First certified non-domestic PassivHaus in UK: By definition, low energy should equal low carbon. Certainly, lower running costs will encourage a wider interest, particularly among the public and commercial sector, but enhanced, not reduced, comfort levels are what John Williamson of JPW believes will be a large factor in the adoption of the PassivHaus standard in the UK until legislation potentially forces the construction industry to adopt a UK derivative. Canolfan Hyddgen is a Welsh Assembly/Powys County Council funded scheme. All parties were well aware that gas prices were due to rise by 40% in the winter of 2007 and this played a big part in the design decisions for the build. It is a building used for multiple tenants and occupancy; a school, night classes, adult learners, meeting rooms and a drop in centre and council sevice point.

First certified domestic PassivHaus in UK: The aim of this project was to achieve an autonomous carbon neutral home without any loss of comfort. The project followed a two step philosophy: to reduce energy load and water consumption and to implement on-site renewable energy generation and a carbon neutral auxiliary heat source. John Williamson of JPW reports. The house, called ‘Y foel’, is a residential 2/3 bedroom private house. As with Canolfan Hyddgen (see previous article), a hybrid construction was used - an external I-beam timber frame with an internal core of earth block walls (ground floor only), in combination with Welsh slate floor slabs on 60% GGBS (ground granulated blastfurnace slag) in-situ slab. This has produced very stable indoor temperatures.

Invest in insulation, Should we believe in ‘the law of diminishing returns’?: The law of diminishing returns is frequently cited and used as a ‘raison d’être’ for not using more insulation In this article Tony Cowling and Mike George question whether this is a short sighted approach and discuss whether much higher levels of insulation should be used in both new and existing dwellings.

Electricity from solar - a full year of data: Following his article in our spring edition, Jerry Clark reports back with a full year of data from his PV installation, and summarises with a look back at his projections from earlier in the year. He also attempts to make sense of the government’s proposed scheme for feed-in tarrifs, which is intended to encourage a much faster take up of PVs and renewables.


Also:
Acoustic soundings on the green building forum
Air source heat pumps (viewpoint on the technology)
Hi-rise timber building, part 2
Making the right choices for insulation
Building a green retreat
Hi-rise timber building, part 2
Paper buildings
Green building physics - how photovoltaics work

And loads more. 68 pages, perfect bound

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