#23 - A Dialogue with Dr Wolfgang Feist, Founder of The Passive House Institute
In this episode, Dr. Wolfgang Feist ,founder of the Passive House Institute, joins me Jess Kismet to unpack why the Passive House standard continues to spark debate across the building world. Why does a building standard evoke such passion, loyalty, and even resistance?
We explore how innovation in architecture and building science is often misunderstood, and why new ideas, like Passive House, can feel revolutionary to some and incremental to others.
Wolfgang draws parallels to historical, scientific breakthroughs, reminding us that progress doesn’t always mean reinvention.
From the importance of critical thinking in evaluating standards to the human tendency to defend familiar ways of building, this episode takes a thoughtful look at how emotion, history, and science intersect in the pursuit of better buildings.
Useful Links
Bo Adamon - Lund University - Co-creator of Passive House
The World's First Passive House - Darmstadt - Kranichstein, Germany
The Camel - a living air conditioner
Social Media Links
Show notes can be found here
Thanks for listening. Happy healthy building!
00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,520
Hello and welcome to another
episode of the Building
2
00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,360
Psychology Party.
This weekend just gone was the
3
00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,720
International Passivhaus Open
Day weekend, so I really hope
4
00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,680
that you got along to see and
feel a certified Passivhaus for
5
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,160
yourself.
I'm absolutely thrilled today to
6
00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,240
have the founder of the
International Passivhaus
7
00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:22,080
Institute himself on the show,
Doctor Wolfgang Feist.
8
00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,000
It was super lucky that I got to
record this interview with him
9
00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,560
just in time to release today.
So I really hope that you enjoy
10
00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,720
our conversation.
Before we get started though, I
11
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,200
just want to say I would love it
if you could hit follow on your
12
00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,480
chosen podcast listening
platform so that you don't miss
13
00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:39,760
a future episode.
And if you are loving the
14
00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,800
content, please leave me a five
star review because that helps
15
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,440
push the show out and helps more
people discover the building.
16
00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,120
Sology potty.
All right, let's get into my
17
00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:49,960
discussion with Doctor Wolfgang
Feist.
18
00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:53,240
Cheers.
Hello and welcome to the
19
00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,000
Building Psychology potty, where
we talk about better buildings
20
00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,800
to live and breathe in.
My name is Jess Kismet and I am
21
00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,720
your host.
When we talk about truly
22
00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,040
revolutionary shifts in building
science, very few ideas have
23
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,560
reshaped the way we think about
comfort, energy, and durability
24
00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:12,160
like the Passivhaus standard.
Behind that revolution is one
25
00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,360
man, Doctor Wolfgang Feist,
physicist, researcher, and
26
00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,440
founder of the Passivhaus
Institute in Darmstadt, Germany.
27
00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:22,960
Long before net zero and
sustainability were industry
28
00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:26,680
buzzwords, Wolfgang and his team
were building airtight, ultra
29
00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,640
efficient homes that changed
what it feels like to live in a
30
00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,720
building that truly works.
Today I am honored and honestly
31
00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,800
pretty excited to dive into this
conversation with the man who
32
00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,640
started it all.
Welcome Doctor Wolfgang Feist.
33
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:43,320
Thank you.
Thank you for the invitation.
34
00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:47,080
I'm I enjoy to be with you.
Excellent.
35
00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:48,880
All right, so let's dive into
the first question.
36
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,240
I would really love to know why
you started the Passive House
37
00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,240
standard in the 1st place.
Why did you create it take us
38
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,840
back to the mid 90s or even a
bit earlier than that?
39
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,840
And I'd love a little bit of a
history lesson.
40
00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:10,360
OK, I'll take you much earlier.
In 1897, Fridge of Nansen in
41
00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,800
farthest N, he wrote the
following thing.
42
00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,120
Eyesight.
The sides of the ship were lined
43
00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:22,120
with tart felt.
Then came a space with cork
44
00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:26,840
padding next to deal panelling,
then a thick layer of felt.
45
00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:32,120
Next airtight linoleum.
The skylight was protected by
46
00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:37,960
three panes of glass.
The from is a comfortable abode,
47
00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:43,920
therefore the formal matter
stands at 22° above 0 or 22°
48
00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:48,280
below it.
We have no fire in the stove.
49
00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,760
I'm thinking to having the stove
removed altogether.
50
00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,960
It's only in the way.
End of citation.
51
00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:03,080
So well, that sounds a lot like
passive house.
52
00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,600
Well, it's a passive ship, so we
I.
53
00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:09,720
Started in a ship.
With, with, with physical
54
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:14,000
solutions for a comfortable
home, be it a ship.
55
00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,160
They're already known by
experienced engineers at the end
56
00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,480
of the 19th century.
It's interesting.
57
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,160
Yeah.
Well, as we're saying, where we
58
00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:31,040
started the new resort on the
Passive House in 1987, we didn't
59
00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,360
know about the front.
That was we, we discovered that,
60
00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:37,960
that later, but what we did
know, that was the experience
61
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,320
from Sweden and Denmark with the
so-called low energy buildings.
62
00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:46,280
We already had decades of
experience with low energy
63
00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:51,560
buildings and I visited Lund
University beginning in 1986 to
64
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,480
learn about that Swedish
research.
65
00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:59,280
I I wanted to to use these
results for the development in
66
00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:04,160
Central Europe and I was guided
by Professor Boo Adamson and he
67
00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:09,920
was somehow the foreign minister
of Building Physics of Sweden.
68
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,640
He was travelling around the
world and he had just been to
69
00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,800
China to give advice to the
local Chinese government how to
70
00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:23,080
improve the formal comfort in
residential buildings in
71
00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:29,000
southern China.
And the delicate fact was that
72
00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:35,080
heating was forbidden there, so
we couldn't run a stove.
73
00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:42,080
So and quite often that was not
really comfortable temperatures.
74
00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,600
Can you?
Imagine it was pretty cold. 12°
75
00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,440
yeah, sometimes.
Oh, I guess, yeah.
76
00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:49,880
See near to Shanghai, Yeah, and
less.
77
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,960
And now the government asked how
can we improve the from the
78
00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:59,680
comfort in these buildings
without introducing active
79
00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,680
hitting because we still had a
lack of fuel.
80
00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,960
So Adamson ran thousands of
computer simulations to look
81
00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,840
into the least expensive
measures to improve that
82
00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:14,800
comfort.
And he called these homes
83
00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,120
passive houses.
That is where the name come
84
00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:22,760
from, because from a technical
viewpoint, if you if you run
85
00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:27,880
simulations on buildings, these,
these are thermodynamic
86
00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:32,720
simulations, but we the
structure of the mathematical
87
00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:41,160
equations, they are the same as
the structure of of electric
88
00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,720
circuits simulation.
So there are resistances and
89
00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:51,680
heat capacitors and so on.
And in electronics we call
90
00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:58,000
systems which do not introduce
energy passive systems.
91
00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,960
So that was where the name with
the name came from the.
92
00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,440
So when he came back to Lund, to
the university and he met me and
93
00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,880
he was, he had a fixed idea.
That is, what about constructing
94
00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,800
passive houses in the much
colder European client?
95
00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,120
That is what he came back from
China And.
96
00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:21,920
And my first reaction was.
Now my friend has gone in saying
97
00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:29,120
from my from my from my own
reaction is why I understand.
98
00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:33,840
But something like that is quite
often the first reactions to
99
00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:36,240
such an idea.
Yeah, I've seen that almost
100
00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:36,840
everywhere.
Yeah.
101
00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,160
You, you come back to it later,
I think.
102
00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,360
Yeah.
But after a few days of of
103
00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,000
discussion, we came to a
conclusion.
104
00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,880
Yes, why not?
Let's let's try a picture.
105
00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,600
Physics doesn't stand in more
way.
106
00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,840
It might be a bit challenging,
the very contemporary state of
107
00:06:55,840 --> 00:07:00,720
art in construction that we were
aware of, but it it should be
108
00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,600
possible.
And, and now it was up to me,
109
00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:08,160
yeah, to start not thousands,
but 10 thousands of simulations
110
00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,920
of the formal behaviour of such
buildings within Central
111
00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:18,280
European and Swedish climates.
And we wanted to find how this
112
00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,920
could be done.
But it didn't stop with the
113
00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,840
theory.
It had to be built.
114
00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:30,480
So we had to develop highly
insulating building envelopes,
115
00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:35,160
really airtight and without
important thermal bridges.
116
00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,320
We had to look for triple pane,
double low emissivity window
117
00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:44,680
panes, insulated frames, energy
efficient ventilation systems, a
118
00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:48,280
lot of things that had to be
developed and produced in small
119
00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:55,920
pilot series.
It was done in 1988 to 1990,
120
00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,080
mainly in that in that time.
And the building was constructed
121
00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:06,120
in 1991 to 1990.
Yeah, end of 1991 to just one
122
00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,600
day to one, one year to to
realise the building.
123
00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,480
It it, it was built by local
construction film, and it has
124
00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:19,120
been occupied by four families.
Since when?
125
00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,440
Yeah.
So that is how it started that
126
00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:23,600
this story goes on.
Yeah.
127
00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:28,760
It could fill several hours.
How it was monitored.
128
00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:30,920
Yeah.
They have some 200 cents.
129
00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:35,679
It's not so surprising nowadays,
but in 1990 we compared the
130
00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,919
theory, the simulation with the
measured results and, and
131
00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,120
already the very first Passive
House.
132
00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,440
It wasn't that expensive.
Yeah, well, it was expensive
133
00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:51,320
enough not to be, not to be
copied, just one, one to one by
134
00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,040
everybody from the very
beginning.
135
00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:55,960
But it wasn't even fought with
weight.
136
00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,560
It was fought as a proof of
concept, scientific proof of
137
00:08:59,560 --> 00:09:03,880
concept and a leading idea how
the environment could be
138
00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:05,160
improved.
Yeah, that was so.
139
00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,560
So that was the starting point.
And it took several more steps
140
00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:13,320
to see, to realise, well, this
isn't only a scientific
141
00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:17,040
research.
It could really be done in
142
00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,080
practice.
And it could be done not only
143
00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:23,360
for Central European farmers,
but I, I think almost everywhere
144
00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,960
on, on on the planet.
Yeah, So.
145
00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:33,760
So there are several other parts
of, of stories that have been
146
00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,760
lots of contributions from all
around the world.
147
00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,040
We had one time we had to visit
by I don't know whether you you
148
00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,520
know him by Amory Lovins from
the Rocky Mountains Institute
149
00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,240
from, from the US.
And he was the one who said, Oh,
150
00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:53,280
well, Wolfgang, you are
completely wrong.
151
00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:55,800
I, I, I, I was shocked.
Yeah.
152
00:09:55,920 --> 00:10:00,320
So, well, he he was somehow the
Pope of energy efficient
153
00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,240
construction.
Now you are completely wrong.
154
00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,480
I said no, He said, no, this is
not, this is not just a
155
00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:12,960
scientific experiment.
This was what I tried to, to, to
156
00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,640
tell him.
He said this is the solution so.
157
00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:22,280
So now just start to get it less
expensive to develop the
158
00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:28,360
components we can produce and
factor sized small, medium and
159
00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:34,760
even big construction and and
manufacturer scale.
160
00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:36,880
So that's another part of the
story.
161
00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,760
Yeah.
So there are a lot of
162
00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:44,120
contributions like that and and
some of them you know, you know,
163
00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:48,520
from the development in
Australia or in other parts of
164
00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:49,040
the world.
