Passivhaus offices energy

monitoring, analysis and lessons

learnt
SustainCo Study Tour 1

2nd July 2014

1st UK Certified Passivhaus Offices - Canolfan Hyddgen

Project Drivers
Applying Passivhaus concept & principles in Wales/UK
Design details & construction method

Energy Monitoring & Post occupancy evaluation

Challenges to Passivhaus construction in UK

architecture & passivhaus consultancy

Our Architectural philosophy is always

to reduce energy consumption &
associated CO2 emissions first,
and then apply appropriate renewable
technology to achieve carbon neutrality
where viable

domestic & non domestic

john@jpwconstruction.co.uk

passivhaus construction & components

Low energy = Low carbon

& Low fuel bills!

Powys County Council - Carbon Management Programme

Targets Co2 - reduction of 30% by 2012 and 50% by 2017

Potential cumulative carbon saving of 39,000t and a financial

saving of 7.8m over the next 5 years via energy efficiency

Dyfi Valley Path Finder (DVPF) Canolfan Hyddgen

WAG/PCC Funded Scheme
Property Rationalisation
Reduce energy consumption,
fuel bills & overheads
Maximise revenue through
design and management
Strategy for multiple tenancy
& Community use
Reduce Carbon Footprint
Client requirement
PHI Certification & BREEAM Excellent Certification
(First time In UK that both standards have been applied simultaneously)

BREEAM Principles - A range of sustainable issues & targets

BREEAM Offices Excellent 84.43%
Management
Health & Well Being
Energy
Transport
Water
Materials
Land Use & Ecology
Pollution

100.00%
84.62%
72.2%
53.3%
100.00%
83.33%
90.00%
93.33%

Note: Part L2 BRUKL reports low energy performance (72.2%) via a Fabric First
Passivhaus approach.
EPC via Part L2 = B
EPC in reality using Passivhaus = A+

Highest score at time in Wales

BREEAM 2009 Award for Offices

The Specific Climatic conditions

Specific PH solutions must be adapted for each
territory and climate under consideration.
Differences in solar gain & thermal mass being
the main Reason. In other regions, other energy
services, like cooling or dehumidification, could
be of greater importance than heating.
Passive House solution can be soundly applied
independent of the geographic and climatic
circumstances with careful planning.

Design
Detail
Elements must be combined & considered in detail to
produce a holistic outcome depending upon :

Air tightness
Canolfan Hyddgen non domestic

n50 = 0.249 -1 @ 50Pa (PHI requirement is 0.6)

Q50 = 0.37 m3 /(h.m2 ) @ 50Pa (UK measurement)
EST Advance Practice requirement is q50 = 1 m3 /(h.m2 ) @ 50Pa
UK best practice for mechanically ventilated q50 = 3 m3 /(h.m2 ) @ 50Pa
UK General non domestic & domestic q50 = 10 m3 /(h.m2 ) @ 50Pa
L2A UK Assumed air leakage provided TER is achieved using
NCM (under 500m2) q50=15 m3 /(h.m2 ) @ 50Pa

De-Centralised & Centralised Ventilation System

Electrical efficiency and renewable generation

PCC Costs 1.2 m

Program: project initiated in August 2007 WAG grant of 750k
expended during financial year 2007/08
Pathfinder -

410m2

Basic building

1537/m2

incl PV's & green roof

1721/m2

incl PV's & green roof & canopy 1784/m2

BRE & Faithful & Gould report, dated Sept 2008, stated
benchmark
Secondary school of 3116m2 to meet Part L2 Building Regs cost
1711m2
Addition to meet BREEAM Excellent 1789 to 1858m2

Predicted & Actual Performance

Design Tools

PHPP 2007 was used as the primary energy calculation tool and
the additional sheets to calculate non domestic internal heat gains
and utilisation proved valuable.
TAS software was also used for level 5 dynamic simulation of the
building. This enabled detailed analysis of inter zone air movement
through the building and also provided values for UK Part L2
compliance in particular summertime overheating risk.

Ecotect & Radiance for day lighting analysis.

Space Heating & Primary Energy

The resulting predicted values 2007 were

Space heating 14.8 kWh/m2/a,
Electricity approx 27000kWh/a
PV generation of 5250kWh/a
Actual values from (8/10/09 08/10/10) after building had
been commissioned and allowed to dry out for 18 months are
Space heating (measured over 12 months) = 14.8 kWh/m2/a,
Electricity (measured over 11 months) = 61 kWh/m2/a
(24,400kWh/a)
PV generation of 5987kWh/a.

