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Author: Seth Conway Media Tags: Passivhaus, fire doors, enhanced security PAS24, Net Zero

Passive House

With the recent heatwaves across the UK, it has proved difficult for most of us to remain cool in our homes as temperatures outside soar. Whilst many have turned to the good, old fan and others have contemplated installing air conditioning, this is not a sustainable option for the future of our planet or our pockets.

Newer British homes are built to stay warm in the winter but what if our homes could also remain cool in the summer whilst using very little energy? Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not, as Director of Principal Doorsets, Stan Bond explains.

Passivhaus is well established in Northern Europe, where the seasons are far more defined, there providing a comfortable interior climate whilst using very little energy for heating and cooling is well established. It is a tried and tested solution to help deliver net-zero ready, new and existing buildings whilst increasing comfort and wellbeing to residents. Since 2016 our pioneers here at Principal Doorsets have been working with European manufacturer Moralt AG and in association with designers and architects we are taking this well proven concept and building on it for our UK customers.”

Hotter summers in the UK are predicted to become the ‘new normal’. “By 2050, we will regularly have temperatures above 35°C in the south of the UK,” predicts Chloe Brimicombe, a heat stress researcher at the University of Reading. Climate change is causing temperatures to rise, with greenhouse gases being released into the Earth’s atmosphere in large volumes, trapping the sun’s heat and causing the planet to warm.

“We know there is no Planet B and energy saving and efficiency is at the heart of what we do,” continues Stan. “The Government’s Future Homes Standards aim to radically improve the energy performance of new homes with up to 75-80% less carbon emissions by 2025. Thanks to the advanced work and innovative research of our team here at Principal Doorsets, we are already reaching these standards which makes us proud to be the front runner in the Passivhaus movement in the UK; providing solutions.”

The Passivhaus range from Principal Doorsets includes PAS24 enhanced security testing along with fire testing (both 30 and 60 minutes) and is BS 476-31.1:1983 Part 31 compliant for measuring smoke penetration through doorsets and shutter assemblies – as well as Section 31.1 for methods of measurement under ambient temperature conditions for cold smoke to future standards.

Furthermore, the Passivhaus product achieves the highest classification (class 4) for air permeability when locked. Class 4 indicates that the door system has been tested under pressures up to 600Pa and reaches the highest quality of system sealing, engineering and manufacturing to ensure that all panel joints seal together fully to stop as much air travel through the door system as possible.

For more information on our Passivhaus range, speak to us at 01237 439152 or email us at sales@principaldoorsets.co.uk