Why energy certification is important …
Sustainable architecture development is one of the concrete answers to the reducing of greenhouse gases emissions and their ecological footprint. The buildings generally have an estimated useful life around 100 years so what is being built now will be affect the future generations. To built or renovate existing buildings or without thinking about energy efficiency, water consumption, CO2 emissions, quality of the materials used means move the problem of environmental issues.
A significant contribution to energy consumption and pollution comes from heating (in colder climates) and conditioning (in warmer climates) or at least a mix of two: both are important causes of energy inefficient use.
As the energy consumption of appliances labels inform the buyer on electricity consumption also in the buildings sector is possible to know the energy performance of building through a document: the energy certificate. The energy efficiency is rated in terms of a set of energy efficiency classes from A to G on the label. At the same time energy certificate finds possible interventions to carry out with the aim to improve the performance. As energy prices rise, the energy certificate is important document where customer can get enough information from the begin of the purchase or lease of a house about energy efficient and building’s running costs. High energy efficient buildings will have a development increasing the real estate market future and consequently a different economic assessment.
The studio offers a consulting services and professional assistance to designers, company and clients related to the energy efficient buildings solution custom tailored at the needs of our customers. We are able assist you to:
Klimahouse certification
Klimahouse certification was developed initially in the Bolzano as voluntary energetic label (except in the province of Bolzano, where it is required) is synonymous to quality housing associated with low energy consumption. The certification is managed by the Klimahouse Agency as public and independent organization not involved in the building process who controls, evaluates and certifies the whole processing. Thus criteria protecting consumer interests and helping to make better informed choices infact only after passing few inspections, energy certificate is given to the owner.
A buildings certified with Klimahouse categories A uses no more than the equivalent of 3 litres of oil or 1.5 m³ of natural gas per year to heat each square meter of living space. The Klimahouse standard is not confined only to residential properties: office buildings, schools, kindergartens and commercial buildings have also been constructed according to the standard. For example Klimahouse Golden category is also known as "house of one litre" because use only a litre of gas oil for a square meter to its energy demand. There is Klimahouse certification rating for interventions to carry out with the aim to improve environmental sustainability through eco-friendly materials, renewable energy…
To develop the culture of low energy buildings Bolzano Agency releases a plaque to fix on the outside door certifying energy class. This label has become synonymous to comfort and energy efficiency and helps to increase the value of the property.
Existing non-residential buildings can also be refurbished using Klimahouse principles.
Passivhaus certification
The term Passive House refers to the rigorous, voluntary, Passivhaus standard for energy efficiency in buildings developed initially in Germany and Sweden from the experiences in the field of energy saving and is developed by the "Passivhaus Institute" (PHI) in Darmstadt, to built 'nearly zero energy building '. To provide low energy costs, high comfort levels and reasonable construction costs Passive Houses certification requires appropriate planning. In buildings built to the Passive House standard the heat losses are reduced so much that hardly any conventional heating systems is needed at all. The energy needs can easily be met with active solar gains, internal gains (persons, electrical equipments ...), mechanical ventilation system with a heat recovery unit with high efficiency or other renewable energy. Passive House or passivhaus building use less than 15 kWh/m² per year in heating and cooling energy and primary energy consumption (heating, cooling, hot water and domestic electricity) must remain under < 120 kWh/m² per square metre of usable living space...
Although it is mostly applied to new buildings, it has also been used for refurbishments according to the EnerPHit Standard.
