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Highlights in this issue include:

First certified non-domestic PassivHaus in UK: By definition, low energy should equal low carbon. Certainly, lower running costs will encourage a wider interest, particularly among the public and commercial sector, but enhanced, not reduced, comfort levels are what John Williamson of JPW believes will be a large factor in the adoption of the PassivHaus standard in the UK until legislation potentially forces the construction industry to adopt a UK derivative. Canolfan Hyddgen is a Welsh Assembly/Powys County Council funded scheme. All parties were well aware that gas prices were due to rise by 40% in the winter of 2007 and this played a big part in the design decisions for the build. It is a building used for multiple tenants and occupancy; a school, night classes, adult learners, meeting rooms and a drop in centre and council sevice point.

First certified domestic PassivHaus in UK: The aim of this project was to achieve an autonomous carbon neutral home without any loss of comfort. The project followed a two step philosophy: to reduce energy load and water consumption and to implement on-site renewable energy generation and a carbon neutral auxiliary heat source. John Williamson of JPW reports. The house, called ‘Y foel’, is a residential 2/3 bedroom private house. As with Canolfan Hyddgen (see previous article), a hybrid construction was used - an external I-beam timber frame with an internal core of earth block walls (ground floor only), in combination with Welsh slate floor slabs on 60% GGBS (ground granulated blastfurnace slag) in-situ slab. This has produced very stable indoor temperatures.

Vernacular PassivHaus: A fascinating and appropriate journey has taken place on a former village car park in Chewton Mendip, Somerset. It has seen a dusty corner site evolve from a little used 10 parking space eyesore, to the location for a curving terrace of three homes. They have been built to attain standards that exceed those demanded by PassivHaus for energy consumption and also include other features that respond to important ‘green’ issues. Arthur Bland and David Hayhow provide us with the builder’s and architect’s perspectives.

Invest in insulation: Should we believe in ‘the law of diminishing returns’?: The law of diminishing returns is frequently cited and used as a ‘raison d’être’ for not using more insulation In this article Tony Cowling and Mike George question whether this is a short sighted approach and discuss whether much higher levels of insulation should be used in both new and existing dwellings.

Electricity from solar: a full year of data: Following his article in our spring edition, Jerry Clark reports back with a full year of data from his PV installation, and summarises with a look back at his projections from earlier in the year. He also attempts to make sense of the government’s proposed scheme for feed-in tarrifs, which is intended to encourage a much faster take up of PVs and renewables.