Yeah.
165
00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,480
So which is how it how it came
to be?
166
00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:54,880
Fantastic.
Thank you.
167
00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,800
So was it 1891 you said?
Yes.
168
00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:05,320
The book is from 1877 and and
from.
169
00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,160
I don't know when the from was,
but it was even earlier.
170
00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:14,000
He, he, he, he used that to
travel around the Arctic cycle.
171
00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:21,280
So he was months away from home.
And he really described why he
172
00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,560
did it the way he, he did
because he had already some
173
00:11:24,560 --> 00:11:27,320
experience.
What happens if you have a a
174
00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:32,320
boat or a home or whatever you
call it and you take it far to
175
00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,920
the north or it's extremely cold
and then you have people inside
176
00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:38,280
it?
Yeah, he, he knows about, he, he
177
00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,240
didn't know.
He, he writes about it.
178
00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,880
He, he now read me.
The water was running down the
179
00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:47,120
cold surfaces.
The the beds were were were wet
180
00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:52,200
and after a a few weeks, it it
wasn't possible to sleep any
181
00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,080
longer.
And and so he came to the
182
00:11:55,080 --> 00:12:01,160
conclusion he has if he wants to
be successful to reach the
183
00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:07,520
Arctic cycle and and to travel
with the Arctic ice, he had to
184
00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:12,120
build a ship which which can
withstand these conditions.
185
00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:18,280
This is how he from a scientific
approach he designed the from
186
00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:22,080
and if if you look into that I I
cited his text.
187
00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:27,120
If you look into that text, you
see the solution was a passive
188
00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,320
ship.
That's.
189
00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:34,440
Fascinating.
Already in I, I, I don't I don't
190
00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:36,640
exactly know when he when he
built it.
191
00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:41,680
It must have been in 181870 or
something like that.
192
00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:44,480
Quite it.
Quite early, yeah.
193
00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,520
That's fascinating.
And so the building in Germany,
194
00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,960
your very first certified
passive house in Downstart, you
195
00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:52,880
said that you monitored that
building.
196
00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,520
Did it, did it perform how you
thought it was going to?
197
00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:59,280
Well.
It was one of the other
198
00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:03,840
surprising things.
It it performed better when when
199
00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:08,480
our our calculations had always
been on the safe side.
200
00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,320
Yeah, because of course it would
have been quite risk.
201
00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,760
This was not a experimental
building.
202
00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:24,000
It just we've simulated
occupants like a like a in
203
00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:25,960
Candice camp bulb or something
to hit it.
204
00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:30,560
It was really occupied building
and the families who moved in
205
00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:35,720
made paid for that building.
We didn't even have a huge, a
206
00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:41,040
huge research fund, not at all.
It it was just so it was.
207
00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,080
The private It was the private
owner.
208
00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,280
So a private, yeah.
So, so we so we had to make sure
209
00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,520
that it was really working.
So we calculated on the safe
210
00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,160
side and and we also looked for
all the details.
211
00:13:54,160 --> 00:14:00,240
Very, just to mention one thing,
there hasn't been any really
212
00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:05,720
airtight envelope being built I
think or all around the world at
213
00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,760
that time.
And being we knew about the
214
00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:14,040
experience in Sweden, the
Swedish head at that time, we
215
00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:19,440
had a, a standard going for 1.5
air changes per hour.
216
00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:25,560
And, and, and we thought, well,
maybe we can meet .8 something
217
00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,280
like that.
And and we took it very
218
00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,120
seriously.
We looked at every detail we we
219
00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,760
built even was going through
building and, and, and painting
220
00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:40,280
every every part with a, with,
with a of course with a
221
00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:45,000
diffusion open paint things with
the physics new at that time
222
00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:45,720
already.
Yeah.
223
00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:50,360
So about airtight.
Yeah, so and, and then the first
224
00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,440
polarization test came.
That's another story.
225
00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:59,520
Yeah, because pressurization
test at that in that period that
226
00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,480
wasn't available as a standard
measurement.
227
00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:07,080
It was something that had been
tested in Swedish laboratories.
228
00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:13,040
So, so we, we had to to build
our own equipment to do that,
229
00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:18,480
that, that test and and then
slowly the ventilator went on
230
00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:23,000
and then we already saw, Oh
well, be it.
231
00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:28,720
Suddenly the pressure pulled up
only with very small movement of
232
00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:30,520
the ventilator.
And so we know.
233
00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,640
OK, yeah, that seemed to, to, to
have worked.
234
00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:37,200
What came, what, what was the
result?
235
00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:44,800
It was a .17 air change per hour
and 15 years old very first
236
00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:53,880
maybe maybe say, Oh no, we now
we see it's not that difficult
237
00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,840
as a lot of people think.
And it's also one, one thing I
238
00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,680
have to tell you about that air
tightness that's often some
239
00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,320
people fear it or whatever.
Yeah.
240
00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:10,400
So this isn't very tight.
What is tight is is is a
241
00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,880
spacecraft.
A spacecraft is tight.
242
00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:14,920
It's really airtight and it's
it's good.
243
00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:21,080
So because it will lose if, if a
if a spacecraft would only be as
244
00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,440
tight as our passive houses
point to air changes power, it,
245
00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:28,680
it would take 10 seconds and all
the air would be gone from the
246
00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:32,200
spacecraft, the pressure from
inside out.
247
00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:37,440
So, so air tightness might even
be the wrong word to be used
248
00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,280
because from a physical part of
this is not tight.
249
00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:44,560
It, it, it just a little bit
tighter than than ordinary.
250
00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,480
So, so you don't have the
drafts, you don't have the
251
00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:52,040
winged infiltration, you don't
have all the, the, the humid
252
00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,960
airflow out through the
envelope, which will at the end
253
00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,240
destroy the envelope.
Yeah, which is what we what we
254
00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,680
avoid, but it's still not tight
in that sense.
255
00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,200
It's.
Yeah, terminology matters, and
256
00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,599
that term does scare people.
They think they're not going to
257
00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:10,960
be able to breathe.
Yeah, and it's been and that's
258
00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,200
not true.
And and that's also one reason
259
00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,599
you you may maybe come back to
that.
260
00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:22,720
It's one reason why I even do
not recommend it to go much
261
00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:27,520
further when we reach with a
good passive house envelope
262
00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:32,240
that's in the range of .2 or .3
air changes per hour with 50
263
00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,320
Pascal pressure difference
because that is really good
264
00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,280
enough.
It's good enough that the
265
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:42,720
passive houses will work and
that there will be no damage to
266
00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:47,360
the envelope and that it will
work for hundreds of years
267
00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,680
without condensation.
This is this is good.
268
00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:56,160
So and now if we, if there is a
situation where the ventilation
269
00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,520
system shouldn't work, it can
happen.
270
00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,440
It's a technical system.
You can have outages of
271
00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,200
electricity and whatever it can
happen, but it still doesn't
272
00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:12,080
matter because if it's a .2 or
.3 air changes with 50 pass cut,
273
00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:16,400
you still have enough air to
survive.
274
00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,680
It's no problem.
No, nothing will happen.
275
00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,360
No, it will be a little bit
smelly after two days, something
276
00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:24,360
like that.
A little bit.
277
00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:27,280
Stuffy.
So you will realize, oh, where's
278
00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,440
something not not working?
And you, you might open a window
279
00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,920
or whatever.
You're still, you can, you can
280
00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:35,440
still do that in the passive
past.
281
00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,160
There's no danger with that.
Not, not, not at all.
282
00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:44,920
And I have to ask, where did the
.6 air changes per hour standard
283
00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,400
come from?
Where did it come from?
284
00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:56,040
When you when you start to to to
design and and you start to
285
00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:03,520
realise what are the reasons why
normal normal building envelopes
286
00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:11,040
are so untie, yeah so leaky.
You you see that you will end in
287
00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:16,400
a range of .2 to .3 that changes
power with 50 Pascal.
288
00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,400
This is what what what we
realized with the very first
289
00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:24,600
project and what we also have
seen with every experienced
290
00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,040
builder.
Yeah, they may start when they
291
00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,720
do the first project may
complain that it's too difficult
292
00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,120
and, and and all these all these
things.
293
00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:40,080
But after two or three realized
constructions, we come to the
294
00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,240
same point.
If you really design it to be
295
00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:51,920
airtight and and be a little bit
conscious about what you are
296
00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:57,800
doing on the building side, you
will reach .2 or .3 air changes
297
00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:04,560
per hour.
So, but, but I I see it's for a
298
00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:09,760
very first try, it might be a
bit challenging so.
299
00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:15,080
I was talking what what might be
a good compromise So what what
300
00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,200
we need.
It should not be at all higher
301
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:23,720
than one because aft after one
there might be structural damage
302
00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:28,720
by exfiltrating humid air.
Yeah, and and also somewhat
303
00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,040
only.
But we can also avoid it by
304
00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:32,720
looking at the pressurization
test.
305
00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,880
So if you do a pressurization
test, you will find the the
306
00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:41,000
leaks and you can repair them.
And so, well, now we could have
307
00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:48,280
discussed whether it should be
.3 or a .4 or .5 or whatever.
308
00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,160
And well, higher than .6.
It just hurts.
309
00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:56,120
Yeah.
Because it's so easy to, to, to
310
00:20:56,120 --> 00:20:56,800
do better.
Yeah.
311
00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:02,360
So yes, there there is science
behind it should be as dead
312
00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:06,120
light as possible.
And it shouldn't be really
313
00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:11,480
spacecraft tight, not necessary.
So somewhere there are
314
00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,160
solutions.
And .6 is quite a good
315
00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,480
compromise.
OK, so so you were expecting .2
316
00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,960
or .3 and .6 is .6 is like a
little bit of like a buffer?
317
00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:29,480
.6 is something that well, if we
install triple glazed windows
318
00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:34,720
for example, and on the other
side only, I still still have
319
00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:40,480
leak leaks in the in the frame
which add up to more than .6 or
320
00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:44,120
something that's not but but
there's something wrong.
321
00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,040
Yeah, Yeah, I think that's
probably the one of the bigger
322
00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:50,680
problems we have in Australia is
the the, the glazing components,
323
00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,760
they're definitely the biggest
source of air leakage in our
324
00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,360
certified passive houses, so.
Looking.
325
00:21:57,360 --> 00:21:58,920
Forward to some improvements in
those.
326
00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:04,600
It's so easy to fix that and
raises it's just a question of
327
00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:09,600
of know how and with the with
the windows, this is this is
328
00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,680
just to explain another thing.
This is why we came up with
329
00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:18,280
component certification because
we, we know how you can improve
330
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,120
that.
It's not difficult, not, not
331
00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:25,360
difficult at all.
We, we, we, we have millions of
332
00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:31,680
economs of, of manufacturers
windows which are really tight.
333
00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:35,600
And, and, and so yes, this which
is possible.
334
00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:39,280
It's, it's not only possible,
it's, it's affordable.
335
00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:43,920
It's, it's one of the easy
points, but some people who
336
00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:49,040
start with their first projects,
we, we might think because we
337
00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,320
are not used to it, which is
always.
338
00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:56,000
Well, I'm also, I'm a, a math
teacher and, and so I know it's
339
00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:02,200
sometimes difficult for a young
person to understand what the
340
00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:07,600
general concept of say a, a, a,
a differential equation is.
341
00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,960
Yeah, but it's, it's only
because it's new for them.
342
00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:16,320
And, and so if if you, if you
learn about it, if you
343
00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:20,200
understand it, if you see what's
going on, it becomes easy.
