Passive House Plus (Sustainable building) issue 30 IRL subscriber by Passive House Plus (Sustainable Building)

INSULATION | AIRTIGHTNESS | BUILDING SCIENCE | VENTILATION | GREEN MATERIALS

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Air source heat pumps

Study shows strong results in retrofits

Cork retrofit

blitzes new build NZEB standard

Issue 30 €4.75 IRISH EDITION

Dublin City bedsits reborn as passive flats

Midsummer nightmare

Designing to avoid overheating

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ADVERTORIAL

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luminium products have always been popular for the most advanced projects and with the most demanding architects. The material offers greater possibilities than any other in the design of glazing. For the more progressive architects and designers, it is important to stay informed on the newest technologies as those boundaries are constantly being pushed further. In fact, this push is mostly generated by the same architects and designers, who always look to make their glazing bigger, more unique, more spectacular. The industry has to follow, and Aluminium is what they go to, to amaze the market with new solutions once again. The growing interest in this metal is not surprising – it has many unquestionable advantages.

FLEXIBILITY AND DURABILITY Analysing the benefits of using aluminium, it is worth paying attention primarily to its plasticity. Because of it, this building material is great for creating intricate structures and remarkable glazing, characterized by extraordinary lightness. Due to these features of aluminium products, a seemingly ordinary product can be changed into an element of applied art, constituting a coherent part of the interior design. The phenomenon of this material, however, is not only due to the properties that allow you to get a designer look. Aluminium is also an extremely durable metal that is resistant to sun exposure or moisture – it ultimately requires no maintenance. What’s more, it is suitable for windows and doors with a high level of energy efficiency. Its capabilities are maximally used by Aluhaus, a brand that is a part of the OKNOPLAST Group known for its innovativeness.

looking for patio doors should be interested in the Aluhaus Slide – sliding system with increased thermal insulation achieving overall U-values of even 0.84 W/m²K. In order to obtain thermal insulation at this level, a thermal insert enriched with the addition of glass fibre was used here. What is important, the design of the profiles allows the construction of doors with large dimensions – with a single panel able to reach up to 3.2 m in height and 3.3 m in width – completed with triple-glazed units as standard. The introduced technical improvements also have a second, non-obvious advantage: they guarantee good acoustic protection. A notable solution is also the Aluhaus Wall facade, intended for building all kinds of light curtain walls, large glazing and other spatial structures. The shape of poles and transoms enables aesthetic building of facades with visibly narrow dividing lines, while guaranteeing strength and durability of the structure. It is also worth mentioning that the system can be easily connected to the Aluhaus 75 and Aluhaus 90 window and door systems.

WINDOWS, DOORS AND FACADES Among the solutions in the company’s portfolio, it is worth looking at the Aluhaus 75 Superial and Aluhaus 90 Star window and door systems – modern constructions equipped with a thermal barrier. The technology used ensures above-average lightness, and thus, allows the creation of large glazing. This solution works well for different types of windows as well as entrance doors. The brand used these systems in line with its products from the front door category, 75 Tenvis and 90 Elite, which draw in one hundred percent of aluminium. People

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EDITOR’S LETTER

PA S S I V E H O U S E +

Publishers

Temple Media Ltd PO Box 9688, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland t +353 (0)1 210 7513 | t +353 (0)1 210 7512 e info@passivehouseplus.ie www.passivehouseplus.ie

Editor

Jeff Colley jeff@passivehouseplus.ie

Deputy Editor

Lenny Antonelli lenny@passivehouseplus.ie

Reporter

John Hearne john@passivehouseplus.ie

Reporter

Kate de Selincourt kate@passivehouseplus.ie

Reporter

John Cradden cradden@passivehouseplus.ie

Reader Reponse / IT

Dudley Colley dudley@passivehouseplus.ie

Accounts

Oisin Hart oisin@passivehouseplus.ie

Art Director

Lauren Colley lauren@passivehouseplus.ie

Design

Aoife O’Hara aoife@evekudesign.com | evekudesign.com

Contributors

GPS Colour Graphics www.gpscolour.co.uk | +44 (0) 28 9070 2020

editor’s letter “

Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” The words of WB Yeats in the aftermath of World War I have rarely seemed more apposite, or more frequently quoted by commentators vainly hoping that the immortal words will lend their less-than-inspired writings some gravity and heft – rather than throwing their own ordinariness into sharp-relief. I don’t wish to make the case for anarchy, and like so many people I watch with horror at the rise of nationalism, the polarisation that is eroding the very notion of society such that common ground may not be found, the retreat into romanticised conceptions of a past that never truly existed: a wave of fevered nostalgia for a utopian dream that risks birthing a dystopian nightmare. But often these concerns come from a particular place: a place where the centre does hold, where any changes that do happen are incremental, and resulting from compromise. Politics, by this diktat, is the art of the compromise. But the natural world doesn’t do compromise. It doesn’t understand our arguments, and it will not reach agreements with us to enable us to change our behaviours at glacial speeds – if that metaphor holds anymore in a rapidly warming world – without disrupting our economies, or causing taxpayers to grumble. The confluence of rapidly emerging, exponentially-growing environmental crises that will come to characterise this moment in history call not for compromise, but for informed radicalism. Evidence-based radicalism, you might say. I’ve always been deeply uncomfortable with the baggage that such radicalism implies - it allows you to be pigeonholed as part of an earnest, pious chin-stroking fringe. As abnormal. As eco zealots whose pontificating isn’t relevant to the struggles of the so-called honest, hard-working people that feature so prominently in so much political rhetoric. In part the problem is aesthetic: the notion that

ISSUE 30 by articulating a set of political arguments as a look, a turn-of-phrase, a particular cause, it becomes possible to ‘other’ it. To turn it into an ism, a lifestyle choice, a misguidedly narrow ideology that is defined in contrast to the unnamed mainstream view. The danger is that the desire to avoid being pigeon-holed and marginalised – and to win over people of whatever political persuasion – can easily lead to compromise, to moderating the arguments in order to make them more palatable. But the evidence is becoming increasingly clear: we need utterly radical action in all areas of life - buildings, energy, transport, agriculture, industry, protection of biodiversity, etc. We simply can’t afford to compromise anymore. I have to process what that means in my life and in my work. But I have the beginnings of an answer, at least in terms of how we make buildings. It means quantifying impacts. We have the tools via evidence-based sustainable building standards such as passive house to solve the space heating and cooling issue, though we need to consider impacts of climate breakdown on how our buildings will perform – with the prospect of future temperature increases on one hand and possibly the impact of the Gulf Stream shutting down on the other. But we have massive ground to make up in quantifying embodied energy and carbon, and in quantifying the multiplicity of environmental pressures our buildings place on an environment that is at breaking point. We do not have all of the answers: buildings are just one part of the change we need to make, albeit a relatively substantial part. But my colleagues and I hope that our readers find some inspiration and utility in the information contained within these pages, and in our archived back issues and online directory – to help deliver the kind of radically green buildings that the world so badly needs. Regards, The editor

Cover

Max Fordham passive house Photo by Tim Crocker

Publisher’s circulation statement: 9,000 copies of Passive House Plus (Irish edition) are printed and distributed to the leading figures involved in sustainable building in Ireland including architects; consulting; m&e and building services engineers; developers; builders; energy auditors; renewable energy companies; environmental consultants; county, city and town councillors; key local authority personnel; and to newsagents nationwide via Easons. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in Passive House Plus are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers.

ABC Certified Average Net Circulation of 7,343 for the period 01/07/17 to 30/06/18.

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About

Passive House Plus is an official partner magazine of the International Passive House Association. Passive House Plus (Irish edition) is an official magazine of the Passive House Association of Ireland.

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CONTENTS

PA S S I V E H O U S E +

CONTENTS

COLUMN Architect Mel Reynolds on how now first-time buyers face competition from a powerful new source: the state itself.

INTERNATIONAL This issue features two new buildings built to the passive house standard - an elementary school in Austria and a gorgeously simple house in the Ore Mountains of the Czech Republic.

NEWS BER data suggests the industry still has work to do to deliver NZEB, research suggests passive houses may be less likely to accumulate radon gas, and scientists develop a plant-based foam insulation.

COMMENT

CASE STUDIES

In his latest column on the history of low energy building in the 20th century, Dr Marc Ă&#x201C; Riain looks at the golden age of solar water heating, and Dr Peter Rickaby writes about the four key principles of managing moisture risk in buildings.

Inner Strength - 60s Dublin City scheme a model for retrofit-based regeneration The dramatic conversion of 22 old bedsits on the north side of Dublin City into 11 passive-grade apartments offers an inspiring example of how to retrofit inner city housing while radically improving quality of life for residents.

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PA S S I V E H O U S E +

CONTENTS

COVER STORY

Cork retrofit blitzes new build NZEB standard

COVER STORY: Legendary engineer builds engine-less home — Max Fordham’s passive house

The retrofit and extension of a run-down semi in Cork shows just how radically a typical Irish home can be transformed with a skilful retrofit — and why, if your budget is limited, upgrading the building fabric should be your first priority.

Engineer Max Fordham — together with bere:architects & Bow Tie Construction — has produced a simple and beautiful urban home with no wet heating system that draws on his lifetime of work applying the principles of simplicity, practicality and replicability to the design of building services.

Climate breakdown and global ecological crises mean that our efforts to make buildings sustainable must go far beyond operational energy use – including number crunching and drastically reducing environmental impacts of building materials. John Cradden reports on progress in the uptake of the building blocks of life cycle analysis of buildings: Environmental Product Declarations.

Site Specific - Somerset passive house adapts to tight plot

The best architecture responds skilfully and sensitively to its surroundings, so when a long and narrow plot beside a busy road became available in the Somerset village of Chew Magna, architect David Hayhow set out to design a passive house, inspired by nearby farm buildings, that would be both private yet filled with light — quite the challenge given the site’s tight restraints.

INSIGHT Superhomes

Air source heat pumps are rapidly becoming one of the dominant technologies in sustainable building, but how well do they perform in real world conditions, and can they be part of the solution to retrofitting homes? A rare monitoring study on a pioneering retrofit scheme offers encouraging signs.

Quantifying the greenness of construction products: the rise of environmental product declarations

The PH+ guide to: overheating

As awareness of the urgency of the climate crisis grows, efforts to kickstart en masse deep energy efficiency interventions are gathering apace. But poorly conceived low energy building efforts can lead to unintended consequences including overheating – a risk that’s bound to grow as the world warms up. Phi Architecture co-founder Claire Jamieson details the risks and offers some solutions on how to create low energy buildings that are comfortable in summer and winter.

MARKETPLACE

Keep up with the latest developments from some of the leading companies in sustainable building, including new product innovations, project updates and more.

Reflections on sustainable Nordic architecture

It’s no coincidence that Nordic countries are some of the most advanced in the world when it comes to low energy design. Frankly in such extreme climates, needs must. Three assistant professors of architecture at Aarhus School of Architecture, Sofie Pelsmakers, Urszula Kozminska & Elizabeth Donovan discuss areas where we can learn from our Nordic neighbours – and where the favour might be returned.

ph+ ph+ | contents | contents | 7 | 7

MEL REYNOLDS

COLUMN

Cuckoos & magpies:

state house-buying hits record Recent headlines suggest first time buyers are being pushed out of the housing market by ‘non-household’ buyers, so-called ‘cuckoo’ funds. Official figures suggest that private companies are not the only competition in the new homes market – there may be a ‘magpie’ out there also.

here are three sets of figures relating to ‘non-household’ purchases.

1) The Central Statistics Office The CSO records stamp duty transactions filed and executed for all home sales, including state-funded purchases of homes subject to zero stamp duty. According to the CSO, first-time buyers purchased 4,179 new homes nationwide with 1,869 in Dublin, and activity in this segment increased 14.5% year-on-year. Where a single bulk transaction included several dwellings, the CSO extrapolate numbers of dwellings per transaction to get an accurate a picture of the new home sector. In 2018, there were 2,795 non-household purchases of new homes nationwide, including 1,245 in Dublin, and overall levels were up 30% year-on-year. Both ‘non-household’ and first-time buyers have contributed to higher levels of new home transactions and price inflation. 2) Private rental sector A recent report by agents Savills confirms that investment in the private rental sector has increased significantly to €1bn in 2018. Hooke and McDonald have recorded that nine of the top twenty-five ‘non household’ block-purchases of dwellings were new developments and suggest that private companies paid €626m for 1,413 dwellings in blocks in 2018. However, this is 130% of the CSO Dublin total for non-household purchases for the year. There may be some element of creep in figures with purchases not being completed till the next calendar year and as a result private rental sector activity may not be accurately recorded. 3) Local authorities & approved housing bodies The third set of figures is from official Rebuilding Ireland social housing update reports and suggests that the government’s state-funded house-buying programme is playing a major role in the non-household sector. The state is almost entirely reliant on the private sector for both social rentals and new and existing social homes. Of the 27,103 social housing ‘solutions’ delivered nationwide from all sources in 2018, 94% were

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sourced from the private sector. The Department of Housing produces detailed figures for local authority and approved housing body (AHB) delivery of social housing on a quarterly basis. Last year 2,100 new homes, so-called turnkey units, were purchased off the plans by local authorities and AHBs from private developers plus 832 new part V private homes. An additional nine Part V units were leased in 2018. Rebuilding Ireland recorded a total of 2,932 non-household purchases nationwide in 2018. This figure is almost 105% of the CSO recorded total for the year. The official claim is that the state purchased 1,065 new homes in Dublin, 86% of all non-household purchases in Dublin in 2018. Figures may suffer from creep and as a result activity may be overstated. The differences between private sector, official figures and the CSO recorded data are significant and merit further scrutiny in advance of any policy shifts. If official claims are correct, one in four new estate homes and apartments sold last year were purchased by either local authorities or approved housing bodies. Since 2011 the state has spent €1bn buying almost 7,200 privately built homes. Under the Rebuilding Ireland housing plan, state-funded purchases of new homes have doubled year-on-year. This spending spree is set to double again this year. The government is possibly the biggest cuckoo of all. First-time buyers may be facing the biggest competitor for new homes, the state itself. ■

A fully referenced version of this article is online at www.passivehouseplus.ie Mel Reynolds is a registered architect with more than 25 years of experience in project management, conservation, urban design and developer-led housing. He is also a certified passive house designer.

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AUSTRIA

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INTERNATIONAL Photos: Bruno Klomfar

A SELECTION OF PASSIVE & ECO BUILDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L

UNTERDORF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HÖCHST, AUSTRIA

or this new elementary school in Höchst, architects Dietrich Untertrifaller sought to take the Scandinavian concept of a ‘cluster school’ and apply it to western Austria — the essential idea being to design a building that allows for teaching in small groups across flexible spaces and diverse open areas, many of them outdoors. These open layouts are designed to encourage new and alternative forms of teaching and learning, and Dietrich Untertrifaller describe the Unterdorf elementary school as a “radical, uncompromising example” of these principles. “There are no hierarchies in a one-storey school building; all children have equal access to the outdoor areas and special classes,” says architect Patrick Stremler. Large areas of glazing allow teachers to easily see pupils as they are learning or playing in different areas, while some of the outdoor areas are also open for locals to use freely, too. The school was built to the passive house standard from a pre-fabricated timber frame system, and Stremler points out that prefabrication offers a big advantage in the construction of schools, which typically must be completed to strict deadlines — sometimes even over the summer holidays. Perhaps not surprisingly, the building’s open, community-centred design was informed by an advisory group that included teachers and community representatives. “This close cooperation was a key factor in the successful implementation of this trendsetting pilot project, which implements a new standard for schools in Austria,” say the architects.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L

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CZECH REPUBLIC

HOUSE ON WINDY PEAK, ORE MOUNTAINS, CZECH REPUBLIC

his gorgeously simple house has been dubbed ‘House on Windy Peak’ by architects Stempel & Tesar, and true to its name, it is located 750 metres up in the Ore Mountains of the northern Czech Republic, not far from the border with Germany. And how better to protect yourself against the cold, windy winters up here than by living in a passive house? Built from clay blocks that are externally insulated and clad in the dark timber typical of the region, that house’s simple, rational form — a hallmark of Stempel & Tesar’s work — befits the stark mountain setting. It also made it easier to meet the passive house standard, too, by minimising the area from which heat could escape.

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And while the house is sited near a wind farm, the architects report that the superinsulated, airtight structure is excellent at blocking out any noise. Meanwhile, the main elevation facies south from the mountainside, and the living area is lined with large floorto-ceiling windows to make the most of the sweeping views. The short summer season also inspired the addition of a ‘winter garden’ — a covered terrace in the central part of the southwestern facade that can be accessed from the living and dining rooms. Thanks to a large sliding window, the space can be permanently opened during the warm season, and shut off in winter. “It has become the heart of the house,” say the architects.

