What is a passive house?
A Passive House is a highly energy-efficient building standard focused on minimising energy use for heating, cooling, and overall operation. Passive Houses consume significantly less energy—up to 90% less than conventional buildings for heating and cooling. This makes them more sustainable and cost-effective over time, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while offering a comfortable living environment.
Why Timber Suits Passive Homes
High Thermal Performance
Timber has low thermal conductivity, which helps reduce heat transfer through the structure.
Airtight Construction
Timber frames are prefabricated to exact specifications, ensuring tight joints and minimal air leakage. This contributes to the airtightness required for Passive Houses.
Lightweight and Flexible Design
Timber’s lightweight nature allows for flexibility in design, making it easier to accommodate the Passive House principles of thermal bridge-free construction and optimal building orientation for solar gains.
Sustainability
Timber is a renewable building material, making it a more sustainable choice compared to steel or concrete. Also, wood stores carbon throughout its lifecycle, offsetting some of the emissions from construction.
Speed of Construction
Timber frames can be prefabricated offsite, reducing construction time and ensuring quality control, which is crucial for meeting the rigorous Passive House criteria.
Tweed Timber Frame can help!
Fundamentally, we are a team who looked at an industry from the inside for over 50 years and thought we have a better, more affordable and more sustainable way to design and build modern timber frame homes.
If you’re looking for support with a passive house design, please get in contact!
Ready to get your project started?
Contact a member of our team . . .
Handcrafted With Care by: DreamStorm Design