344
00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:22,840
And, and, and and that's the
same here.
345
00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,520
Yeah.
And this is somehow also the
346
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,080
secret behind, behind the
development because this is what
347
00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:31,760
what is what has happened
everywhere.
348
00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,160
Yeah.
Then people started building
349
00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:38,000
passive houses and in a
different place, say for
350
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,360
example, Romania.
I well remember the first
351
00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:44,760
discussions we had, oh, wet air
tightness, it's impossible.
352
00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,400
We can't do that in Romania.
And, and they started and did
353
00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:52,680
first projects and, and ended
with one or 1.1.
354
00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,960
And I said, well, it's, it's
still quite good, but you will
355
00:23:55,960 --> 00:24:01,840
see after three years you will
be proud to pronounce, oh, we
356
00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:07,360
reach .1 or whatever.
It does.
357
00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:10,680
It becomes a competition.
It becomes like even between
358
00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,240
building companies and between
supervisors, they just want to
359
00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,680
beat each other.
Yes, but, but also, let's be
360
00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:21,280
honest here, it doesn't matter
whether it's .3 or .1, it's not
361
00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:25,120
a big difference.
So, so This is why I also say,
362
00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:29,680
well, it's with the passive
houses somehow a sweet point
363
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:34,480
where you where you this is what
you need to have a reliable
364
00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:39,920
performance or then the
interference of whatever strange
365
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:44,040
effects highwind velocity so
ever would be.
366
00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:49,360
Yeah, it it's it's working.
Yeah, so and we don't need more
367
00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:53,000
when just met.
And the point you make is
368
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,640
obviously very, it's obviously
very valid.
369
00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,000
It's easy when you know how,
it's easier when you know how.
370
00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:00,480
And you just have to stay
curious and just start trying,
371
00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:02,560
start trying to do a little bit
better.
372
00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,320
We were successful with just the
Fury in the background.
373
00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,440
No practical experience with
very first.
374
00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,600
Yeah, just the Fury, the physics
behind it.
375
00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:16,280
What, what?
How is how can it be that there
376
00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:19,440
is an airflow of inside out from
an envelope?
377
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:25,320
Oh, well, that's a relatively
easy question.
378
00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:30,320
And, and, and from that theory,
we derive how you, you, how you
379
00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,680
have to do it.
That's something more about it.
380
00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:39,920
It should also be keeping that
air tightness for, say, 40
381
00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,240
years, 80 years, 100 years.
Yeah.
382
00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:47,840
Have you tested your first
passive house since it was first
383
00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:49,480
tested to see if it's still
holding up?
384
00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:52,320
Of course.
Of course.
385
00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:58,720
The last big test was just a few
years ago, and within the
386
00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:03,120
measurement occurrency it didn't
change, didn't change at all.
387
00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,280
So this is not, this is not
something which is automatically
388
00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,200
true.
It's true if the if the concept
389
00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:17,760
you are using is designed for
longevity and this is what is
390
00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,360
also one of the background, this
is what what we always wanted
391
00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:25,120
from the very beginning.
Yes, a building can work for
392
00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,920
hundreds of years.
It's not a, this is not a big
393
00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,280
problem.
It's it, it, it, it can be done.
394
00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:35,680
We have done it in the past and
we can do it now.
395
00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,760
My next question is around the
five pillars of a passive House
396
00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:47,000
and over in Australia and I
guess globally, but there's a
397
00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:50,640
discussion here about Passive
House principles in inverted
398
00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:55,280
commas and there are the
technically there's no such
399
00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,440
thing as Passive House
principles because it's a
400
00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,000
certified standard, not a set of
guidelines.
401
00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:05,080
So the five core areas that you
have identified, the five
402
00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,280
pillars of a passive house, air
tightness, Samuel Bridge, free
403
00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,520
continuous insulation, energy
efficient mechanical heat
404
00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,480
recovery, ventilation and high
performance windows.
405
00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:17,960
They are now widely recognized
as the foundations of a good
406
00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:19,800
building, good building
performance.
407
00:27:20,360 --> 00:27:23,160
So how do you feel about the
industry using the term Passive
408
00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,240
House principles without
certification?
409
00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:31,520
See see that is a progress, the
narrative change.
410
00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:36,840
This is impossible.
Then came, which is 1 sided and
411
00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:41,200
exaggerated.
Then came it's too expensive
412
00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:45,800
that now we have, well, we
already do Passive House
413
00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:47,320
principles.
Yeah.
414
00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:49,600
Oh.
Really.
415
00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,760
So you don't mind?
No, not by Christians.
416
00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,800
Well, really, do you?
No SO.
417
00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,160
Do I mind?
So as long no wait with these
418
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:03,800
people saying we already do
passive house principles, we
419
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,600
have also had that in in in
Germany.
420
00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:08,840
And my question is, well, really
do you?
421
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,360
Because as long as a building
doesn't meet the performance
422
00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:15,000
based standard, it's not a
passive house.
423
00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,920
And a good analog for that is a
Symphony.
424
00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:23,280
You can have first class
violinist, clarinetists and so
425
00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:27,960
on, but as long as all these
people aren't working together
426
00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:32,880
in a well trained orchestra, the
the result might still be a
427
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:38,400
cacophony.
So that is that is why there is
428
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:45,640
more to a building when when
adjust using one or or another
429
00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:51,240
component.
It's it's how it really works
430
00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:53,560
together.
And that is what is what is
431
00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:56,000
behind the the passive fast
concept.
432
00:28:56,360 --> 00:29:01,520
And this is where the
certification is really helpful.
433
00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,880
This is how it's meant.
It's meant to be helpful because
434
00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:10,040
it's not, of course, you do not
need a certification.
435
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,560
It's you, you can do it if you
want.
436
00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:18,480
And and I can only highly
recommend that I have seen a a
437
00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:23,920
nice a paper on that by Carl
Rosenmeyer.
438
00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,160
You might know her from new.
Sunny car.
439
00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,120
She was, she was talking about
about that and, and, and she
440
00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:34,880
showed what is the why this is
such a big advantage because
441
00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:41,600
the, the certification process
is a transparent process.
442
00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:44,920
It, it's something like, well,
if if you go to industry, in
443
00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:51,920
industry, we are improving way,
way manufacture goods step by
444
00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:56,120
step, step by step by looking
into the results they have.
445
00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:03,040
But it's a it it's some somehow
secret to the manufacturer what
446
00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:07,040
we do.
So now here we have an an open
447
00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:13,000
and transparent process learning
from each project which which is
448
00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:18,280
being done and implementing the
the know how gained by this
449
00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:22,920
project into the process.
So this is a a really big
450
00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:26,960
advantage to to use that that
know how.
451
00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,160
It's not about controlling
somebody.
452
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:35,920
It's to assist people to be
successful in in what we do.
453
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,480
How I I think about it.
Yeah.
454
00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,520
So you don't see a particular
problem with using the word
455
00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:48,360
passive House principles as long
as it is as long as people are
456
00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:54,960
learning and improving?
Yes, What is really important
457
00:30:54,960 --> 00:31:01,720
about not me and not other
people working in the field want
458
00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:07,240
to be responsible for things
which do not use the
459
00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:15,040
state-of-the-art check and
balance which is necessary to to
460
00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,960
make sure that it's working so
that that that is something in
461
00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,720
the background.
So, so it doesn't help if you
462
00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,960
say you are building for Passive
House principles and at the end
463
00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:30,800
you have mould in the in the
building and it it also doesn't
464
00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,040
help us to to have such a
situation.
465
00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:35,720
So, so we, we have to be clear
about that.
466
00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:42,720
And if you claim to have a
passive house, I always ask is
467
00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:45,200
it certified?
Well, that's a that's a
468
00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:47,640
different thing, yeah.
Claiming to have a certified
469
00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:49,920
Claiming to have a passive house
that's not certified.
470
00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,800
That's it's, it's, it's not
integral.
471
00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:57,400
And, and, and and I have seen
that this is one of the reasons
472
00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:00,360
why we offer that.
Yeah, I have seen that in
473
00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:03,320
Germany.
And then we started low energy
474
00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:05,760
buildings without quality
control.
475
00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:14,960
There have been so many
dangerous building problems with
476
00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,920
humanity and so on.
And So what at the end, the
477
00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,200
narrative was, oh, don't do
that.
478
00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:24,160
It's it will destroy the
building and so on.
479
00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,800
And now I'm a physicist.
I know, no, that's not true.
480
00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:32,680
And the contrary, if you do it
in a in a proper way, it will
481
00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:36,280
improve the longevity of a
building, it will improve in
482
00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:39,000
your air quality.
We all know that from the
483
00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:39,880
experience.
Yeah.
484
00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:44,200
So the question is, how can we
make sure that it's really
485
00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,880
working?
And that is where where we try
486
00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:52,080
to assist people.
Yeah, we have.
487
00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:55,480
We have builders in Australia
who, and a lot of homeowners or
488
00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:58,520
people who are building houses
who they have this, you know,
489
00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:00,840
perception that passive house,
like you mentioned earlier is
490
00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,720
too scary and air tightness is
too hard and it's too expensive.
491
00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:06,360
And so they say we want to build
to passive house principles.
492
00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,720
And what they mean is they want
just a slightly better building
493
00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:12,960
envelope than what the minimum
construction code requires here.
494
00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:17,280
And I think that's a good thing.
But there is the inherent risk
495
00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:19,200
that you're going to create a
problem.
496
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:25,320
Well, I, I think the, the risk
isn't that high, but there is a
497
00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:31,160
risk and, and, and, and the, the
pacifier standard is a way to
498
00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:36,680
avoid that completely because,
because all that experience is,
499
00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:41,560
is always taking and, and, and
ever improving process.
500
00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:44,960
So, so which is why it's working
so well.
501
00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:49,840
And This is why you also see
that we we have not have it's
502
00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,760
it's it's it's nearly impossible
to believe that we have not have
503
00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:58,440
any problem with mold or
something like that in a
504
00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:03,880
certified passive House.
It's now 20 years and it's
505
00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,040
hundreds of thousands of
buildings.
506
00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:10,920
It's almost unbelievable.
Yeah, this is this is rolling
507
00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:15,440
and this is not something it's
not produced in just one factory
508
00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:20,960
like a Mercedes or whatever.
And and even they don't have a
509
00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,760
almost zero failure rate.
Yeah, even they don't have.
510
00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:30,440
But this is done by ordinary
architects, built by ordinary
511
00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:34,920
construction firms, built with
components, well improved
512
00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:39,639
components, which are also very
much improved to to ordinary
513
00:34:39,639 --> 00:34:43,120
ones.
But, and this is still working
514
00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:49,320
because it's it's so it, it's so
well met what you really need to
515
00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:53,280
have a successful building.
It's time.
516
00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:56,560
For a quick sponsor shout.
Out today's episode of the
517
00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:59,520
Building Psychology party is
proudly brought to you by our
518
00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:01,880
amazing sponsors, Enduro
Builders and Climbersure.
519
00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:04,760
A huge thank you to these
incredible businesses for
520
00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,720
supporting the podcast and
helping us spread the word about
521
00:35:07,720 --> 00:35:09,240
better buildings to live and
breathe in.
522
00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,800
Your support makes this podcast
possible.
523
00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,080
Please head over to their
websites and follow their social
524
00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:20,120
pages.
Yeah, yeah, it's, that is an
525
00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:26,600
incredible track record.
I I think so, but this is not.