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NEWS

PA S S I V E H O U S E +

NEWS

BER growth masks possible signs of house building slowdown

he rate at which final BERs for new homes are being published is continuing to grow, based on data from the year to date, though there are possible signs that a lag of late BERs may be masking a slowdown in housebuilding activity. Meanwhile there has been mixed progress in terms of average energy performance specifications for new homes, indicating the industry still has some work to do to prepare for the forthcoming NZEB standard, which is set to become mandatory for new homes by November. 4,705 BERs for new homes were published up till 25 May – when Passive House Plus downloaded and began to process the data from SEAI’s National BER Research Tool – including 1,715 for homes built in 2019. By the same stage last year, 3,984 BERs for new homes had been published, of which 1,846 were built in 2018. The standing total for homes built in 2018 has since risen to 11,313, which Passive House Plus estimates will eventually reach roughly 14,000, based on previous year’s lag rates. An estimated 3,000 further self-build homes where homeowners are believed to be in breach of their legal obligation to obtain a BER prior to occupancy would bring the 2018 total to 17,000 new homes.

Number of new homes: year of construction vs period when BER was published

BER The average BER score to date for 2019 homes came in at 53.35 kWh/m2/yr – a statistically identical figure to the 53.21 kWh/m2/yr from 12 months ago. 99.71% of 2019-built homes scored an A3 BER or better (up from 99.62% 12 months ago). This consisted of 74.58%

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A3s (+3.24%), 24.84% A2s (-2.68%) and 0.29% A1s (0.76%). The standing total for homes built in 2018 has improved significantly from the above comparative figures, with 30.45% coming in at A2s and 68.51% at A3s, due to a high proportion of A2-rated homes coming in after 25 May last year. Fabric Average U-values for 2019 homes are coming in at 0.18 for walls (a relaxation from 0.17 at this stage last year), 0.12 for roofs (unchanged), 0.13 for floors (unchanged), 1.20 for windows (1.22) and 1.49 for doors (1.51). Meanwhile average airtightness test results for 2019-built homes are at a q50 of 2.98 m3/ hr/m2 at 50 Pa, losing ground on the figure of 2.81 at the same stage last year. In both cases these figures exclude the 16-17% of developerbuilt homes where a default q50 value of 7 was used – an opt-out that will not be possible with the imminent NZEB changes. 84.6% of BERs for 2019-built homes included a thermal bridging Y-value of 0.08 or worse, indicating reliance on the acceptable construction details and in some cases the use of default values. This compares to 89% at this stage last year, a 4.4% shift which may be a sign that the benefits of using calculated thermal bridging factors are starting to gain traction. Heating systems The growth of the heat pump market continues, with heat pumps selected to heat 48.1% of new homes built this year – up 12% from 36.1% of new homes at this stage last year. Gas boilers come in second at just under 45% (-7.3%); followed by combined heat and power (CHP) on 5.5% (-3.6%) and oil boilers on 1.4% (-0.7%). The standing total for heat pumps in 2018 homes is 38.53%, but Passive House Plus analysis indicates that heat pumps likely leapfrogged gas boilers as the most common heating appliance in new homes last year, when the missing self-build homes are taken into account. (Heat pumps had over 80% market share among detached homes built for owner occupation, a group likely to be analogous with the self-builders who did not obtain BERs). For similar reasons, oil boilers – which are at 3.1% of all 2018 built homes, allowing for lag – would likely come up to circa 5% of new homes if the missing self-builds were

included. The figures on CHP, as ever, are highly susceptible to noise in the data, given that it is almost entirely serving apartment buildings, meaning the decision of whether or not to use CHP on one large scheme could skew the data in any given year. Main space heating system market share in new homes by year of construction

Ventilation For the past few years, natural ventilation systems have featured far more prominently in homes where the BER was assessed early in the year of construction, before dropping significantly in later published BERs. Natural ventilation systems were installed in 54.69% of 2019 homes where BERs were published by 25 May, compared to 55.53% and 63.79% by the same stage for 2018 and 2017 homes respectively. The standing totals have since dropped significantly to 48.2% and 53.78% for 2018 and 2017 homes, indicating that natural ventilation may end up at less than 48% of new homes in 2019. Mechanical extract ventilation systems – including demand-controlled ventilation – are in 26.59% of new homes in the year to date (+8.26%) heat recovery ventilation is at 18.08% (-7.33%), while positive input ventilation systems remain below 1%. Both heat recovery and MEV are likely to see their figures for 2019 homes improve substantially when BERs issued later in the year and beyond are included. However, if the missing self-build BERs track the data from compliant self-builds, then the figures would move again in favour of natural ventilation and heat recovery ventilation: the revised 2018 figures would put natural ventilation at 49.35% — indicating that more work still needs to be done to prevent a ventilation strategy that has not been shown to work in low energy buildings – heat recovery would overtake MEV at 26.78%, MEV would be 22.95% and PIV would be 0.92%. •

PA S S I V E H O U S E +

NEWS

New study to examine NZEB performance

new research project at UCD will aim to uncover key early lessons from the design and operation of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs) in Ireland. The NZEB standard will become mandatory in Ireland for dwellings from November. It poses an unprecedented challenge for the industry to upskill and deliver the standard. NZEB101 will monitor over 100 geographically dispersed domestic and non-domestic, new and retrofit properties to ensure a statistically robust sample size. It will examine the operational performance of NZEB buildings, including energy performance and indoor environmental quality (IEQ), as well as “in use factors” for a span of energy efficiency technologies, including building fabric and renewable energy systems. “The data gathered will be key to ensuring design and operations lessons learned

are captured to inform future design, not just for the project participants, but for industry at large,” said lead researcher Dr Shane Colclough of the UCD School of Architecture. The project will place particular emphasis on social housing, considering it is proposed that up to 45% of the dwellings constructed in Ireland over the next 10 years will be for social housing purposes, with the first analyses already underway to compare real-world IEQ and annual operational performance against BER calculations. The project team, led by Colclough and principal investigator Dr Oliver Kinnane, is currently seeking properties that have been renovated to NZEB standard, and also for NZEB dwellings that have demand controlled and natural ventilation systems, to take part. NZEB101 is funded by SEAI. For more information see www.nzeb101.ie. •

(above) Dr Shane Colclough discussing his research on NZEBs at a Passive House Plus/Passive House Association of Ireland briefing for Dublin City Council in May.

Passive homes may have lower radon levels — new study

nitial findings into radon levels in 75 certified passive house buildings in Ireland and the UK shows that there is a 60% reduction when compared against the Irish national average. The research has also monitored an additional sample of standard and nearly zero energy homes (NZEBs). The study is also examining ten selected comparative case studies located in high-risk areas for radon, a radioactive gas that causes circa 300 lung cancer deaths per year in Ireland – twice the number of road deaths in 2018. The hypothesis of the study is that homes built and certified to the passive house standard — which have a specific airtightness level coupled with mechanical heat recovery ventilation systems that are specified, installed and commissioned in accordance with quality criteria set out by the Passive House Institute — have lower concentrations of radon due to the presence of consistent, balanced mechanical ventilation. The initial research findings (120 results to date) have also uncovered an interesting development in relation to the radon

distribution between downstairs and upstairs. While radon concentrations are usually higher on the ground floors of typical dwellings, there is significant variability in this sample. This finding needs to be analysed further before presentation, said lead researcher Barry McCarron of South West College in Enniskillen. “Indoor air quality and the prevalence of overheating are attracting an increasing amount of research attention across Europe but post occupancy monitoring of indoor radon concentrations is severely underrepresented, especially in Ireland and the UK,” states the report, titled ‘A Pilot study of radon levels in certified passive houses buildings’ and published in the journal Building Services Engineering Research and Technology. McCarron told Passive House Plus he believes that the balancing of the mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) to +/- 10 per cent, as required by the passive house standard, is a key determining factor in the reduced radon concentrations. •

A comparison of the radon levels of passive houses and neighbouring homes in high radon areas. Numbers 8 & 9 are in Salthill, Galway – one of the highest radon areas in Ireland.

ph+ ph+ | news | news | 19 | 19

NEWS

PA S S I V E H O U S E +

Cities must be green to attract investment, conference hears Irish cities must become more sustainable in order to attract inward investment, the Irish Green Building Council’s first ever Cork conference has heard. The Green Building Cork event was held in the city on 24 May.

rish regional cities will continue to grow in the next 20 years. But they must significantly reduce their building and transport emissions if Ireland is to reach its climate targets. Making Irish cities greener could enhance their international reputation and increase inward investment. These were some of the key messages of Green Building Cork 2019. Guest speaker Kay Killmann of Green Building Certification International said that greener cities are not only better for people and the planet, they also support a strong economy. “Cities are increasingly competing internationally to attract capital and talents. To keep up with a new generation of well-informed and engaged citizens, cities must innovate and commit to sustainability. Savona in Italy has recently become the first LEED-certified city in Europe. LEED [Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design] for cities is an exacting environmental certification. It allows cities to benchmark progress and measure performance while considering social equity and human experience.” Meanwhile in his opening address at the conference Pat Barry, CEO of the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), said: “Edinburgh has just committed to be carbon neutral by 2035 and Copenhagen is already on track to reach this target by 2025. Irish cities must follow. They need to move beyond

energy efficiency and enable all citizens to make low-carbon choices and live in truly sustainable neighbourhoods. The IGBC has developed the Home Performance Index certification to give local authorities a framework for better built, better quality, healthy homes, in connected and ecologically enhanced communities”. Build Upon 2 The IGBC, in collaboration with seven other green building councils and eight other cities including Dublin, has also announced the launch of Build Upon 2, the next phase of the world’s largest collaborative project on building renovation. With cities across the world declaring climate emergencies, and climate action high on the agenda for the European elections, this EU funded project aims to empower cities across Europe to join forces with national governments and industry to decarbonise their existing building stock by 2050. Build Upon 2 aims to strengthen the building renovation strategies required by the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The eight cities involved in the project are Dublin, Madrid, Leeds, Wroclaw (Poland), Padova (Italy), Velia Gorica (Croatia), Budaörs (Hungary) and Eskisehir (Turkey). These cities will develop and test a multi-level renovation framework containing a suite of milestones and measurable progress

indicators such as emissions reductions, increased employment and improved health. By capturing data at a local level, the framework will aim to provide solid information on which to base national retrofit policy. The overall aim of the project is to have at least ten cities publicly commit to establish strategies to decarbonise their building stock by 2050. Deep renovation has far-reaching benefits for society as increasing indoor comfort and air quality avoids illnesses and premature deaths associated with living in cold and damp homes. This in turn reduces pressure on healthcare and social services. “We need a step change in both the level of activity and the depth of energy efficiency upgrades to transition every home to zero carbon by 2050,” Pat Barry said. “Energy renovation is an indispensable long-term sustainable solution to eliminate fuel poverty and improve people’s health and wellbeing by giving them warm, mould free homes.” Dublin City Council chief executive Owen Keegan added: “Dublin City is committed to renovating its older buildings to improve energy performance. This will also contribute to sustainability, economic growth and employment. The council is pleased to be working with seven other cities across Europe to strengthen implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.” •

(above) Pictured at Green Building Cork 2019 (from left to right) are Pat Barry, CEO of the Irish Green Building Council, Kay Killmann, managing director of Green Building Certification International, and Beth Massey, head of research at the International Energy Research Centre in Cork.

20 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

PA S S I V E H O U S E +

NEWS

New law mandates radon testing in workplaces

Scientists have a created a high-performance foam insulation made from wood pulp.

Researchers develop plant-based foam insulation

ashington State University researchers have developed an environmentally friendly, plantbased material that they claim works better than polystyrene foam for insulation. The foam is mostly made from nanocrystals of cellulose, the most abundant plant material on earth. The researchers have also developed an environmentally friendly and simple manufacturing process to make the foam, using water as a solvent. The work, led by professors Amir Ameli and Xiao Zhang, is published in the journal Carbohydrate Polymers. While other researchers have created cellulose-based foams, these plant-based versions typically haven’t performed as well as polystyrene. They are not as strong, don’t insulate as well, and degraded at higher temperatures and in humidity. In their work, the WSU team created a material that is made of about 75% cellulose nanocrystals from wood pulp. They added polyvinyl alcohol, another polymer that bonds with the nanocellulose crystals and makes the resultant foams more elastic. The material that they created contains a uniform cellular structure, making it a good insulator. For the first time, the researchers report, the plant-based material surpassed the insulation capabilities of polystyrene foam. It

is also very lightweight and can support up to 200 times its weight without changing shape. It degrades well and burning it doesn’t produce polluting ash. “We have used an easy method to make high-performance, composite foams based on nanocrystalline cellulose with an excellent combination of thermal insulation capability and mechanical properties,” Professor Ameli said. “Our results demonstrate the potential of renewable materials, such as nanocellulose, for high‑performance thermal insulation materials that can contribute to energy savings, less usage of petroleum-based materials, and reduction of adverse environmental impacts.” “This is a fundamental demonstration of the potential of nanocrystalline cellulose as an important industrial material,” Professor Zhang said. “This promising material has many desirable properties, and to be able to transfer these properties to a bulk scale for the first time through this engineered approach is very exciting.” The researchers are now developing formulations for stronger and more durable materials for practical applications. They are interested in incorporating low‑cost feedstocks to make a commercially viable product and considering how to move from laboratory to a real-world manufacturing scale. •

ew radiation protection legislation requires all employers in high radon areas to test their workplace for the radioactive gas. Where levels are above the national reference level of 300 Becquerel per metre cubed, employers are then required to carry out work to reduce these levels. At the recent National Radon Forum, attendees heard from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) about the requirements of this new legislation. Speaking at the forum, Laura Burke, EPA director general, said: “In Ireland, up to 300 cases of lung cancer each year are linked to radon, which is a serious public health hazard. Employers now have responsibility to ensure that their employees are protected from exposure to this radioactive gas. “Radon testing in workplaces is simple and inexpensive and, where necessary, reducing high radon levels in a building is also straightforward. The EPA and the HSA are working in partnership to support employers in implementing this legislation.” Phase two of the national radon control strategy, outlining government plans to tackle radon over the next five years, was also launched at the forum. •

Advertise with us. To enquire about advertising, contact Jeff Colley on +353 (0)1 2107513 or email jeff@passivehouseplus.ie

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ph+ | news | 21

MARC Ó RIAIN

COLUMN

The golden age of solar water heating Renewable energy technologies are often regarded as new and innovative, but in some instances their roots predate the oil age and go back to the start of the industrial revolution. Dr Marc Ó’Riain finds important insights in past failures of early solar thermal systems.

e often consider renewable energy technologies to be recent developments, perhaps as old as the first oil crisis in ’73-’74. It might come as very surprising that solar water heating technology was developed as early as 1760 and in widespread usage in California & Florida by 1900, prior to the widespread roll out of electrification. In 1760, Horace de Saussure developed a solar heater with a rectangular pine insulated glass topped box, capable of heating air to 109C. The clear glass allowed a certain amount of solar radiation to be transmitted through the glass. The solar radiation was then absorbed by materials in the box construction and this ‘heat’ was slowly exchanged with the internal air increasing the overall temperature (Islam et al 2013). In 1891, Clarence Kemp released the first ‘Climax’ solar water heater in Baltimore. He placed several water-filled iron elliptical tubes inside the box in series with cold water entering one side and warm water exiting from the other end. Multiple tubes avoided warm and cold-water being in close proximity, thus avoiding adverse heat exchanges. Although the collector heated water to 38.8C the weakness of the design was in its poor resistance to winter frosts and heat loss at night. A third of all homes in Pasadena and California had ‘Climax’ solar water heating by 1897 (Chiaro 2007).

Figure 1. A Diagram of a roof mounted solar hot water system from the mid 1930s, (Adopted from Scott 1976).

William Bailey improved on the Climax with his ‘day and night’ collector in 1909. By separating the collector from the storage

22 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

unit, and insulating the storage tank people could have hot water in the morning (fig 1). The black painted collector had narrower water-filled pipes which were more efficient at absorbing solar energy aided by a thermosyphon system which required the storage tank to be mounted above the collector, with hot water rising to enter the top of the tank (Butti & Perlin, 1979). By 1920, Bailey had sold over 4,000 ‘day and night’ units and boom years for solar water heating followed in the 1930s. After WW2 domestic usage of washing machines was on the increase and thereby the demand for domestic hot water. Electrical boosters were fitted to new and existing installations. From 1938, the unit price of electricity started to fall steadily from 8c/kWh down to 2.5c/kWh by 1973. The cost of electrical water heaters continued to fall in comparison to the cost of a solar installations. As such the dominant builder-developers adopted the cheaper electrical water heaters. Consumer confidence in solar water heating was damaged by leaking tanks, which, due to a corrosive reaction between the copper tubing and the steel tank, over-flowed causing secondary damage to ceilings, furniture and flooring. Owners were faced with the choice of replacing a solar tank or moving to a cheaper electrical or gas hot water heating (Scott 1976). As time moved on, solar water heater installations continued to rise in cost as the cost of electricity continued to fall. Even though solar hot water would still have resulted in long term cost savings, the duration of a mortgage, where families were trading up, would result in the savings being passed onto the following owner. The result would be a collapse of confidence and economics for a previously dominant renewable technology in southern latitudes. This historical precedent provides an interesting parallel for contemporary policy makers. High capital cost low energy conservation strategies like heat pumps, external insulation, heat recovery ventilation systems and triple glazing may still represent a significant barrier to traditional homeowners, who may not recoup the value within their ownership, despite the existence of 30% government grants for some low energy

strategies. Market acceptance of NZEB retrofit today may require the government to implement more targeted policies. Perhaps, there is a need to set a ten-year timeline for the phasing out of all oil and gas fired heating systems. We need to tell the consumer market that non-renewable home heating will increase by 10% per annum for the next ten years. We may need to increase the grant structures to 50% for all the aforementioned energy conservation strategies and we definitely need a 0% top up mortgage via the European Investment Bank if we are to see a significant increase in NZEB retrofit market penetration in the immediate future. n

Figure 2.

