Questions to Ask while hiring Passive House Builders

 

Passive house builders have thorough knowledge regarding the construction of energy efficient homes. Ask them ample questions prior to hiring them.

Are you planning to build your dream house? In case you are planning to build an energy efficient house then opting for the passive house builders will be an ideal choice. Getting into the high energy design homes is not everyone’s cup of tea. You ought to consult professionals to get things done in the most effective manner.

Hiring a passive home builder is the most important decision that needs to be undertaken. Hence asking them ample questions is very crucial. Here are few questions that you must ask while hiring passive house builders:

• What are your measures for duct locations and combustion safety:

You must be careful with the combustion safety of your home. In order to get the best out of an energy efficient home, you will have to choose a builder who is particular about the placement of the duct vents as well as the combustion safety of the entire building. If the builder answers by saying that the ducts will be placed at the attic and the attic will be well ventilated then consider it to be a red flag.

Though the reputed builders will be particular about the combustion safety but ask them their views on natural draft water heaters as well as the vent less fireplaces.

• How will the heating and the air conditioning systems designed?

Ask them this question and if they say that they have left it to the HVAC contractor then you need to think twice. The passive house builders of Melbourne must be aware as to how the HVAC contractor will go about it. the proper way of doing it by calculating room by room load capacity.

• Do you use third party inspections to ensure the class of the house?

If the passive builder has expertise in the making of passive homes then they might be participating in energy star as well as LEED programs. Getting inspections will help you get the perfect house built for you.

Besides these questions there are a lot of other considerations that you must keep in mind. At the time of hiring the passive house builders from Melbourne you must not forget to go through their testimonies in order to get an idea of their workmanship. Make sure to hire the ones who have work expertise of at least 6 years and our accredited to make such energy efficient homes. If you have a near one who can offer you references then go for it too!

Interesting Tips to Ensure You Are Residing In an Energy Efficient Home

If you have built a home based on your objective to save energy because you not only want to improve the environment around but at the same time are eager to save your pocket from being recklessly emptied, it’s time you consider the energy-efficiency of the residential facility. Although, a lot of homeowners believe that saving energy means investment on efficient electrical appliances, what they don’t seem to know is that homes too can be constructed in ways such that inmates can gain an edge.

So that your energy efficient home helps you curtail on utility bills, here are few interesting ways you can maintain your establishment. Let’s check them in the following lines:

Regular cleaning and maintenance of the HVAC system

Consider taking care of your HVAC system because these appliances are responsible for ensuring that you are living in a comfortable environment. However, with time these systems trap in dirt as well as dust and help reduce the quality of air around your home. So that they are being able to run with efficiency you should ensure that the HVAC systems are well maintained. This will further aid you in preventing mechanical breakdowns. Altering HVAC filters once in a while is a great way to improve efficiency of the system.

Check the window seals

Have you checked the window seals yet? A lot of air escapes through the windows when the seals stop working or become loose. As a result, the HVAC system will start struggling to provide you desired comfort and lose their efficiency in the process. That’s why we recommend that you look for signs indicating damage caused to the seal.

Check the water heater

Hot water is mostly stored in cylinders or tanks. However, hot water storage only spikes up your electricity bills. To stop this from happening, opt for tank-less water supply.

Are the trees placed strategically?

Energy efficient homes are possible to achieve when other than the interiors and appliances, you have also considered the outdoors. A great way to guarantee that your home is energy efficient, both from within and from outside is to ensure that you have planted enough trees especially around the southern and western parts of the premise. Such strategic placements promise that your home will receive adequate amounts of sunlight so that the interiors stay comfortable even when it is winter.

Furthermore, you must opt for smart lighting options which consume less energy and offer greater brightness. Also, don’t forget to get south facing windows installed which will make your home airy. These are tips you can follow for making your home energy efficient.

Passive House Supplies to Make Your Home Energy Efficient

 

The energy-efficient buildings are called passive buildings. These buildings provide extra comfort to the owners. You can find superb air quality and lower emissions in these types of houses round the clock. To make a home energy efficient, however, you need to have certain high performance building supplies. Let’s see what they are.

