This idea that productivity at work is linked to comfortable temperatures has been studied for many years. There’s plenty of data we can draw on to make the case for designing work environments to the Passive House performance standard, which makes thermal comfort mandatory. Offices are one thing, but warehouses, factories and stores are typically less well heated or cooled …
Ways to earn continuing education credits
Did you know your PHINZ/APA membership gives you access to leading international educational material from iPHA? And if you watch iPHA’s webinars live or very soon after, you’ll earn Passive House continuing education (CE) credits. Passive House qualification renewal This is very helpful for Passive House designers/consultants/tradespeople who want to renew their qualification but don’t qualify via the project method …
designPH course now available on-demand
You can supercharge your designPH skills and improve your Passive House energy modelling whenever it suits you: our short course is now available on-demand. This is particularly useful for anyone wanting to complete the prerequisites for sitting PHI’s PHPP Expert exam*. Our team leans heavily on designPH software because it makes our energy modelling and consulting work faster and more …
Roofing detail provides for ventilation and adequate insulation
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 …