How to design a Passive House – Alexander Symes, Alexander Symes Architects

How do you design a Passive House?

In today’s podcast episode you'll get a clear understanding of how a Passive House works and the process to put one together.

I talk to architect Alexander Symes, the director of the highly awarded environmental architectural practice Alexander Symes Architects in Sydney.

Alexander's architectural mission is to advance sustainable architecture, and in today's interview, that is absolutely what he does. He openly shares his incredible knowledge to empower everyone to move forward with their passive house project.

If you're an Australian Architect, you can claim your formal CPD hours for these podcasts. Jump on to the Renovation Collaborative website for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

Find everything you need on the Renovation Collaborative website.

www.renovationcollaborative.com.au

• PODCAST Key points summary, timestamps and resource links
• FREE RESOURCES Transcript edited into clear Q&A.
• CPD Australian architects can find more information on CPD, and
• COURSES Eleven easy to read courses demystifying the entire home design and construction process.

KEY POINTS SUMMARY

1. There are five design components that the passive house standard uses to achieve its outcomes of energy efficiency and indoor air temperature and quality:

• Thermal insulation: This is about keeping the warmth in during winter and the hot out during summer.
• High-performance windows: These are for thermal insulation.
• Air tightness: This is about sealing your building so there are minimal gaps where the heat energy can get in and out.
• Heat recovery ventilation system: This brings filtered, fresh outside air into your home and evenly distributes it without losing the thermal efficiency of everything else you're doing.
• Thermal bridge-free construction: This stops heat energy transfer through materials from outside in, or inside to out.

2. You also need mechanical heating or cooling but only a minimal system. A passive house requires much less energy to cool or heat it than a very leaky house where you will constantly be running the air conditioning.

3. You can open the windows when the external conditions are right and the temperature and the relative humidity outside are pleasant. Opening the windows, feeling the natural breeze, and hearing the birds outside are essential to a healthy home. The heat recovery ventilation system will remain running.

4. What is the difference between a passive house and a passive solar or climate-responsive design?

• Traditional passive solar design (in the southern hemisphere) is about orientating the glazing primarily to the north to enable sun or shade into the house to passively warm or keep it cool, depending on the season. In addition, climate-responsive houses are deliberately open to optimise cross ventilation and don't seal very well.
• In future climate