"Passivhaus Training & Courses, how to expand our understanding" - Steve Charter, SC2

Passivhaus BuildingSkills & Training

Steve CharterSC2 Sustainability Consultancy

Objectives

Provide an overview and clarify:1) key skills issues for Passivhaus Buildings2) business implications of

a) having those skills;

b) not having those skills.

3) Your skills needs and skills gaps in this area4) how to go about developing Passivhaus

building skills and give you some confidence about this... In order that you have the chance of securing business in this area.

Skills and knowledge for Passivhaus buildings

Four key steps to competence i.e. how to get there

1. Awareness - knowing that you need to know

2. Understanding – theoretical base3. Operational knowledge – doing it4. Competence - doing it well,

repeatedly

Awareness → Understanding → Operational knowledge → Competence

Exercise 1:

Define low energy sustainable building? (or construction)

Normally 1 minute exercise ... Different ideas and opinions, and nothing very clear and specific

• Define Passivhaus?= A clear and specific low energy building methodology and standard= clear and specific knowledge & skills

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100

150

200

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400

450

1 6

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61 1 6

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an

nu

al h

eat

con

su

mp

tion

[kW

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m²a

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63 row houses in Heidelberg (Bj.

1962) 41 low energy houses

Niedernhausen 199127 low energy

houses, Hessia

22 houses, PH settlement Wiesbaden 1997

32 passive houses Kronsberg 1998

180

66 74

Benutzereinfluss im PassivhausOccupant behaviour makes a difference: the average matters

Existing buildings

Low energy buildings

90%

Passivhaus houses

13.4 14.9

Why is it important to you?

Changes in Regulations and Standards

Building Regulations changes i.e. Part L, Water Code for Sustainable Homes Code for Sustainable Buildings (impending) Code / Building Regs for Existing Homes? EU Energy Performance in Buildings Directive

It’s the way the UK, Europe and the world is going ...

If you can do Passivhaus correctly, you can do any of the above ... Easily.

Why is it important to you?Changes in Markets Public sector clients and public funded projects:

Leeds City Council: tender for 5 Passivhaus schools Social housing clients

100+ in the pipeline for certification Low energy retrofit projects

Discerning private, education and third sector WCR Dover Passivhaus office; Centre for Disability

Studies; Hadlow College; Eco-selfbuild projects

Low energy and fabric first is the way the UK, Europe and the world is going ...

Business Implications

1. Trends in Regulations and Standards

2. Trends in the Market

3. Implications for knowledge, skills & competence

4. Needs for proof of competence / experience in:

a) achieving high building performance standards b) As well as achieving low / zero waste, sustainable

procurement, etc

Trend Example: ‘Zero Carbon’ Standard

Revised Definition of ‘Zero Carbon’

Recommended Fabric Efficiency Standards Recommended Metric = kWh/m2/yr

39 kWh/m2/yr: flats & mid-terrace; 46 kWh/m2/yr: semis / end-of-terrace &

detached; Covering Space heating & cooling energy

demand

NOTE: Passivhaus is 15kWh/m2/yr ...

Predictable Trends: 2010-2015

‘Sorting the wheat from the chaff’ and ‘the men from the boys’

The best will emerge, become clear and be known ...

Standards Certification and Competency schemes

Building design and construction methodologies

Products Technologies

Product+Technology combinations TRAINING

It will be good business to know how to achieve them / know how to use them in advance.

Predictable Trends'sorting the wheat from the chaff‘ ... or ‘the men from the boys’

Knowledge, skills & competence for low energy sustainable

buildings will be recognised as central issues

‘Proper’ Sust Building training & qualifications will emerge

Training the Trainers programmes will be key to successful UK skills

development

Everyone Needs Education

Planning

Procurement

Design

Construction productsConstruction

Building use

Planners

Building control

Transport planners

ClientsDevelopers

Housing associations

Architects

Architectural technologists

Building services

ManufacturersInstallersSMEsConstruction companies

Building managers

Users

English Heritage

Sustainable Building Knowledge & Skills:

Many audiences, similar messages

Energy supply

Repair &Maintenance

Energy suppliers

Source:

The Chain of Skills and Knowledge

Tender & Design• Client• Consultants• Architects

Construction• Lead contractor• Sub-contractors• Construction• Building services• Project

managers

Use• Owners• Users• Managers• Maintenance &

Repair

Passivhaus Buildings Chain of Knowledge & Skills

Where are you in it?

Who / what are your links in the chain?

How can you put in place the knowledge, skills and competence in all links of the chain?

Passivhaus Building Skills

A Reminder:

If clients, designers, specifiers and builders are to get it right, obviously ...