526
00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:31,880
Not you see, this is not our
idea or our achievement.
527
00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:36,040
It's it's always people who
engage in bed and I, I and I can
528
00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:38,280
see that.
I can see it everywhere.
529
00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:44,240
When you start to look into the
details and if you understand
530
00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:47,680
the building physics behind it,
you will of course come to the
531
00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:54,320
same conclusions as we did.
So it's, it's a, a self
532
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:56,680
accelerating process.
What's happening?
533
00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:59,360
Are there are there any changes?
Coming to the passive power
534
00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:02,240
standard, I've just this is a
bit of script, but are there any
535
00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:05,240
changes coming, any developments
or any any changes in the
536
00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:06,480
future?
Or is it just got?
537
00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:11,040
Is it going to stay as it is?
The the to be honest, I was
538
00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:17,040
surprised.
How how little the changes have
539
00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:19,160
been so far.
Yeah.
540
00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:23,080
So, so, So what we what we do
and recommend now it's it's all
541
00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:26,160
not very far from what we have
done in the very first
542
00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,720
experimental building.
Surprising, yeah.
543
00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:30,920
For me as a physicist, it's it's
surprising.
544
00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:35,640
But of course there is progress
all the time going on the the
545
00:36:35,720 --> 00:36:40,080
energy recovery rates of the HIV
system.
546
00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:43,000
So I don't know what it's called
in in Australia maybe.
547
00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,240
Yeah, HIV, congratulations with.
Heat recovery or?
548
00:36:45,240 --> 00:36:48,080
Whatever we, we call it a
different, right, These things
549
00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:51,080
have been improved.
When we started it was, it was
550
00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:54,960
very difficult to have a system
which has at least 80% recovery
551
00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,480
rate.
Nowadays you, you can buy
552
00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:00,560
systems with 80%, with 90%
recovery, right.
553
00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:04,440
And now that sounds as if that's
only a little progress.
554
00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:08,240
No, not at all.
Because if 80% you have still
555
00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:15,440
20% losses and with 90% the
losses are reduced to 10% and
556
00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:17,320
red meats, that's half of it.
Yeah.
557
00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:21,760
So it's much easier now to build
a passive house when it has been
558
00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:24,680
when all these components were
not available, the same thing
559
00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:29,440
happening with windows.
So there are now the, the, the
560
00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:35,480
production of really vacuum
glazing is is starting all, all
561
00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:39,320
around.
And it's also much better when
562
00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:44,440
what we had had in the past.
So it also makes it easier to
563
00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:45,960
build really efficient
buildings.
564
00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:48,840
So there are all these changes
we see.
565
00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:53,360
There's also all this discussion
about other things like say
566
00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:57,880
nowadays discussion about
embodied carbon.
567
00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:02,440
But that's another thing that
could be discussed for long, for
568
00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:06,160
longer time.
Yeah, just just just to see how
569
00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:08,000
a scientist like me approaches
this.
570
00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:13,440
That is where where is a
something that most of these
571
00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:19,440
discussions do not look into
that is the lifespan of a
572
00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:23,800
building.
A building is not a Coke bottle
573
00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:27,880
which X and hop you, you have
the material, you have the
574
00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:33,360
aluminum that you use it for 5
minutes and when you throw it
575
00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:36,840
away, yeah, this is this is
embodied carbon.
576
00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:38,200
Yes, it is.
Yeah.
577
00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:43,240
But a building, a good building
will will will be there for
578
00:38:44,600 --> 00:38:51,240
column eighty years, 100 years,
200 years, yeah, even longer.
579
00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:55,160
And which which is what what
what we'll have to to optimize.
580
00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:57,880
Yeah.
And then if if you look into
581
00:38:57,880 --> 00:39:00,920
that, it's a whole different
story.
582
00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:04,160
But no changes to the framework.
Itself.
583
00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:06,960
But there's upgrades, there's,
there's always going, there's
584
00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:10,760
always component upgrades or
component improvements and
585
00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:12,400
industry improvements all the
time.
586
00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:17,000
No revolutionary.
I, I, I wouldn't see any
587
00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:20,880
revolutionary development in in
few years.
588
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:25,760
But but you get me wrong.
Yeah, it's not the future.
589
00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,040
It's not easy to predict the
future.
590
00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:32,000
Yeah, I would have fought when
we when we started the whole
591
00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:35,400
thing in 1990, I would have
fought that say a couple of
592
00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:40,120
years later, 10 years later, you
have to be completely new ideas
593
00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:44,920
and it would be a very different
ways to go on.
594
00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:50,880
And I'm a little bit surprised
that it's still all mostly the
595
00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:53,840
same.
But I'm not surprised as a
596
00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:58,440
physicist because it's so clear
to understand as long as you
597
00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:02,240
have a losses from a building
envelope and you have to
598
00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:06,480
substitute for these losses by a
big amount of oil or gas or
599
00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:09,840
coal.
You have a problem and and so
600
00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:14,640
we're very first step is to
reduce these losses easy.
601
00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:21,280
Yep, Yep, the overarching.
The overarching purpose remains
602
00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:24,840
regardless, and the science
stays the same.
603
00:40:25,240 --> 00:40:27,800
The physics stays the same.
It becomes easier.
604
00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:31,760
From year to year, because more
components are going to be
605
00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:36,240
available it it, it's would be
easier to install.
606
00:40:36,240 --> 00:40:40,080
This is why we are concentrated
on it at the moment to make it
607
00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:48,240
even even even less to to use
less effort to reach at the same
608
00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:51,560
good results.
This is this is possible.
609
00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:56,320
This has been done in
technological development in,
610
00:40:56,320 --> 00:41:02,120
in, in all kinds of, of, of
systems and it's portable in, in
611
00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:04,560
buildings as well.
And, and we have seen that,
612
00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,840
yeah, that's the reason why.
Well, just to be honest, the
613
00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:10,600
first passive House was not a
single family home.
614
00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:16,520
Two reasons for that first
reason is it it would have, it
615
00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:20,520
wouldn't have proven anything
because the behaviour of the
616
00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:24,160
occupants has such a high
influence on, on on what's going
617
00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:28,320
on in the building that just
having one example doesn't
618
00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:30,720
doesn't work.
But that's that's only one
619
00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:32,640
reason.
The other reason it would have
620
00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:37,280
been really difficult to build
in the cold Central European
621
00:41:37,400 --> 00:41:44,200
climate a single family passive
house in 1990, because all we,
622
00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:48,120
we, we, we needed the 40
centimeters of insulation.
623
00:41:48,440 --> 00:41:52,800
We needed the the thick extra
insulation of window frame.
624
00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:59,640
We needed the the preheating of
the air by earth buried tubes or
625
00:41:59,640 --> 00:42:05,080
things which not you you now
don't find in a new passive
626
00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:08,560
houses because all the
components have become even
627
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:15,200
better than than they have been
for research project and and now
628
00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:18,960
you can build single family
passive houses near the Arctic
629
00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,520
Circle.
Not not problem with it's always
630
00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:24,600
done.
Yeah, so, so, so which is what
631
00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:29,360
is progress and, and and the
technological progress is, is
632
00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:36,280
much faster when I have
anticipated, but it was also
633
00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:41,200
much less revolutionary.
Yeah, it's, it's the same
634
00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:46,600
concepts being improved and we
are getting better and better
635
00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:51,360
using these principles.
Brilliant.
636
00:42:52,600 --> 00:42:55,920
So talking about building a
place of house in Antarctica,
637
00:42:56,640 --> 00:43:00,400
there's often, you know, the are
we often hear that Passivhaus is
638
00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:02,240
not a standard that we need in
Australia.
639
00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:05,480
It's designed for Germany where
it snows and you know, all the
640
00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:08,360
really cold climates.
What is your response to that?
641
00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:16,040
Let let's say when we started
these first examples 1990 in our
642
00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:19,880
region, yeah, most peers, even
the peers in building industry,
643
00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:25,200
they called it too hard, too
Swedish, not needed in Central
644
00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:28,760
European climates.
That doesn't sound familiar.
645
00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:34,960
Even you guys, come on, come on,
Building physics works the same
646
00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:40,560
whether it's in Australia or in
Canada or in Hong Kong and.
647
00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:42,040
That's the end of the story,
people.
648
00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:44,360
That's it.
No further discussion needed.
649
00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:46,200
Exactly.
Then stop.
650
00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:49,800
It and also we also the human
body.
651
00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:52,680
Yeah, we are.
We are one species.
652
00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:57,680
This is very interesting also
from the, from the formal
653
00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:01,800
comfort aspect.
That was research that was done
654
00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:07,320
by, we call like olef hunger in,
in the early 60s.
655
00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:10,560
Yeah.
And, and, and he looked into
656
00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:13,480
what, what is it?
Why, why do we feel comfortable?
657
00:44:13,920 --> 00:44:19,240
And he has done a lot of
experiments to look into that.
658
00:44:19,240 --> 00:44:23,680
And he came up with a theory of
former comfort, and it's
659
00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:25,480
working.
And the surprising thing is that
660
00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:30,520
it's the same for all human
beings.
661
00:44:31,160 --> 00:44:32,840
It's not.
It's not different.
662
00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:35,760
Yeah.
Wherever you are in a, A, a
663
00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:41,440
white, a, a, a person of color,
wherever you are, male or
664
00:44:41,440 --> 00:44:46,840
female, even the sick react the
same way.
665
00:44:46,920 --> 00:44:52,640
Yeah, only very few people with,
with very complicated disorders
666
00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:58,480
might have our experiences here.
But I mean, 9.9% of of people,
667
00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:00,920
it's, it's the same genes.
It's the same.
668
00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:02,960
Some husbands and wives might
disagree.
669
00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:04,600
With you, with that female
comfort issue.
670
00:45:07,920 --> 00:45:11,280
There's no one else back to bed
that is that is if you want to
671
00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:14,120
keep peace.
It's also important to know this
672
00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:20,840
is 1 species, There's no there
are no big differences and and
673
00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:28,040
the goat enter the bed it's.
OK, excellent.
674
00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:30,320
Well.
I hope that that puts that one
675
00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:32,880
to bed.
Well, it.
676
00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:34,840
It it never does.
It never does.
677
00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:39,600
It it sometimes.
Which is a fun discussion.
678
00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:42,560
Yeah.
You, you can talk about that all
679
00:45:42,560 --> 00:45:43,440
day long.
Yeah.
680
00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:47,440
Clear.
So we, we what's what's
681
00:45:47,440 --> 00:45:50,800
necessary is you do it.
It's, it's you don't.
682
00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:53,400
You don't only talk about your
things.
683
00:45:53,400 --> 00:45:55,280
It's interesting.
You can talk about it, but you
684
00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:57,920
just do it.
And when you experience what's
685
00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:01,480
going on and then you see.
Yeah, which is working.
686
00:46:01,840 --> 00:46:07,400
Yeah, that works.
Some people joke that Passive
687
00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:09,960
House is like a.
Cult, there's a perception that
688
00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:14,000
followers can be a bit one eyed
and there's there can be quite a
689
00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:17,360
strong emotional reaction to
this standard either way, either
690
00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:20,360
for or against.
Why do you think that this
691
00:46:20,360 --> 00:46:22,520
building standard inspires such
a response?
692
00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:27,320
And do you think, do you see
that as a strength or a barrier?
693
00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:31,840
Well, let me come.
With something completely
694
00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:34,120
different.
That is when Albert Einstein
695
00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:39,960
when he presented the theory of
relativity that aroused strong
696
00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:43,240
emotions even in the scientific
community.
