed a worrying correlation between energy efficiency and asthma. Studyco-author Richard Sharpe sheds light on work that demonstrates the need for energy efficiency approachesthat enhance rather than threaten occupant health.

1Sharpe, R., Thornton, C. R., Nikolaou, V. & Osborne, N. J. 2015. Higher energy efficient homes are associated with increased risk of doctor diagnosed asthma

in a UK sub population. Environment International, 75, 234-244

Passive house is nearing 25 years of

scientific facts, and so the question for

practitioners today is how we can best

link exemplary construction with everyday

building practices and on-site behaviours.

Top-down legislation as per Irelands

recent building control regulations is

little use without a bottom-up transformation

in the way we educate our workforce

and commission, tender and construct

buildings. We urgently need significant

social housing yet we have ungainly

legislation and a dearth of leadership.

This piece is based loosely on the following

facts, value judgements and hunches.

Which is which, I leave to the reader.

1. Small decisions are often agonised

over, while really big decisions are made

with abandon. Significant policy decisions,

particularly when politically opportune,

rarely get the scrutiny and circumspection

they deserve.

2. The really difficult things in construction

are full of small decisions. The person

making decisions on site should be en-

couraged to take responsibility for them.

3. Trying to design a low energy building

without adequate airtightness is akin

to watering a garden with a sieve. The

intentions of Part F (ventilation) of the

building regulations are not aligned

to Part L (conservation of fuel and energy).

Excess renewables are not an adequate

substitute for poor construction.

4. The 23% Vat rate on professional

services (such as passive house design)

negates the use of such knowledge,

denying future generations of the long

term benefits. All insulation materials

should also be zero Vat rated.

5. Sub-contractors do not a good main

contractor make. PPPs are not a

panacea for quality or effort. Low tenders

destroy cooperative construction.

6. You cannot change a building control

system in two years. The entire Irish

system needs to be significantly re-thought,

while educational, professional and

training systems require time to change.

7. Irelands new building control system

is a privatisation of risk, and a deskilling

of local authorities. (In line with the fact

that Ireland is one of the most politically

centralised administrations in Europe.)

8. Good politicians are good at being

re-elected; everything else is a bonus.

9. Government departments protect

their own budgets first. Cooperation with

other departments does not appear

to be part of their default value system.

10. Construction quality is a challenge

from the bottom up as much as from

the top down. We need a strategy to

meet in the middle; blue collar and

white collar makes green collar.

11. Many skills within the construction

industry can only be taught through

apprenticeship. Architecture might

well be one. In 2014 only four plasterers

in Ireland registered for apprenticeship.

12. Dublin is Europe's capital city for

solar space-heating suitability. A house

in Ireland can meet more than 20% of

its space heating demand through solar

for eight months of the year, versus seven

months in Hamburg and six in Frankfurt.

13. More people die annually as a result

of bad housing than die on the roads, or

by suicide. We need to ask why this is

not a priority issue for society to address.

14. Every 1 spent within communities

to create good low energy social housing

returns 3 to 4, based on savings made

against fuel poverty, hospital stays,

better health outcomes, job creation

and increased disposable incomes.

15. Addressing why people die due to bad

housing requires money, effort, sweat

and maybe tears. It needs government

departments to talk to each other - Health,

Social Protection, Environment, Energy,

Finance and the Taoiseach. One

suspects this isnt happening.

16. Professionalism is dead, killed by

lowest cost tenders. Professional in-

stitutes have become mere trade unions

for their members interests. They

might be better served by being more

vocal advocacies for their communities.

17. If professionals cannot shout stop

against building control regulations

which are paper heavy, legally fraught,

expensive to implement and not fit

for the consumer, then who does?

18. Lowest tenders are not necessarily

better. Average tender values give a

more accurate reflection of true project

costs and also professional services.

19. Architecture in general is neither a

fine art nor utilitarian engineering, it is a

craft-based skill combined with intelligent,

beautiful design. Good construction is

the result of collaboration, communication

and shared values, not competition.

20. No amount of inspection plans,

site inspections or occupancy certifi-

cates will protect a project against a

craftsperson with the attitude: I am

only here from the neck down. To

quote Admiral Hopper again, you

manage things, you lead people.

21. Good low energy buildings start

with south facing strategies. Planners

need education in low energy design

and site planning.

22. Front doors dont always have to face

the public road. Windows dont have to ape

traditional construction. Comfort, low energy

and good design are mutually inclusive.

23. Fenestration can be aesthetically

subjective; in PHPP, fenestration is

objective regarding energy use. If north

points have to be shown on plans let

them be relevant to the design. Inap-

propriate orientation costs money.

To achieve real build quality we need

a regulatory control system that rewards

scientifically verifiable strategies such

as passive house. We need a system

that helps develop design skill-sets and

apprenticeship pathways through a

stable industry, addressing fuel poverty,

attracting low property tax and meeting

local regulatory requirements. We need

a planning control methodology that allows

strategic construction-stage revisions to

refine energy use and focuses expenditure

not just on paper trails but on good

construction, adequately paid for by real

average tender procedures. We need

contractors with verifiable construction

skills, rewarded for having permanent

specialist staff and project management

skills, and answerable to a trained and

supported local building control authority,

in turn supported by a planning authority

willing to intervene within the free market

to control ill-considered applications. If we

actively support design influenced by sci-

ence we may yet bridge the gap between

blue and white collar and create a green

collar construction sector that holds

its rightful place within the economy

of a country, as opposed to being its

economic flywheel. A top down legislative

environment without responsible con-

tracting, bottom-up skills and verified

design strategies serves no good.

Martin Murray is an architect in privatepractice. He is

passive house plus issue 10 (irish edition)

Documents

passive house standard

copiesof passive house

house prices

energy reductions

ireland includingwithin

building regulations

construction prices

irish times article