... the right skills and knowledge have to be in place before the building is built or refurbished.

Mainly this involves: a) improving or refining existing skills b) by adding new knowledge.

Defining Passivhaus Building Skills

Skills relating to proper implementation of the methodology

5 core components

Skills relating to achieving the standard (including the new Passivhaus retrofit

standard)

Other Factors Relating to Passivhaus Buildings

Buildability: easily buildable to meet tough energy performance targets; i.e. not a fiddley and complicated building envelope;

Simplicity: linked to buildability and usability; i.e. lessons from Milton Keynes energy village – users didn’t

understand or use technologies properly; no local people to maintain or repair them, etc.

Usability: usable for users, including simplicity of use; Centre for Disability Studies – outstanding design for users

Future proofed: design for climate change, adaptable, re-usable building and / or components, dismantleable, etc. Climate change mitigation: minimising carbon emissions climate change adaptation i.e. to prevent over-heating

Source: PHI Darmstadt / AECB

2. Max Thermal Efficiency / Min Heat-loss• Super insulation: walls, floors, roof• Airtightness & ventilation i.e. MVHR/heat-recovery• Minimum thermal bridging• Buffer-zones / sun-spaces • High performance windows & doors

4. Minimising Energy & Electrical Demand + Renewable Supply • natural lighting • e.g. LED lighting• AA* appliances• renewable supplies

1. Solar Gain &Min Over-Heating• Location & orientation• Summer shading• Low-e glass

6. Minimising WaterDemand & Runoff• low flush toilets• efficient showers, taps, appliances, etc• rainwater harvesting• greenroof, SDS, etc

3. Passivhaus Products & Materials• structural & insulation /Building systems• internal & externalfinishes• local-regional supplies

5. WasteMinimisation• materials selection•re-used / recycledmaterials• site waste minimis-ation plan

7. Enhancing Ecology& Biodiversity• site works• landscaping• within structure e.g.greenroof, built-in batboxes, etc

Sustainable Building Skills & Competence Tree

Low Energy Building

‘Fabric first’: super

insulation

Airtightness & Thermal Bridging

Natural light &

ventilation

Sustainable Building Products & Materials

Embodied & Health Impacts

Applicability & Cost

Product & System

Combinations

Efficient Energy

Systems, Renewable

s & Sustainable Utilites

Energy Demand

Reduction

Renewable / Sustainable

Supply

Whole Systems & Technology

Combinations

Waste Minimisati

on & Materials Efficiency

Site Waste Manageme

nt Plans

Waste Minimisation –

products & site-practices

Re-use and Recycling – practices &

products

Water Efficiency

& Harvesting

Water efficient techs

& systems

Water harvesting & re-use

Site water management (green roofs, SUDS, etc)

Mapping: Skills & Competence

Low Energy Building

Energy Systems

Materials & Products

Water Efficiency & SystemsWaste Minimisation & Materials Efficiency

Embodied / Wholelife Impacts & Costs

Other e.g. CSH

0

40

80

Skills & Competence

IndividualCompany

Low Energy Building Competence

Design & Fabric / Trade related skills: High levels of insulation:

New build: e.g. generally walls at 500mm Refurb: Internal and External

Airtightness: envelope, testing, improving; Thermal bridging (heat transfer): avoid ThB using

products & techniques e.g. TeploTies; high performance windows; detail at junctions (i.e. see Carbonlite guidance);

MVHR and building services

Other Design related skills Using PHPP Passive solar gain and natural light Thermal mass – not always essential, but often used

Sustainable Building Systems

The parts that make up the whole

Source: The Passivhaus Diaries, Bill Butcher – Green Building Company, with Building Magazine

Airtightness Skills ...

Careful sealing of window-to-wall junctions is

essential

• use special tapes to seal the render to the airtightness membrane

• angles / corners need to be sealed with special mastic

picture

Source: Centrum pasivního domu / AECB

Building Services: keep breaks in the fabric to a minimum

Services penetrations in the fabric should be sealed by cable or hose bushings, pipe sleeves or butyl rubber tapes

Source: Centrum pasivního domu / AECB

Example: skills for thermally efficient buildings

Design skills for architect who designs the building and archtectural technologists; energy consultants; energy / utility systems for BS engineers; including IT / modelling skills;

Trade skills for the trades who put together the building: Carpentry; Brick-laying; Plastering and dry-lining; etc

Building services skills: plumbing, electrical, heating and ventilation - and maintaining airtightness.

Project and site management skills for those who manage the process.

Other valuable skills: a) use and interpretation of thermal imaging cameras; b) air-blower tests, diagnosis & remediation of any faults.

