Passivhaus is good for you!

While full Passivhaus certification is not a requirement, there are significant similarities between the Healthy Homes ‘good practice enhancements’ and the Passivhaus standard. Homes England now recognises the health advantages of Passivhaus, and Passivhaus dwellings will automatically achieve ‘good practice’ enhanced status on specific healthy homes measures. These are cited as:

• Building fabric and energy performance: The space heating must be a maximum of 15 kilowatt-hour per square metre per year, or peak heating load must be a maximum of 10 watts per square metre in accordance with the Passivhaus standard.
• Overheating: Homes should be designed so that indoor temperatures do not exceed 25°C for more than 10% of the year, in accordance with the Passivhaus standard.
• Ventilation and indoor air quality: The preferred ventilation strategy for Healthy Homes is a high-efficiency (greater than 75% efficient) mechanically ventilated heat recovery (MVHR) system, designed in accordance with the Passivhaus standard.

If you are developing a project that is seeking Homes England funding, by opting for the Passivhaus standard you will be able to demonstrate ‘good practice enhancements’ to the agency in three key areas.

Designing healthy homes

The health impacts of living in a cold and damp home are well known, and include lung disease, heart disease and stroke and premature death. In addition to the guidance set out in Healthy Homes, Awaab’s Law makes landlords legally responsible for investigating and resolving damp, mould and other serious hazards within strict timeframes, preventing the health tragedies linked to poor housing conditions.

Outlining the health benefits of the Passivhaus standard, Homes England’s Healthy Homes guidance states: “There are several interconnected benefits associated with a Passivhaus approach, including lower energy costs, a constant supply of fresh air to eliminate condensation and mould risk, reducing risk of overheating and creating a quieter internal living environment.”

The Passivhaus Trust has undertaken extensive research on the health benefits of Passivhaus and continues to gather evidence through numerous post-occupancy evaluations. Here are some of the key health benefits delivered by Passivhaus:

• Damp and mould eliminated at source: Passivhaus design addresses condensation risk head-on. A continuous thermal envelope, high insulation and airtightness mean surfaces stay warm and dry.
• Healthy indoor air: Continuous MVHR supplies fresh, filtered air while maintaining warmth. This prevents pollutant and moisture build-up, delivering good indoor air quality.
• Comfortable internal temperatures: Passivhaus buildings stay warm in winter and cool in summer with minimal energy, by modelling and preventing overheating at the design stage.
• Proven energy efficiency: Ultra-low energy demand delivers radical energy and cost savings, and reduced fuel poverty.
• Built-in performance assurance: Passivhaus certification implies rigorous design, modelling, testing and construction control. This helps meet the ethos of proactive hazard prevention embedded in Awaab’s Law.

For housing providers and local authorities, adopting Passivhaus is a proactive investment in resident well-being and building longevity. By embedding these principles from the design stage, social landlords can prevent the very hazards Awaab’s Law seeks to eliminate, while also meeting key elements of the Healthy Homes guidance. The result? Fewer complaints, healthier residents and homes that perform as designed.

Homes England’s public acknowledgement of the health benefits of Passivhaus is a boost to everyone seeking reliable ways to improve resident health and well-being. As Scotland embarks on the second consultation on its Passivhaus Equivalent policy and England finalises the Future Homes Standard, Passivhaus offers a beacon to policymakers everywhere of what good buildings look like, both for new builds and retrofits.

Passivhaus provides the blueprint for raising the bar for housing quality – a tried, tested and trusted route to healthy, safe and resilient homes for everyone.

Sarah Lewis, research and policy director, Passivhaus Trust