The "Passive House" and "EnerPHit" energy standards for buildings as defined by the Passive House Institute the objective of ensuring the following building characteristics in particular:
• Year-round comfortable and healthy indoor conditions
• An extremely high level of energy efficiency
• A high level of user satisfaction
These criteria describe requirements that are precisely defined for achieving these objectives. The "PHI Low Energy Building" standard is an alternative standard for buildings which do not completely meet the energy-efficiency and comfort objectives.
Criteria
• The Space Heating Energy Demand is not to exceed 15 kWh per square meter of net living space per year or 10 W per square meter peak demand. In climates where active cooling is needed, not so much Ireland, the Space Cooling Energy Demand requirement roughly matches the heat demand requirements above, with an additional allowance for dehumidification.
• The Space Heating Energy Demand is not to exceed 15 kWh per square meter of net living space per year or 10 W per square meter peak demand. In climates where active cooling is needed, not so much Ireland, the Space Cooling Energy Demand requirement roughly matches the heat demand requirements above, with an additional allowance for dehumidification.
• The Renewable Primary Energy Demand is the total energy to be used for all domestic applications like heating, hot water and domestic electricity. This must not exceed
- 60 kWh per square meter of treated floor area per year for Passive House Classic.
- 45 kWh per square meter of treated floor area per year for Passive House Plus.
- 30 kWh per square meter of treated floor area per year for Passive House Premium.
• Primary energy demand not to exceed 120kwh annually for all domestic applications (heating, cooling, hot water and domestic electricity) per square meter of usable living space
• Airtightness Maximum of 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 pascals pressure as verified with an onsite pressure test in both pressurised and depressurised states. A Blower Door test is one method used to conduct a pressure test.
• Thermal comfort must be met for all living areas throughout the year, with not more than 10% of the hours in any given year over 25°C