• Air Tight Walls

To make your house energy efficient you need to make your walls airtight. This is actually another layer of the wall that is constructed between the interior and the exterior wall. 

When you have this wall you need to make sure that you are not puncturing it by hanging pictures with nails. If you do want to hand the pictures try fasteners that can hold your picture on the wall.

• Solid Ventilation

You need to get certain ventilators as supplies to ensure clean air to pass through the vents. If your indoor air quality is good, you can lead a healthy life. Moreover, good ventilators will help in circulating fresh air.

This will also reduce the consumption of energy as you will not be needing air coolers or air conditioners if it is a bit hot outside. 

To install this type of ventilation you need to call an expert who can get these supplies for you. 

• Exterior shading

To make your home energy-efficient you need to make sure that your exterior shading is opened. This will allow sunshine to heat your interior during the cold months. However, during the hotter months when the interior temperature of homes increases, you need to use the shading.

• Heating Mechanism

Heating needs to be included in your home for which you need to have passive house supplies. If you are seeing that the temperatures are decreasing in the night time, you need to use this system to generate heat on the indoors. However, you will only need little heating power to meet your purpose. This job can be easily handled by radiators that you need to install below your windows.

• Cooling Mechanism

Contrary to the heating mechanism, you need to use the cooling mechanism too when you need cooler interiors. This can be achieved by switching on the exterior shading mechanism. Similar to the heating mechanism, cooling does not require too many resources other than the shading.

• Energy-efficient devices

Selecting energy-efficient lights and appliances will help you to reduce the electricity costs. It is also another way of going green.

To get these high performance building supplies you need to contact a company that has been in the business for many years. 

Build Your Next Energy Efficient Home by Following These Steps

Saving power means saving the environment too. You can upgrade your home to make it eco-friendly and this can be achieved in several ways. An energy-efficiency home means usage of less valuable power that leads to lower expenses when it comes to energy. Eco-friendly homes also contribute to a healthy living environment by preventing pollution forming agents while increasing the level of comfort. Let us now see how these can be achieved.

In present times the passive house builders in Melbourne are improving power efficiency by installing appliances that are power-saving while avoiding usage of components that are harmful to health.

The following can be considered for transforming your home into an energy-efficient one.

Solar Panels

Installing solar panels help in saving electricity bills as the source of power is the sun. These panels form enough electricity required for lights and fans in your rooms. Modern panels are powerful and can even be used for watching television and desktop computers.

Power Saving Lights

Various power saving lights such as LED and CFL can reduce the use of energy by up to 70% in homes. Moreover, these bulbs are available in the market at cheap rates and are available at plenty.

Installing Home Insulation

Using insulation agents help in keeping homes cool and quiet. These agents make the transfer of heat slower thus reducing the temperature. A strategically insulated home does not require an air cooler or conditioner thus reducing your electricity consumption costs.

Customized Windows

Installing customized windows in an energy efficient home is a must. There are several windows in the market that can drastically reduce emissions as well as heat and noise from the outside thereby saving power costs.

Air Leakage Control

Sometimes this is already included in the home insulation installation plan. Else, you will have to install it manually. You need to assign experts who will detect possible air leaks and seal them so that the cooler air inside your home does not leak and neither can the hot air enter your room.            

Sealing the Ducts

A leakage in the air ducts of your home can lead to excessive heat or cold in rooms that will require you to use more electricity to keep the rooms warm or cool. To mitigate this problem and keep the home energy-efficient get your air ducts checked. If there is a leak, they should be closed then and there.

Apart from the above-mentioned steps, the passive house builders in Melbourne are also suggesting the use of appliances that are certified for saving power in homes.

What are the Key Advantages of using Siga Airtight Wraps and membrane tapes?

 

As an increasing number of people are raising concern on environmental aspects, global authorities are seeking initiatives to spread such awareness. Emphasis is considerably laid on eco-friendly concepts so that energies and resources can be saved from being misused. With such rising awareness engineers are coming up with energy efficient concepts in the construction industry. As a result, people are seen investing more on air-tight homes which assure them a lot of benefits. 