Dr Marc Ó Riain is a lecturer at the Department of Architecture at Cork Institute of Technology, one of the founding editors of Iterations design research journal and practice review, a former president of the Institute of Designers in Ireland, and has completed a PhD in low energy building retrofit, realising Ireland’s first commercial NZEB retrofit in 2013.

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www.munsterjoinery.ie WINDOWS & DOORS ph+ | column | 23

DR PETER RICKABY

COLUMN

Managing moisture:

why must we learn the four Cs Moisture problems are the Achilles heel of many new builds and retrofits, explains Dr Peter Rickaby – problems that can be exacerbated with poorly-conceived energy efficiency efforts, and which may become more prevalent due to climate breakdown.

e usually photograph buildings in the sun – look at any featured project in this magazine. So, I was surprised, on a recent training course, to be shown a picture of a building during heavy rain. The picture showed an abutment of a pitched roof to a wall, and the rain was bouncing of the roof and running in a torrent down the line of the flashing. The point was that buildings must withstand serious and sustained attack from water, and much traditional construction and detailing is attuned to that task. There are ancient skills involved – look at the outside of any medieval cathedral, where every detail of the stonework is designed to throw rainwater off the building and stop it running down the face of the masonry. Those buildings have lasted for eight hundred years, so the

Dublin. In the UK, much work has been done by the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA), leading to the development of the acclaimed online ‘Guidance Wheel’. Publication of the seminal BSI ‘White Paper’ Moisture in Buildings: an integrated approach to risk assessment and guidance has led to the establishment of the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB) and to the forthcoming update of BS 5250 Code of practice for the control of condensation in buildings. UKCMB now offers CPD courses in Understanding and Managing Moisture Risk in Buildings and is working towards qualifications for building moisture safety professionals similar to those already established in Sweden. At UKCMB and elsewhere, researchers are improving our understanding of building moisture risks and developing the tools to

Buildings must withstand serious and sustained attack from water, and much traditional construction and detailing is attuned to that task. masons clearly knew what they were doing. It took me nearly ten years working on domestic retrofit projects to realise that retrofit risk management is all about controlling and balancing moisture. Not only keeping the rain out but also dealing with rising damp, plumbing leaks, and the moisture occupants create through respiration, bathing, cooking and laundry. Not only liquid water but also ice and water vapour. Not only moisture outside the building but also moisture inside the building (in the air) and in the building fabric. Not only moisture itself but the consequences of having too much of it in the wrong places: damage to building fabric and finishes, and mould, with associated risks to health. Even new buildings are at risk: there are reports of mould in new homes – a consequence of airtightness combined with under-ventilation. The series of Breaking the Mould articles in Construct Ireland (Construct Ireland is the former title of Passive House Plus magazine) set me thinking about these issues. Those articles have led to the current Hygrothermal Risk Assessment module in the Building Performance course at the Technical University of

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manage them. The BSI White Paper sets out four key principles of moisture risk management, embedded in a holistic approach covering the planning, design, construction and operation of buildings. We know these principles as ‘the four Cs’: Context The building context includes not only its location, orientation and exposure (to sun, wind and driving rain) but also its construction, historical and cultural significance, its state of repair, its use and its energy efficiency. All these factors are important considerations. Coherence The coherence principle is about ensuring that the technical, hygrothermal approach to a building is consistent, in design, detailing, construction and use. It distinguishes two fundamentally different approaches to moisture control. A ‘moisture closed’ approach, as found in most new buildings, attempts to exclude moisture from the building fabric, using impermeable materials. A ‘moisture open’ approach,

as found in most traditional buildings, manages the dynamic equilibrium between moisture inside the building, moisture in the building fabric and moisture outside. A moisture open approach has greater capability to deal with building defects and provides capacity for drying. Capacity Where there is uncertainty about the moisture performance of a building, capacity should be built into the processes of design, construction and use. Current and future uncertainties include changes of occupancy and the effects of climate change. For example, ventilation systems should always be capable of providing more than the minimum ventilation rates required by Building Regulations (and demand control can maintain energy efficiency by matching ventilation demand, room-by-room). Caution The cautionary principle is well known. There is a lot that we do not yet know about how moisture interacts with buildings, especially with modern moisture loads, materials, construction methods and standards of heating and ventilation. The unknowns, uncertainties and complexities about moisture risks necessitate cautious specification and ongoing watchfulness to mitigate possible problems. Despite contrary economic pressure, buildings should not be over-optimised. These four principles are part of the legacy of the late Neil May. The more I apply them to building projects the more I am convinced of their effectiveness. With luck, the four Cs will soon be widely applied by building professionals, we will pay more attention to moisture risks, and we will confidently take more photographs of our buildings in the rain. n

Dr Peter Rickaby is an independent energy and sustainability consultant, Chair of the BSI Retrofit Standards Task Group and Principal Research Associate at the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings at University College London.

COLUMN

MARC Ã&#x201C; RIAIN

T: +353 (0) 87 250 1034

ph+ | column | 25

INNER STRENGTH

CASE STUDY

€54 per year estimated space heating costs

26 26 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

Building: Deep retrofit of social housing block Location: Arbour Hill, Dublin 7 Completed: April 2019 Budget: €1.7m Standard: Enerphit certified

CASE STUDY

INNER STRENGTH

WANT TO KNOW MORE? The digital version of this magazine includes access to exclusive galleries of architectural drawings. The digital magazine is available to subscribers on www.passive.ie

INNER STRENGTH 60S DUBLIN CITY SCHEME A MODEL F O R R E T R O F I T - B A S E D R E G E N E R AT I O N

The dramatic conversion of 22 old bedsits on the north side of Dublin City into 11 passive-grade apartments offers an inspiring example of how to retrofit inner city housing while radically improving quality of life for residents.

Words by John Hearne

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INNER STRENGTH

CASE STUDY

ublin City Council’s recent passive refurbishment of the St Bricin’s Park complex in Arbour Hill offers an innovative template for modernising living space for elderly local authority tenants. In addition to a healthy, low cost, low maintenance living space, the development also delivered a community hub which has already begun to breathe new life back into the area. Cecilia Naughton, Dublin City Council’s architect on the project, explains that when its refurbishment programme began three years ago, the local authority had around 1,500 bedsits right across the city. Known as zero-bed units, they were small – usually no more than 26 square metres – and as they aged, they became progressively less attractive to tenants. Moreover, the more unattractive the location, the more ‘de-tenanted’ they became. So began a vicious cycle of vacancy, dilapidation and social deterioration. Back in 2008, before the current housing crisis had taken hold, a decision was taken to suspend the refurbishment of bedsits and instead begin amalgamating them into larger one-bedroom units. Fast forward to 2014, and as the housing lists lengthened, the policy of not re-letting these units was rescinded. Instead, city councillors decided to reintroduce these bedsits to the housing stock and refurbish and re-let them according to demand. It was also agreed that the city council

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would proceed with a more limited programme of amalgamations. To date this has focused in general on elderly residents, since it is this demographic that tends to live in bedsits. While providing tenants with more space was the key driver of the programme, it would never be enough simply to knock bedsits together and leave it at that. Low energy retrofitting would form a central part of the process. James Walsh of Low Energy Design was the passive house consultant on the St Bricin’s Park project. He explains that two of the three blocks that comprise the development had already been retrofitted when he came on board. In line with the 140+ amalgamations (from 270+ units) completed city-wide between 2014 and 2018, these apartments had been upgraded to achieve BERs of between B3 and A3. “I had discussions with the council to see if they would be interested in exploring Enerphit, which is the passive house refurbishment standard,” says Walsh, “As part of the process, we talked with Tomás O’Leary of the Passive House Academy about the possibility of achieving passive house certification at design stage, and went out to Rochestown Avenue to look at a project completed by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.” This was a social housing apartment block retrofitted to the Enerphit standard two years ago and profiled by Passive House Plus

So began a vicious cycle of vacancy, dilapidation and social deterioration.

CASE STUDY

INNER STRENGTH

above Dublin City Council made it a requirement that the contractor undergo passive house training, and the Passive House Academy provided extensive on-site training, including in 1 airtightness taping; 2 heat recovery ventilation systems; 3 external insulation and window installation and; 4 application of liquid airtightness paints.

in 2017. “As we were achieving such good BERs, our internal client in the council – housing maintenance – encouraged us to see if we could achieve the highest standard available,” says architect Cecilia Naughton. “Another factor in the decision to aim for Enerphit was the fact that these were elderly tenants, a cohort particularly vulnerable to fuel poverty.” “We find that a lot of our older tenants simply won’t put the heat on,” she says. “They’re too worried about being unable to pay the heating bill.” The project was also part-funded by SEAI’s deep retrofit programme, part of which includes post occupancy monitoring. As tenants only moved in during April 2019, this has only just gotten underway. In all, 22 bedsit apartments were amalgamated into eleven one-bed apartments as part of this phase of the project, undergoing a passive retrofit in the process. In addition, the

Photography: Paul Tierney

community centre which forms part of the complex was also renovated to a very high standard. But perhaps the most innovative feature of this project lies not so much in how it was refurbished but more in how the construction and design teams engaged with passive principles onsite. For a start, the council made it a requirement that the contractor undergo passive house training. James Walsh explains that a space was prepared in the canteen of the community centre and Tomás O’Leary of the Passive House Academy provided extensive passive house training right through the project. “It included everyone on the contractor’s side and also a substantial number of council personnel,” says Walsh. “Tomás also brought in people to do demonstrations on things like airtightness and external insulation. He did talks onsite, and participants installed airtightness products on models.” The training materials were developed as

part of an EU Horizon 2020 project called ‘Fit-to-NZEB’. “I think the training made all the difference,” says Cecilia Naughton, “If we didn’t have it, it would have been a lot more difficult to achieve what we achieved. If I was doing it again, I wouldn’t change a thing.” Achieving passive standard airtightness in a retrofit is always a challenge, and St Bricin’s Park was no different. A combination of Blowerproof paint-on airtightness sealant applied at junctions of floors and walls, Siga membranes and tapes at ceiling, and tapes to external windows and doors achieved an average standard of 0.55 air changes per hour (better than the passive house standard of 0.6, never mind the Enerphit standard of 1.0) “You can buy insulation, windows and heat recovery ventilation, but you can’t buy airtightness.” says Tomás O’Leary. “Achieving these levels of airtightness, especially on retrofit, is all about attitude

ph+ | inner strength case study | 29

INNER STRENGTH

CASE STUDY

THE FUTURE IS DECENTRALISED VENTILATION SOLUTIONS BY BY NILAN

Supply Air The fresh, filtered and balanced heated supply air is distributed to all living areas in the apartment to provide a healthy indoor climate. Comfort cooling is also provided during warmer summer periods. Extract Air The ventilation unit extracts stale and stagnant air from the apartment. In the kitchen, the extract air leaves the room through a ceiling valve and / or through cookerhood in kitchen. Domestic Hot Water A Compact P is able to recover energy from the extract air and use it to produce all the domestic hot water. The energy can also be used to heat up the supply air using a ”two stage system”, heat pump and passive heat recovery. Cookerhood During cooking, the extract air leaves the kitchen through the cookerhood which is connected directly to Compact P with inbuilt grease filters system. Cookerhood can boost ventilation rate in unit reducing effects of overheating in kitchen with no noise increase. Nilan MultiLink Nilan MultiLink is an intelligent remote solution used on your laptop or smart phone which gives you an overview of how all ventilation units in the building are operating. This means that you centrally can control the temperature, air humidity and plan next filter change of all ventilation units. Installation There is no underfloor heating or radiators required and all space heating is transmitted through ventilation ducting, allows for lower install and maintenance costs. nZEB Certified to highest Passive House standards including nZEB/Part L.

Nilan Ireland Tel: +353 (0) 66 7169587 Email: info@nilan.ie www.nilanireland.ie

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19-02-2019 08:29:26

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Contact: t: +351 (01)408 9500 e: baumit@gmroi.ie w: baumit.ie 30 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

CASE STUDY

INNER STRENGTH

CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS

1 The original building after being gutted prior to retrofit and 2 after the construction of new Quinnlite blockwork walls and installation of new Munster Joinery windows; 3 Compacfoam thermal breaks were installed as structural support under windows, with aluminium starter track for the external insulation layer; 4 the new Baumit external wall insulation featured high density expanded polystyrene at ground level with 5 Rockwool insulation above and was 6 principally finished outside with a dry dash finish, with brick slips to some places too.

and aspiration — traits which were found in abundance on this project from start to finish.” Meanwhile, external insulation was deployed to achieve the requisite U-values on the walls and to eliminate thermal bridges. To the same end, a large concrete eave to the front of the building had to be cut away and the new eave wrapped in insulation. Retrofitting mechanical heat recovery ventilation ducting also caused headaches onsite. “Ceiling heights were very restricted,” says James Walsh, “and existing walls also caused problems, so we had to work with confined spaces while at the same time trying to keep duct lengths as short as possible. We worked closely with Maurice Falvey in Nilan to come up with solutions.” The newly upgraded apartments meet current space standards, have vastly

improved thermal performance – up to 80% better than the previous units – and are fully compliant with the current building regulations. It’s interesting to note that because the apartments will remain in the ownership of the council in the years ahead, one eye is kept on long-term maintenance issues. “Everything has to be accessible and replaceable,” says Cecilia Naughton. “There are insulations for example that have to be replaced every fifteen years. We need to be able to get at those. And that too is why we surface-mount everything. This may not give us the best look but it’s very practical. If you have to rewire, you just remove the existing wires and put in new ones.” There are many reasons why a passive house environment is particularly well suited to elderly occupants. Costs are low, maintenance is low and of course you’ve

also got the health benefits associated with living draft-free in clean air. There are however what Naughton characterises as ‘generational’ issues. Each of the St Bricin’s Park apartments is equipped with a Nilan Compact P exhaust air heat pump, which provides space and water heating, and ventilation. During the handover process last month, one of the queries that kept coming up centred on gas bills. “You had to explain that they have a heat pump, and that it heats air and water, and because the building is energy efficient, you should always have a comfortable temperature with permanent ventilation... And they say yes, but when do I get my gas bill?” The idea that the source of heat is always on is very difficult to accept if you’ve always understood that the more heat you use, the more you pay. While the council has already invested resources in acclimatising the tenants to their new homes, it was decided to meet with them again in a group once they are settled, in order to address any issues and ensure that everyone understands how everything works. Looking at future council refurbishments, Naughton says that at a time when additional housing capacity is desperately needed in the city, amalgamations only reduce that capacity. This is not however an argument for keeping tenants in cramped, cold living conditions. The solution, she believes, is to do as Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council did at Rochestown Avenue and add a new floor on top of existing buildings. Asked if Enerphit offers a credible model for future renovations, she’s unequivocal. “I think we’ll have no choice really. The building regs are changing and moving towards passive, maybe not in name, but certainly in reality.” She’s also keen to point out that the completed, fully occupied renovation has gone a long way towards regenerating the whole area at St Bricin’s Park. Two of the three blocks were renovated in an earlier phase of the project, while the refurbished community centre has already begun to provide a focal point for both the tenants and the wider community. The project was Enerphit certified by MosArt on 1 May, with a space heating demand of 21 kWh per square metre per

In all, 22 bedsit apartments were amalgamated into eleven one-bed apartments.

ph+ | inner strength case study | 31

INNER STRENGTH

CASE STUDY

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32 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

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CASE STUDY

INNER STRENGTH

Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring (left) with Dublin City Architect Ali Grehan (centre) and Tomás O’Leary (right) of the Passive House Academy

CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS

Airtightness detailing including 1 application of Blowerproof liquid airtight sealant around wall-to-wall and wall-to-floor junctions; 2 Blowerproof and Siga membrane and tapes around a wall-to-roof junction; 3 Siga membrane and tapes to ceiling; 4 Metac mineral wool was used to insulate the roof, with insulation brought out into the eaves to meet the external insulation layer; 5 ventilation ductwork coming through the external insulation layer; 6 the heat recovery ventilation systems were installed against existing surfaces and boxed off to make both installation & future access easier.

year, comfortably below the threshold of 25. Dublin City Council also shared with Passive House Plus a letter of thanks received from a tenant living in one of the previously renovated blocks at St Bricin’s Park. Naughton was particularly appreciative of the letter since the reality is that you usually only tend to hear from tenants when things go wrong. The tenant wrote: “This is my dream home, my piece of heaven on earth. Every morning, I wake up I still think I am dreaming to have such an unbelievable home. It has brought and still is giving me peace, happiness, security and wellbeing.” You can’t really ask for much more than that.

ph+ | inner strength case study | 33

INNER STRENGTH

CASE STUDY

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St Bricins Park, Dublin 34 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

CASE STUDY

INNER STRENGTH

SELECTED PROJECT DETAILS Client: Dublin City Council Architect (planning): Dublin City Council, City Architects Division Architect (post planning): Low Energy Design & Kelliher Miller Architects Passive house design: Low Energy Design Passive house certifier: Passive House Academy Electrical engineer: Dublin City Council Civil & structural engineering: Dublin City Council Clerk of works: Dublin City Council Mechanical engineer: Morley Walsh & Associates Main contractor: Westside Civil Engineering Quantity surveyors: Dublin City Council Mechanical contractor: CTS Projects Ltd Electrical contractor: Design Electrical Solutions Airtightness tester: Greenbuild EWI & airtightness installer: Ecofix External insulation system: Baumit Aerated concrete blocks: Quinn Building Products Thermal breaks: Compacfoam, via Partel Insulated roofing system: Moy Materials Mineral wool roof insulation: Isover Stone wool external insulation: Rockwool Floor insulation system: Enviroform Solutions / Kingspan Airtightness tapes & membranes: Siga Liquid airtight sealant: Blowerproof Ireland Windows & doors: Munster Joinery Brick slips: Ibstock Heating & ventilation: Nilan Ireland Screed: Smet Building Products

above Drawing of the wall-to-the floor junction, with the broken red line marking the airtightness layer

Read more about this project in detail

ph+ | max fordham case study | 53

MAX FORDHAM

CASE STUDY

M me ulti nZ s n Un EB ow it RE on AD Sit he

Insulated Concrete Forms - A Rated Structures

• High Performance REINFORCED CONCRETE Homes • A One Stop Solution that Easily Meets or Exceeds Building Regulations for Structure, Insulation, Sound Resistance, Fire, Airtightness and Thermal Bridging - all as standard, at no extra cost • New Amvic ICF 300 Form available now, oﬀering o U-Value: 0.20W/m²K, o Y-Value: 0.02, o Air Permeability: <2m³/h.m² • Sound Resistance + 58DnTw. • Fully Certiﬁed and Approved • Cost Competitive, Rapid Build • For Self Build, Housing Schemes, Apartments, Commercial, etc.