697
00:46:44,040 --> 00:46:46,320
Some even called it Jewish
physics.
698
00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:50,920
Remember back that was a was a
very a very, very dangerous
699
00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:53,280
time.
But others, others were
700
00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:55,280
thrilled.
They, they realized that this
701
00:46:55,560 --> 00:46:59,000
solved one of the biggest
problems of physics at that
702
00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:03,080
time.
So there's nothing which is
703
00:47:03,080 --> 00:47:09,040
special for any, any innovation
anywhere.
704
00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:12,880
And let's also be honest,
Passive House isn't such a big
705
00:47:12,880 --> 00:47:16,080
innovation.
It's still a building.
706
00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:19,080
It still has roofs, windows,
walls.
707
00:47:19,720 --> 00:47:21,640
Yeah.
It's, it's not, you know,
708
00:47:21,680 --> 00:47:24,440
reinventing a wheel.
No, it's not.
709
00:47:24,760 --> 00:47:27,800
It's not reinventing a wheel,
sorry.
710
00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:31,360
Now on the other side, I'm a
scientist and we scientists have
711
00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:34,280
to be critical.
And being critical, that means
712
00:47:34,560 --> 00:47:39,200
being self critical.
This is something now, now is
713
00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:42,760
also has a big misunderstanding
that saying we, we are critical,
714
00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:46,040
we we just criticize everybody
else.
715
00:47:46,240 --> 00:47:50,160
No critical means you have to be
self critical there.
716
00:47:50,520 --> 00:47:55,160
So Cortez once said, I know, but
I do not know.
717
00:47:56,000 --> 00:47:59,520
And we nowadays we have to
recognize that by large that is
718
00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:02,960
still true today.
We don't know much.
719
00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:06,920
We have learned a great deal and
we are on way to learning even
720
00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:10,120
more.
And I I quote Barack Obama now
721
00:48:10,120 --> 00:48:13,160
here that is he says, yes, we
can.
722
00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:18,760
Yeah, we can learn these things.
And but now not everybody enjoys
723
00:48:19,040 --> 00:48:21,080
that debate.
Yeah.
724
00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:27,360
And, and when you look into some
of the critics, they are just
725
00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:32,480
backwards oriented, yeah.
They just want to have a world
726
00:48:32,520 --> 00:48:36,600
back like it was in the 1800s or
whatever.
727
00:48:38,200 --> 00:48:42,240
However, of of of of of a course
of the development, I have
728
00:48:42,240 --> 00:48:46,480
witnessed on several occasions,
but that those who initially
729
00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:51,880
resisted to such innovations,
they later made extensive use of
730
00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:56,240
the research findings and son of
and even contributed with their
731
00:48:56,240 --> 00:49:01,280
own projects.
So I'm, I'm, I'm not criticizing
732
00:49:01,280 --> 00:49:04,680
the critics.
We, we, we, we, we can learn.
733
00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:08,560
We invite one to to learn.
Yeah.
734
00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:11,960
And it only needs.
Absolutely, absolutely.
735
00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:14,720
Is is that way of interactive?
Discussion.
736
00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:18,440
Yeah, this is very creative and
and this is a way to make
737
00:49:18,680 --> 00:49:22,160
progress.
Yeah, I think it's just about
738
00:49:22,160 --> 00:49:23,760
staying.
Curious and asking questions
739
00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:27,920
and, and continuing to learn.
And they can certainly be a bit
740
00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:29,920
of a fixed mindset among some
people.
741
00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:35,760
And they're like, they don't
like, they like to keep things
742
00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:37,440
the way that they know and
understand.
743
00:49:37,440 --> 00:49:41,640
And I get that, but I think
sometimes hard.
744
00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:46,120
Yeah, sometimes, yeah.
That you can do things in in
745
00:49:46,120 --> 00:49:48,520
another way.
It's it's sometimes hard.
746
00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:51,840
We have to understand.
You see, when I introduced when
747
00:49:51,840 --> 00:49:55,160
when the first idea came up with
Bo Adams and he said let's build
748
00:49:55,160 --> 00:49:57,760
passive houses in Central
Europe, my idea was he's gone
749
00:49:57,760 --> 00:49:58,520
insane.
Yeah.
750
00:50:00,920 --> 00:50:03,920
So so.
So I I can't understand that,
751
00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:08,120
but that that doesn't mean that
you don't have to try.
752
00:50:08,200 --> 00:50:15,920
Yeah, you try.
So curious and I think that
753
00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:18,920
leads on quite segues quite
nicely into my next question
754
00:50:19,240 --> 00:50:21,840
because you, you have said
before that the building
755
00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:24,000
industry was this change not
because of science, but because
756
00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:26,560
of habit.
And for our listeners, whether
757
00:50:26,560 --> 00:50:29,040
they build as designers,
architects or homeowners, what
758
00:50:29,040 --> 00:50:31,160
do you think is the most
effective way to challenge those
759
00:50:31,160 --> 00:50:36,840
habits or fixed mindsets and,
and, and fear of, of something
760
00:50:36,840 --> 00:50:38,880
new and different and some also
of cost.
761
00:50:39,720 --> 00:50:41,200
What is the?
What do you think the best way
762
00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:45,560
is to kind of start to shift
that now?
763
00:50:45,920 --> 00:50:50,480
Energy efficient construction.
Nowadays it's no no longer just
764
00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:53,320
theory.
Yeah, that has changed
765
00:50:53,320 --> 00:50:56,440
dramatically since the 1990s.
When we built the 1st house,
766
00:50:56,440 --> 00:51:01,280
there was no example.
Yeah, but now there are
767
00:51:01,960 --> 00:51:05,760
thousands of built and occupied
examples.
768
00:51:06,200 --> 00:51:09,120
I was impressed by the number of
projects which were presented by
769
00:51:09,120 --> 00:51:11,400
the Australian Passive House
Association.
770
00:51:11,400 --> 00:51:13,880
Yeah, already existing in
Australia.
771
00:51:14,080 --> 00:51:16,840
So therefore, what what I
recommend is the first step is
772
00:51:16,840 --> 00:51:21,760
to visit an existing house, see
it with your own eyes.
773
00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:24,320
Yeah.
Feel the comfort, smell the air,
774
00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:27,520
talk to the residents.
It's too easy.
775
00:51:27,800 --> 00:51:30,000
We, we, we open days of a
passivost coming up.
776
00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:30,840
Right?
Right now.
777
00:51:30,880 --> 00:51:33,080
Yeah, it is actually in a few
weeks, couple of weeks.
778
00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:37,440
You can do that, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, where we've the company I
779
00:51:37,440 --> 00:51:39,640
work for.
Has a certified Passivhaus and
780
00:51:39,640 --> 00:51:42,360
we're opening it up so fine,
Yeah, Good.
781
00:51:42,360 --> 00:51:46,560
Good to see visit this is.
It's my very first step and this
782
00:51:46,560 --> 00:51:48,480
is important.
This is what I have learned.
783
00:51:48,720 --> 00:51:52,480
It is something like also as a
now again, come back to the math
784
00:51:52,480 --> 00:51:53,760
teacher part.
Yeah.
785
00:51:54,200 --> 00:52:01,280
And if you if you teach math
only in a abstract way, I I
786
00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:03,920
realize why people resist to
that.
787
00:52:04,680 --> 00:52:07,440
Yeah, it's not you.
You don't get the feeling, you
788
00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:12,360
don't see what it's good for.
Yeah, but you can implement it
789
00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:15,080
in your daily life.
You can understand where you can
790
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:19,000
use it for.
And This is why this visit in an
791
00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:22,800
existing passing house is
passive house is so important.
792
00:52:23,720 --> 00:52:26,880
You can see this is not
something abstract, it's
793
00:52:26,880 --> 00:52:29,920
something really concrete and
achievable.
794
00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:37,000
And you see because.
It's it's there you can talk to
795
00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:38,040
those who.
Are.
796
00:52:38,200 --> 00:52:41,120
Residents there and you can talk
to boys who have built it and
797
00:52:41,200 --> 00:52:45,240
those who decided, Yeah.
And then next step is there are
798
00:52:45,240 --> 00:52:50,640
established training courses for
builders and planners and let's
799
00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:56,400
say a globally standardized
educational concepts designed to
800
00:52:56,440 --> 00:53:00,200
to qualify all the participants
so they can plan and build their
801
00:53:00,200 --> 00:53:05,440
own projects.
It's something you can do, which
802
00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:07,840
is very interesting.
It's it's not something you have
803
00:53:07,840 --> 00:53:10,680
to buy.
It's something you can do.
804
00:53:11,160 --> 00:53:13,960
Yeah, interesting.
That's an interesting concept
805
00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:16,880
that is actually you can
actually be part.
806
00:53:16,880 --> 00:53:20,400
Of it, yeah, yeah, you can be
part of it, the creative.
807
00:53:20,400 --> 00:53:25,960
Process and and it's also AI
think we should we should start
808
00:53:25,960 --> 00:53:31,600
to think about other parts of
our economy, other parts of our
809
00:53:31,920 --> 00:53:35,280
of our industry to to think
about.
810
00:53:35,280 --> 00:53:40,000
There are also things that we
can that that we can contribute.
811
00:53:40,040 --> 00:53:45,600
Yeah, that that is not only done
just by some authority, which
812
00:53:45,600 --> 00:53:49,200
tells you how, how, how to do,
but to to gain your own
813
00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:50,960
experience and to learn about
it.
814
00:53:52,840 --> 00:53:55,400
Now building material
manufacturers, what, what can we
815
00:53:55,400 --> 00:53:57,920
do?
We can study the criteria for
816
00:53:57,920 --> 00:54:01,280
their specific components to
make them suitable for Passive
817
00:54:01,280 --> 00:54:06,200
House and, and that they might
contact some peers or the
818
00:54:06,200 --> 00:54:10,040
Passive House Institute directly
and the the scientists and the
819
00:54:10,040 --> 00:54:14,960
engineers where they are happy
to assist in, in, in development
820
00:54:15,480 --> 00:54:18,880
of these improvements.
And that's similar to the air
821
00:54:18,880 --> 00:54:21,640
harnessing.
This is once you once you
822
00:54:21,640 --> 00:54:26,440
learned it, once you did it
once, you will see it's not that
823
00:54:26,600 --> 00:54:29,240
not, not that that big an
effort.
824
00:54:29,240 --> 00:54:33,400
It's not that difficult to do.
This is what you what you can,
825
00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:36,080
what you can learn.
I think the biggest thing that
826
00:54:36,080 --> 00:54:37,480
Australians struggle with is
the.
827
00:54:38,000 --> 00:54:40,960
The the fitting fitting a
certified Passivhaus into their
828
00:54:40,960 --> 00:54:49,080
budget because they they perhaps
prioritise things.
829
00:54:49,080 --> 00:54:51,800
That aren't.
Related to the performance of
830
00:54:51,800 --> 00:54:55,320
the building.
So all they need to do, the
831
00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:58,480
simplest way to fit a passive
house into your budget is just
832
00:54:58,480 --> 00:55:00,080
to make the house a little bit
smaller.
833
00:55:00,240 --> 00:55:03,320
And that is a bit of a shift for
a lot of people that they can't,
834
00:55:03,320 --> 00:55:09,320
they don't really want to make
their houses smaller because
835
00:55:09,320 --> 00:55:14,720
they want, they want the dream.
