This area contains a selection of frequently asked questions and answers. If you did not find a response to your question, please contact us by e-mail or phone.
What is a passive house?
A passive house is a building that has very low energy consumption and maintenance costs. According to the international standard of passive house, the energy consumption of such a building does not exceed 15 kWh/m²a year. Passive house does not need a standard heating system and is heated by circulation of warm air that is pre-heated in low-temperature heating element in order to avoid air dryness.
What does mean zero energy house?
Zero energy house is a building that uses as much energy during exploitation than it generates in (renewable) energy. In other words, the emission of greenhouse gases of such a building during its use is equal to zero.
What is a plus energy house?
A
plus energy house means that the building’s owner can sell the energy produced
by the house back to the energy network which means that the use of the
building makes money, instead of only spending it. In
What is a passive house heated with and how high is the heating cost?
The module house that corresponds to the passive house standard uses ventilation with heat-returning heating element. The house is heated with electricity by heating up the air returned to the building. The heating cost is only ca 1000 kroons a year. In comparison with the average annual heating cost of a regular modern house is at least ten times cheaper.
Is passive house packed in foil and does not “breathe”?
Low energy consumption of a passive house is achieved as a result of efficient insulation. You cannot say that the house is packed in foil. Air density is provided by the use of environmentally friendly PRO Clima Intello membrane that lets air humidity permeate similarly with core-tex jacket. In comparison with the foil used in standard structural buildings, the membrane with the foil “breathers” and ensures that the building has a healthy indoor climate.
Can you open windows in a passive house?
Of course! Residents may open windows as often and whenever they wish. However, they would not need to since the constant provision of fresh air automated ventilation system in a passive house. Among others, the ventilation system also purifies the air from different pollutants, hazardous substances and pollen. This is why the building’s indoor climate is healthy and is very suitable for people suffering from allergies.
Passive house is similar to every other house in this aspect that if you leave its windows open for a long time during winter, the room temperature will drop notably and the energy need for heating the building increases.
Can you have a fireplace or stove in a passive house?
Yes,
the important thing is to ensure sufficient air density at the time when the
heating element is not used. Therefore, one has to pay special attention to
which heating element is suitable. Moreover, it is necessary to supply air from
outside to the furnace. As far as we know, no fireplaces or stoves that fulfil
the passive house criteria are being sold in
For whom is the passive house meant?
Passive house is meant for all people. The Elumaja concept ideally suits the young and large families, students, bachelors, pensioners, urban and rural residents, environmentally conscious citizens, businessmen. etc.
Is Elumaja house also suitable for people suffering from allergies?
The quality of the indoor climate of Elumaja is determined by several factors that can be regulated by a combination of carefully selected materials, the building’s structure and ventilation system.
The clay plaster functions as a buffer of the humidity level of indoor air, absorbing excess humidity and giving it back when the air gets dry. The ventilation system purifies the air and pollen, mites and fungi or other pollutants that are dangerous to people suffering from allergies cannot enter the room. Thanks to automated ventilation system, the air is pure in the passive house also when the residents have been away from house for a long time.
Is the passive house more expensive than a standard house?
No. Passive house costs as much or slightly more than a standard house, while the main benefits of a passive house emerge during its use. Because of the building’s excellent heat insulation and low energy need, heating costs are almost non-existent. Also the building’s indoor climate is very stable and comfortable.
The construction of a module house that complies with the passive standard focuses on the quality and healthiness of materials, as well as the efficiency of housing equipment and technologies. We use the best possible solution so that we can achieve the most optimal price at the given quality. Manufacturing of module houses is standardized, ensuring a fixed cost. This modern house that is energy efficient, has healthy indoor climate and low ecological footprint is affordable to any knowledgeable home buyer.
Can a standard house be re-built into a passive house?
It is theoretically possible, but in practice difficult to do because of the structural solutions of a standard house and its position towards the cardinal points. For instance, a passive house has no thermal bridges, but in building standard houses this principle is generally not observed and the rebuilding is very complicated and expensive.
Moreover, standard houses are usually built without paying any attention to the location towards cardinal points and the size and location of doors and windows may be contrary to the principles of energy conservation.
In renovating existing buildings observe the principles used in building passive houses with the purpose of reducing the average energy consumption of a standard house to 25 kWh/m²a year. But it would still be a long way to the passive house level.
Does the ventilation system cause problems, for instance, with bacteria, noise, etc.?
The automatic air ventilation system of the passive house ensures the supply of fresh air into the building and is radically different from the feared air conditioner that circulates the building’s indoor air. It such air conditioners are not properly maintained and cleaned, they can cause proliferation of bacteria. The noise level of the air ventilation system used in Elumaja is in regular mode 22dB which means that it can be barely heard even in a quiet room. Clean air is fed into the building slowly and the flow of fresh air causes no discomfort even next to the ventilation opening.
How many passive houses have
been built in
Passive
houses are built and used in very many countries. All in all, there are more
than 15000 houses worldwide that comply to the passive standard. In
In addition to individual houses, there are more and more apartment buildings, office buildings, conference centres, schools, old age homes, exhibition centres, stores, churches that comply with passive house standards.
But is the passive house
suitable in our winter climate where it is cold and in the winter and little
sun? Yes, it
is. To comply with the standard of the passive house, it is simply necessary to
make insulation more effective and improve moisture resistance, air tightness
and ventilation. In addition, it is necessary to use the existing solar energy
to the maximum effect. In principle, a passive house could be built anywhere in
the world since the standard stipulates that the average heating consumption of
the building cannot exceed 15 kWh/m² a year. For instance, there is a house
that complies with the passive house standard in
Is there really enough sun in
Actually,
according to the data of the
How can you tell that the house complies with the passive house standard?
This is confirmed by respective calculations and tests that are made in the course of the construction process and after the completion of building works. Compliance to the standard is proven by the building’s passport that will be issued to the building’s owner. When an Elumaja is completed, the owner will also receive a building’s passport that includes these indicators.
What are the advantages of the Elumaja concept in comparison with those of the standard house?
Elumaja is a house that is energy efficient, healthy, comfortable, mobile and flexible. The module house complies with the passive house standard and its housing costs are at least ten times lower. As for Elumaja, the objective is on minimum ecological footprint in building and running the house (rainwater, wastewater, maintenance waste, etc.)