Passivhaus and Zero Energy Homes are designed to maintain a comfortable operating temperature the whole year round, and that’s without the need for a traditional “active” heating or cooling system.
Any energy that is required to control the internal environment of a Passivhaus must either be so low as to be negligible (< 15 kWh/m2yr), or otherwise generated by the building itself.
The trend is increasingly for Passivhaus performance levels to be incorporated into UK Regulations, and BecoWallform is one such construction system that already meets these higher new standards. Both the Wallform 375 and 438 systems have been awarded Certified Component status by the German Passive House Institute, having been specifically designed with this type of construction in mind.
Without claiming to be complete, key considerations of Passivhaus and Zero Energy construction include:-
- Optimum thermal insulation (U-value of external walls < 0.15 W/m2K)
- Avoidance of thermal bridging
- Air-tightness of the building
- Controlled ventilation with heat recovery
- Use of passive solar energy and thermal mass
- Location and orientation of the building to optimise use of natural resources
- Ensuring workmanship is to a high standard to achieve full specification performance
Specifying BecoWallform helps meet the requirements of insulation, thermal bridging avoidance and air-tightness without adding complication to the design and construction process. Wallform utilises components that are simple and practical to use, thus helping ensure workmanship on site meets the necessary standard required to deliver a Passivhaus / Zero Energy project.
Recent Case Studies
Lower Cottage Farm, Preston - The Award Winning Lower Cottage Farm was constructed on a hillside location in Lancashire back in 2016. The clients, Lisa and Nigel Dunnington, purchased a derelict farm and outbuildings which… 
Timber-clad Modern Home - This striking self build project in Suffolk was constructed by the owner for him and his family. It consists of a single storey building, with kitchen, living and dining rooms… 
Traditionally-styled Sustainable Home, Lincolnshire - Traditional Styling This new self build in Lincolnshire, recently completed, features a large 4-bed home built using Wallform 375 and Wallform 250. However, the traditional appearance is only skin deep, as beneath… 
Civic Society Award Winning Self Build - The brief for this award-winning home was “modern, different and energy efficient”, and Harris McCormack Architects certainly delivered! Civic Society Award Winning Self Build was last modified: June 16th, 2023… 
Award Winning Contemporary Home - Still right up there in the forefront for style and energy efficiency, this scene stealing Wallform project has been a happy family home for over 15 years – would you… See more Case Studies…
We are proud to be a member of the Passivhaus Trust, their website contains further useful information.