But yeah, it's, it's, it's a
836
00:55:14,720 --> 00:55:17,680
very achievable on most, most
budgets that people have got to
837
00:55:17,680 --> 00:55:21,280
build a house with these days.
There's just has to be some you,
838
00:55:21,280 --> 00:55:22,880
you have to work around.
You have to work with what
839
00:55:22,880 --> 00:55:25,720
you've got.
Let me a bit even more.
840
00:55:25,720 --> 00:55:30,320
Provocative, that is.
Why do passive houses have to be
841
00:55:30,320 --> 00:55:34,800
more expensive?
We don't.
842
00:55:35,640 --> 00:55:39,960
We have examples now.
We have examples in Europe, but
843
00:55:39,960 --> 00:55:44,320
also in America right now of
passive houses in affordable
844
00:55:44,320 --> 00:55:47,080
housing, in social housing
complex.
845
00:55:48,640 --> 00:55:52,640
Yeah, we, we, we've done a lot
more expensive than the ordinary
846
00:55:52,840 --> 00:55:53,400
build.
Yeah.
847
00:55:53,560 --> 00:55:56,800
So, well, I don't say that this
is always the case and
848
00:55:56,800 --> 00:55:59,920
especially most a lot if you do
it for first time.
849
00:55:59,920 --> 00:56:04,000
Yeah, but but but there is no
reason why it has to be so
850
00:56:04,000 --> 00:56:06,840
expensive.
That's a that's another part of
851
00:56:06,840 --> 00:56:08,920
it.
It's also one of the goals that
852
00:56:08,920 --> 00:56:11,600
we have and how, how, how do we
achieve that?
853
00:56:11,600 --> 00:56:16,000
Well, we are in a market
economy, but what you need is
854
00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:19,720
some competition.
That's how it works you.
855
00:56:19,720 --> 00:56:23,120
Need some competition?
There's not only one producer,
856
00:56:23,120 --> 00:56:25,360
it's not only one way to do
that.
857
00:56:26,160 --> 00:56:29,080
Many, many ways to do it.
Well, hopefully as time goes on
858
00:56:29,080 --> 00:56:30,400
we'll start to get a little bit
more.
859
00:56:30,560 --> 00:56:34,400
Competition in the market and
and prices will come down and
860
00:56:34,440 --> 00:56:38,720
already now to be.
To be if you if you if you don't
861
00:56:38,720 --> 00:56:43,760
look for the most expensive ways
to do it it's not that much more
862
00:56:43,760 --> 00:56:47,240
expensive now yeah.
And that, that there is of
863
00:56:47,240 --> 00:56:52,800
course, there, there can be some
amount of extra investment
864
00:56:52,800 --> 00:56:55,760
costs.
It's it's an investment because
865
00:56:55,800 --> 00:57:00,000
you save a lot of money.
Yeah, it, it will be running 40
866
00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:06,120
years, 50 years, 80 years, even
longer on on, on half of the
867
00:57:06,120 --> 00:57:10,880
operation costs at least than in
an ordinary building.
868
00:57:10,880 --> 00:57:14,040
And if you calculate that back
in the right way, you'll see a
869
00:57:14,160 --> 00:57:17,920
passive house already.
Now it's it's it's even less
870
00:57:17,920 --> 00:57:22,000
expensive on on a life cycle
cost approach.
871
00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:26,640
Now I I know people do not like
to have a life cycle cost
872
00:57:26,640 --> 00:57:31,840
approach.
Now I'm 71 years old, I know how
873
00:57:31,880 --> 00:57:34,520
how short a human's life cycle
is.
874
00:57:34,520 --> 00:57:41,600
Yeah.
So even the very first passive
875
00:57:41,600 --> 00:57:47,400
house, it wasn't a cheap thing.
Yeah, it was financed by the
876
00:57:47,480 --> 00:57:52,360
private investment.
There was a range of 18%
877
00:57:52,880 --> 00:57:55,400
additional costs we had to
spend.
878
00:57:56,160 --> 00:57:58,040
That is completely paid back
right now.
879
00:57:58,960 --> 00:58:02,400
Yeah, already, yeah, it's
already more than paid back.
880
00:58:02,400 --> 00:58:06,320
And and this is not counting for
now, just to give you one
881
00:58:06,320 --> 00:58:14,920
example with four family multi
family home, it was heated by a
882
00:58:14,920 --> 00:58:21,240
a dashboard gas burner and that
and that burner central central
883
00:58:21,240 --> 00:58:28,720
system that that was operating
for 34 years right now normally
884
00:58:28,720 --> 00:58:30,840
the same heater, the same
heater, but.
885
00:58:30,840 --> 00:58:35,240
Normally these things last.
For 17 years or 20 years or or
886
00:58:35,360 --> 00:58:40,240
whatever this this thing lasted
for 34 years.
887
00:58:40,800 --> 00:58:44,280
And that was because it was
reduced in the power it needed
888
00:58:44,280 --> 00:58:47,760
to provide.
So it, it, it, it, it didn't,
889
00:58:48,840 --> 00:58:50,720
wasn't working so hard.
Yeah.
890
00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:52,560
And and.
Now and.
891
00:58:52,560 --> 00:58:56,120
Now we replace it.
We replace it by a heat pump.
892
00:58:57,560 --> 00:59:02,440
This is 1 heat pump.
It has the size the smallest
893
00:59:02,440 --> 00:59:08,560
size available for single family
homes, but this is a four unit
894
00:59:09,040 --> 00:59:13,040
building for four different 4
separate families.
895
00:59:13,640 --> 00:59:16,120
Yeah, for for four families,
one.
896
00:59:16,280 --> 00:59:19,920
Heat pump, which normally is
used for just a single family
897
00:59:19,920 --> 00:59:23,800
home, but already, no, it's not
a quarter of a course, but it's
898
00:59:23,800 --> 00:59:30,280
around half of of of a course.
Adding in that this is now 34
899
00:59:30,280 --> 00:59:35,360
years later, even from that
point of view it has been much
900
00:59:35,360 --> 00:59:41,320
less expensive to live in these
buildings and and to to have
901
00:59:41,320 --> 00:59:44,760
them working all the time.
There has been no repair
902
00:59:44,760 --> 00:59:52,360
anywhere on any of the of the of
the window frames that the the
903
00:59:52,680 --> 00:59:58,920
formal envelope, the roof, the
air tightness and and so on.
904
00:59:58,920 --> 01:00:03,400
This is all working like it was
34 years ago.
905
01:00:04,880 --> 01:00:06,120
That's amazing.
It it.
906
01:00:06,120 --> 01:00:08,320
Might it might be surprising.
But and and this.
907
01:00:08,320 --> 01:00:12,120
Is for the first prototype.
This is not the the standard
908
01:00:12,120 --> 01:00:15,640
sized product of a big company.
Yeah, it's not, it's not the
909
01:00:16,000 --> 01:00:23,200
it's not the Mercedes.
Yeah, it's a, a, a built by, by
910
01:00:23,200 --> 01:00:28,160
handicraft work on site and it
it's working well.
911
01:00:28,520 --> 01:00:31,320
Yes, we have looked into the
building physics and that's
912
01:00:31,400 --> 01:00:34,360
again proving that that physics
works.
913
01:00:36,000 --> 01:00:40,960
Let's let's, let's, let's remain
the main thing Physics works
914
01:00:41,280 --> 01:00:45,960
and, and it's, it's sometimes a
little bit strange to have all
915
01:00:45,960 --> 01:00:50,240
these discussions about what,
what people think that physics
916
01:00:50,240 --> 01:00:53,720
doesn't work.
I I don't understand that.
917
01:00:54,000 --> 01:00:58,600
It's it's, it's so clear, you
know, physics always, always
918
01:00:58,600 --> 01:01:01,720
works.
Yeah, yeah, I guess it's just.
919
01:01:01,720 --> 01:01:04,200
Especially in the current
climate with, with construction
920
01:01:04,200 --> 01:01:09,120
costs escalating so quickly over
the last, you know, 3-4, five
921
01:01:09,120 --> 01:01:13,200
years since COVID, it's even
more difficult for people to get
922
01:01:13,200 --> 01:01:18,920
their heads around.
But I think if if we can.
923
01:01:19,360 --> 01:01:21,400
If we can just.
Get the message out there that
924
01:01:23,720 --> 01:01:28,280
as you said, the physics works
and a house is expensive anyway.
925
01:01:28,360 --> 01:01:35,200
And the the the costs that you
save in in not only running
926
01:01:35,200 --> 01:01:41,800
costs, but also the repair costs
is is going to outweigh what you
927
01:01:41,840 --> 01:01:43,800
what you spend at the very at
the upfront.
928
01:01:44,640 --> 01:01:46,880
Add in the trouble.
Add in the trouble.
929
01:01:46,880 --> 01:01:50,320
If you have a leaky roof, what
what kind of trouble is that?
930
01:01:50,760 --> 01:01:52,840
It's not just because of a
repair.
931
01:01:52,840 --> 01:01:55,840
Yeah.
It's also it's, it's, it's, it's
932
01:01:56,280 --> 01:02:00,040
the the lack of, of quality of
life.
933
01:02:00,040 --> 01:02:04,200
Yeah, yeah.
Absolutely.
934
01:02:04,440 --> 01:02:06,720
So what?
Do you think the biggest
935
01:02:06,720 --> 01:02:09,160
misconceptions about air
tightness in and indoor air
936
01:02:09,160 --> 01:02:12,120
quality are that you still come
across you've mentioned in the
937
01:02:12,120 --> 01:02:16,520
past that a building should work
like a thermos flask or you know
938
01:02:16,520 --> 01:02:20,160
in in Australia we have Eskies
which we put all about BBQ
939
01:02:20,160 --> 01:02:21,760
meeting when we go out to have a
BBQ.
940
01:02:24,160 --> 01:02:26,600
So but these.
Things are airtight, and highly.
941
01:02:26,600 --> 01:02:29,680
Insulated, but they don't have
people in them and there's no
942
01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:32,960
cooking inside them.
So what do you what what's
943
01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:34,880
what's your comment about
airtightness and indoor air
944
01:02:34,880 --> 01:02:37,120
quality and the misconceptions
in Passivhaus?
945
01:02:39,080 --> 01:02:41,720
The only thing with a?
Passive House did yeah, that the
946
01:02:42,040 --> 01:02:47,560
analogy only serves to explain
how one part of of the building
947
01:02:47,680 --> 01:02:51,200
and that's the most important
part that is the heat flow out
948
01:02:51,200 --> 01:02:55,760
of the building, how that can be
reduced, namely by flow of heat
949
01:02:55,760 --> 01:02:58,160
conduction.
This is where where we
950
01:02:58,200 --> 01:03:04,120
comparison the analogy to the
farmers flask comes in.
951
01:03:04,120 --> 01:03:07,760
But it's not that that building
itself.
952
01:03:08,800 --> 01:03:12,160
Let's put it another way.
Passive houses breathe.
953
01:03:13,960 --> 01:03:16,480
This is what we.
What we exactly do in the?
954
01:03:16,680 --> 01:03:22,240
In the best possible analogy of
briefing of say a camel, the
955
01:03:22,240 --> 01:03:23,960
camel that's it's an interesting
animal.
956
01:03:24,760 --> 01:03:29,960
The camel has the highest known
heat and moisture recovery
957
01:03:29,960 --> 01:03:34,920
system in its nose.
We, these animals may recover
958
01:03:34,920 --> 01:03:39,040
more than 80% of your immunity.
