An Investigation of Indoor Air Quality in UK Passivhaus Dwellings

Abstract

The adoption of the German Passivhaus Standard in the UK has grown rapidly in recent years. Stimulated by the shift towards energy efficient design and rising fuel costs, the concept is perceived as a potential means of meeting energy and carbon targets through an established, reliable methodology. However the performance of the Standard in terms of adequate indoor air quality and thermal comfort in a UK climate remains under-researched. This paper describes the use of the Passivhaus Standard in a UK context, and its potential implications on indoor environmental quality. A case study is presented, which included indoor air quality measurements, occupant diary, building survey and occupant interviews in a Passivhaus social housing project in Northern Ireland. The study found issues with indoor air quality, the use and maintenance of Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems, lack of occupant knowledge and the perception of overheating in the case study dwellings. The findings provide a much needed insight into the indoor environmental quality in homes designed to the Passivhaus standard; which can be disseminated to aid the development of an effective sus-

Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Environment Assessment of Scottish Homes with Different Building Fabrics

“…They also observed that one of the biggest challenges for poor energy performance in Scottish Passivhaus homes was the lack of occupants' understanding of the MVHR system and the poor layout and ductwork. These findings are comparable to other parts of the UK, where the authors found that the lack of occupant knowledge in controlling the MVHR system was the main cause of IAQ problems [20]. They indicated that the CO 2 exceeded 1000 ppm in summer and winter in all homes, according to the 24 h monitored periods in summer and winter.…”

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“…In a slight irony, the success of these measures has been driven by one of the very few mandatory post-construction compliance requirements: airtightness testing. However, BPE testing of contemporary homes has indicated that ventilation strategies and the implementation of these may not be delivering adequate ventilation or good indoor air quality with consequent health impacts (Howieson, Sharpe, & Farren, 2014;McGill, Sharpe, Oyedele, Keeffe, & McAllister, 2017).…”

Indoor Air Quality Assessment of Latin America’s First Passivhaus Home

“…However, very few have compared the measured IAQ to the occupant's IAQ perception [29,45,46]. Other studies show conflicting results, suggesting that the IAQ in a Passivhaus may not be adequate [47][48][49]. Some of the Passivhaus principles, airtightness and ventilation, directly impact the IAQ in homes.…”