Passive house design involves controlling the climate in a home - and there's a lot more to it than just making sure you have enough insulation or that you have double glazing. The materials you use, how your home's designed and even what sorts of colours and fixtures you choose to install can all make a significant difference.
Roof design
A home's roof plays a huge role in how effectively it's heated and cooled. A roof that's designed with the house's position and climate in mind can vastly improve how the climate in your home is regulated.
Wall design
The walls of your home can represent a significant amount of mass, and depending on how they're positioned can be used to either collect heat from the sun or prevent it from heating your home.
Floor design
Floors - especially concrete slab floors which can absorb a lot of heat during the day - can be used to great effect when it comes to designing for passive heating and cooling in a house.
Door and window design
Doors and windows are easily the weakest links in your home when it comes to passive design. Find out how you can control heat gain, heat loss and air infiltration through and around doors and windows.
Climate control and passive design
The main purpose of passive design is to reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling - which often requires a lot of energy. Find out more about climate control measures for passively designed houses.