Amvic Ireland

Unit 11 Rosemount Business Park Ballycoolin, Dublin 15 045 889276 www.amvicireland.com Made in IIreland

54 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30 PASSIVE HOUSE PERFORMANCE - TRADITIONAL BUILD COSTS

CASE STUDY

MAX FORDHAM

IN DETAIL Building type: New 145 sqm infill terrace home Location: Camden Mews, London Completion date: February 2019 Budget: Private Passive house certification: Pending Space heating demand (PHPP): 13.4 kWh/m2/yr Heat load (PHPP): 8 kWh/m2/yr Primary energy demand (PHPP): 105 kWh/m2/yr Primary energy renewable demand (PHPP): 48 kWh/m2/yr Hot water demand (PHPP): 14.5 kWh/m2/yr Heat loss form factor (PHPP): 3.33 Overheating (PHPP): 9% (excludes automated insulated window shutters) Airtightness (n50 at 50 Pascals): 0.38 ACH Energy performance certificate (EPC): B 83 Energy bills: Estimated cost of £22.60 per month for space heating & £8 per month for hot water based on PHPP energy demand calculations & estimated average UK electricity price of 14p per kWh (exclusive of standing charges). Thermal bridging: Structure entirely within thermal envelope, except for ground piles & 3 columns in the entrance passage, which are thermally isolated with Foamglas Perinsul & a collar of 400mm insulation respectively. Schöck thermally broken connectors used to support 2nd floor planters. Insulation in warm

roofs continuous with insulated parapets. Window frames externally over-insulated. Overall thermal bridging Y-value: 0.27 W/m2K Ground floor: 11mm click-lock floating cork flooring followed beneath by acoustic floor underlay, self-levelling screed, 50% GGBS in-situ concrete, RIW Structureseal clay sheet with taped joints cast into concrete, 400mm Isoquick XPS insulation, 160mm Cordek Cellcore HX void former, 50mm rough GGBS in-situ concrete blinding. U-value: 0.016 W/m2K Walls (typical exterior wall): Austrian larch cladding (angled to shed water) followed inside by 25mm ventilated air gap, 22mm Steico Universal black breathable sheathing board, 260mm Rockwool Flexi mineral wool insulated batts between 240mm x 60mm Steico Wall SW60 I-joists, 100mm lightweight concrete blockwork, pro clima Intello vapour control membrane, 100mm NBT Pavatex Pavaflex wood fibre insulation, 100 x 50mm horizontal timber battens, 12.5mm Fermacell wall board, 1mm plaster skim coat, zero VOC paint. U-value: 0.11 W/m2K Main roof: PV array on mounting system, followed beneath by 80-150mm soil / growing medium seeded with native meadow plants, Terram 1000 geotextile membrane, 40mm Bauder DSE40 reservoir board, Bauder PE separating foil, 5mm Bauder bitumen capping sheet, 3mm Bauder bitumen underlayer, 160mm Bauder PIR insulation, 2.5mm Bauder bitumen vapour barrier, 18mm Structural plywood deck, 12mm Medite SmartPly ProPassiv airtight OSB with all joints taped, 100mm wood fibre insulation between 250x75mm Douglas fir joists, 12.5mm high density Fermacell board. U-value: 0.12 W/m2K First floor green roof: 80-150mm soil / growing medium planted with native meadow plants followed beneath by Terram 1000 geotextile membrane, 40mm Bauder DSE40 reservoir board, 2 x Bauder Versicell 20

drainage board, Bauder PE separating foil, Bauder bitumen capping sheet, Bauder bitumen underlayer, 240mm Bauder PIR insulation, Bauder bitumen vapour barrier, 200mm GGBS insitu reinforced concrete slab, 15mm render and finish plaster. Windows & external doors: Bayer Ökotherm passive house certified aluminium-clad timber windows. Sealed with Pro Clima Tescon No.1 and Contega tapes. Overall U-value: 0.63 W/m2K Roof windows: Fakro FTT U8 Thermo passive house certified quadruple glazed skylights. Overall U-value: 0.76 W/m2K Heating system: Electric heater battery in MVHR supply duct for space heating. Daikin Altherma 2-stage air source heat pump with integrated domestic hot water tank, designed to run at about 2pm each day. A two-stage heat pump over the course of a year is more efficient at heating DHW. 2 refrigeration circuits: one goes to the outdoor compressor, one inside. The second circuit takes heat at circa 45C or so and boosts it to 65C. Ventilation: Paul Novus 300 mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system, passive house certified heat recovery 93%. Rigid Lindab ducting throughout. Water: All fittings with very low-flow restrictors. All roofs have significant restrictors on the outlets to attenuate rainwater. Electricity: LG solar PV array with total installed capacity of 5.11kW, estimated annual generation of 4024kW. Green materials: All concrete 50% GGBS. All timber FSC with chain of custody & European spruce plywood. All finishes zero VOC. Natural & rapidly renewable materials used wherever possible (woodfibre insulation, timber, etc).

ph+ | max fordham case study | 55

SITE SPECIFIC

CASE STUDY

WANT TO KNOW MORE? The digital version of this magazine includes access to exclusive galleries of architectural drawings. The digital magazine is available to subscribers on www.passive.ie

£200 profit per year (with renewable feed-in tariff)

56 56 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

Building: Detached timber frame passive house   Completed: January 2018 Location: Chew Magna, Somerset Budget: £420,000 Standard: Uncertified passive house

CASE STUDY

SITE SPECIFIC

SITE SPE CIFIC S O M E R S E T PA S S I V E H O U S E A DA P TS TO TIG H T P LOT The best architecture responds skilfully and sensitively to its surroundings, so when a long and narrow plot beside a busy road became available in the Somerset village of Chew Magna, architect David Hayhow set out to design a passive house, inspired by nearby farm buildings, that would be both private yet filled with light â&#x20AC;&#x201D; quite the challenge given the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tight restraints.

Words by David W Smith

ph+ | site specific case study | 57

SITE SPECIFIC

CASE STUDY

We took a gamble on being able to build the house we wanted.

58 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

or once, estate agents are not exaggerating when they describe the Somerset village of Chew Magna as “well sought after”. Handily placed near Bristol, the ancient city of Bath and the Mendip Hills, house prices here are not for the fainthearted. Local architect David Hayhow and his wife Rosemarie had lived for years in the village when they decided they wanted to build a passive house. The problem was, as David says, “hens’ teeth are more common” than finding a good location in Chew Magna. They just don’t turn up. People have to buy land with houses on and knock them down and start again. But most plots cost £750,000 before you even start demolishing. And we’re not in that price league. We know people who took a big risk, buying and hoping to knock the house down, then they couldn’t get planning permission,” he says.  Eight years ago, the couple finally found a desirable site at auction. The existing building had originally been constructed as a garage workshop but was being used as an office by an estate agent. The price was affordable, perhaps because there were still five years left on the lease. Planning permission had already been granted for a house, but David and Rosemarie wanted to proceed with a different design more suited to meeting the passive house standard. “We took a gamble on being able to build the house we wanted,” says David. The couple left their project in limbo for several years before applying for planning permission, which was granted subject to a few changes. The build took a year after work began in January 2017. An important early decision was taken to re-use the existing strip foundations, which extended two metres under the ground. This was one of the

CASE STUDY

project’s greenest elements as it negated the need for lots of new concrete.   The long and narrow shape of the site had a great influence on the design, which took its inspiration from a nearby cottage and barn that had once been part of a farm. These two-storey structures had gables facing the high street, and steep, pitched roofs. But David’s passive house was rendered, rather than stone clad, and he opted to place slates on the roof as they blended with the black solar panels.  Getting enough light into the Pump House was challenging. David decided not to put many windows on the east and west elevations, which overlooked neighbouring homes. This made it essential to maximise the light coming from the two gable ends.   “One end was facing south, so it was simply a question of putting in lots of glass. But it wasn’t easy to get light into the middle of the building,” says he says. “We managed it by introducing a double-height area of roof glazing, which we dubbed the Wintergarden. It provides lots of light for both the ground floor and the north-facing study we share on the first floor. It makes it a lovely space to be in even when the skies are grey outside.”

Photography: David Mirzeoff & David Hayhow

The Hayhows have been monitoring heat performance since moving into the house in January 2018. Temperatures are consistently around 19C or 20C, but David says it feels slightly warmer than that. In March last year, during freezing weather, temperatures only dropped below 18C on two mornings before rising above 20C during the day. Two months later, an early heat wave pushed temperatures inside above 25C, principally because of the large glazed area. David has since found ways to rectify the overheating issue. He has installed two motorised opening lights to the roof windows, and a small opening in the external wall just above the ground floor which, when activated at night, provide cooling ready for the next day. Meanwhile, the south-facing bedroom windows have been fitted with external Venetian blinds inside a fourth layer of glazing, and the sliding doors to the living area are protected by a shade-sail supported on steel posts. David is also planning to add internal shading to the roof glazing.   In the first year the couple used 3,480kWh from their renewable electricity supplier, but with their 6kWP solar photovoltaic array, generated 5,270kWh in the same

SITE SPECIFIC

period. David says he and Rosemarie love the feel of their passive house. “The house is great to live in. Each space has a particular character and offers small delights at every turn. It is full of light and interesting use of materials.” He continues: “The study has a high sloping ceiling and looks north onto the High Street. We are aware of the traffic, but it is subdued by the triple glazing. The study is not as gloomy as north-facing rooms usually are as it gets light from the south through the winter garden roof. We’re also aware of the path of the sun as it travels through the day.”

It is full of light and interesting use of materials.

ph+ | site specific case study | 59

SUPERHOMES

INSIGHT

HEAT YOUR HOME WITH AN

ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP SAVE YOUR POCKET AND THE PLANET Be part of a Brighter Future Find out more at esb.ie

62 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

SITE SPECIFIC

CASE STUDY

CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS

1 Laying of the concrete slab which was installed over 300mm of Dow Floormate XPS insulation; 2 erection of the closed-panel timber frame system; 3 installation of the Internorm windows on the tight site required a crane; 4 I-rafters in the roof which were then filled with 300mm Earthwool insulation; 5 Smartply ProPassiv airtight OSB to the inside of the roof construction, with airtight taping at junctions and joist ends; 6 the outside of the roof build-up with battening over woodfibre insulation; 7 outside this again was the breathable sarking and the mounting system for the solar PV array, with was installed flush with the roof slates; 8 detail at the wall roof junction with Diffutherm woodfibre wall insulation rising up under the eaves to meet the roof insulation; 9 internal service cavity insulated with Rockwool.

SELECTED PROJECT DETAILS Clients: Rosemarie & David Hayhow Architect: David Hayhow Structural engineer: John Filor Consulting Passive house consultant: Alex Duckworth Passive house assessor: Warm Sustainable drainage consultant: Clive Onions Timber frame: All Timber Frames Mechanical & solar PV installations: Green Flare Electrical contractor: AJW Services Airtightness test: Building Analysis & Testing

60 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

Wall insulation: Superglass, via All Timber Frames External wall insulation & render: Baumit, via Back to Earth Additional wall insulation: Rockwool, via Earthwise Roof insulation: Knauf Additional roof insulation: Diffutherm, via Back to Earth Floor insulation: Dow Airtightness products: Ecological Building Systems, Back to Earth Windows & doors: Ecohaus Internorm Roof windows: LAMILUX GGBS cement: Dors Building Services

MVHR installation: Earthwise Construction Permeable paving blocks: Stonemarket Sedum roof: Riefa Green Roof Solutions Air source heat pump: Mitsubishi MVHR: Green Building Store Solar PV: LG Clay paint: Mike Wye & Associates Airtight OSB: Smartply Airtight sealing foam: Illbruck Ground slab: Dors Building Services Fit-out contractor: Earthwise Building Services Rainwater harvesting: Rainwater Harvesting Ltd

CASE STUDY

SITE SPECIFIC

IN DETAIL Building type: Detached 202 sqm timber frame passive house

year received, leaving a net energy profit of £200.

Location: Chew Magna, Somerset

Thermal bridging: Additional external & internal insulation to walls & roof to reduce bridging; insulated fixings for woodfibre EWI; strip foundations w/ lightweight blocks insulated both sides. Guidance taken from ‘Passivhaus-Bauteilkatalog’ & Steico’s ‘Building System Details with Psi values’.

Completion date: January 2018 Budget: £420,000 Passive house certification: Uncertified Space heating demand (PHPP): 11 kWh/m2/yr Heat load (PHPP): 9 W/m2 Primary energy demand (non-renewable, PHPP): 61 kWh/m2/yr Primary energy demand (renewable): 27 kWh/m2/yr Primary energy generated: 39 kWh/m2/yr Heat loss form factor (PHPP): 3.35 Overheating (PHPP): 0% Airtightness (at 50 Pascals): 0.39 ACH Energy performance certificate (EPC): A (95) Measured energy consumption: 3,480 kWh (mains electricity consumed in first year) Energy bills: £421 for electricity in first year (also covers space heating & hot water). However, renewable feed in tariff of £621 per

Ground floor: Existing strip footings raised by two courses in aircrete blocks w/ 450mm XPS insulation to inside & 650mm outside. 150mm concrete slab on 300mm Dow Floormate XPS insulation, on DPM, on sand binding, on existing slab. U value 0.107 W/m2K Walls: Closed-panel timber frame walls; Baumit render externally followed inside by 60mm Diffutherm woodfibre insulation, breather membrane, 230mm timber studs insulated with glass fibre, 15mm OSB, Diffutherm Udisteam vapour barrier, 50mm Rockwool-insulated services zone, plasterboard. U-value: 0.120 W/m2K Roof: Slates externally followed by battens, breathable sarking, counter battens, 35mm Diffutherm UdiTop woodfibre insulation, I-rafters filled with 300mm Earthwool insulation, 12mm OSB, 50mm Rockwoolinsulated services zone, plasterboard. U-value: 0.114 W/m2K Windows: Internorm Studio timber/aluminium HF310 triple glazed windows, HS330 lift &

slide door. Typical overall U-value: 0.8 W/m2K Roof windows: LAMILUX PR60 energy save fixed & motorised roof windows. Overall U-value: 0.9 W/m2K Heating system: Mitsubishi Ecodan 4kW air source heat pump w/ thermal store. Supplies domestic hot water & heating to 3 x towel rails & one small radiator in drying cupboard. Ventilation: Paul Novus 300 mechanical ventilation w/ heat recovery. PHI certified heat recovery efficiency 93%. Purge ventilation by opening roof windows. Water: Low flow taps and showerheads; rainwater harvested to 3,500L tank for use in WCs and garden. Calculated water use 29 litres per person per day from mains, plus rainwater use. Electricity: 6kWp PV system on WSW facing roof, flush with the slate roofing. Produced 5,270 kWh in first 12 months. Green materials: Reused materials existing foundations, timber and steel from existing site. FSC-certified timber throughout plus timber from our own sequoia. Woodfibre insulation, GGBS concrete, clay paints, Fermacell tile board. Riefa planting board made from flour and coir (coconut fibre). Landscaping: Permeable block paving to the entrance and parking area. Sedum green roof to lobby area & wildflower meadow to bin store roof using Riefa system.

Graph showing temperatures in the living room at Pump House, January & February 2019.

ph+ | site specific case study | 61

INSIGHT

SUPERHOMES

E VIDE NCE BASE :

HOW AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS FARE IN CANNY RETROFITS Air source heat pumps are rapidly becoming one of the dominant technologies in sustainable building, but how well do they perform in real world conditions? Can they be part of the solution to retrofitting homes, given the challenges in making existing homes suitable for low energy heating? A rare monitoring study on a pioneering retrofit scheme offers encouraging signs.

