relevant structural elements in such buildings leads to extensive improvements with respect to thermal comfort, structural integrity, cost-effectiveness and energy requirements.The EnerPHit-Standard can be achieved through through two paths:
- compliance with the component method where the walls/roof/floors/windows meet a required performance level for those components – sort of like the R-values requirements in the NZBC or;
- alternatively through compliance with the criteria of the energy demand method where the heating and cooling demand or loads need to meet a standard.
Passive House is designed to allows us to meet our societies energy demands with a fully renewable grid so the standard is not easy to meet with retrofit. What you do get is assurance the result is world leading. The standard is climate specific so in Auckland for example the requirements for heating and cooling demand or loads are the same as the Passive House Classic standard as it is considered a warm climate. In Queenstown up towards the ski slopes double the heating demand is permitted for retrofit as this is the economic optimum.