Buildings nowadays are constructed keeping environment friendly causes in mind. An energy efficient building is designed such that owners are able to utilise maximum amount of naturally available resources without misusing them. Today’s air-tight constructions focus on the following benefits: 

Energy efficiency 

Like as mentioned above, the Siga Airtightness Membranes Tapes which are used for introducing air-tightness to homes, allow maximum efficiency in terms of energy conservation. Considering how recent climatic changes are affecting our lives, it makes sense for us to improve on our lifestyle by curtailing on energy consumption habits. With regards to such initiatives it is vital for us to stay proactive and adhere to current eco-friendly construction technologies for sustainable outcomes. Air tightness membrane tapes used while construction of a building can help builders adhere to standard conservational building methodologies. 

Thermal comfort 

Another reason why air-tightness membranes are pretty much in use is because they offer thermal comfort. Buildings constructed keeping eco-friendly standards in mind, offer optimum thermal comfort chiefly because of the use of air-tightness membranes that allow heat to stay trapped inside the walls protecting occupants from cold. The Airtight Wraps Tapes ensure maintenance of a constant temperature all throughout. 

Building protection 

Yet another reason that goes behind application of airtight wraps during construction is to ensure that the foundation stays strong against various kinds of dampness causing elements. Also air tightness prevents leakage. 

Improved health condition 

With improved air quality and maintenance of a balanced temperature inside an air-tight home it goes without saying that occupants will enjoy better health conditions. A chief objective for raising such kind of constructions is to make sure people are promised of a healthier lifestyle. Apart from offering highest comfort, an air-tight building is supposed to stimulate circulation of fresh air. 

When it comes to construction of buildings, builders are chiefly focussing on air-tight homes because of the wide range of benefits offered by them. A rising number of builders are considering these eco-friendly practices so that energies can be conserved and the planet can be saved from the current deplorable state it is facing at the moment. 

Steps That Passive House Builders Take to Come Up With a Finished Home

Installing a passive house may be a bit expensive, but in the long run, it is highly beneficial to live in a passive home. It is a way of healthy living. To build a passive home, you need a team of professional builders with years of experience in making this technology a traditional way of living. Planning and infrastructure of a passive house depend on a lot of things.

There are multiple steps that you need to follow while making a passive home.

Step 1. Panning

For a passive home building, the mechanism of installing an insulation technique is the most essential. Architects imply new house making science to design a passive home. They collaborate with the builders and incorporate planning and structuring of the house. The architects need to plan the right way of installing thermal insulation and airtight construction for your passive home.

Step 2. Location of the house:

Passive home builders near Melbourne first find the right spot for enacting the designing. The site must have accurate solar access to optimise the sun’s warm light in winter, and on the contrary, for the summertime, the minimisation of solar access is equally important. Builders look for the right positioning of landscaping and plantation that will give keep your house cool in summer.

Step 3. Insulation:

Insulating the home in the right way is the most valuable step of passive home building. Thermal insulation ensures reducing the temperature of the house. The natural sunlight is intact inside the house through this technique. There is no need to install centrally backed up heater in your house. Not even you will need an air conditioner for the summertime. Thus it is a great way to cut the energy costing in your home.

Step 4. Window and door sealing:

The installation of windows and doors for a passive home is not traditional. You must install high-performance energy-efficient doors and windows to make the space airtight. The seal of windows and doors decide the level of insulation inside the home. In the summertime, the windows will be down during the daytime, and in winter the rule is to get the maximum heat and restore it for the night.  To check on the capacity of holding the air a high-quality door and window test is included using pressurisation and depressurisation.

Step 5 Air testing through Heat Recovery Ventilator

Heat recovery ventilator installation is beneficial because of its mechanism of letting in fresh outdoor air and passing the stale warm air or pollutants from indoor.

Conclusion:

So, these are the steps contactors and homebuilders are following to structure a passive home. In the home building industry, this new pattern is trending. Professional architects and housebuilders work in collaboration to build one passive home.

Things to Know before you Invest on Passive House Supplies

Are you thinking of living in an energy efficient home? Well! You are not alone! There is a good number of people shifting to passive building routes and the best part is that they are independently embarking on such projects without help from builders unless they don’t have a choice. Although a lot of layouts are already there on the internet, it’s usual for you to consider a design which will specifically go along with your lifestyle or family needs. Among several less energy intensive building theories that have been doing rounds across the world, Passive Housing is considered most efficient in terms of eco-friendliness. 