Competence: New Build

Depends on your role – example: airtightness Architect : good design for airtightness = knowledge

of ‘buildability’ i.e. simpler envelope:▪ is simpler in construction, with higher probability of long term

airtightness; ▪ reduces the ratio of external surface area to volume (reduces

heatloss potential).

Builder: attention to detail broadly same result needed as a flat roof – it mustn’t leak,

or have weak points.

RememberThe ‘Fabric First’ Approach means primarily adding to, improving or refining existing skills

Skills for Thermally Efficient Buildings

Architect Builder / Trades

InsulationDesign to achieve target energy performance; u-values etc;

PHPP Modelling;

Structure and insulation

A tight fit with no gaps;

Junction details.

Airtightness;Design for buildability;

Knowing what to use and what to avoid;

Achieving an air-tight envelope;

Use of seals, sleeves, tapes, membranes;

No / minimal leaks;

Thermal

bridging;

Knowledge of products;

Detailed design;

Modelling;

Selection and proper installation of products;

Attention to detail;

Common factor: attention to detail!

Source: PHI Darmstadt / AECB

2. Max Thermal Efficiency / Min Heat-loss• Super insulation: walls, floors, roof• Airtightness & MVHR/heat-recovery• Minimum thermal bridging• Buffer-zones / sun-spaces • High performance windows & doors

1. Solar Gain &Min Over-Heating• Location & orientation• Summer shading• Low-e glass

6. Minimising WaterDemand & Runoff• low flush toilets• efficient showers, taps, appliances, etc• rainwater harvesting• greenroof, SDS, etc

3. Passivhaus Products& Materials• structural & insulation• internal & externalfinishes• local-regional supplies

5. WasteMinimisation• materials selection• re-used / recycledmaterials• site waste minimis-ation plan

7. Enhancing Ecology& Biodiversity• site works• landscaping• within structure e.g.greenroof, built-in batboxes, etc

Need: Skills for doing these things well ...

4. Minimising Energy & Electrical Demand + Renewable Supply • natural lighting • e.g. LED lighting• AA* appliances• renewable supplies

Trick of the trade ...

Make someone in your team the

‘Airtightness Champion’ ...

‘Passivhaus Products Champion’

Etc ...

Lessons from Stamford Brook

To close the Building-and-Skills Performance GapTake action to overcome the challenges and barriers to closing the building-and-skills performance gap:

Cultural – establish traditions in a) energy performance measurement, b) design & construction processes which measure performance & feed it back to create system improvements.

Knowledge and understanding – understand & prioritise the principles of effective thermal envelope, & systems design & construction. Achieve improvements at all levels, from developers & designers to site operatives.

Regulatory Implementation – standards have improved & will continue to do so - ensure that energy standards are well enforced & measured in your own projects.

Training Problems / Challenges

Currently a distinct lack of:1. formally accredited courses on

sustainable building issues;2. low-energy building content within

mainstream building-related qualifications e.g. BTECs, NVQs, etc.

3. trainers with real experience / competence in low energy sustainable building.

SB Training & Skills Plans

Steve’s Recommendation:Develop a Skills Plan / Learning pathway for Passivhaus building skills and competence

Including getting to know: training that is available now in key skills areas; training that is known to be under development; key organisations involved in providing,

brokering & developing sustainable building training e.g. Carbonlite, SusCon, Green Gauge, etc;

Training: Passivhaus Building Competence Pete Warm & Carbonlite courses (AECB):

Passivhaus courses: principles & using PHPP; Modelling Thermal Bridging;

From 2011: Green Gauge, and ‘EcoBuilder Training’ (Oxon Constr’n Training Group);

Oxford Brookes, Leeds Met Uni, UCL, etc. BRE / BRE Wales Certifier training: Passivhaus Trust; BRE;

Scottish PH Institute, etc.

Informal: Green Building magazine; The Green Building

Bible; Passivhaus Diaries; etc. Low Carbon Housing Learning Zone;

On-Line Resources

AECB including Carbonlite Programme – accredited details, training, etc www.carbonlite.org.uk Certified Passivhaus projects database Retrofit for the Future refurb database

The Passivhaus Diaries www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk

Low Carbon Housing Learning Zone – www.leedsmet.ac.uk/teaching/vsite/low_carbon_housing/index.htm

Stream 1Who am I? What can I

be?

Entry Points

Construction Skills /

Training Programmes

Training for Employment Programmes

On-the-Job Learning /

Work Based Training

Specific Desired

Skills

Progression Routes

Stream 2Making it happen

Systems of Skills sets

Products and

technology Systems

setsBusiness / people

management

Project Manageme

nt

Stream 3What do I / we need

now?Design & Innovation

Leadership& Vision

Technical Knowledge

People systems

Change Management

Creating Self-managed teams

Collaboration / partnerships

Talents / aptitudes

Where / who am I

now?

