CSH & Denby Dale Passivhaus
Denby Dale Passivhaus and Code for Sustainable Homes (Energy)
There is a growing call in the UK for Passivhaus standards to be integrated into targets for Low and ‘Zero Carbon’ buildings through the Energy elements of Code for Sustainable Homes and upcoming revisions of the Building Regulations. This will, at the very least, mean significant changes to the Code and upgrading the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) to make it as accurate for low energy buildings as the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP).
More information on the relationship between CSH & Passivhaus
Passivhaus project reveals flaws in Code - analysis of Denby Dale Passivhaus reveals failings of SAP 2005 energy methodology - 18/09/09
Trail-blazing UK Passivhaus set to hit only Code level 3 - www.building.co.uk news story 18/09/09
1. Denby Dale SAP calculation (Actual): Gas space & water heating
The percentage improvement of the DER over the TER is 41.29% which is equivalent to Level 3 of the Code and gains 7 credits. Level 4 of the Code requires a 44% improvement. 2. Comparison of energy performance of recent low energy projects
* It was not possible to undertake a full CSH assessment of the Denby Dale Passivhaus, due to budgetary constraints, however, the mandatory energy results illustrate that it could have received no more than a Level 3 overall rating, using current SAP 2005 methodology. o Lighthouse data was sourced from: Lighthouse brochure, available at: www.kingspanlighthouse.com. Space heating value provided was calculated using an adapted version of SAP. Accessed November 2008. o Old Apple Store and Norbury Court data was sourced from: The Code for Sustainable Homes: Case Studies. Available at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/codecasestudies. Accessed March 2009. o Denby Dale figures calculated using Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP) software 2010 as part of Passivhaus certification.. 3. SAP 2009 is currently out for consultation and will replace SAP 2005 in 2010. There are some changes to the methodology due to take place, including a possible revision in the assumed CO2 emissions per kWh of fuel used. It is possible that these changes would affect the Energy rating for the Denby Dale house. 4. 'Projecting energy use and CO2 emissions from low energy buildings: A comparison of PHPP with SAP', AECB CarbonLite Programme, www.aecb.net/PDFs/Combined_PHPP_SAP_FINAL.pdf |
5. 'Passivhaus in the context of the Code for Sustainable Homes' (dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of MSc Sustainable architecture, University of Huddersfield) by J.M Parker, CSH Assessor and Director 1st Base Projects (www.1stbaseprojects.co.uk)
The full report is available from Green Building Store (email: chayley@greenbuildingstore.co.uk).