The decision of investing in Passive building cannot occur overnight and should not also be considered on a lighter note. A lot of building projects are nowadays raised based on passive building theories. Furthermore, it’s considered as a leading housing standard based on energy efficiency. Get some ideas on passive building through insights mentioned below: 

An easy-peasy layout 

A lot of you think that passive building isn’t as easy as it may appear, but believe it or not, it’s a lot less challenging, hassle-free and less time consuming. Considering that you will go on for a Self-Build approach, its commonplace for you to get hit by challenges. No worries! It’s same as when you were asked to do some origami by your school teacher. For kids such craftsmanship will appear demanding at first until the time they get a hang of it. 

Since you have decided to go about with the project on your own, it’s more likely you will want it to last for a lifetime and hence will be aiming for High Performance Building Supplies. This is supposedly one of the most effective ways to future-proof your home. Over and again it has been proved that passive building exceeds conventional structures in terms of performance related to thermal efficiency, air-tightness, and energy and load requirements. 

Site 

Since you have decided to build yourself a Passive Home, it’s most important you consider the site. For passive building, sites play an important role since the structures should have enough access to solar rays. Yes! Solar gains should be considerably high when you are choosing passive housing. Hence it is ideal to choose a site to the south which is supposed to receive maximum sunrays and air. A south facing home receives maximum energy. Also, consider the landscape, the neighbouring buildings and the trees before you bet on a site. 

Design 

Other than paying your attention on Passive House Supplies, give yourself some time to select a design that will help you gain maximum out of solar energy and in terms of performance. There are simple to complex designs available on the internet but make sure the house is south oriented to welcome in more sunrays and is based on a compact design to trap in more natural energy. Thermal performance and air-tightness are primary concerns when it comes to choosing designs for passive building. Also as you work on the layout, make sure you group in the wet areas altogether to ensure saving on plumbing costs and energy. 

Meanwhile, you must get in touch with a team inclusive of professionals who will be able to make valuable recommendations and help you build a certified structure while lending you a hand on the job. 

Ventilation in Passive House during the times of COVID 19 – A Brief Discussion

The Ventilation System or the Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) of the passive house generally draws fresh air from the atmosphere and pushes them into the rooms. During this epidemic triggered off by the COVID 19 people are permitted to move around in the open as long as they maintain social distancing as prescribed by the experts. Indeed, like all the other viruses that are exhaled by the infected people are diluted strongly. Hence, the concentration of viruses in the atmosphere is low enough to turn harmless. So the bottom line is that, COVID 19 is not airborne and even if it is airborne it cannot stay in the air long enough to be a genuine threat.

The Ventilation issue of Passive House

The pandemic condition that is prevailing at this point shows pretty vividly why the passive house builders in Melbourne as well as the experts are putting more emphasis on the ventilation of the passive houses and buildings with the fresh air outside. They have also clearly mentioned why it is highly dangerous to use recirculated air ventilation.

Here is a quick look!

The air outside may be polluted, but it will only and only be polluted by dust, which can anyway be filtered by the high-quality fine-class filters like F7..F9, which are recommended by the passive house specialists and are as such, installed at the external air ducts. In fact, only recently, a statement that was published by the German Society of Ventilation (FKG) clearly stated that the passive house ventilation systems (MVHR) that are operating with the atmospheric air should be kept operating and should never be switched off. They also warned against the dangers of reducing or switching off the outside airflow.

To ascertain the gravity of their warning, it is essential to compare the ventilation system of the passive houses in Melbourne with that of the conventional buildings, which do not have any controlled ventilation system. They have clearly stated that all the conventional buildings without these controlled ventilation systems MUST have all their rooms properly ventilated with the atmospheric air. Rooms with a ventilation system that have no connection with the atmospheric air, like in AC rooms, trains, buses, and cars are highly dangerous zones and people using them are more prone to get infected by COVID 19 than those who are not.

