PASSIVHAUS GOES MAINSTREAM
PASSIVHAUS GOES MAINSTREAM
Louise McHugh, Product Manager at Vent Axia, explores why effective ventilation is vital when dealing with Passivhaus projects.
Passivhaus is gaining momentum as the UK’s net-zero target grows nearer, with the design approach increasingly being adopted for non-residential buildings. In turn, the increased air tightness of Passivhaus buildings means effective ventilation is vital to ensure good indoor air quality (IAQ) and to help mitigate overheating. Long established within the residential sector, Passivhaus principles are now being widely adopted across non-residential applications, including education, offices and healthcare, as specifiers seek proven methods to reduce operational carbon while improving building performance.
This growing momentum is particularly evident in the public sector. In Scotland, for example, around 60% of new schools are now being designed using Passivhaus methodology. As local authorities and developers look for reliable routes to deliver low-energy, future-proofed buildings, Passivhausoffers a robust, performance-based framework that aligns closely with wider decarbonisation goals.