The project consists of giving training seminars on the Passivhaus standard to all those who carry out their professional activity in the construction sector, from construction managers to employees of execution crews, so that they know the main characteristics and particularities of this construction standard, which is today the greatest possible specialization in terms of Nearly Zero Consumption Building (ECCN).

From the end of this year 2020, all buildings without exception must be ECCN in accordance with European regulations, specifically DE 2010/31. However, and despite the fact that the national regulations have been updated to transpose this directive in December 2019, the construction sector in our country does not have the necessary tools to face this adaptation with guarantees.

The Passivhaus construction standard is a freely available construction standard that does not require the use of any specific material or brand, but establishes minimum energy requirements that buildings must meet, also establishing the mechanisms for their verification and offering general guidelines for this. Although achieving these requirements can be achieved in many different ways, there must be sufficient knowledge of the general principles necessary for them and that ensure a correct design and execution of the thermal envelope of buildings. This standard has sufficient experience and proven effectiveness through its numerous examples around the world since the first certified building in 1991.

Since the foundation of the PEP association in 2008, we have been working on the dissemination of the standard and sharing the knowledge and experience of its members both among themselves and with other people interested in this way of building. In recent years, the implementation of the standard has been exponential in our country, thanks to two main factors; the reliability of the standard and the dissemination and advisory work of PEP. Although we can consider that Passivhaus “is fashionable”, from PEP we detect that there are very few who really know what it is really about, how it is achieved and what it implies, and that is why we started this project of technical seminars to give initial knowledge to all those interested in evolving in this sense.

The seminars introduce the general concepts of this type of construction, as well as the best practices in each of its principles to ensure not only the minimum energy demand but also the health and comfort inside the buildings.

The Passivhaus standard is, to date, the greatest possible specialization in terms of nearly zero consumption building (ECCN) worldwide. A standard that in our country has an exponential growth, having certified twice as much surface area in the last two years than during the previous 8 years.

As of December 31, 2020, it is mandatory in our country that all buildings without exception are ECCN. This regulatory obligation obliges people who carry out their activity in the entire field of construction in our country to update their knowledge and skills to this reality, making it clear that having knowledge of this standard contributes significantly to improving their employability.

For this reason, face-to-face training actions are proposed in which during two face-to-face days of 7 hours each, each of the aspects necessary to achieve this construction standard is deepened, according to the following program:

0.5 H. Passivhaus building platform. Introduction to the standard, 5 basic principles.

1.5 H. Opaque envelope, thermal insulation and design free of thermal bridges.

1.5 H. High performance carpentry and sun protection.

1.5 H. Hermeticity, infiltrations and Blower Door test.

1.5 H. Air Renewal, Controlled Mechanical Ventilation

1.5 H. Active systems.

1 H. Automation Systems

1 H. Passivhaus Certification. PHPP and Design PH.

1 H. Examples of Passivhaus projects

0.5 H. Improving the building

1 H. Question time and talk colloquium

0.5 H. Insulation Demonstration Workshop

0.5 H. Carpentry demonstration workshop

0.5 H. Waterproof demonstration workshop

0.5 H. Demonstration workshop on controlled ventilation

The necessary teaching material for these workshops will be developed by the staff of PYP (Passivhaus Building Specialists). The demonstration workshops consist of a previous explanation of the concept, the display of materials and elements of each principle and a practice of correct execution. Students receive all the teaching material in PDF and a diploma of course achievement.