The experts are of the opinion that the spaces with conditioned atmosphere might get virally contaminated and this can pose a real danger when the air accumulates into the interior spaces inhabited by users. In passive houses, with high tech filters properly installed at strategic entry points of the air, the intake air is even cleaner. That is the reason, the passive house experts in Melbourne like any other place will recommend proper operation of the outdoor air ventilation mechanism, even during the COVID 19 Pandemic. 

Reasons Why You Need Windows in Passive Houses That Can Open

As passive houses are still not the most trending thing in the modern world (there are no reasons why they shouldn’t be) and an idea that is somewhat obscured by myths and legends, people hesitate to opt for passive houses. They can’t only imagine how a whole house can literally be off the power grid. Among the myths that are circulated regarding passive houses, one of the most outrageous is that you can’t open a window in passive houses. While that is a lie, it’s necessary to have windows in a home that can be opened for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the reasons why it’s crucial to have proper air circulation in a house, passive or otherwise. 

An Energy-efficient Way of Cooling Your Building

During the summer, keeping your windows open is one of the cheapest, easiest and most environment-friendly way of cooling your energy-efficient home. If you have windows on opposite sides of the building, it allows for cross ventilation. In other words, the windows let natural breeze to pass through the building, reducing heat. It is the most effective solution in coastal and tropical areas where the temperature is more relaxed at night than during the day. 

Better than Passive House Air Ducts

The passive house ventilation process generally provides lower air exchange than cross ventilation. The fan would disperse additional heat into the environment, and the cooling system is further weakened in the process. The air exchange ratios of air ducts installed in these buildings are not enough to prevent the air from being too humid or too dry during excessively hot (and cold) weather. Advanced air ventilation systems may be able to do the job, but they are more costly and less energy-efficient than the conventional ventilation systems. On the other hand, windows provide you with a natural solution for cooling your building. 

A Link to the World outside Your Four-Walls

Windows connect our house interior to the vast world of nature that is lying outside. They allow us to look at the breath-taking views of the sunset, hear the birds chirping and singing, and to call out to the children playing in the garden. That is why most homeowners while designing their houses, take care of the fact that it has broad and airy windows. They also want to be able to control when and how to open them.

If you are planning to design and build a passive house to promise your kids a better future, you could contact experienced and renowned passive house builders in Melbourne who will be able to take care of the whole project from scratch. Invest in a passive home and invest in a better tomorrow. 

Cut-Down Your Energy Use With Smart Lights- A Discussion!

Smart home lighting is always an important aspect of your oh-so energy-efficient homes. Other than brightening your property; they also improve home security, creates a good atmosphere and helps you cut down on your monthly bill.

And since; your home lighting accounts for approximately 6-8% of your home’s energy consumption; it does make sense to invest in quality energy-saving lights to turn your interior space into a pleasing and inviting one.

Digging Deeper Into Smart Lights For Your Energy-Efficient Home:-

Nowadays, the rise of smart home bulbs makes it possible for homeowners to control their lighting needs and in the process lessen its energy consumption. You can opt for smart bulbs to regulate your individual light needs.

However, as per energy-efficient home builders in Melbourne:-

“This may not be the best option for those wanting to integrate energy-conserving smart lights along with smart home assistance. Fortunately; for you; there are so many other alternatives that you can go for.”

Optimal options may include in the form of light dimmers, energy-saving lights along with a quality home energy management system much like a constellation connect. This helps reduce their home’s energy use and amp up their overall property protection.

As per their viewpoints; here are some smart lighting solutions to reduce your monthly electricity use.

Employing Smart Lighting Switches:-

They are a smart mode of regulating your home’s lighting and conserving energy consumption. As they are installed; you will be able to control one hard-wired energy-saving light switch- be it from your smart hub or smartphone. These smart lights can also be voice-controlled.

Some options which you can opt include:-

• Single Pole Smart Switch
• Three/Four-Way Smart Switch
• Plug-in Smart Switch

Setting Up Motion Sensors Whenever Applicable In Your House:-

Most motion sensor lighting help save energy by automatically switching off when it detects no activity in a particular room. You can even set it to trigger the lights only when there is a human activity (so as to prevent your cat’s from switching them on as she moves around your residence)

Where Can You Put Motion Sensors Inside Your Home

Motion sensors present the most energy-saving convenience to homeowners (as explained above). Some of those common areas where you can think of installing them include:-

• Basement
• Entryways
• Garages
• Closets
• Bathroom, kitchen
• Outside the main gate
• Hallways
• Children’s rooms

And other high traffic areas in your house.