Personal Vision and Practical Steps to Vision

Project development and delivery

Pathway 1: Personal and Business Development

Pathway 2: Practical, Professional and Technical Skills

Stream 1: Sustainable Construction, Modern Methods, 21st Century Construction Excellence

Energy Demand / Efficiency

Energy Supply / Local & Renewable

Products, systems,

technologies

Waste Minimisation & management

Considerate Constructors,

H&S

Healthy, non-toxic building

MMC and Construction Innovation

Standards, legislation,

compliance

Stream 2: Higher Levels

Business Manageme

nt

Professional, Technical

Project Manageme

nt

Accreditation Systems

Pathway 3: Ad Hoc Learning, Showcasing and Virtual Resources

Stream 1: Networks, Membership Organisations,

Publications

Stream 2: Seminars, Events, Exhibitions and

Conferences

Stream 3: Virtual Learning & ICT Resources Programme

Diagram 3: Green Building

Learning System Landmark

Skills Centres

Supply-Chain Clusters

Enterprise & Innovation

Hubs

Major Exemplar Projects

Demo Centres & Physical

Showcasing

Stream 3: Site and Practical Skills

On-site Training

Specialist Skills Centres

General Public and

Client Groups

Demo Pieces: Building FabricBuilding Fabric Demo Pieces: airtightness detail at wall, ceiling and floor junctions; triple glazed windows and doors, showing installation

detailing to avoid thermal bridging and achieve airtight junctions;

fixings and details to avoid cold-bridging; eco-refurbishment demonstrations:

external insulation systems / EWI; internal insulation systems;

Sustainable building products, modular sustainable construction systems, etc e.g. ModCell; Warmcell; Hemcrete; etc.Key Resource: Carbonlite Gold/Passivhaus details available as download from www.carbonlite.org.uk

Action Plan Phases

Phase 1 of the action plan: 2010/11 to 2012 Plan your Action: develop SB Skills & Training Plan

▪ Assess your skills gaps and needs▪ Put the essential foundations of skills and knowledge in

place in 2010-2011 e.g. Carbonlite Passivhaus Training Action your Plan ...

Phase 2: 2012 onwards Review company skills & knowledge Review training plan and learning system Continue to develop, extend and refine the

company skills plan from 2012 to 2015

What are your SB Skills needs?

Company needs around sustainable buildings?

What are your SB knowledge, skills and competence needs? Support? Training? Information? Case

studies? Etc, etc?

Mapping: SB Skills & Competence

Low Energy Building

Energy Systems

Materials & Products

Water Efficiency & SystemsWaste Minimisation & Materials Efficiency

Embodied / Wholelife Impacts & Costs

Other e.g. CSH

0

40

80

SB Skills & Competence

IndividualCompany

Exercise

Where are you now?

Where are you heading?

Where do you need / want to be? What’s your Vision for 2013 / 2015?

How do you get there? What are your practical first steps?

Train Your Sust Building Champions

Identify and Train Champions in your team:

Airtightness Champion Thermal Efficiency Champion Passivhaus Products Champion Water Efficiency Champion Energy Efficient Techs Champion Renewable Energy Champion Zero Waste / Waste Minimisation

Champion Biodiversity Champion

Learning from Exemplar Buildings

Use a range of exemplar buildings for: Examples of specific PH details, and how

to achieve them successfully: articles, case study materials, project work, etc.

Visits for knowledge / skills enrichment. Centre for Disability Studies, Rochford

College; WCR Passivhaus Office, Dover; Hadlow College, nr Tonbridge. Austria trip ... etc.

Green Gauge Conference

Delivering zero carbon through low energy homes

Learning the lessons from Milton Keynes and beyond

5 November 2010 | Milton Keynes£125 + VAT

Energy pioneers now: Fabric first - principles for low energy homes in 2010, Paul Smyth, Think50

Social housing pioneers: 14 Passivhaus units at Wimbish in Essex, John Lefever, Regional Head of Development, Hastoe Housing Association

Refurbishing the Netherfield Estate: Applying Passivhaus principles, David Saxby, 00 Architects

www.greengaugetrust.org

Free CPD Course & Company Assessments

Understanding Sustainable Building Skills & Training SusCon, Dartford – 2nd Nov Crawley Town Hall – 4th Nov Bricks & Bread, Aldershot – 9th Nov

SB Skills Assessment & Plan: 15 diagnostic company visits, including summary report

Questions?

Steve CharterDirector

SC2 Sustainability Consultancy

steve@sc2.org.ukwww.sc2.org.uk07990 778581

www.greengaugetrust.org