Passive House Cabin
Designed specifically to feel cozy - inspired by both Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics. The goal was to make the design in such a way as to allow the owners to add additions to the house easily as well as be as environmentally friendly as possible. The cabin is sitting on Screw Piles which are not only better for the environment, but also much cheaper to install. A concrete foundation can take weeks to harden enough to build on while Screw Piles can be installed in mere hours.
Modular Design
Flexibility and environmentally friendly designing is the way of the future. Not only does modular design cut down gas emissions but it also allows future home buyers the ability to modify the home without needing to break the bank. Simplicity and affordability is the ethos of the modular design.
Passive House Design
Passive House is the world leading standard in energy efficient construction. The Passive House standard was designed to be the most environmentally friendly way of heating and cooling any home. It uses very little energy, thus making standard heating and cooling systems obsolete while delivering superior levels of comfort and consistency.
The term "Passive House" comes from the main method with which the home is heated and cooled: Passive Heating and Cooling. Using strategic window placement and sizing, paired with specific window glazing, the sun is used to heat the home passively without the need for conventional heating methods. When this is combined with carefully selected assemblies (wall, floor, roof and ground connection/foundation) it allows the home to be cooled passively as well; releasing any stored heat that exceeds the natural comfort level.
Passive House has 5 criteria that must be met in order to be considered a "Passive House":
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The Space-Heating Demand must not exceed a power usage of 15kWh annually OR 10W (peak demand) per square metre of usable living space.
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The Space-Cooling Demand must meat the Space-Heating Demand with additional room for humidification.
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The home's total energy demand must not exceed 120kWh annually for all domestic applications per square meter of usable living space
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The Air Tightness must not exceed a maximum of 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals pressure
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The Thermal Comfort of the home must be met for all living areas year-round. No more than 10% of the hours of any year can the temperature in any room exceed 25°C.
Wall and Floor Assembly
Above is the assembly I designed that allow the cabin to achieve the criteria to be considered a Passive House in a Climate Zone 6.
Once these criteria have been met, and all the calculations have been done. Then the house can be considered a Passive House Design.
Not only is this incredibly good for the environment (reducing energy consumption significantly and lowering emissions), but it also saves the home owner(s) hundreds of dollars a year in heating and cooling bills. The extra cost of designing to passive house standards pays itself off with the savings alone in as little as 2 years. Incredible!