UK Carbon Emission Compliance

Existing EPC Rating
Office Building only
(No Renewables)

33

7kW (51m2) PV on Offices

16

Potential further de carbonisation of development

7kW (51m2) PV on Offices
Plus 14.43kW (100m2) PV
On neighbouring School roof

A+

-65

A+

7kW (51m2) PV on offices

Plus 20kW Wind Turbine

Off site Generation

Cost Neutral Compliance

A EPC Rating Certified Passivhaus with 7kW PV

Annual Fuel Bill

Space Heating
= 126.62 (0.947 T/CO2/a)
Electricity (inc DHW) = 2177.19 (13.8 T/CO2/a)
= 2303.80

Potential FIT
PV income

= 2454.67

Summary of lessons learnt from POE

This duplication of calculation PHPP & TAS Dynamic
Simulation added to the design costs
but
Interesting comparisons emerged and a commitment from the
client and design team to monitor performance and learn from
the outcomes was established.
ICT , Ventilation flow rates (10l/s or 8l/s or 5l/s) & RH v C02 V
thermal comfort posed biggest specification & Commissioning
challenges
UBTs Soft Landings now being written into PCC procurement
process

Air quality & Occupant perception

Filter left for 1 year in one
unit as an experiment (3-6
months being the advised
frequency for changing).
External intake filter (top) has
experienced blackening from
localised wood stove/coal fire
smoke particles
The internal extract filter
(bottom) has effectively
filtered dust from the building
The new clean filter (Centre)
is for comparison.

Boiler sizing
Simple robust aux heating
system - Broag Avanta plus Gas
boiler 9-24kW & LST radiators
400X12w/m2 = 4.8kW Load

However sizing is important

M&E contractor reluctant to fit a
smaller boiler
Modulation issues particularly
In Spring & Autumn
Ignition board faliure & repair

Automatic or standard summer bypass ?

Comfort levels for occupants in winter have
been very good positive feedback.
The change over from Welsh winter to spring
and autumn to winter - 4 seasons in one day!
Automatic summer bypass to ease transition?
Currently the HX box is changed to summer
bypass box manually. Modifications to this
arrangement (Management system or technical
solution ) are recommended as part of the
learning outcomes from the first stage of POE
analysis.

Weather Data Solar Gain

Global Radiation December

kWh/m2/dayayy

Global Radiation August

7.00
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00

3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50

2.00
1.00
1

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

Cardiff DSY
Canolfan Hyddgen average

Canolfan Hyddgen Avereage

Cardiff TRY Average
Machynlleth TAS Average

December Average Daily Temperatures

15.00

25. 00

Degrees C

Degrees c

10.00
20. 00

5.00

0.00

15. 00

-5.00

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

31

10. 00
1

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

December

31

A ugust

Canolfan Hyddgen
Canolfan Hyddgen average
CAT Average 2009

Cardiff DSY
Machynlleth TAS Average

Machynlleth TAS
PHPP Average

31

29

27

25

23

21

19

17

15

13

11

December
Canolfan Hyddgen 2009
Cardiffy TRY
"Machynlleth TAS
PHPP Average

Machynlleth TAS
Machynlleth TAS Avereage

August Average Daily Temperatures

31

August
Canolfan Hyddgen 2009
PHPP Average
Cardiff DSY Average

0.00

0.00

kWh/m2 per day

8.00

Canolfan Hyddgen

Cardiff TRY

Machynlleth TAS

PHPP Average

Canolfan Hyddgen Average

Machynlleth TAS Average

CAT Average 2009

Solar Gain Winter & Summer

Summer Bypass in Position

Ventilation System @ Level 3
purging rooms and thermal mass
IT suites experience higher
internal gains and take longer to
purge & Cool

Passivhaus Classification Rebrand

A new calculation method for primary energy demand that also
considers energy production via renewable energy systems
and energy storage systems. The intent is to incorporate and
encourage a robust assessment of the environmental impacts
of these systems. A new Primary Renewable Energy (PRE)
factor has been produced that allows for a more rational way to
express a buildings energy balance and climate impact.
A building that produces an energy surplus in summer doesnt
necessarily have a good energy balance. Photovoltaic systems
typically yield very little energy in winter, which is exactly when
the most energy for heating is used. Therefore, the calculation
only works when the energy demand itself is also very low.
Dr Wolfgang Feist Passivhaus Institute

The Passivhaus Institute introduces new categories and additional criteria to

ensure it meets EU mandates for all new developments to be Nearly Zero Energy
Buildings in 2021
Building only or some Renewables

Energy Balance

EPC

Passivhaus Energy

Space

+ 30 Kwh/m2/a

Conservation Building

Operation

+120 Kwh/m2/a

'nearly Passivhaus buildings'

Passivhaus Classic

Space

+ 15 Kwh/m2/a

A?

Operational

+120 Kwh/m2/a

A?

Potential further energy balancing of a development

Passivhaus Plus

Space

+/- Kwh/m2/a

A/A+?

Striving to meet NZEB

Operational

+/- Kwh/m2/a

A/A+?

Passivhaus Premium

Space

- ? Kwh/m2/a

A++?

Energy Positive Building

Operational

- ? Kwh/m2/a

A++?

The present collection of slides was assembled for participants of SustainCo/Building Regs & Study
Tour 1: Machynlleth. This file or any printed copy of this file is for information purposes only and
intended only for the personal use of the participants of this event. The transferral of this file to a third
party or the right to publish it in any form is excluded. The contents are the intellectual property of JPW
Construction. In particular the use of individual contents (slides) is not permitted without the express
permission of JPW Construction