Adding Smart Light Dimmers :-

In terms of smart lighting options; you can choose from the following:-

• CFLs:- Compact fluorescent light bulbs are extremely energy-efficient. But not being specifically designed for dimmer switches, and when used, they may flicker and have a shortened lifespan.

• LEDs:- They are presently the best lighting option for smart, energy efficient homes. They also last a long time and is compatible with LED dimmer switches.

• Halogen Bulbs:- When used with dimmer switches, they tend to use 20% less energy, in comparison to when they are not dimmed. But these bulbs may not always be appropriate for all homes.

For large spaces, halogen bulbs may prove less energy efficient, and that negates the benefit of using dimmer switches. If you have a large space, then you can opt for a standard low-wattage bulb.

And, Including Smart Energy-Efficient Timers :-

These energy-saving timers are usually placed between the plug and wall outlet. And they are fitted to turn off the plugged-in home item at any particular time.

They are also referred to as timer switches, smart energy-efficient timers and they come with multiple usages. These timers help turn on your home lights at predetermined moments, right before you enter your home after work.

Energy-Efficient Timers Are Mainly Used To Regulate

• Hot tubs and pool filters
• Outdoor security lights
• Small appliances (like for instance computer, radios, flatirons, etc.)
• Water heating appliances
• Indoor lighting

Now that you have a clear perspective on smart energy-efficient home lighting solutions, be sure to discuss these with your home builder about these installations.

Also make it a point to always procure high performance building supplies in Melbourne for your dream home construction. You can even consult with your chosen builder to decide which option will work best for your specific requirements.

How The Design Of An Energy Efficient Functions?

When things come down to discussing the designs of energy-efficient homes, there a number of intricate issues involved. In fact, when we speak about the efficacy or the energy efficiency of these homes, it revolves around the successful coordination of some fundamental elements. All these elements work in close sync with each other to return the desired end effect of a passive house.

Here on this page, we discuss some of these elements, around which the functionality of each energy-efficient home involves.

Proper Orientation of the Windows:

In the typical energy-efficient house, windows or other inlets & devices that collect solar energy, generally face 30 degrees true south and should remain shaded for avoiding overheating during the summers.

During the fall, spring and the winter months, however, they should not ideally remain shaded. This will keep the right balance of heating and cooling effects during the entire season.

Thermal Mass:

Thermal Mass in a passive home generally includes the concrete, stone, bricks, tiles and the likes, which absorb heat from the outside world during the summer days, keeping the interiors cool, and retains the warm air in the house, helping the interiors to remain warm and cozy during the winters.

Other thermal masses in passive solar homes include water and the phase change products. These masses are extremely efficient in storing heat. In the well-insulated homes that are located in a moderate or extreme climate, the thermal mass created by the furnishings and of course, the drywalls of the home is more than sufficient.

This will help in the elimination of the very need for additional thermal storage materials, thus increasing the energy efficiency by manifolds.

Mechanisms of Distributions

Solar heat is transferred from its collection points, and are stored in various vantage points of the house, through the process of conduction, radiation and convection.

In certain smaller homes, small blowers and fans are engaged for able distribution of the heat. Conduction takes place as and when and strategically placed roof overhangs generate shades to vertical south windows during the summers.

Other control approaches that add to the energy efficiency includes various types of electronic sensing devices like a thermostat, various kinds of operable vents and dampers, which allow as well as restrict heat flow, low-emissivity blinds, awnings and operable insulation shutters.

Heat is transmitted through a medium like air as it moves from warmer to colder areas, and then all over the home.

Control Strategies

Appropriately sized and strategically placed roof overhangs generate shades to vertical south windows during the summers. Other control approaches that add to the energy efficiency includes various types of electronic sensing devices like a thermostat, multiple types of operable vents and dampers, which allow as well as restrict heat flow, low-emissivity blinds, awnings and operable insulation shutters.

So you see, passive house builders Melbourne use all these techniques and strategies to make the very mechanism of a passive house function.