Passive Houses

Passive homes

Homes for a Changing Climate

Energy costs are growing higher and higher each year and people are continually trying to adjust to climate change. These two factors are leading people to want more from their home, especially with regard to energy saving features which in turn, will help create a healthier environment. Another priority high on the house buyer’s list is that their home should be built to last, so construction fi rms nowadays have a lot to live up to and their answer to all these demands is passive houses.

These homes are built according to very strict building standards which ensure that on completion, the construction is not only comfortable and placed on the market at a reasonable price, but its energy costs are much lower than traditional houses. Passive house constructors indeed, claim to be able to slash the heating energy consumption of a building by 90%. Since buildings are responsible for 48% of greenhouse gas emissions in our atmosphere, then passive houses could have a dramatic impact on energy conservation. A passive house is very well-insulated and almost airtight, so loss of heat gained from the sun and internally from people and electrical equipment, is kept to a bare minimum. The need for air-conditioning is also kept as low as possible by taking advantage of the natural shade available, and by positioning the windows correctly. Fresh air is supplied by an energy recovery ventilator, which provides high quality indoor air. 

Nowadays, many in the construction sector have applied this philosophy to design and are building towards a carbon-neutral future. In the last decade, more than 15,000 buildings in Europe including schools, residences, factories and offi ces have been designed and built or renovated to passive house standards. Even government agencies have begun to include these building standards in their policy-making which is good news for all of us.

Glossary

to adjust: adeguarsi in turn: a sua volta to last: durare to live up to: essere all’altezza to slash: ridurre drasticamente airtight: ermetica recovery: recupero

1 - Warm up

Look again at page 138 of your coursebook, then use the words in the box to complete this description of passive solar building design.

Windows, walls and doors (1) ____________ and store solar energy in winter to (2) ____________ the building, while they are able to (3) ____________ it in summer which reduces the cost of air conditioning to keep the building (4) ____________. The (5) ___________ of windows is very important, as is the kind of (6) ____________ used. Finally, the building also has to be well (7) ____________.

2 - Reading comprehension

Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

1. People could choose to live in passive homes because they are cheaper to heat.

2. Due to energy saving features, passive homes are very expensive to buy. 

3. Passive house builders declare that they can cut energy bills by half. 

4. You won’t find many draughts in a passive house.

5. The energy produced by the occupants of a passive home helps to heat it. 

6. Over the last ten years 15,000 buildings have been constructed in Europe in line with passive house standards.

3 - Vocabulary

Choose the correct alternative in the following sentences about passive houses. 

1. People choose passive houses because of growing energy costs and climate change/exchange. 

2. Free solar/sun energy is used efficiently to reduce heating costs. 

3. Instead of relying on air conditioning, shade/shadow is used effectively to keep the building cool. 

4. Super isolation/insulation ensures heat is not lost.

5. There are fewer carbon transmissions/emissions from a passive house.

6. Passive houses greatly reduce energy conservation/consumption.

4 - Writing

An area in your town is under redevelopment and you have been asked by your local council to describe passive house standards, giving details of the features and advantages of this new kind of building design. Write the report for the council (about 100 words).

Rooftop gardens

A heart of green in the city centre

A garden on the roof of a building is not only pretty to look at, but its plants can provide food, a habitat for wildlife, not to mention, a pleasant recreational area. Rooftop gardens are mostly found in urban environments where there is often a serious lack of available gardening areas. Through transpiration, the plants in these gardens help to reduce the energy consumption of a building because they lower the amount of heat absorbed by the building from the sun. This lowering of urban heat can also lower the level of smog in cities. The plants on rooftops are also useful in heavy rainfall as they control the flow of water draining off the building, so help to avoid flooding in the streets. As already mentioned, food can also be grown in these gardens which becomes a source of fresh produce in an urban area. Roof gardens can also provide additional outdoor living space with tables and chairs which can be used for entertaining. Therefore, rooftop gardens are beneficial to cities from an aesthetic, practical and environmental point of view, and are high on the list of priorities of urban planners whose aim is to create a sense of open space and greenery in our cities today.

Glossary 

wildlife: fauna selvatica lack: carenza lower: abbassano rainfall: precipitazioni flooding: allagamenti

1 - Warm up

Describe what you would expect to find in a rooftop garden. Include some or all of the words in the box to help you.