Words by Jeff Colley

s the electricity grid continues to decarbonise, the environmental benefits of electrifying heating keep on improving, a process that’s bound to continue in the coming years. Add in the prospect of heat pumps multiplying each kilowatt of electricity into three or more kilowatts of heat and the argument can become compelling. Analysis by Passive House Plus indicates that the majority of new homes built in Ireland last year are heated via air source heat pumps (ASHPs), which help meet both the energy efficiency and renewable energy targets set out in Part L of the building regulations. But this technology – which is rapidly moving from the margins to centre stage in the UK and

Ireland – is still comparatively new in these markets, at least in terms of en masse roll out, meaning many people still have doubts about their real world performance. These doubts are most pronounced in the case of retrofitting heat pumps, and the reason isn’t hard to establish: the efficiency of a heat pump is better when the delta T – the distance in temperature between two measuring points – is lower. That ideally means trickling low temperature heat into a large surface area distribution medium such as an underfloor heating system, and into a building which has thermally efficient building fabric, and is therefore comparatively warm to begin with, and slow to lose heat. Existing buildings tend to be far from this scenario, with building

fabric that’s quick to lose heat, and boilers set up to blast heat in at high temperatures into radiators. Tipperary Energy Agency CEO Paul Kenny and his colleagues had a vision for a different approach. In 2015 the agency launched SuperHomes, a grant-funded retrofit scheme set up with the ambition of delivering cost-effective deep retrofits with a specific, tightly-defined approach: fabric heat loss is reduced by airtightening (to a q50 of less than 5) and insulating homes, while ventilation heat loss is reduced without compromising indoor air quality via demand controlled mechanical extract ventilation systems. By reducing heat losses, an ASHP could be run at relatively low temperatures via the home’s existing heating

ph+ | superhomes insight | 63

SUPERHOMES

INSIGHT

RESIDENTIAL VENTILATION

Options to meet Part F?

MEV – Mechanical Extract Ventilation

DCV – Demand-Controlled Ventilation

MHVR – Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery

DMEV – Decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation

PIV – Positive Input Ventilation

www.solerpalau.ie

64 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30 S&P Self-Backing A4 Energy Show Flyer 2019.indd 1

✔ Continuous extraction of air from “wet” rooms ✔ A central ventilation unit in a cupboard or loft space ✔ Humidity and manual speed control

✔ Continuous extraction of air from “wet” rooms ✔ Self-balancing constant adjustable pressure saves energy ✔ Humidity and PIR controlled system

✔ Continuous supply and extract ventilation in one system ✔ Heat exchange to recover energy usually lost through other ventilation methods

✔ Continuous low-trickle extract, usually wall-mounted ✔ No need for ducted systems ✔ Rapid extraction on demand with PIR or humidity options available

✔ A fan (usually in roof space) supplies air via a central hallway or landing ✔ Introduces slight positive pressure to push water-vapour out of natural leakages in the property

Tel: 01 412 4020 sales.ie@solerpalau.com 14/03/2019 09:26

INSIGHT

SUPERHOMES

Before and after primary energy scores from BERs for homes which have received energy upgrades under the SuperHomes scheme.

system – in some instances with additional radiators added to increase the surface area of heat emitters. Crucially, the retrofit measures – including heating system changes – would be designed by sufficiently qualified engineers, with well-trained and supported installers, professionally managed contracts, finance and compliance checks. The works were done by a group of dedicated installers: Sola, Leetherm, Churchfield, House2Home and Waterford Insulation. Costs were kept impressively low: participating households in year one made a net spend of €18,000, after 35% of the costs had been covered by a SuperHomes grant Lack of post occupancy data is arguably the greatest failing in attempts at low energy building, an informational vacuum that creates uncertainty about whether a given energy saving attempt is working or not, which therefore undermines consumer confidence. Such an evidence-blind approach may not stop energy saving measures being installed in new buildings – albeit without the means of quantifying whether they proved successful – provided they’re mandated under building regulations. But kickstarting en masse retrofit of existing buildings means convincing consumers to make changes to their home. Until the day that governments actually force people to upgrade their homes, that means using a mix of incentives and penalties, and giving consumers compelling evidence that they’re making the right choice. In the case of SuperHomes, Tipperary Energy Agency’s relationship with Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) – the agency’s founder and chairperson, Seamus Hoyne, is now head of development at LIT – provided an opportunity to prove the concept. The agency partnered with LIT’s Research, Development & Innovation section, who conducted a two-year monitoring study, SuperHomes 2.0. Led by Hoyne and LIT research fellow Padraic O’Reilly in conjunction with LIT’s Mick O’Shea and Geoff Hunter, the study commenced in April 2017 with additional partners of ESB Innovation, Electric Ireland and ESB Networks, and funding via the International Energy Research Centre (IERC) in Cork. 20 homes that went through SuperHomes deep retrofits from 2015 to 2016 were chosen for the study, looking at their performance over

a two year period. 19 homes were fitted with Mitsubishi Ecodan heat pumps, while one had a Dimplex unit. The SuperHomes scheme aims to bring homes up to an A3 building energy rating, subject to what’s possible and cost-effective in a retrofit: the 20 homes in the monitoring study included two A2s, twelve A3s, four B1s, a B2 and B3. 18 of the homes were detached, along with two semi-ds. 15 are rural and five are urban, and the average size is 195 sqm. Seven homes had a mix of underfloor heating and radiators, one had only underfloor, and 12 had only radiators – meaning the heat pumps would have to run at higher temperatures. Some of the underfloor heating was comparatively old, with fairly poor levels of ground floor insulation. Water tank temperatures were generally set at between 45 – 50C. Immersion heaters were not used for space heating at all, with immersion use restricted to giving hot water an 8C lift up to 60C at the end of the legionella protection cycle once per fortnight, consuming an encouragingly small amount: approximately 70 kWh of electricity annually per house. The flow temperature range for heat emitters ranged from between 36 and 48C with weather compensation, providing evidence that the strategy of reducing energy demand and thereby enabling radiators to be run at low temperatures is working. The performance of the heat pumps in all 20 homes was monitored in year one, with their efficiencies assessed in line with a defined seasonal performance factor, which looks

at the total energy input and output of a heat pump. The total amount of heat supplied by the heat pump for space heating and to the domestic hot water tank, added to any heat produced by electric immersions is divided by the total amount of electricity to power inlet fans/pumps, auxiliary heaters, heat pump, immersion and any fans or pumps included in the heating or hot water system. In year one, the monitored homes averaged SPFs of 3.2 for space heating and 2.2 for domestic hot water – a result which compares remarkably favourably to the Energy Saving Trust’s field trials. After year one, 15 of the heat pumps were optimised and effectively re-commissioned, with the remaining five left as a control group. This meant that any improvements in performance gained from changes made to the system could be compared not just against the previous year’s data – which could provide lower or higher performance depending on factors such as the number of heating degree days in a given year – but against other unoptimized homes. The figures improved again: average SPFs of 3.4 for space heating and 2.4 for domestic hot water. By comparison, the EST’s field trials on ASHPs showed SPFs (averaged for space heating & hot water) of 2.45 post-optimisation. Based on a total of 3,862 and 3,001 kWh consumed for space heating pre and post-optimisation, the costs would translate to annual space heating costs of €574 in year one, and €446 in year two – impressively low figures for relatively large, mainly detached homes. Pre-optimisation 01/10/17 – 31/03/18

Post-optimisation 01/10/18 – 31/03/19

Average SPF, space heating

3.2

3.4

Average SPF, DHW

2.2

2.4

Average energy consumed – space heating (kWh)

3,862

3,001

Heating degree days

1,707

1,476

Normalised average energy consumed (kWh/Degree day)

2.3

2.0

Average running cost – space heating @ €0.14865/kWh*

€574

€446

* Average electricity cost inclusive of VAT, assuming 50/50 split between night and day rate electricity, based on Electric Ireland Climote electricity price plan from Bonkers.ie.

ph+ | superhomes insight | 65

SUPERHOMES

INSIGHT

UNIT 2, 40 MAIN STREET TEMPLEMORE, CO TIPPERARY. WWW.SOLA.IE email DESIGN@SOLA.IE tel 0504 58750

PROVEN EXPERTISE WITH REAL RESULTS

SOLA ENERGY SOLUTIONS

One of the main contractors with ‘SuperHomes’ since the 2015 pilot scheme.

Retroﬁt & New Build Renewable Energy Experts - contact design@sola.ie

66 | passivehouseplus.ie | issue 30

INSIGHT

Cycling One critical factor that affects both the efficiency and life span of a heating appliance such as a boiler or heat pump is the cycle rate – or the frequency at which the appliance turns on an off to deliver a required temperature. Padraic O’Reilly explains that EN 15450 of 2007 talks about limiting the number of cycles to three per hour. “ESB Networks documentation on rural connections looks for four starts per hour - because they don’t want big surges.” After optimisation, the maximum number of cycles was reduced from 14 to 6 per hour. But the average in year two was far lower: 410 cycles per month. Based on ten hours of heating per day over a month, the average cycle rate worked out at less than 1.35 times per hour. A critical factor in achieving this was matching up of heat pump with heat emission system, by ensuring the operating temperatures are correct. “If they’re too low, you have a mismatch, which causes cycling,” says O’Reilly. Excessive cycling will shorten

the lifespan of the compressor. According to O’Reilly, this was perhaps the main takeaway from the tweaks applied after year one. “The most important outcome of optimisation was the reduction in cycles, at the same time improving the satisfaction of internal target temperature while maintaining or improving efficiency.” Time-of-use tariff ESB trialled a new ‘time of use’ tariff on eleven of the homes, with smart pay-as-you-go meters installed between April and May 2018 – with in-home displays showing the customer the tariff and their consumption. The results are encouraging. Electric Ireland’s Aine Doran presented results at the SuperHomes 2.0 conference in April including examples showing users shifting away from the standard profile of usage, with usage peaking in the middle of the night and mid-afternoon – capitalising on the lowest tariffs – and delaying evening usage to peak at 9pm, when pressure

(above) Time of use (TOU) profile with low, medium and high tariffs allocated to six different time slots throughout the day, in order to see whether price could motivate occupants to use their heat pumps outside of peak hours – including at times of low demand during the day, rather than just the simpler day/night rate options.

THE UTILITY’S PERSPECTIVE

best practice heat pump design & installation standards and guidance so that homeowners can have confidence that their low carbon heating system is delivering to its potential.

PH+: What do you think the implications of the results from SuperHomes 2.0 are? BM: The results have confirmed that heat pumps can very efficiently meet the heating and hot water needs of Irish homes. It has further demonstrated that with the application of best practice installation strategies, further efficiencies can be realised and that scale up of heat pump deployment to meet national decarbonisation objectives offers significant potential. In fact heat pumps offer an immediate climate friendly solution for the 500,000 new homes we are expected to deliver by 2050, avoiding fossil fuel lock-in and guaranteeing sustained carbon reduction without the need for further costly intervention by the homeowner.

PH+: What role does ESB see heat pumps playing in decarbonising heat, and what role does ESB expect to play in this? BM: ESB believes that heat pumps can make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of Ireland’s heating sector. An average Irish home currently emits 58% more carbon than the average EU home due to greater use of high carbon fuels. Transferring to electric heat pumps in conjunction with an energy retrofit will offer immediate benefits from a carbon reduction perspective and will deliver co-benefits in terms of creating healthier living environments and reduced energy costs. Electricity production is transforming with the large scale deployment of renewables having already delivered a 50% reduction in carbon intensity from 1990 levels, with a further 30% reduction envisaged by 2030. Today, ESB is leading this transition to a low carbon energy future, powered by clean electricity. This involves investing in low carbon and renewable generation, developing a smart network

Passive House Plus spoke to project partner, ESB eHeat manager Brian Montayne to discuss the significance of the study’s findings.

PH+: What actions does ESB expect to take based on the information gained from SuperHomes 2.0? BM: It is our intention that the findings from SuperHomes 2.0 will be leveraged to inform

SUPERHOMES

on the grid is starting to ease. But what do the homeowners who participated in this study think? Positive-looking hard data is one thing, but the participants in SuperHomes 2.0 also had plenty to say about their upgraded homes. “No matter what the weather’s like outside, it’s always warm once I step inside,” says one homeowner. “Never use the clothes dryer anymore, says another, who finds the combination of consistently warm radiators and humidity-based ventilation is “great for drying the clothes”. Some participants also talked of having homes that are always warm, always having hot water, and the convenience of not having to order fuel – or worry about oil being robbed. But it’s not all positive: “Can’t keep fruit and veg out without it going off,” reported one person. At the time of writing, the SuperHomes 2.0 project is currently being finalised. 10 of the participating homes also had solar PV arrays fitted, and in one home LIT have assessed the potential for PV output to be matched to the ASHP demand, as well as looking at charging electric vehicles and storage options, working with energy storage specialists Solo Energy. But the project has already served an extremely important purpose: it has shown that there is real substance in the theory put forward by Tipperary Energy Agency when they launched such a tightly-defined scheme for subsidised deep retrofits, and attracted significant attention from the joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action while it deliberated on proposed interventions to drastically reduce carbon emissions across Ireland’s existing housing stock. Only time will tell if the key findings from SuperHomes – not just with regard to the notion of combining specific interventions on energy efficiency, renewable heating and ventilation, but also, crucially, the role of design professionals in the works – end up being heeded.

capable of supporting the further electrification of society and empowering customers to take more control over their energy use. As high carbon electricity generation is replaced by low carbon and renewable alternatives, heat pumps will contribute progressively more carbon savings over time making them a truly future proofed heating option for homeowners. PH+: Are we likely to see a time of use tariff being launched onto the market any time soon? BM: We envisage that smart metering will facilitate the introduction of new customer propositions in the years ahead – in the mean time homeowners can take advantage of day/ night tariffs that are ideally suited to all-electric dwellings PH+: Would ESB consider being involved in further research to see to what extent heat pump use has the potential to correlate with wind energy generation? BM: ESB will continue to support R&D that facilitates large scale deployment of low carbon technologies that will optimally leverage Ireland’s increasing renewable electricity resources. ph+ | superhomes insight | 67

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INSIGHT

QUA NT I FYIN G TH E G REEN NE SS OF C ONST RUC T ION PRODUC TS:

THE RISE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS Climate breakdown and global ecological crises mean that our efforts to make buildings sustainable must go far beyond operational energy use – including number crunching and drastically reducing environmental impacts of building materials. John Cradden reports on progress in the uptake of the building blocks of life cycle analysis of buildings: Environmental Product Declarations.

mid today’s concerns about climate change, the importance of assessing the environmental impact of buildings at all stages of their lifecycles is starting to gain mainstream acceptance. After all, besides the energy and carbon needed to operate, heat and light a building, the materials to construct it must be quarried, mined or harvested; transported to factories and manufactured; then transported to sites, lifted into place and fixed into position. And over its expected lifespan, a given building will need maintenance, repair and replacement before eventually getting demolished and all its components disposed of, whether that’s through landfill, incineration, recycling or re-use. To date, it hasn’t been particularly easy to calculate the embodied carbon footprint of

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the materials used in construction, making the already complex job of doing a building life cycle assessment (LCA) somewhat more onerous. This is where Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) come in. These are a standardised way of providing data about the environmental impacts of a product through the product’s life cycle. It’s not in itself a ratings system; a product with an EPD is not automatically a product with a low environmental impact. The EPD only provides the relevant data about the product that you can compare with other products at the building level in order to determine its environmental impact. “It basically gives you the numbers,” said Jane Anderson, an expert in building life cycle assessment and EPDs. “It doesn’t tell you

whether the numbers are good or bad, but it does give you the numbers consistently. So then you can take two EPDs and intelligently look at them to see how those products compare.” However, manufacturers who obtain an EPD will also receive a special EPD report which explains the sources of impacts through the life cycle and enables them to consider how they might best reduce them. EPDs are also helpful for architects, local authorities and governments in getting good scores for their projects in building rating and assessment schemes like LEED, BREEAM and the Irish Green Building Council’s Home Performance Index. All of which means that EPDs look set to enter the mainstream of the construction industry as it looks to green its output in

INSIGHT

E N V I R O N M E N TA L

Products with environmental product declarations through EPD Ireland include (clockwise from left) Ecocem cement, KORE EPS insulation, Munster Joinery windows, Quinn Lite thermal blocks and Smartply ProPassiv OSB

response to global issues like climate change. In Europe, EPDs must conform to two standards: European standard EN 15804 and the international standard ISO 14025, which means that all EPDs should use a common methodology, use a common set of environmental indicators and have a common reporting format. An EPD will show the impact of construction products over four life cycle stages: manufacturing, construction, day-to-day use and end of life. It will also report seven environmental impact indicators: global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication, stratospheric ozone depletion potential, photochemical ozone creation potential, and two types of abiotic depletion. Pat Barry of the Irish Green Building Council, which operates the Irish EPD programme, acknowledges that the global warming potential is the big one. Other factors like the amount of resources that go into making a product and the scarcity of materials are important, but the focus for now will tend to be on the carbon footprint. “There is a need to educate the market on embodied carbon, so this is part of a longerterm strategy for us to do that. The IGBC program is intended to generate the data, and our next step is to get people using it.” As you would expect, EPDs have to be independently verified, usually by a third party. Anderson works as an independent verifier of EPDs for a number of the European programmes, including Ireland, Germany, Norway and Sweden. She agrees that the EU has been the driver of efforts to harmonise standards for EPDs throughout Europe but also worldwide. There were EPD programmes in the UK,

