Revision in progress in Europe Energy Efficiency in Buildings Directive imposes stricter requirements for Reducing EU emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Among the innovations included in this review, as it was not approved by the Council of Europe, is that public buildings should reduce their energy consumption by 1.9% per year. Certification under these conditions Passivhaus (an architectural standard for nearly zero-energy buildings) becomes important again. More and more buildings are being built with this seal in Spain.
Passivhaus standard or Passive House (or Passive House in English), Saves up to 90% in energy consumptionand therefore in carbon emissions. In fact, a 1,500 m2 Passivhaus can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 10 tons, Equivalent to planting 1000 trees.
In order for a house to acquire this qualification, it must meet a number of conditions. five basic principles all designed to reduce energy consumption almost completely: excellent thermal insulation, absence of thermal bridges (supporting energy losses), high-performance joinery in windows and doors, external air sealing (minimizing leaks) and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
Four new public buildings in Spain
In the latest edition of REBUILD 2023, dedicated to industrial construction, digitization and sustainability for buildings, Spain’s Passivhaus Building Platform (PEP) held a discussion table with the mayors of different Spanish municipalities under the topic ‘Why should it be built under the Passivhaus standard’. Management’.
In it representatives four municipalities provided some examples of public buildings constructed under this standard.:
1. Alcaniz (Teruel)
The Aragon Government encouraged the first two rehabilitations of the mass housing units in our country within the scope of the Passivhaus (EnerPHit) standard. One of them is located in the municipality of Alcañiz, where there is a 6-apartment building that has been fully rehabilitated and certified to this standard. It was an apartment block formerly owned by road workers and now used for social rent and has become a beacon of how this type of rehabilitation should be done as it can be repeated everywhere.
The town’s mayor, Ignacio Urquizu Sancho, said: “This is the future of housing; In a world where sustainability and digitalization will condition any public policy, this experience has been very innovative and has had very positive effects that translate into more than 80% energy savings”.
2. Pinsek (Zaragoza)
In the municipality of Zaragoza Pinseque, they follow the criteria to rehabilitate all town halls using the Passivhaus standard (EnerPhit). An example of this is the Police Department. The mayor, José Ignacio Andrés Ginto, explained how, after the rehabilitation of two former teachers’ homes, they now have a building that “is really comfortable, that surrounds you when you enter” and is pleased to have a public building. “This is money very well invested that will benefit both municipal workers and neighbors”. “These renovations we’ve made so far save the municipality 80,000 Euros a year in energy consumption,” he added.
Now, when doing any rehabilitation or new construction following this standard, “no one can tell us that this is the future, because it will stay here and now. We have to bet on this from the administrations because we have to set an example,” he stressed.
3. Burgundy
Burgos City Council is also an example of promoting the Passivhaus standard. As Burgos City Council City Planning Councilor Daniel Garabito López explained, they have worked to update the Burgos General City Planning Plan, which rewards high energy efficiency and sustainability solutions. Implementation of such buildings. One of the most outstanding examples is the construction of the first Passivhaus public kindergarten (Río Vena Municipal Infant School) in our country, which has been in operation since this course. Garabito also mentioned other examples with Passivhaus standards, such as the comprehensive reform of the police/fire department, which houses the brigade or municipal archives and is located opposite the cathedral. Future expansion of the Renaissance palace.
4. victory
Vitoria has been a cornerstone in sustainable buildings for years. Proof of this is its appointment as the Green Capital in 2012. The city is a pioneer in the implementation of the Passivhaus standard in municipal buildings. He emphasized that on the occasion of the reform and expansion of the European Conference Center, it is the first rehabilitation with EnerPhit XXL certificate in our country, “We have achieved a 50% reduction in energy consumption and the comfort inside has greatly increased”. Ana Oregi Bastarrika, Vice-President of the Vitoria City Council
Another example of a public building that has just received Passivhaus certification is the new changing rooms in Aranbizkarra. Teatro Principal’s rehabilitation project “which we also do in Passivhaus standard” continues.
A platform to promote these homes
Passivhaus Building Platform (PEP)is a non-profit association that promotes the construction of highly efficient and sustainable buildings. Founded in 2008, the Platform represented a qualitative leap towards near-zero energy buildings in Spain, two years before the European Directive set 2020 as the target for achieving these very energy efficient buildings. The association is currently 900 partners scattered throughout the Spanish geography.
“As part of the efforts to popularize the Passivhaus construction standard that we have been developing in Spain for 15 years, one of our business lines is with the Administration, locally, regionally and nationally. As a result of this cooperation, both new facilities and public works projects implemented in buildings with high efficiency, high indoor comfort and a great reduction in CO2 were processed for rehabilitation. And this This standard is applicable to any building, whatever its use.”, underlines Arturo Andrés Jiménez, president of the Passivhaus Platform.
…….
Contact address of the environment department: [email protected]