Two years’ monitoring of the performance of a certified passive house proves the building to be far more energy efficient than expected. An all-in-one ventilation and heating system from Nilan constitutes a vital parameter in the exceptional results, as it provides ventilation with heat recovery for space and sanitary hot water heating consuming very little energy.

In Jenišov in the Czech Republic, sits the country’s first-ever certified passive house, accredited by the German Passivhaus Institut, which is the organisation behind the energy efficiency and comfort building standard. Since the residents moved into the house in March 2010, it has been subject to monitoring in terms of its energy consumption. Now, two years later, data obtained from 1 April 2010 to 30 March 2012 prove that not only is the house in keeping with the stringent required maximum for its  total energy consumption at 113 kWh/(m²a), it consumes a mere total of 48 kWh/(m²a).

This means that the house provides the residents with much more than what they hoped for when investing in a passive house – not least taking into consideration that Jenišov is known for its relatively cold climate:

– Living in a passive house has not only given us massive savings on the heating bill, we are also able to enjoy a healthy and comfortable indoor climate at all times of the year, without ever having to rely on natural ventilation, says home owner Martin Šperl.

Ventilation and heating solution consuming only 20 kWh/(m²a)

The passive house standard is a relatively new concept, yet widely expanding internationally, offering constructors and home owners the possibility of building homes that consume only a minimum of energy.

One of the largest items in the energy consumption equation of a passive house, and thus a key factor when reducing the total as much as possible, is the ventilation and heating solutions. In the Jenišov house, these are combined in a single unit, the Nilan VP 18 10 P, which is the predecessor to Nilan’s all-in-one Compact P solution.

Consuming a mere 20 kWh/(m²a), the unit provides balanced ventilation with active and passive heat recovery for space heating and sanitary hot water production, supplemented only by underground pipes and a 2 kW heating element on the very coldest days of the year. The energy consumption of the house in general and the Nilan solution in particular are deemed more than satisfactory by Nilan Key Account Manager Sabrina Arnautovic:

– These figures prove that the passive house standard and our solutions are a perfect match and a sound investment, achieving optimal performance even in quite cold climates. Furthermore, obtaining a passive house certification and topping it with data proving the house to perform even better than expected paves the way for many more passive houses, and many home owners have already shown interest in the Compact P.

Learn more about the passive house concept

Learn more Nilans passive house certified Compact P, the newest generation of Nilans all-in-one solutions

See the technical specifications of the passive house in Jenišov

01-06-2012  New total solution offers wide span in heating capacity

30-04-2012  Compact P a key ingredient in pioneering passive house training program

13-02-2012  Nilan-Garona partnership results in first-of-its-kind indoor climate solution

17-01-2012  Large Slovenian house builder chooses Compact P UVP for its first passive house

When the housing association Domea started a renovation project of 112 apartments, it chose to combat a humid indoor climate, which has led to severe mould problems, with Nilan’s ventilation solution Comfort 300 Top.

A healthy indoor climate is not just for new builds. In the city Frederikssund in Denmark sit four apartment houses from the 1970s with 112 newly renovated apartments that are proof of this.

Each of the apartments now breathes mechanically 24 hours a day through the Nilan Comfort 300 Top. In addition to ensuring fresh and clean air in the homes, the solution comes standard with a humidity sensor that provides automatic regulation of the humidity level.

A high humidity level carries the risk of mould building up, consequently affecting the health of both residents and the building. The housing association Domea knows the consequences of this all too well and is happy to conclude that humidity and mould now have been thrown out of the 112 apartments.

– We have experienced many problems with mould in the buildings, because it was difficult to ensure a sufficient air exchange in the 110 and 140 m2 apartments by means of natural ventilation. The new ventilation units automatically increase or lower the ventilation level depending on the residents’ needs at all times of the day, explains Brian Hartman, Project and Client Design Advisor of Domea.

Centrally monitored but individually adjusted

The residents are able to individually adjust the unit according to their specific needs because the 112 Comfort 300 Top systems constitute a decentralised solution with each apartment having its own ventilation unit. However, this comes with the risk of the units being turned off by accident by the residents, leaving the door open to humidity and mould again.

– Many housing associations find it difficult to choose between a centralised ventilation solution with a ventilation system fitted on the roof or in the basement, thus allowing for easy monitoring of its performance, or a decentralised solution, where all apartments are equipped with its own ventilation solution that normally is not easily accessible to the housing association staff, states Nilan Project Manager Lars Bek.

In Frederikssund, this issue has been solved by a feature that triggers an alarm when a unit is turned off, providing the housing association staff with the possibility of reaction to it. In other words, Nilan has combined the best of the two solution types, making a decentralised solution centrally monitored.

Learn more about decentralised and centralised solutions in our brochure on the subject

Today sees the launch of a new and enhanced version of one of our most popular products, Comfort 300, as we have combined our left and right models in one, thus eliminating complicated installations and facilitating maintenance.

A focal point of Nilan’s activities is the further development of our product range in order to continue to provide high-quality and energy efficient solutions that benefit our customers and the end user.
The most recent result of these efforts is the launch of a new and enhanced version of the Comfort 300, which has been one of our customers’ favourite choices of ventilation solutions for years.

No more left or right

The new model combines the former left and right models in one solution that can be opened in both sides.

Consequently, it is no longer necessary to know the exact position of the unit in relation to walls and ceiling before ordering it, as it can be turned both ways when fitted. The possibility of opening it from both sides also facilitates service and general maintenance, thus eliminating any inconveniences in terms of the handling of the unit.

Learn more about the Comfort 300