Holland, Sweden and Germany, but “they all had different rules, different indicators and different approaches, and it literally meant that manufacturers were having to do completely different studies in each country if they produced a product that was exported”. “It was the European Commission that then gave CEN, the European standards body, a mandate to harmonize the approaches and to produce a European standard at both the products and building level.” There are, of course, EPD programmes outside the EU, including in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, but they have all adopted the European standard as the basis for their schemes. EPD growth According to 2019 data compiled by Anderson, there are now over 6,000 EPDs for construction products that conform to EN 15804 worldwide. So while there has been “strong but not exponential growth” in the adoption of EPDs, Ireland and the UK are somewhat behind the curve compared to other European countries, particularly France and Germany. France has over 2,000 published EPDs between two different programmes, closely followed by Germany with just over 1,300, and Norway with over 500. “Basically, France has environmental regulation that says if you want to make an environmental claim about the products in France you have to have an EPD to justify it,” said Anderson. “There’s no obligation to make an EPD, but if you claim your product is low impact, or it’s got a low carbon footprint, or it’s better than somebody else’s, then you have to basically have an EPD. That’s kind of driven the numbers there.” Anderson adds that France

has pilot regulations and requirements to reduce the embodied carbon of buildings and increase the use of renewables. “So, there’s a kind of driver in two directions,” says Anderson. “There’s a quite rapid growth there.” In Germany, there is a widely adopted building lifecycle assessment scheme that requires the use of EPDs, which has driven uptake there, while over in Norway, take up is being driven by both the public authorities and the widespread use of BREEAM, along with what Barry describes as a “very advanced” lifecycle assessment scheme. At the time of writing the UK has 168 and the Irish programme (which in fairness was only launched by the IGBC in 2017) has 15. Of course, relatively few construction products are manufactured in Ireland, with just five companies having published EPDs through the Irish programme covering a select range of products, according to Barry, but there are about 500 imported products with EPDs available in Ireland that have been published through other programmes such as the IBU in Germany or the BRE in the UK. One other driver of the take up of EPDs is a European Commission initiative called Levels, a voluntary reporting framework which aims to provide a set of indicators and common metrics within the EU for measuring the performance of buildings along their life cycle. This is something that Barry says should drive transparent data for EPDs because “it kind of incentivises quality data”. Software tools While all this might sound like another layer of bureaucracy and paperwork to many in the construction sector, the good news is that there is software available that can make

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INSIGHT

Congratulates Build Better, Together.

for developing Environmental Product Declarations through EPD Ireland for 40 separate products and the following companies for registering over 90 of their existing EPD developed through international EPD programmes on the EPD Ireland platform : Ecological Building Systems, Forbo, Saint Gobain, Eurospec Insulation, SMET Building Products, Dulux Paints Ireland, AkzoNobel, Isover, Vitra, Uzin Utz UK, Rockwool, Finsa, Kingspan.

Manufacturers can find more information about the programme and specifiers can find all EPD developed or registered in Ireland on:

www.epdireland.org EPD Ireland is audited by ECO Platform the European organisation of EPD Programme operators

EPD Ireland is a programme run by Irish Green Building Council

All EPD are 3rd party verified and must comply with ISO 14025 and EN 15804

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INSIGHT

Pictured with their EPD certificates are (far left) Jason Martin of Quinn Building Products; (left) Munster Joinery’s Marlene O’Mahony; (right) EPA director Eimear Cotter; and (far right) IGBC CEO Pat Barry.

producing an EPD much easier. The IGBC, for instance, teamed up with leading Finnish LCA experts Bionova to allow building professionals to quickly calculate the embodied carbon in a building through their One Click LCA software. The web-based application takes the legwork out of calculating a full LCA, reducing the time to a matter of hours rather than weeks and is now more akin to working out a BER. Panu Passusen of Bionova says a bit of training is required to use the application, “but it is as much training in LCA concepts as in the use of the software”. Training can be included with licences. Users can hit the ground running after 2-hour training for building level studies, while for EPD studies one day is required. Making the process easier is also crucial to drive the registration of EPDs, as Anderson points out that the figures she compiles do not include EPDs that are not registered or published in any programme. She has used software tools for calculating LCAs and EPDs, including one time with British Precast, the trade association for precast concrete manufacturers and suppliers, to produce an EPD for the average aircrete block and for the average hollow core floor. “All of their manufacturers can actually use that tool to produce an EPD for any of their products...they can use those tools to produce EPDs on demand and the tools have been verified, so there are lots more EPDs that are around that but aren’t registered with an EPD program.” Of course, it you take a lock manufactuer like Assa Abploy, who have 10,000 different products, then it’s not financially viable or practical to produce EPDs for all of them, so it may only make sense to register the significant ones, she says. “So, there’s a balance between trying to make sure you’ve got significant products registered and that you can produce them if you need to.” Role of architects However, there is still a bit of the chicken and

the egg regarding the promotion of EPDs; it’s clear that architects need to play a bigger role and start asking for them, says Barry. “We get it all the time from manufacturers that they do not produce any EPDs because they do cost money and because architects don’t ask for them. So the key issue is that architects aren’t aware of them or why they should ask for them.” Two exceptions in Ireland are Dublinbased practices RKD Architects and Coady Architects. Simon Keogh at Coady Architects says that it recently used more than 25 products on a 20-unit development in Rathdrum without knowing they had EPDs but is now aiming at using 50 products with EPDs on a 42-unit project in Kilbride without any issues over cost or procurement. However, he does believe there is work to be done in pushing product manufacturers to get moving on EPDs in a timely manner, and also to deliver training in LCA software to make use of EPD metrics. Coadys is also working on completing one of the first - if not the first - building LCA in Ireland in Rathdrum in conjunction with Technological University Dublin. Matthew Reddy of RKD says his firm’s exposure to EPDs initially arose from projects that were seeking LEED or BREEAM project certification. “In these green building certification schemes, credits are available when project teams specify products with third party-verified EPDs.” After a bit of market and product research, the firm opted to focus on products that were independently verified and meet the EN and ISO standards. “From this research we developed a database of products which align with typical material specifications for a range of building typologies.” Manufacturers Ecocem has recently updated its EPD for its cement to show a 24pc reduction in embodied CO2 emissions compared with its previous certificate. To put this in perspective, the carbon footprint of

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cement is approximately 850 - 900kgCO2/t (Ecocem’s GGBS at 32kg of CO2 is approximately 96pc lower). Ecocem’s Micheal McKittrick, recently appointed managing director for Northern Europe, notes that there are options in the market to significantly reduce the embodied footprint of cement. “The most effective way to demonstrate that is via EPDs, which are governed by EN 15804. If we want to feed the changing atmosphere on life cycle assessment, the EPD is the single most effective means in doing that”. McKittrick believes that regulation needs to be given more teeth to drive building life cycle analysis here, to reflect the practices elsewhere in Europe such as Holland and France. Andrew Butler of KORE says his firm started working on creating its EPD for its EPS board in 2018 after the launch of the Irish EPD programme by the IGBC, and published it just last February. Although there was quite a bit of work involved, including breaking down all the parts of the manufacturing process and analysing them, the company was able to learn quite a bit of useful information in the process, he said. This information was used to enhance production efficiency, and gain greater control over the use of secondary materials like water and packaging. “Staff at KORE gained a more rounded knowledge of the impact on the environment of what we do.” Butler says KORE’s products conform to other EN standards that include strength, dimensional stablility and water absorption, but the EPD is the “first independentally verified method to allow us, as a manufacturer, to share transparently our product information with the construction industry while helping them look to the future”. Irish wood panel product manufacturer Medite Smartply supplies a wide range of products and has an EPD for every one of them. The fact that some of them are a variation on a base product could have feasibly allowed them to do an EPD just for this base product, but they chose not to. For example, its OSB3 board is the base sustrate for its Site Protect, Propassiv, and Pattress Plus products, but “each has a slightly different finishing process, e.g. coating or machining, which will alter the carbon footprint, and only very slightly, but we want total transparency,” said David Murray of Medite Smartply. But what probably helps is the use of a new LCA software application made by Dutch firm Ecochain. “As well as providing us with LCAs and EPDs for our entire MDF and OSB product range, the Ecochain tool allows us to benchmark, monitor and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as we continually invest and modernise our processes,” said Murray. “We can also analyse the environmental impacts of the materials we purchase, so that they, too, can be substituted by lower impact materials when the opportunities arise.”

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GUIDE TO

Old Holloway, an award-winning certified passive house in Hereford - a good example of a low energy building with sensible glazing ratios, substantial overhangs and additional awnings to ensure summer comfort.

The PH+ guide to

OVERHEATING As awareness of the urgency of the climate crisis grows, efforts to kickstart en masse deep energy efficiency interventions are gathering apace. But poorly conceived low energy building efforts can lead to unintended consequences including overheating – a risk that’s bound to grow as the world warms up. Phi Architecture co-founder Claire Jamieson details the risks and offers some solutions on how to create low energy buildings that are comfortable in summer and winter.

t is our British and Irish prerogative to embrace spring with the opening of windows and the circulation of “fresh air” – to brush away the winter cobwebs, so to speak. This is closely followed by the summer season where the evening light is beautifully extended by British Summer Time and Irish Standard Time. So, we grasp every opportunity to “live” outside, satisfying our perpetual determination to have a barbecue or a summer gathering, with umbrellas on standby. We have our windows open at night, whilst the air is not too bitter and enjoy the morning chorus of birds. For plenty, this is a dream, far from reality and perhaps only experienced on a holiday.

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Urban environments, social housing and low-grade suburban sites often have limitations in the form of noise, crime and air pollution which make it unpleasant to introduce the external environment into private living space. In the cities, many people occupy high/ medium rise flats. These can be single aspect as we are aware, those on the southwestern side at the top of the building will suffer most from overheating. Building services within the core and the nature of heat rising through such spaces, as well as no opportunity to cross-ventilate can mean that temperatures get uncomfortably high. Vast expanses of glazing on modern apartments where

shading has not been “designed in”, or poorly fabricated old building stock, both allow large amounts of heat transmittance through the building fabric. City living has added complexities such as the urban heat island effect – hard landscaped ground temperatures are 10% greater than in rural locations. In addition, there is extensive heat generation from rooftop plant and refrigeration systems, and perhaps some from transportation. Not to mention the influence of the other immediate milieu of buildings such as the widely reported “Walkie Talkie” in London. This and further new developments are sometimes the culprits of further overheating effects on their surrounding

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1 In the graph above, two zones are shown— one for 0.5 clo of clothing insulation and one for 1.0 clo of insulation. These insulation levels are typical of clothing worn when the outdoor environment is warm and cool, respectively. The operative temperature range allowed for intermediate values of clothing insulation may be determined by linear interpolation between the limits for 0.5 clo and 1.0 clo, using the following relationships: 1 clo = 0.155 m2 °C/ W (0.88 ft2·h·°F/Btu). - extract and graph from Ashrae Standard 55-2010 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy; 2 Walkie Talkie, London. The nickname for a skyscraper at Fenchurch Street in London, which earned the additional nickname “death ray”, and which was reported to be damaging neighbouring buildings and parked cars due to reflected light.

existing urban dwelling stock. The concern over these unmeasured external influences can be summed up in a marvelously succinct phrase I acquired from Michael Swainson, principal engineer, BRE: “The context is always forgotten”. We have: • the ability to reduce our propensity to extend hard urban landscapes and introduce more green spaces, trees and associated natural shading. We also can include rooftop permaculture. • the knowledge to consider the further context, orientation and aspects, security, noise and pollution, glazing and U-values, all in our design. • the opportunity for the support of M&E expertise to design in purge ventilation for the heat stacks and sumps of services. In the new suburbia where a generic gallimaufry of architectural references seems to offer a desirable familiar environment to many, the siting and orientation of dwellings tends to be by way of a generic and alluring site layout. This can lead to many of the houses having a poor orientation both for overheating and winter solar thermal gain. Positioning, altitude, exposure, site location and perimeter influences, such as other buildings and trees, are not seemingly

embodied in the process of designing these houses. The “style” is solely a reflection of the pastiche expectation of a “home” as opposed to being truly designed in terms of quality of life through context, daylight, warmth, privacy, energy conservation and summer comfort. Social housing schemes, often sited where the developers and councils consider least prospect of financial gain, suffer hugely from minimal design, and little attention to energy conservation, user health or comfort. They habitually get demoted to locations where they act as a buffer zone between motorways or rail lines and the remaining development of less affordable housing.

7730) that there are six factors that influence thermal comfort. Four are environmental and two personal: 1. Air temperature It is generally assumed that a temperature of over 24C is uncomfortable, but temperature considered in isolation can be delusive. 2. Radiant temperature Determined by surfaces that radiate heat either because they have absorbed it or because they are becoming hot through operation. A metal surface that has had the sun shining on it; or an oven. 3. Air velocity The movement or air within a space, through activity, convection, air leakage/draughts.

We have: • t he knowledge to introduce a new approach to suburban living but need the support of developers and end users. • t he capacity to create better social housing with the support of councils and housing associations.

4. Humidity Acceptable levels ≤ 50% in order to prevent dust mite infestations, mould and bacteria growth and reduce the outgassing of VOCs, but as low as 30% in winter to avoid condensation on cooler surfaces.

When faced with these complex scenarios, where do we begin to understand, in particular, what summer comfort is and how it is evaluated? The Health and Safety Executive has determined from Fanger Comfort Analysis (1982 - Fanger’s equation, documented in ISO

5. Metabolic rate People have different metabolic rates that can fluctuate due to activity level and environmental conditions. Among the factors at play here is body shape - tall skinny people for, instance, have higher surface area to volume ratios, and therefore can dissipate heat more and tolerate higher temperatures.

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1 Sliding shutters were installed on the windows of the Cameron Close passive house scheme on the Isle of Wight to provide shading and reduce the risk of overheating; 2 a passive house in Bessancourt, France, which features untreated bamboo cladding - including within adjustable shutters which can shade or open up the house as necessary.

6. Clothing insulation The amount of thermal insulation worn by a person has a substantial impact on thermal comfort, because it influences heat loss and consequently thermal balance. These six strands can be considered in relation to the Ashrae Comfort Factors to appreciate the instinctive senses that are associated with discomfort and thus the design initiatives we can execute to counteract such eventualities. • r adiation temperature asymmetry needs to be less than 5C • t he indoor air stratification needs to be less than 2C between ankle and head • t he perceived temperature difference across locations within dwelling must be less than 0.8C • t he air speed needs to be less than 0.08m/s (air speeds due to free convection at cooler surfaces) In principle it is understood that our comfort zone falls into lower temperature bands with an increase in clothing, metabolic rate and radiant temperature and accordingly into higher temperature bands with a decrease of the same. PHPP – the software used for the design of passive houses – evaluates designated occupancy levels based on floor area. The real time occupancy will fluctuate around this value. On considering these parameters in relation to the “context” of a building, the raised internal air temperature and humidity, when influenced by the external summer environment, may become uncomfortably high. The radiant temperature of the fabric of the building and the ability to control effective air velocity and humidity, are the three parameters which require our most careful attention. In a passive house, through PHPP, we are able to tap into these factors to some extent in our modeling. We are also able to address air temperature gains from internal influences. Perhaps to demonstrate by a few examples:

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• design orientation of the primary aspect as near to south as possible – to maximise winter solar gains when the sun’s arc is low, and minimise gains when the sun’s arc is high in the summer • consider the location and use of reflective heat absorbent surfaces • consider orientation of glazing and percentage of glass in any one elevation • design in the correct ‘g’ value and thermal performance of glazing relative to every aspect and consider location and the minimization of thermal weakness in transoms and mullions • consider openable lights for summer cooling, where there are desirable external environments • limit use of floor to ceiling glass where overheating is exacerbated towards the lower 1/3rd • consider permanent external shading from high summer sun, as an architectural feature of the design • aim for uniformity of U-values to avoid large differentiations in the thermal performance of the building fabric • use low energy lighting (this is now standard) • use A++ insulated appliances • optimise insulation of hot water systems and associated distribution. Passive house, as a standard of construction, embraces all shapes, sizes and styles of architecture. It affords a universal median by which the insulation, shading, airtightness and designing out of thermal bridges can act as controlling factors in both summer overheating and winter cooling. If we work with this principle but accept and understand its limitations and need for further contextual parameters, we are at least moving some way towards a more sustainable and design-engineered solution in our architecture. Architect and certified European passive house designer (CEPH) Eric Parks of Buckrose Ecological Architects offers a positive

response to support such enthusiasm to adopt passive house measures. “I have anecdotal evidence from one of my passive house clients who moved into his rural, detached passive house before the heat wave last year,” says Parks. “He found that the house would get up to 25C (max) during the peak of the heat wave and whilst he was out during the day at work. However, this heat was easily dissipated / returned to a comfortable environment within minutes of arriving home and simply opening two sets of French doors in the evening to purge and cross-ventilate.” Parks is wary of overheating risk. “It is a [considerable] risk with any super-insulated and airtight design, though with a few robust mixed-mode ventilation options, this can be managed.” However, likewise, he goes on to say: “I appreciate that when the conditions are different – say an urban site where traffic noise or security may be an issue, then a different design solution would be required”. The passive house design package is constantly evolving. Rob McLeod, senior lecturer at London-Loughborough EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Research in Energy Demand, has offered assurance that sustained development and challenging of the modeling process is leading to further confidence in the real performance of PHPP modeled buildings. Algorithms are being developed to trade off energy performance vs cooling vs daylight, thus encouraging a maximization of all the features passive house can offer. The more that PHPP is tested and recorded, the more factual data we can evaluate and thus the more refined and sensitive the data input can be in determining the best outcome for every project. “It would be counter-productive if widespread overheating risks were an unintended consequence of meeting the passive house standard,” says McLeod. “Assessing whole-life performance at the design stage is the best way to avoid this and deliver truly resilient buildings.” Even if we are not consistently building to passive house standards, there are so many