We, we, we don't do it if with
959
01:03:39,040 --> 01:03:43,040
the best ERDS.
Yeah, this is financial concept.
960
01:03:43,040 --> 01:03:44,320
Yeah.
And, and, and.
961
01:03:44,320 --> 01:03:47,200
No, no, that's the analogy for
another part.
962
01:03:47,600 --> 01:03:50,800
The next important part of the
heat flow, that is convective
963
01:03:50,800 --> 01:03:54,680
flow.
So we also can reduce that
964
01:03:54,680 --> 01:03:57,480
convective flow.
And then there's indoor air
965
01:03:57,480 --> 01:04:01,320
quality, best possible indoor
air quality, that's a criterion
966
01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:04,680
for passive house.
And in all climates this can be
967
01:04:04,680 --> 01:04:10,720
achieved by a briefing system
and engineers call it a fresh
968
01:04:10,720 --> 01:04:15,000
air ventilation system.
That's that's the way buildings
969
01:04:15,240 --> 01:04:21,200
brief they, they breathe through
the ventilation system, they
970
01:04:21,200 --> 01:04:23,720
don't breathe through the
envelope.
971
01:04:24,640 --> 01:04:31,880
So as we, of course, we, we
breathe also to our skin, but,
972
01:04:32,200 --> 01:04:36,280
but that's a very small part of,
of, of breathing process.
973
01:04:36,280 --> 01:04:41,680
It's less than 41% or whatever.
So if you stop breathing, you
974
01:04:41,680 --> 01:04:45,120
have a problem.
You can't breathe only through
975
01:04:45,120 --> 01:04:47,200
your skin.
And and that's the same thing
976
01:04:48,400 --> 01:04:49,800
with, with, with a building.
Yeah.
977
01:04:49,800 --> 01:04:55,480
So now this is also, again,
it's, it's an abstract, somehow
978
01:04:55,480 --> 01:04:58,120
abstract discussion.
And This is why I come up with
979
01:04:58,160 --> 01:05:01,240
the analogy with, with the camel
and, and, and, and with these
980
01:05:01,240 --> 01:05:04,320
things because people want to
understand what's going on here.
981
01:05:04,640 --> 01:05:07,280
And it's it's correct.
We we want to understand that.
982
01:05:07,280 --> 01:05:11,840
But again, the most important
thing here is practical
983
01:05:11,840 --> 01:05:15,920
experience, right?
Go to the passive House, go
984
01:05:15,920 --> 01:05:21,880
inside it, smell the air, talk
to be occupants and you and and
985
01:05:21,920 --> 01:05:24,560
then you'll you'll see how it's
working.
986
01:05:25,240 --> 01:05:27,680
Some say critics that some
critics say that passive.
987
01:05:27,680 --> 01:05:30,520
House locks us into a
technological mindset,
988
01:05:31,600 --> 01:05:35,440
ventilation systems and heating
and calling demand and lots of
989
01:05:35,440 --> 01:05:39,760
technical speak when what we
really need is simplicity and
990
01:05:39,760 --> 01:05:43,000
adaptability.
Are they right?
991
01:05:43,480 --> 01:05:45,800
And I guess this goes back to
the Passive House principles
992
01:05:45,800 --> 01:05:50,000
discussion as well.
You know, how can we, how can we
993
01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:51,920
simplify?
Or do we need to?
994
01:05:51,920 --> 01:05:56,760
Simplify it.
Might be surprisingly passive
995
01:05:56,760 --> 01:06:01,240
houses.
Are the simple solution if if if
996
01:06:01,240 --> 01:06:02,720
you think.
About it when?
997
01:06:02,720 --> 01:06:05,920
You understand how sometimes?
Sometimes people.
998
01:06:06,560 --> 01:06:13,120
Think things are difficult or
complicated just if they are not
999
01:06:13,160 --> 01:06:16,800
used to it?
Yeah, and but but the simple
1000
01:06:16,800 --> 01:06:20,480
solution is understand how a
building works.
1001
01:06:21,080 --> 01:06:24,080
There's no way around it.
We want to understand that and
1002
01:06:24,400 --> 01:06:28,480
and now use the fundamentals of
physics to ensure it it it
1003
01:06:28,480 --> 01:06:32,720
functions properly and
insulation isn't rocket science.
1004
01:06:33,880 --> 01:06:39,400
So now if we reduce the power
needed to to run the technical
1005
01:06:39,400 --> 01:06:46,600
system, this is what exactly
what we do when the technology
1006
01:06:48,000 --> 01:06:53,000
is simplified.
Yeah, ordinary buildings.
1007
01:06:53,360 --> 01:06:57,720
What is we ordinary buildings?
These systems used in ordinary
1008
01:06:57,720 --> 01:07:03,640
buildings, they are Tripoli 20
kilowatt rocket burner powered
1009
01:07:03,640 --> 01:07:08,560
systems that consume tons of oil
annually and convert it into
1010
01:07:08,560 --> 01:07:11,920
CO2.
That was a happy simple
1011
01:07:11,920 --> 01:07:15,680
building.
This is not simple.
1012
01:07:16,840 --> 01:07:21,400
It's interesting thing.
The the concept, especially my
1013
01:07:21,400 --> 01:07:29,200
friend Bo Adamson came out was
to to to come to a simple
1014
01:07:29,200 --> 01:07:33,800
solution and and and it is a
simple solution.
1015
01:07:33,800 --> 01:07:38,480
Now if if there are there are
some things which which very
1016
01:07:38,480 --> 01:07:45,040
often modern buildings still do
not have like a proper fresh air
1017
01:07:45,240 --> 01:07:50,000
ventilation system, but if you.
Look into the.
1018
01:07:50,000 --> 01:07:55,040
Signs of a people who are really
looking into indoor air quality.
1019
01:07:55,800 --> 01:08:01,720
There is no doubt at all that we
need that, not not to save
1020
01:08:01,720 --> 01:08:07,520
energy, but to have better
indoor air conditions in the
1021
01:08:07,520 --> 01:08:10,120
buildings.
That is and and, and, and it's a
1022
01:08:10,120 --> 01:08:14,440
simple way to do it.
Now if if you are not used to
1023
01:08:14,440 --> 01:08:20,560
it, if you see it for the first
time and if it's if it's not
1024
01:08:20,560 --> 01:08:26,720
well designed, you, you might
you might think it's a
1025
01:08:26,720 --> 01:08:30,399
complicated technology.
It's not.
1026
01:08:30,960 --> 01:08:35,680
Every washing machine is more
complicated than a for all
1027
01:08:35,680 --> 01:08:38,240
regulations.
You know what?
1028
01:08:38,240 --> 01:08:40,399
The settings of my washing.
Machine are really complicated.
1029
01:08:42,359 --> 01:08:45,080
Try to.
Repair your washing machine?
1030
01:08:46,560 --> 01:08:49,680
Yeah, but but that might be
surprising.
1031
01:08:49,680 --> 01:08:52,800
You can actually repair your
ventilation system.
1032
01:08:54,680 --> 01:08:55,960
This is not.
Difficult.
1033
01:08:56,399 --> 01:08:59,040
Yeah, Yeah, you.
Can it's not that difficult.
1034
01:08:59,040 --> 01:09:03,800
You you can't damage too much
things where Yeah, but like gas
1035
01:09:03,800 --> 01:09:06,200
burner, try to repair your gas
burner.
1036
01:09:07,160 --> 01:09:09,120
I wouldn't recommend.
It's dangerous.
1037
01:09:10,520 --> 01:09:17,319
Yeah, these things can explode.
There's nothing to explode in a
1038
01:09:17,319 --> 01:09:18,800
ventilation system.
Not at all.
1039
01:09:18,800 --> 01:09:21,120
You, you, you, you can change
the ventilators.
1040
01:09:21,120 --> 01:09:24,240
It's a the the the modern
passive power ventilation system
1041
01:09:24,240 --> 01:09:28,680
has a a ventilator, which is
commonly in every in every
1042
01:09:28,680 --> 01:09:34,000
modern PC in every modern
personal computer, the same or
1043
01:09:34,000 --> 01:09:36,760
ventilators.
Yeah, easy thing.
1044
01:09:36,760 --> 01:09:39,399
Fan system.
Yeah, the same.
1045
01:09:39,399 --> 01:09:41,920
Yeah.
Yeah, It's, it's, it's it's
1046
01:09:41,920 --> 01:09:43,160
it's.
Exactly the same.
1047
01:09:43,800 --> 01:09:47,040
The same ventilators and they
have become much more efficient
1048
01:09:47,640 --> 01:09:56,160
since we and then we introduced
the the first air heat recovery
1049
01:09:56,160 --> 01:09:58,600
system.
In first passive hours there was
1050
01:09:58,720 --> 01:10:03,280
only one product all around the
the world available.
1051
01:10:03,680 --> 01:10:09,160
It was even near to be to be
useful for the purpose.
1052
01:10:09,560 --> 01:10:13,680
It was produced by a Danish
factory and it was the only one
1053
01:10:14,040 --> 01:10:15,800
which has existed since 20
years.
1054
01:10:16,040 --> 01:10:20,480
But it came with a ventilator
using 100 watts of electricity.
1055
01:10:23,080 --> 01:10:26,240
And that that makes no sense.
It's, it's, it's too loud and
1056
01:10:26,240 --> 01:10:29,920
it's too high consumption.
So first thing we did in our
1057
01:10:29,920 --> 01:10:34,320
laboratory, we exchanged these
ventilators to then available
1058
01:10:34,800 --> 01:10:41,080
electronic communicated systems.
These are now commonly used
1059
01:10:41,080 --> 01:10:43,760
everywhere.
So, so nowadays you have 8 Watt,
1060
01:10:43,760 --> 01:10:46,360
10 Watt ventilators in these
systems.
1061
01:10:47,600 --> 01:10:51,880
Simple thing thing to exchange
it's it's also not high voltage
1062
01:10:52,560 --> 01:10:57,840
running on 18 volts, 24 volts or
or whatsoever.
1063
01:10:58,320 --> 01:11:04,600
This is a simple technology.
I think it's everything.
1064
01:11:04,600 --> 01:11:08,960
'S everything's easy when you
know how, so the theme of this.
1065
01:11:08,960 --> 01:11:13,000
Conversation is to just.
I'm I'm not sure, keep asking
1066
01:11:13,000 --> 01:11:15,080
questions.
For example, going to the.
1067
01:11:15,080 --> 01:11:17,560
Moon.
Isn't simple, even if you have
1068
01:11:17,560 --> 01:11:23,840
to know how true.
Touché so so there's a
1069
01:11:23,840 --> 01:11:27,600
difference.
It's completely clear that is a
1070
01:11:27,600 --> 01:11:31,880
difference, but but we you have
you.
1071
01:11:31,920 --> 01:11:35,360
You can build your own heat
recovery ventilation system if
1072
01:11:35,360 --> 01:11:39,320
you take the time to do so.
Is it?
1073
01:11:39,840 --> 01:11:41,600
It's not.
It's not rocket science.
1074
01:11:41,600 --> 01:11:45,720
It's a very, and we have seen
it, some people, they, they say,
1075
01:11:45,920 --> 01:11:50,640
oh, I don't want to, to, to use
electricity to consume
1076
01:11:50,640 --> 01:11:55,920
electricity to run the system.
I want it to be working with the
1077
01:11:55,920 --> 01:11:59,520
natural forces.
And we even have some example
1078
01:11:59,520 --> 01:12:02,760
passive houses in France where
they have done that.
