10 advantages of building a house with bioclimatic architecture

The Passive House or Passivhaus is a standard of construction that emerged in Germany in the early 90's. Its secret is to combine high interior comfort with a very low energy consumption, almost nil, and at a very affordable price that allows to amortize the Investment difference with respect to a normal building in a very short period of time.

Passive buildings use bioclimatic architecture combined with high energy efficiency. Minimizing the use of conventional heating and cooling systems, buildings are designed to maximize light and solar radiation, with high isolation and a renewal of air through a ventilation system with a heat recuperator.

This is an energy concept applicable to any type of architectural design and any building system. Know some of its benefits:
1. Bioclimatic design
A fundamental aspect for an efficient building is a good study of the climate, orientation, form factor, volume, the capture of solar radiation in winter and its protection in summer, the shadows that the building will have and how Affect you.

2. High thermal insulation
A poorly insulated building consumes up to 30% more energy. Good insulation reduces heat losses in winter and summer profits and, therefore, energy demand for air conditioning.

3. Removal of thermal bridges
A continuous insulation layer, without interruptions and without weakening, avoids the thermal bridges, so common in conventional buildings and which cause a large part of heat losses in buildings.

4. High performance windows
Windows are the weakest element in a building envelope. Between 25% and 30% of the heating expense is due to heat losses from the windows. A good quality of the same and a correct installation is fundamental for a high energy efficiency.

5. Heat recovery
Mechanical ventilation allows the indoor air to be continuously being renewed. Thanks to a heat recuperator, the air that, for example, can enter a winter day at 0 ° when crossing (not mixing) with the one that leaves at about 22 °, yields the internal energy transforming the 0 ° into about 18 °, depending on Of the efficiency of the recuperator and without any heating system.

6. Airtightness
In the passive houses, the airtightness is taken care of by sealing all the joints between the different materials of the building. In this way, there are no unwanted air infiltrations in the building.

7. Comfort
For the homogeneity of the interior temperatures, for the high acoustic insulation and for the quality of the air (in continuous renovation and filtration, therefore free of CO2, VOCs, dust, dirt, pollen, ...).

8. Health
Filtered air prevents the presence of dust and pollen, which reduces allergic reactions. The low concentration of CO2 and VOCs reduces the feeling of tiredness, some ailments such as headaches, irritation in eyes, nose, throat, dryness of the respiratory system and some diseases.

9. Efficiency, sustainability and profitability
Efficient due to low energy consumption and, consequently, economic. Sustainable because the CO2 that ceases to emit a passive house of 350m2 in a year is equivalent to CO2 that absorb about 1,000 trees in a year. A building built under the Passivhaus standard has a construction surcharge between 5 and 10% higher, but this is profitable between 5 and 10 years due to energy saving and maintenance.

10. Certification
Technical tests and certification are the last step to be able to say that a building is built under the Passivhaus standards. It is the only guarantee that the building complies with the requirements established by the Passivhaus Institut of Germany and the level of interior comfort and the energy quality of the construction towards the client.