This detail is a good example of how to have a thin roofline but still sufficient insulation for an R6.6 roof. The advice may vary for a specific project, but in general it’s much more robust to ventilate under the metal roofing using an above sheathing ventilation setup. This can be done with 40mm of thickness if a slim profile …
Trickle vents cheap but not ideal
Trickle vents are making a comeback in New Zealand because in combination with small extract fans they are the lowest-cost way to meet Homestar v5 requirements for continuous ventilation. However trickle vents are not ideal. It’s possible to specify additional small components to improve how this combination functions and it will succeed in reducing relative humidity and introducing fresh air. …
PHPP Expert credential on offer in NZ
New Zealand Passive House designers with suitable experience can now prepare for the PHPP Expert exam that grants official PHI-granted Expert status via a learning pathway developed by local experts at Sustainable Engineering Ltd. The PHI-issued PHPP Expert seal signifies an advanced level of expertise. It is aimed at professionals who specialise in Passive House modelling, frequently model projects for …
New carbon calculator integrates with PHPP
We built The Carbonator, a simple tool calculating building embodied and operational carbon emissions and it is now available so all Passive House designers can use it. Visit sustainableengineering.co.nz/thecarbonator/ for a free download of the tool, to watch a recording of the webinar and download the slide deck. Sustainable Engineering Ltd developed this spreadsheet-based tool in-house to assist with our …
PHI timber thermal bridge catalogue worth downloading
PHI has released an extensive catalogue of 600 timber frame thermal bridge calculations, plus a results file in Excel format that shows the resulting PSI values. The goal was to create a timber thermal bridge catalogue that was manufacturer independent—and which included varying construction thickness and U-values so that intermediate values could be interpolated (using the Excel file). The catalogue …
Essential to manage risks from moisture in CLT buildings
There are some advantages to being laggards in adopting new building products and methods. CLT is more common in Europe and has a longer history of use there. Damage and failures have occurred even in buildings less than five years old. It’s making insurers nervous and some are applying higher premiums to CLT constructions. Some key lessons about protecting against …
Aggregate heat loss testing (coheating) standard released
Good news: a European Standard for heat load testing has been released. I hope it will lead to more research that measures the performance gap (if any) between the heating load predicted by design stage energy modelling and as-built performance. Heat load testing is also known as co-heating testing, it’s a measure of a building’s thermal performance. The standard uses …
Streamlining Passive House design
There’s some anticipation about the release of easyPH, understandable given its promise to make Passive House design easier. Here’s some advice for new designers about how to streamline and simplify Passive House design, some of which is applicable to either PHPP or easyPH. Firstly, make sure you’re familiar with the subset of projects that can be designed using easyPH. This …
easyPH tool aims to simplify Passive House design
A new tool for Passive House designers aims to simplify the entry of data into the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) software. Called easyPH, the beta version is bundled with PHPP 10.6. If coupled with modelling in designPH, easyPH will save a lot of time and should reduce stress for new Passive House designers, particularly if you review and follow …