The ‘Tea cosy’ effect!

21° launches new Passivhaus range

Leading environmental construction products supplier 21°is today (Tuesday 6th January 2009) launching an extensive range of Passivhaus products and services which it hopes will help facilitate the uptake of Passivhaus design and construction in the UK. 21°’s new Passivhaus range can help the UK construction industry create buildings which use 90% less energy for space heating than standard UK buildings.

21° believes Passivhaus design offers the most effective – and cost-effective  – strategy for ‘low carbon’ construction in the UK. Passivhaus design is based on the principle that reducing heating loss to the minimum is the most cost-effective way of creating a low carbon building. Instead of complicated design and expensive bolt-on renewables, Passivhaus design relies on a simple ‘tea cosy’ effect maximising the use of super insulation and stringent airtightness. By combining this with passive solar gain and mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems, Passivhaus design can create healthy and comfortable buildings that require minimal heating.*

21°s Passivhaus range brings together under one roof many of Europe’s leading Passivhaus products, introducing a number of them for the first time to the UK market.

The new Passivhaus products and services include:

• Passivhaus windows: Among the most thermally-efficient windows/ doors available in the UK, with whole U values as low as 0.68 W/m2K. Available in FSC 100% timber or timber/ fibreglass composite.

• Pro Clima airtightness membranes and tapes: Can help buildings achieve the high levels of airtightness required for Passivhaus buildings, as well as protecting building structures from condensation, mould, rot and damp through use of ‘intelligent’ vapour checks.

• PAUL Heat Recovery Ventilation (MVHR) systems: Heat Recovery Ventilation (also known as Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery) is an essential part of Passivhaus building design and helps circulate air and keeps heat in the building, through use of a heat exchanger. PAUL’s heat exchanger is one of the most efficient on the market and can offer exceptional heat recovery of up to 99%.

• Design & Build: 21°’s sister company Green Building Co. now offers a Passivhaus and ‘low carbon’ design and build service in the West Yorkshire and the North-West regions.

21°’s Passivhaus products will be showcased at this year’s Ecobuild (Stand 1833). 21° Director Chris Herring will be speaking at this year’s Ecobuild on the urgent need for Passivhaus design in the UK (Ecobuild ‘road to zero carbon’ seminar  ‘Creating a Passivhaus culture’ Tuesday 3rd March 2009 10.30am).

For more information on 21°’s new Passivhaus products and services go to: www.passivhausproducts.co.uk or ring: 01484 461705.

Notes

21° believes the UK Government’s strategy on ‘low carbon’ building needs to be urgently revised to put greater emphasis on energy efficiency, airtightness and other Passivhaus design principles and away from ‘eco-bling’ and expensive bolt-on renewables.

21° is a member of the AECB (sustainable building association) and actively supports its promotion of Passivhaus design standards through the CarbonLite Programme. www.carbonlite.org.uk

* Passivhaus buildings require minimal heating input, often relying on incidental gains from occupants’ body heat and cooking/ showering activities.