GUIDE TO

achievable aspects of passive house principles that can become common practice amongst trades. It is not too late for us to encourage and support changes in practice and application, to educate the inspiring and pro-active youth of today in passive house principles and to encourage all aspects of renovation and construction to be approached with such principles in mind. This, in itself, is a small stepping-stone towards more comfortable living which can progress without waiting for the tardiness of our government to wake up to such needs for further legislation and more robust regulation. Our environment has a prodigious impact on how productive, healthy and happy we are. I ask, why we are so sluggish in formalising legislation which enforces us to act according to the extensive knowledge and understanding we have through the ever evolving and improving passive house principles? Perhaps, amongst other much bigger factors there is some reticence because of the nervousness of its long-term performance in terms of overheating? Accordingly, in consideration of “overheating”, certified passive house consultant and Green Building Store director Bill Butcher was in instant agreement with his colleague, passive house technician Paul Smith that we should “design it out. Not doing so can lead to expensive and sometimes complicated shading. Solar thermal gain must be optimised in a passive house design rather than being maximised to the point that it compromises the summer comfort.” In parallel, honest and critical analysis as to the realistic end user application of summer shading strategies needs to be evaluated. The building regulations continue to update, addressing energy conservation and comfortable living, through “improvements” in U-values, ventilation and airtightness in

Part L and Part F. Regrettably these do not yet offer a robust overheating strategy. To top it all we find that, amongst other flaws in the suggested assurances of this regulation system, it seems that it is almost invariably not being seen through on site, making such a mandate futile. SAP is the customarily accepted energy performance tool associated with the Building Regulations for dwellings in the UK, aimed at ensuring new homes are more “energy efficient”, However, it is well documented that this system offers inadequate attention to the matter of summer cooling and is not always robustly and honestly applied. New homes today can be uncomfortable, hot and stuffy, and this can lead to high levels of CO2 in indoor air. Associated impacts of this are poor sleep quality, tiredness, agitation and lack of concentration. Studies in schools, hospitals and care homes draw parallel conclusions and yet we continue to construct and refurbish to knowingly inferior standards. When we endeavour to apply the extended knowledge of passive house through PHPP, without the support of legislation, we are at the mercy of the client, their quantity surveyor and funding. It is their discretion which determines if such investment is value added. With the support of new measures within building regulations, with a whole house, holistic approach to overheating/ventilation, we could more easily ensure support for summer comfort. Should this be backed up by the ARB and RIBA in the UK and the RIAI in Ireland through our code of conduct we would be obliged to bring the science back into architecture. We know we can marry outstanding design with improved summer comfort. It entails a duty under professional architectural services to design for performance, owning respon-

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sibility for the comfortable occupation of the end product. I have worked with colleagues who are amazing designers, addressing spatial concepts and occupiers’ visual experience, but this cannot be at the cost of summer comfort and consequent unbearable internal temperatures. The need to reach far beyond current day climate data, surpassing modelling for the here and now, is recognised. Our climate will not just become warmer but also more extreme in terms of hot and cold, wet and dry. We require future proof design using design summer year data projecting to at least 2050. We can do this without waiting for government to act in setting a trajectory of standards, regulations and targets for new homes, ensuring they are fit for 2050 and beyond. Those of us who care about our future generations and our planet wish to address climate change and the comfort factors needed due to irreversible change to date – change that we cannot now arrest. We can build environmental design back into all levels of architecture by addressing heat gains and how to purge them. We can make a difference to our summer comfort and hand-in-hand with this, work to reduce future projected energy consumption through mechanical cooling. As McLeod et al have noted, almost all houses in the existing UK stock will overheat in the future and some of this will be to chronic levels: “Unless there is a move towards whole life design optimisation based on minimising future overheating risks, active cooling systems may become a de-facto requirement in urban passive house and low energy dwellings in the UK within the next 30/40 years.” As clients, developers, architects and builders we can lead by example, addressing the life of the building, its context, occupancy comfort, well being, daylight quality, fresh air and sustainability. This in turn will lead to healthier, happier occupants, less morbidity, lower running costs and less need for retrofit cooling action. There are, of course many angles to comment on when it comes to overheating – many that stretch far beyond this article but are undoubtably valuable. So here are a few additional thoughts to close with: • seek the truth behind all the assumptions we make from so called reliable sources and perhaps consider that lack of action by government and large institutions may not be anything but a smoke screen for financial gain at all costs • consider the power of conscientious humans through research, professional specialism, craftsmanship • through the work that appears on the media, consider the information in reporting and actions such as Our Planet, Extinction Rebellion and Cowspiracy, to name a few.

above A NASA temperature anomaly map in Northern Europe in July 2018 showing unusually hot conditions in Ireland, the UK and Scandinavia.

If we can share the world rather than consume and obliterate it, we should have less of an overheating and summer comfort crisis to overcome.

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MARKETPLACE

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Marketplace News Achieving NZEB event in Cork hears of embodied carbon plans

Passive Sills CEO Patrick Beausang giving a tour of the company’s factory during the Achieving NZEB event.

he Department of Housing is planning to introduce a policy on embodied carbon into building regulations, an event in Cork heard. Speaking at Achieving NZEB, a one-day event that aims to make it easy for the building industry to understand how to achieve nearly zero energy building (NZEB) standards, Department of Housing building standards advisor Emmanuel Bourdin told delegates that the department would work on embodied carbon standards once imminent changes to Part L & F are implemented. The event, which took place on Thursday, 30 May in Youghal, Co Cork was organised by Passive Sills, the local manufacturer of

thermally efficient sills and mouldings, and took place adjacent to the company’s factory in the Foxhole Industrial Estate. Among the 20 trade stands, seven different manufacturers of NZEB-compliant building systems attended on the day, including timber frame manufacturer Cygnum, light gauge steel frame builder Framespace, insulated concrete formwork supplier Amvic Ireland, as well as Quinn Building Supplies with their super insulated masonry (Sims) system, and ClayBlock Ireland with their single leaf insulated poroton block system. The event also featured innovative insulated foundations on display from KORE and Geocell Ireland, external

insulation & render systems from Premium Facades, sustainable building product supplier Magic Depot, airtightness & natural insulation specialists Ecological Building Systems, leading ventilation supplier Aereco, renewable energy & ventilation specialists Energywise Ireland and electric vehicle charger suppliers Easygo.ie. Among the speakers on the day, Joseph Little of Technological University Dublin spoke on how design professionals can upskill for NZEB, Gavin O Se of GreenBuild provided insights on achieving high levels of airtightness, Irish Green Building Council CEO Pat Barry spoke on embodied energy and life cycle analysis – with 90% of the cost of courses paid for by the Springboard initiative – Raymond O’Reilly of Quinn spoke about achieving rapid-build NZEB and passive house standards using single leaf masonry, Joe Fitzgerald of Ecological Building Systems talked about airtightness and active moisture management using intelligent vapour checks, while David Murray of Medite SmartPly presented on achieving NZEB and zero carbon standards using Irish wood products. Meanwhile, Dr Marc O’Riain of the Department of Architecture at CIT, where he was part of the team that delivered Ireland’s first NZEB retrofit, convened a panel of speakers including passive house architects John Morehead and Paul McNally, Joseph Little, Passive House Plus editor Jeff Colley and Emmanuel Bourdin. Passive Sills also launched their new insulated door threshold prototype on the day. •

GreenTEG launches cloud-based insulation monitor

reenTEG AG has launched the gO Measurement System (gOMS) for wireless, cloud-based U-value, temperature, and humidity measurements. The gOMS is the ideal tool to make non-invasive insulation quality assessments, for example before refurbishment of an older building, the company said. Other applications include the detection of mould-prone spots. The system generates hard data about the insulation quality and humidity values. Up to 16 sensor nodes for temperature, heat flux, and humidity measurements can be connected to the base station. The data from the sensor nodes is transmitted via LoRa (long range) technology to the base station from where the data is sent to the cloud via a secure 3G connection. The data can be monitored remotely and in real-time. There is no need for software installation: to view the data one simply logs in to the portal with a browser. For more information see www.greenteg.com/gO-Measurement-System/. •

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(above) The GreenTEG gO Measurement System.

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Work underway on ‘crowd funded’ passive house

Work progressing early this summer on Mel Reynolds’ passive house in Dún Laoghaire.

ork is progressing on a house designed by Passive House Plus columnist Mel Reynolds that is expected to be certified to the passive house ‘plus’ standard, and which was financed by Property Bridges, Ireland’s first peer-to-peer lender for development finance. Reynolds, an architect and certified passive designer, is building the 120 square metre house in the garden of his existing home in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. The build was about half way complete at the time Passive House Plus went to print. Reynolds, one of Ireland’s leading commentators on the housing crisis, said that when he went looking for finance for the build, he found there was a “complete lack of development funding out there” for small projects such as this in Ireland. He said that small developers are even struggling to get finance for projects on which all units had been pre-sold. Property Bridges is “an example of the market sort of stepping in and providing something where it doesn’t exist,” Reynolds said. “I think it’s a really disruptive idea to shake things up a bit.” Property Bridges is a peer-to-peer lending service that provides finance for small-scale construction projects. It allows individuals to invest sums from as little €500 in specific building projects, with potential returns of 8% to 12% over 12 months. Reynolds’s house was the first project funded by the new startup. Reynolds’s new house is of masonry construction with external insulation, and will have an 8kW solar photovoltaic array covering 41 square metres on the roof. Reynolds believes it should meet the passive house ‘plus’ benchmark, which is awarded to passive house projects that also generate a specified amount of renewable energy each year. “I wanted a house that looks well, is simple, and isn’t all about the technology,” he says. •

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Wool insulation purifies indoor air — Sheep Wool Insulation

esigners, contractors and self-builders looking to protect indoor air quality should consider wool insulation for its natural ability to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and purify indoor air, according to leading Irish supplier Sheep Wool Insulation. While environmentally minded homeowners and specifiers are increasingly choosing natural paints and finishes and low-VOC products in order to protect the quality of their indoor air, even natural wood products can emit quantities of potentially dangerous VOCs like formaldehyde, and many common household products and finishes emit VOCs. However, speaking to Passive House Plus, Aisling MacDonald of Sheep Wool Insulation pointed to peer-reviewed research demonstrating that wool can remove such VOCs from indoor air. “Sheep wool is able to purify the air in a room within a very short space of time, removing many odours and harmful substances, such as formaldehyde.” She also said that once installed, it will continue to do this over the entire lifetime of the product. MacDonald pointed to a raft of research on the topic to date, and while much of the published literature on the subject is in German, a 2016 conference paper from the BioComposites Centre at Bangor University, Wales found that in laboratory studies sheep wool was “able to absorb a range of harmful chemicals from the indoor environment” including formaldehyde, and that it “buffers indoor VOCs levels to smooth down spikes in concentrations over time.” Wool is largely composed of keratin proteins, and formaldehyde is able to react with the side chains of keratin amino acids, creating irreversible bonds between the two, sucking formaldehyde out of the air. Research presented by German academics at the 1999 Indoor Air conference in Edinburgh, for example, found that in experiments wool removed between 80% and 87% of concentration of formaldehyde in a test chamber. Sheep Wool Insulation is made from 100% pure sheep wool. “Sheep Wool Insulation can be used in walls, floors and ceilings... and is safe, and simple to install,” MacDonald said. See www.sheepwoolinsulation.ie. • (above) Sheep Wool Insulation installed between timber wall studs.

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ICF makes it easier to achieve NZEB – Amvic

he inherent properties of the Amvic ICF system make it easier for developers to meet energy efficiency, airtightness, noise and other regulations, according to the company’s Pat Martin. As an example, he told Passive House

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Plus that he recently received a call from a developer who had specified Amvic ICF to express his delight that while other builders were struggling with airtightness and noise performance on site, the Amvic ICF system had inherently delivered both

on his scheme. “Noise regulations are a big challenge for developers, and Amvic ICF easily achieves the required sound performance between units, as well as meeting all structural and fire regulations of course,” Pat Martin said. “In terms of energy efficiency, our Amvic 300 system also achieves NZEB due to its U-value, thermal bridging and airtightness performance – with the product’s concrete core being inherently airtight.” Amvic Ireland has completed approximately 200 units in the Dublin area over the past year, all to the NZEB specification. Pat Martin also explained that the product works perfectly with GGBS-enhanced concrete for any specifiers looking to lower the carbon footprint of their ICF build. “It’s ideal actually because GGBS flows really well, it’s very workable, and the insulated formwork provides an ideal curing environment.” He added that Amvic Ireland is about to start work on a number of new schemes with major developers as it heads into the second half of the year. “The pipeline of enquiries is growing stronger all the time,“ he said. • (above left) The Amvic Ireland ICF System.

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SMET SCREED BOOSTS HEATING AT CORK PASSIVE HOUSE

liquid screed installed three years ago at a passive house in Cork City has been performing superbly, according to its architect, enabling the A1 rated home to be heated quickly and evenly via underfloor heating when required. Designed by Wain Morehead Architects, Wayside passive house was finished in 2016. It was built from externally insulated blockwork and featured a solid oak floor with 50mm SMET Fast Floor Screed Alpha Hemihydrate screed and insulation below, all resting on a raft foundation. The screed was poured onto underfloor heating pipes that

distribute heat from a Nilan combined heat pump & ventilation system. Architect John Morehead told Passive House Plus that, when he returned to the house recently with a thermal imaging camera, he was hugely impressed both at how quickly the floor heated up, and how even the distribution of heat in the floor appeared to be. “It seemed to have an incredibly quick response time,” Morehead said. “I didn’t expect it to be that quick.” He also said that the warm temperature seemed to be very evenly distributed over the whole floor. “It’s quite a thin floor, and it’s on a whack of insulation, so one would expect it to be responsive — but credit where credit’s due, it seemed very responsive.” The screed was mixed and poured on site by Fast Floor Screed Ltd using the CASEA Südanit 280 Alpha Hemihydrate binder from SMET Building Products. The screed was poured to a depth of 50mm, fully encapsulating the underfloor heating pipes. A self-compacting, self-flowing, self-levelling screed like Südanit 280 Alpha flows to fully encapsulate underfloor pipes or wires and reduces the potential for air bubbles/pockets which can have an adverse effect on heat transfer. It also allows underfloor heating to be commissioned and running during screed application, to enable fast drying, up to a maximum manifold water temperature of 25C. For more see www.smetbuildingproducts.com. • (above left) Pouring SMET Fast Floor Screed Alpha Hemihydrate screed.

Saint-Gobain ‘Build Better’ roadshow continues

The Build Better Roadshow visited the Titanic Hotel, Belfast in April.

aint-Gobain Ireland has announced that its Build Better Roadshow will travel to the Clayton Hotel in Galway on 25 June, with trips to Waterford and Limerick following in October and November. This follows the success of the first two Build Better Roadshows which took place in Belfast and Cork during April and May. Each Build Better Roadshow provides local construction professionals with the opportunity to undergo the vital upskilling needed to meet the requirements of today’s sustainable building agenda, earn CPD points on fire safety compliance and sustainable housing, and learn about new Saint-Gobain products coming to market. Each roadshow is divided into a morning and afternoon seminar, featuring a host of expert guest speakers. The seminars help bring architects, engineers and builders up to speed on a variety of current subject matters, from the most recent changes to fire regulations (Part

B) to new energy regulations such as NZEB. The seminars will cover a variety of site performance issues such as airtightness detailing and best practice for acoustic performance. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to get a first look at a whole range of new Gyproc and Isover products. These free seminars are suitable for all construction professionals working in the residential and commercial sector. Since its launch in 2010, Saint-Gobain’s Technical Academy has trained and upskilled over 10,000+ industry professionals free of charge. “The industry is under exceptional pressure to upskill and Saint-Gobain is dedicated to leading the progression of best practice within the sector through our new Build Better Roadshow and our Technical Academy,” said Kieran Holohan of Saint-Gobain Ireland. To register for the roadshow see www.saint-gobain.ie/build-betterroadshow-galway-registration. •

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Sola set for 50 deep retrofits this year

Ecological brings Lime Green plasters to Ireland E cological Building Systems has announced a new partnership with Lime Green UK, the UK’s leading innovator in the field of lime-based plasters, renders and mortars. Speaking about the new partnership with Lime Green UK, Ecological’s group technical manager Niall Crosson said: “As a company Ecological aim to continuously improve the range of breathable thermal solutions we provide. Combining our range of GUTEX woodfibre and CELENIT wood wool internal insulation systems with Lime Green’s range of lime-based breathable plasters, provides specifiers and home owners with an outstanding finish which is both pleasing to the eye and easier to apply compared to conventional lime-based plasters.” Simon Ayres and Dominic Putnam of Lime Green UK recently travelled to Ecological’s Centre of Knowledge in Athboy, Co Meath for a half day plaster demonstration. The event provided a unique opportunity to view the latest innovations in lime plastering. Attendees learned how to optimise specifications and applications of Lime Green plasters in conjunction with GUTEX woodfibre & CELENIT wood wool thermal insulation boards. Lime Green Solo is a one-coat interior lime plaster which can be used on a wide range of substrates including plasterboard, masonry, woodfibre and wood wool boards. Unlike standard lime plasters, Lime Green Solo does not require an initial base coat, therefore making it a perfect labour and time saving product. Lime Green Solo promotes a healthy indoor climate thanks to its high permeability, allowing moisture to escape and its high alkalinity which inhibits potential mould growth. Commenting on the new partnership, Lime Green UK said: “We are delighted to be working with Ecological Building Systems and are very confident that our easy to use range of breathable lime-based plasters and renders will be well received in the Irish market. The Solo Onecoat plaster is our bestselling product in the UK.” For more information see www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com. • (above) Simon Ayres of Lime Green UK demonstrating the application of lime plaster to GUTEX woodfibre board.

