Should Passivhaus be seen as the benchmark for large-scale residential and commercial schemes, given the scope for substantial carbon savings against national targets, and savings on running costs for residents and building costs? Passivhaus only makes up around 1% of new residential builds currently Passivhaus, so is the Passivhaus Trust’s target of increasing this tenfold by 2035 fanciful? How deliverable is the notion that England could emulate Scotland’s commitment to all new homes being ‘Passivhaus equivalent’ by 2028, and if so what should the best practice approaches be for the industry – and what are the lessons from experience to date?
At our round table, architects, housebuilders, consultants and supply chain representatives will discuss the current viability of Passivhaus at scale in both resi and commercial contexts, and what needs to change in order to increase its uptake. What is the verdict on current incentives for developers and commercial tenants versus the considerable challenges of housebuilding targets, and economic pressures? And what are the design and product solutions which will make Passivhaus viable on a more mainstream, large scale; could there be a UK version of the standard?
The discussion will incorporate findings from netMAGmedia’s audience research on opinions and experience of Passivhaus, from sector appropriateness, to design challenges around ‘form factor,’ air-tightness and detailing, managing cost expectations and educating occupants, and tackling skills issues. What are the remaining stigmas, and the myths around barriers to Passivhaus success that need busting for clients and the supply side?
Of the almost 3000 certified Passivhaus buildings in the UK, there are many large commercial projects, particularly in education and civic sectors, plus a handful of large-scale residential schemes. We will discuss how Passivhaus is being harnessed in social housing to help protect tenants from fuel poverty, and how lessons can be learned by mainstream developers such as Barratt London who have pledged Passivhaus certification for all new builds.
Including insights from manufacturers to bring a real-world focus, learnings from this expert round table will be essential for any designers, consultants or builders interested in furthering Passivhaus at scale in the UK.
Tagged
TopicsPassivhaus