Airtight construction is one of the five main principles of Passive House.

But what is this and why do we need it?

As most of us here in New Zealand are aware, historically our housing stock has been draughty at best. As our construction practices have increased with required air seals around windows and doors, aluminum joinery which seals better, the draughtiness of our buildings has reduced. But we haven’t eliminated it.

Passive House construction requires a continuous air-tightless layer inside of the insulation layer and the interior environment to stop air infiltration between the external and interior environments through the construction elements.

This is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, air movement through the insulation layer reduces its effectiveness, so airtightness increases the performance of any insulating component we install in our external envelope. Secondly, air leakages contribute to wasted heat loss. If the efficiency of our heating systems is to be considered, plugging the leaks stops useful heat from going to waste. Thirdly, heated air can be moisture laden, and having this move through the construction can lead to interstitial condensation. With our recent leaky buildings issue, this is a concern to avoid mould and rot in our walls, floors, and roof structures.

Code Compliant Architectural Design today creates more air tight homes, but with that we also can create issues if other aspects of the system are not addressed.

The more airtight a home is, the more air exchange and air quality become an issue. An Air tight home requires close attention to ventilation rates for healthy occupation and awareness of moisture issues.

So coupled with airtightness construction, the 4 other passive house principles of high-quality insulation, heat control and robust windows, heat recovery ventilation, and thermal bridge-free design are needed to ensure that the interior environment created is a healthy and comfortable one. And that the structure and construction supporting this are robust and durable.

I hope this explains airtight construction, what it is and why it is important if we are to increase both the quality and efficiency of our homes.

To talk to Sharon Robinson. Architectural, Homestar & Certified Passive House Designer at Smart Living Spaces about your project, book a complimentary call

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Architectural Design with people and planet in mind. Hamilton, Raglan, Te Awamutu, Cambridge, and Waikato Surrounds. ⁠New Zealand.

 


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Offsite NZ Member    Licenced Building Practitioner    New Zealand Green Building Council Passive Designer Homestar Designer Homestar Assessor
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