1079
01:12:03,880 --> 01:12:07,520
It's possible, possible to do.
Well, they have they have air
1080
01:12:07,520 --> 01:12:14,920
channels which are half a meter
in diameter to to even reduce
1081
01:12:14,920 --> 01:12:17,680
the resistance of flow even
more.
1082
01:12:18,320 --> 01:12:23,640
It's possible to do, yeah.
And I would say well, but what
1083
01:12:23,640 --> 01:12:28,480
what is a 10 Watt ventilator?
Add it to the system.
1084
01:12:29,040 --> 01:12:33,000
Add another half a square meter
of photovoltaics on your roof
1085
01:12:33,720 --> 01:12:37,240
and it's run completely by free
electricity.
1086
01:12:40,440 --> 01:12:42,920
This is just another pragmatic,
yeah.
1087
01:12:42,920 --> 01:12:47,400
It's a pragmatic part of
approach to see that this, this
1088
01:12:47,400 --> 01:12:51,680
is simple technology and of
course you, you can make it.
1089
01:12:52,480 --> 01:12:54,480
We're better and better and more
sophisticated.
1090
01:12:54,480 --> 01:12:57,400
And that's what we industry
production is all about.
1091
01:12:57,400 --> 01:13:00,000
And they have made a lot of
progress.
1092
01:13:00,000 --> 01:13:02,840
Yes, you can improve the control
system nowadays.
1093
01:13:02,840 --> 01:13:03,800
That's another thing.
Yeah.
1094
01:13:03,960 --> 01:13:11,520
So now every every mobile phone
has more calculation capacity
1095
01:13:11,520 --> 01:13:15,880
nowadays.
When I had running these 10
1096
01:13:15,880 --> 01:13:22,680
thousands of simulations in
1987, it's it's all there, it's
1097
01:13:22,680 --> 01:13:25,720
all available.
It's a question to make it
1098
01:13:26,280 --> 01:13:29,960
approachable for the ordinary
person.
1099
01:13:31,320 --> 01:13:33,600
This is what is somehow also.
Behind the the the.
1100
01:13:33,640 --> 01:13:36,840
Passive House idea, Yeah, to
make it, to make it
1101
01:13:37,440 --> 01:13:40,000
approachable.
It's it's not something it's
1102
01:13:40,000 --> 01:13:46,400
just designed by some clever
engineer way away from from your
1103
01:13:46,400 --> 01:13:49,680
own property.
It can be done.
1104
01:13:50,040 --> 01:13:52,400
You can loan it if if you want
to.
1105
01:13:53,080 --> 01:13:56,320
You don't need to.
You can, you can, you can use
1106
01:13:56,320 --> 01:14:00,280
the expertise of all the people
around you, but in principle you
1107
01:14:00,280 --> 01:14:01,720
can do it.
We've got a couple more
1108
01:14:01,720 --> 01:14:05,760
questions.
The If a if a builder car or a
1109
01:14:05,760 --> 01:14:09,000
homeowner can't achieve full set
of full certification, passive
1110
01:14:09,000 --> 01:14:11,480
pass certification, what should
they prioritise?
1111
01:14:14,040 --> 01:14:19,000
Yeah, USBPHPPU.
SB Passive House design package.
1112
01:14:19,440 --> 01:14:22,560
Use it anyway you use it anyway.
Yeah, yeah.
1113
01:14:23,120 --> 01:14:26,440
To calculate the energy balance
or have somebody relating it,
1114
01:14:26,440 --> 01:14:28,800
yeah, you can use design pH for
example.
1115
01:14:28,800 --> 01:14:31,840
It's a very easy tool.
You have to use also something
1116
01:14:31,840 --> 01:14:35,080
you learn on on your own.
It's not not, not so difficult
1117
01:14:35,080 --> 01:14:38,720
to do and and then you can
optimise your construction as
1118
01:14:38,720 --> 01:14:43,040
far as you want to go.
Of course you you can do that.
1119
01:14:43,880 --> 01:14:49,640
And there is a reason why the
criteria have been chosen the
1120
01:14:49,640 --> 01:14:56,080
way they are.
So it's worth to come as near as
1121
01:14:56,080 --> 01:14:59,400
possible to the actual standard,
which is not.
1122
01:14:59,640 --> 01:15:04,680
It's not but, but that is not
where to to to create a
1123
01:15:04,680 --> 01:15:08,760
challenge.
It's it's it's rare because it
1124
01:15:08,760 --> 01:15:12,080
is the most recommendable way to
go.
1125
01:15:13,920 --> 01:15:16,200
You see pacifiers.
Is not a 0.
1126
01:15:16,200 --> 01:15:22,680
Energy building and we and, and
we do not need 0 energy because
1127
01:15:22,720 --> 01:15:26,640
you can produce energy with your
follow voltaic system and, and
1128
01:15:26,640 --> 01:15:32,240
there is a grid of electricity
that that is available almost
1129
01:15:32,280 --> 01:15:36,040
everywhere on, on the planet.
And, and, and where this is not
1130
01:15:36,040 --> 01:15:39,360
available, you can build
autonomous homes.
1131
01:15:39,360 --> 01:15:42,400
Yes, you can.
And the best way to do it is to
1132
01:15:42,400 --> 01:15:45,640
build a passive house, do it a
little bit better and add, add
1133
01:15:45,640 --> 01:15:47,360
some more for the volatile
systems.
1134
01:15:47,360 --> 01:15:51,640
Yes, so, so, so that's, so at
the end, that's it.
1135
01:15:51,640 --> 01:15:56,840
And if you if you do not come to
a full standard in in first
1136
01:15:56,840 --> 01:16:03,840
place, well, hard for me to
think about what you should,
1137
01:16:04,080 --> 01:16:09,640
what what you can, what, what
what what's the thing you.
1138
01:16:09,720 --> 01:16:13,520
You need released.
Yeah, it's time to pick it
1139
01:16:13,520 --> 01:16:15,440
apart, isn't it?
The thing about we're.
1140
01:16:15,440 --> 01:16:20,680
Going to be adding some costs.
Is the ventilation system, but I
1141
01:16:20,680 --> 01:16:24,600
wouldn't recommend to build any
new residential building
1142
01:16:24,600 --> 01:16:26,560
nowadays without a ventilation
system.
1143
01:16:26,560 --> 01:16:29,360
I think that's probably the
first thing that people give.
1144
01:16:29,360 --> 01:16:31,680
Away in Australia.
This ventilation system.
1145
01:16:32,880 --> 01:16:37,720
See the ventilation system.
Is almost the only part which
1146
01:16:38,400 --> 01:16:43,280
which adds some extra costs from
what your ordinary do.
1147
01:16:44,680 --> 01:16:49,760
But I wouldn't recommend to
build any new residential
1148
01:16:49,760 --> 01:16:54,760
building nowadays without a
ventilation system, because we
1149
01:16:54,760 --> 01:16:56,760
should figure need for inner air
quality.
1150
01:16:56,800 --> 01:16:59,360
It's, it's, it's, it's not about
energy efficiency.
1151
01:16:59,400 --> 01:17:03,720
It's it, it's just providing
healthy indoor climate.
1152
01:17:04,760 --> 01:17:08,000
That's what a ventilation system
is used for.
1153
01:17:08,560 --> 01:17:10,600
Yes, yes.
So yes.
1154
01:17:11,080 --> 01:17:12,360
And that is where we are coming
to in.
1155
01:17:12,360 --> 01:17:14,240
Australia we are.
Coming to that point where it's
1156
01:17:14,240 --> 01:17:17,520
not just about we always talk
about what air changes do you
1157
01:17:17,520 --> 01:17:20,480
need to start introducing
mechanical ventilation and the
1158
01:17:20,480 --> 01:17:24,400
response is becoming more and
more, well, there is no air
1159
01:17:24,400 --> 01:17:26,080
changes per hour that you,
there's a cut off.
1160
01:17:26,080 --> 01:17:30,160
There's no magical number we
need to ventilate regardless,
1161
01:17:31,280 --> 01:17:33,880
yeah.
All right, Wolfgang, I've got.
1162
01:17:34,000 --> 01:17:34,720
May I?
Call you that.
1163
01:17:34,720 --> 01:17:38,560
May I call you Wolfgang?
Of course A.
1164
01:17:39,640 --> 01:17:42,840
Final question, what is?
The one thing out of everything
1165
01:17:42,840 --> 01:17:45,480
you have learned in your career
that you want the listener to
1166
01:17:45,480 --> 01:17:47,040
know.
If you had to pick one thing.
1167
01:17:49,880 --> 01:17:55,000
Remember, we, we built and
renovate for humans, not
1168
01:17:55,000 --> 01:17:58,520
exclusively for investors.
Yeah.
1169
01:17:59,080 --> 01:18:03,320
So, so there is a responsibility
for every designer, planner,
1170
01:18:03,360 --> 01:18:07,640
construction engineer and, and,
and and worker and that is
1171
01:18:07,760 --> 01:18:12,360
design the buildings to be
healthy, to be comfortable, easy
1172
01:18:12,360 --> 01:18:15,920
to use and affordable for the
occupants.
1173
01:18:16,720 --> 01:18:18,760
That's very good holistic advice
and it's.
1174
01:18:18,760 --> 01:18:24,240
Not difficult and I.
Hope we have contributed to make
1175
01:18:24,280 --> 01:18:28,360
it less difficult.
This is which is what what it's
1176
01:18:28,360 --> 01:18:29,880
all about.
Thank you very much Wolfgang.
1177
01:18:29,880 --> 01:18:32,520
It has been an honour.
And a pleasure to talk to you
1178
01:18:32,520 --> 01:18:34,640
tonight.
Well, this morning where you are
1179
01:18:34,640 --> 01:18:36,520
in, in, in your ability, you're
in Darmstadt.
1180
01:18:36,520 --> 01:18:39,520
Did you say exactly.
All right.
1181
01:18:39,960 --> 01:18:41,160
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
1182
01:18:41,240 --> 01:18:42,640
Thank you.
Hi.
1183
01:18:45,160 --> 01:18:47,680
That is all for today.
Thanks so much for tuning.
1184
01:18:47,680 --> 01:18:50,040
In there will be another episode
on a fortnight.
1185
01:18:50,040 --> 01:18:52,680
So if you would like to listen
in to the types of conversations
1186
01:18:52,680 --> 01:18:55,440
that I have all the time, please
subscribe on your chosen
1187
01:18:55,440 --> 01:18:57,800
platform.
Write the show, leave a comment,
1188
01:18:57,800 --> 01:18:59,920
whatever you like, share with
your friends and family.
1189
01:19:00,160 --> 01:19:02,760
I'd love for you to spread the
word about the building serology
1190
01:19:02,760 --> 01:19:04,960
potty.
There's a link in the episode
1191
01:19:04,960 --> 01:19:07,720
description where you can head
to a landing page and there are
1192
01:19:07,720 --> 01:19:10,200
some show notes there with
relevant links and a full
1193
01:19:10,200 --> 01:19:13,560
transcript of the show as well,
and also links to my socials.
1194
01:19:13,840 --> 01:19:16,080
So if you're not already, I'd
love for you to follow along
1195
01:19:16,080 --> 01:19:18,680
there too as I share lots of
building science and building
1196
01:19:18,680 --> 01:19:20,720
biology tips.
Thanks again.
1197
01:19:20,720 --> 01:19:23,680
I'll be back in two weeks, so
until then, happy healthy
1198
01:19:23,680 --> 01:19:24,080
building.