Passive House Institute and Rongen Architects have performed a research project dealing with Passive House and its specific requirements in different climate zones. Based on 5 locations representing different climate zones ranging from extremely cold to very hot and humid climates (Jekaterinburg, Tokyo, Shanghai, Las Vegas and Dubai), the project was aimed at identifying adequate technical solutions and analysing the impact of different parameters on a building’s energy balance for each climate. Based on these findings, building examples fulfilling high architectural standards were developed for each of these locations. The project was rounded off by a global definition of the Passive House Standard, applicable for all climates.
The key findings of this project: No matter the location, Passive Houses can be built in a cost- effective way with regard to their life-cycle costs, although the concept of consistent heating and cooling load minimisation seems to reach its limits in extremely cold or hot regions.
The 500 page project report has just been released in English and German and is available for purchase through the PHI website.