(above) The upgrade of the Tipperary cottage, which was externally insulated, before (top) and after (bottom) the SuperHomes upgrade.

1960s cottage in Tipperary is one of the first projects to be deep retrofitted this year by Sola Energy Solutions under Tipperary Energy Agency’s popular SuperHomes scheme, which aims to make it easy for homeowners to undertake a deep energy upgrade by managing the entire retrofit process. The upgrade, funded by SEAI’s Deep Retrofit programme, is one of the first in what Sola expect to be a busy year. The retrofit works included external wall, floor and attic insulation, new doors and double glazed windows throughout, a new 8.5kW Mitsubishi heat pump with underfloor heating, plus solar PV panels and the installation of Aereco demand controlled ventilation to ensure a consistent supply of fresh air inside the house. It also featured a new wood burning stove and an LED lighting upgrade throughout. The house was also extended at the time of the upgrade. The retrofit work will bring the BER of the house up from a G rating prior to retrofit to an A3 minimum, in accordance with the requirements of SEAI. Speaking to Passive House Plus, Paul O’Brien of Sola Energy Solutions said that the company carried out 32 deep retrofits last year, but expects to do over 50 this year. While the SEAI scheme mandates an airtightness score of at least 5m3/hr/m2, Paul also said Sola always aims to achieve 3 m3/hr/m2 and has delivered results as good as 1.6 m3/hr/m2. Sola Energy Solutions is one of the main contractors under the SuperHomes scheme. For more see www.sola.ie. •

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Beam awarded three new ISO certs Tyvek launch new airtightness accessories T

yvek has launched a brand-new suite of airtightness and building envelope accessories to complement its breather membranes and AirGuard range of air and vapour control membranes. The company said these additions to the specialised adhesive range make Tyvek the one-stop-shop for ensuring the integrity and airtightness of the building envelope, from timber frame housing to high-rise construction. “With all the lasting quality and premium adhesion one would expect of the brand, many elements of this complete and compact offering are ‘universal’ products suited multiple applications, thus simplifying installation and saving on time and cost,” a statement from the company said.

The new range of airtightness accessories include: • Tyvek Double-Sided Tape: double-sided acrylic tape ideal for temporary fixings of a vapour control layer. • Tyvek Plastering Tape: high performance airtight and moisture adaptive carrier tape that can be rendered. It seals difficult areas such as windows, doors and timber to block connections. A product for both interior and exterior application. • Tyvek Sealant: an adhesive sealant for permanently elastic, airtight bonding of joints and structural connections, plus connections of AVCLs to many different surfaces. • Tyvek Primer: transparent primer that is permanently tacky after curing, with a very fast curing time. It is recommended for high-porosity surfaces to create good adhesion. • AirGuard Tape: high performance flexible and hand-tearable tape to seal difficult areas such as corners inside the building with a very high tack. These come in addition to the recently launched Tyvek Flex Wrap EZ and NF, a high performance flexible self-adhesive flashing tape for airtight and watertight seals around windows, doors and multiple custom shapes or awkward penetrations. Other products in the range include Tyvek Acrylic, Tyvek Butyl and Tyvek Metallised tapes. The Tyvek family of products comes with expert technical support from a global knowledge network to help construction projects meet every key target – from safety to sustainability, the company said. For more see www.energy-efficiency.dupont.com and www.construction.tyvek.co.uk. • (above) The Tyvek range of airtightness tapes & accessories.

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(above) Pat Óg Keenan and Aislinn Heron of Beam with their new ISO accreditation.

eam Vacuum & Ventilation has announced that they have successfully achieved certification against the requirements of ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety), while also meeting the Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) for contractors’ criteria. ISO 45001 is the new international standard for occupational health and safety, and a statement from Beam said the company is proud to have been an early implementer, achieving certification to this standard ahead of the market. The company previously attained the OHSAS 18001 standard, which is now superseded by ISO 45001. “We are delighted to have achieved further ISO certification under ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and feel that these standards provide additional assurance to our customers that we are focused on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction,” said Pat Óg Keenan, the company’s operations director. “As market leaders in central vacuum and mechanical ventilation systems, our commitment to upgrading our existing ISO accreditations to reach these new standards also reflects our core company values — going above and beyond to exceed customer expectations through accountability, commitment and integrity.” •

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Kingspan & Nulok launched insulated roof system

DAIKIN HEAT PUMPS CHOSEN FOR MAJOR DUBLIN SCHEME

luxury new development in an exclusive Dublin location will achieve nearly zero energy building (NZEB) standards with help from Daikin Altherma air-to-water heat pumps and a highly energy efficient building fabric. Drumnigh Manor is a low-density development in Portmarnock, Co Dublin, by leading Irish developer Shannon Homes, consisting of 300 large A2-rated three, four and five-bedroom houses of “superior quality and design”. As part of its NZEB specification, Drumnigh Manor will also feature a highly insulated, airtight cavity wall structure and heat recovery ventilation. Having worked with the Shannon Homes Group for more than 30 years, Dublin-based contractors M&P Mechanical knew that choosing the right heating system was a central part of delivering a reduced carbon footprint and lower bills for residents, and opted for the Daikin Altherma 3 air-towater heat pump. Mark O’Rourke, managing director at M&P Mechanical, said: “The heating specification at Drumnigh Manor was very much a whole-system approach from the outset. We picked highly efficient low temperature radiators and the Daikin Altherma 3 integrated heat pump because they pair so well together. Getting the best out of any renewable heat source means matching it with an emitter that’s designed to deliver high outputs at lower flow temperatures.” As a renewable energy technology, heat pumps make it easier to comply with NZEB standards than conventional fossil fuel heating systems. Daikin’s Altherma 3 boasts an A+++ efficiency label for space heating, and an A+ rating for hot water production. It was also the first heat pump on the market running on R32 refrigerant gas, which has one of the lowest global warming potentials of any refrigerant gas on the market. The Altherma 3 system ranges from 4-16kWs of heating output, and comes with integrated or free-standing storage hot water tanks up to 300 litres, and space saving wall mounted versions. Computer simulations by Daikin estimate that the annual cost to run an Altherma system for a typical house at Drumnigh Manor, with four occupants, is 35-40% less than the cost of heating the same house with natural gas. •

(above) A show house at Drumnigh Manor with the built-in Daikin Altherma unit at back left.

ong-term partners Kingspan Insulated Panels and Nulok have combined their innovative pitched slate and tile roofing systems to create a slim, versatile solution that offers the benefits of insulated panels with the aesthetic appeal of traditional vernacular roof finishes, all in an easy to install package. The Kingspan Slate & Tile Support System comprises high-performance insulated panels capable of achieving U-values as low as 0.12 W/m2K with a factory-fitted weather seal. This provides the ideal base for the Nulok Roofing System – a simple yet durable fixing method for natural slate, ceramic tiles and even integrated solar PV panels. High-quality steel battens and link channels are installed over the insulated panels with specially designed fixing screws, creating an interlocking grid system that eliminates the need for timber. The chosen exterior roofing materials are then simply slotted into place and held by stainless steel clips to create a secure finish, even on roof pitches as low as four degrees after steel deflection. In addition to simplifying the installation process, the lightweight solution helps to reduce both the depth of the roof build-up and material requirements, using 50% less slates than traditional systems. The entire solution is also covered by the Kingspan 25-year system warranty. • (above) High performance Kingspan insulated panels provide the ideal base for the Nulok roofing system, a simple yet durable method for fixing natural slate, ceramic tiles & even solar PV.

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State-of-the-art heating test lab opens at GMIT

n international standard ‘E-Thermal’ environmental test facility designed to assist Irish SMEs in developing new sustainable heating products has formally been opened at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology. E-Thermal stands for ‘Environmental Testing of a Heat pump and Enthalpy Recovery Machine within an Advanced Laboratory’. The facility has been established by GMIT’s Integrated Sustainable Energy Technologies (ISET) research group with financial support of €360,000 from Galway-based company ProAir and Enterprise Ireland. It has been initially built to test ProAir’s new

‘Aergoma’ integrated heat pump and heat recovery system. Dr John Lohan, principal investigator and lecturer in the GMIT Dept of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, said: “It is the first such test facility in Ireland capable of offering product development and pre-certification testing of sustainable heating and energy efficiency products to international test standards.” “The laboratory can expose such products to a range of European weather conditions and monitor the performance of the new product when exposed to these conditions…The first product being

tested is the very exciting ‘Aergoma’ concept from Galway-based ProAir Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems. This integrated heat pump and heat recovery ventilation system has the potential to substantially reduce both heating costs and carbon dioxide emissions, and ProAir expect to market this innovative product in mid 2020.” says Dr Lohan. “The laboratory will also be used to support undergraduate and postgraduate projects for students of GMIT’s energy engineering and mechanical engineering programs.” The E-Thermal project team consists of Dr Laurentiu Dimache and Dr John Lohan, principle investigators, Dr Naoise McSweeney, research fellow and David Hunt, research assistant. David McHugh, managing director of ProAir, said: “Our company has had association with GMIT stretching back to the early noughties and the beginning of the energy faculty, so it was logical to contact John Lohan with an idea for a collaboration and a project like this. We are delighted with how this has progressed and look forward to the data which David and Naoise will produce. This type of facility is crucial to developing our ideas on low energy heating and ventilation systems.” •

(above) Pictured at the E-Thermal launch are (left to right) Dr Laurentiu Dimache, principal investigator, GMIT; David McHugh, ProAir; Dr Naoise McSweeney, research fellow; Deputy Seán Canney, minister of state for natural resources; Gerard MacMichael, head of engineering at GMIT; David Hunt, research assistant; Mairtín O Cadhain, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Galway; Dr Matthew Kennedy, International Energy Research Centre, Cork; and Dr John Lohan, principal investigator, GMIT.

Wicklow firm makes big noise in soundproofing

n innovative Wicklow company is embracing the circular economy by manufacturing soundproofing boards from recycled materials. Kilcoole-based Acoustic Materials started life five years ago, helping to develop and then become the sole distributor for AM Soundproofing Boards — at first mainly for application in recording studios, including noted facilities such as Screen Scene and Nova FM. Today the company says that the main markets for its AM Soundproofing Board have expanded to include commercial offices and the home retrofit sector, where people are often looking to reduce noise

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transmission between rooms and increase sound privacy. Recent certified onsite test results of AM Soundproofing Board demonstrated sound reduction from DnT,w (weighted standardised level difference) of 54dB to 62dB. Stephen Stratton of Acoustic Materials told Passive House Plus that AM Soundproofing Board is manufactured in Slovakia from 100% TetraPak containers, of which the company collects approximately 1,500 tonnes each year from local schools. The TetraPak containers are then shredded, steamed and processed via a patented technology. “We make highly engineered products, and

everything is aimed to be based around the circular economy,” Stratton told Passive House Plus. “The glues in the existing material are broken down and reused, so absolutely nothing is added.” AM Soundproofing Board is later treated to make it resistant to mould and pests and is itself recyclable at the end of its life. AM Soundproofing Board is 10mm thick, and Acoustic Materials supply wall, floor, door and ceiling systems that incorporate the product. “Our wall system is one of the strongest on the market, and the thinnest,” Stratton told Passive House Plus. “It is finished with a traditional slab and skim finish.” Stratton told Passive House Plus that the company is currently developing other board products based on circular economy principles, using materials such as mineral wool, hemp and rice. For more information see www.acousticmaterials.ie. • (above) An illustration of a wall build-up using AM Soundproofing Boards to greatly enhance acoustic performance.

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NORDIC ARCHITECTURE

COLUMN

Reflections on sustainable Nordic architecture It’s no coincidence that Nordic countries are some of the most advanced in the world when it comes to low energy design. Frankly, in such extreme climates, needs must. Three assistant professors of architecture at Aarhus School of Architecture, Sofie Pelsmakers, Urszula Kozminska & Elizabeth Donovan discuss areas where we can learn from our Nordic neighbours – and where the favour might be returned.

o meet climate change mitigation targets, higher performing building fabric standards are enforced across Europe. Base principles are set out in the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, requiring all new buildings to be nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB) from 2020 (and where publicly funded, since 2019). In response, building industry professionals have included new materials and innovative products, construction methods, energy production and supply systems as part of building design. This was particularly the case in the UK, where the (since abandoned) zero carbon definition emphasised on-site energy production, encouraging the use of additional or innovative technologies and active engineering systems. While this has led to technological innovations, a downside is that it has generally led to technological ‘add-on’ solutions in favour of further improved fabric energy efficiencies. In other cases, it has also led to greenwash or to buildings that overly rely on active systems, to the detriment of usability and building performance. Despite the increased focus on reduced operational energy use and associated CO2 emissions (and, more recently, also carbon emission reductions), it can be argued that the construction industry as a whole has been slow to respond to environmental and climatic challenges, often leading to buildings that lack environmental ambition and imagination. More often than not spatial and aesthetic qualities and non-energy related issues are de-prioritised, alienating many in the architectural design profession, and some clients and the public. As a contrast to these prevailing scenarios, many buildings in the Nordic region quietly respond to society’s climatic and environmental challenges. Moreover, the human-centred approach to the design process has been predominant in several sustainable Nordic projects, though not all. That is not to say that all new Nordic architecture is inherently sustainable, or that they all avoid ‘bolt-on’ technologies at the expense of other humanistic qualities. However, the Nordic region has a long tradition of carefully crafting spaces to celebrate light and retaining warmth, in response to the harshness of the local climate, such as cold winters, and diminished daylighting during the long

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Nordic winters, while also celebrating the long, light summer days.

Alvar Aalto’s 1972 Kunsten Museum (Modern Art) in Aalborg, Denmark. Use of light colours and light-reflecting materials; roof lights specifically designed for different orientations. Photo: Kozminska, U.

Earlier modernist examples were often inspired by the characteristics of a particular place, such as light, topography, materials, construction methods, history, nature etc. This traditional Nordic contextual, regional and humanistic focus is still at the heart of many contemporary architecture projects, leading to place-and society-specific approaches, often reimagining vernacular traditions and craftsmanship. In Finland, where average winter temperatures in Helsinki are about -4C, and can drop to below -25C for periods, current urban housing design standards are similar to the passive house standard. Even in milder Denmark (average winter temperatures of about 1C), design standards for housing are also moving towards the passive house standard, while minimum daylighting provision is also legislated for. In Norway, the NZEB standard is comparable with the passive house standard but is measured in CO2 equivalent instead of primary energy. Responding to these harsh climates to keep people warm has been a primary driver of building design. This has also meant that further consideration of building energy use issues, good building envelope design and detailing has been more integrated and accepted as established

practices in Nordic design and construction traditions for quite some time. In addition to a focus on energy and thermal comfort, architects are increasingly involved with user engagement (for instance see Vandkunsten’s Lisbjerg Hill), CLT prefabrication methods, and do not tend to neglect spatial quality in favour of good energy performance. It is this capacity for a more holistic approach to sustainability and a more diverse approach to sustainable design that is valued. However, Nordic architecture can often still fall short in checking that what was designed also works and meets expectations (in other words, post-occupancy evaluations and building performance monitoring). Feedback processes are even less present than in the UK, though this is slowly changing as the value in going back to projects is becoming apparent. In addition, there is a big potential for knowledge sharing within and outside the region, as well as futureproofing and adaptation for climate change issues such as flood-related risks and increased summer temperatures. This is where the Nordic region is looking to other regions’ approaches, yet so much can be learned from them too. n A fullyreferenced referenced version ofarticle this article is A fully version of this is published online www.passive.ie/nordicdesign online atatwww.passive.ie/nordicdesign

Housing on Lisbjerg Hill by Vandkunsten, Aarhus. Photo: U. Kozminska

THE EVOLUTION OF CONTROL NEW HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATION BY AERECO www.aereco.ie

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