Thermochip, first Galician company to certify a Passivhaus construction system for the entire envelope

The systemThermochip Housingfor the entire envelope of the building, has achieved thecertification as a Passivhaus construction system. This means that the construction solution adapts to the requirements demanded by the Passivhaus Institute, for the construction of passive houses that allow energy savings of up to 90% with low CO2 emissions.

For more than two decades, thePassivhaus standardof German origin has been the world reference for obtaining buildings certified as passive. These types of works are built taking into account the climate, geography, orientation of the home, and demanding a high degree of insulation of the envelope without thermal bridges, in addition to good airtightness of the outside air of the entire building. To achieve a result that meets the requirements of this German certificate, it is necessary to follow a construction that in winter and summer combines high interior comfort with very low energy consumption. With this perfectly leveled tandem, buildings achieve savings between 60% – 90% of energy demand, with few emissions.

To achieve this it is necessary to employ highly competent construction techniques and systems, careful planning, and unbeatable components. As a general rule, these components are two or three times more efficient than the products normally used or in traditional construction; however, their selection and verification of their effectiveness is not always an easy task for professionals in the sector. To facilitate this task, the Passivhaus Institut, as an independent authority, tests and certifies products with respect to their suitability for use in passive constructions. Products bearing the “Passivhaus” component seal have been tested according to uniform criteria; They are comparable in terms of their specific values ​​and are of excellent quality in terms of energy efficiency. Its use facilitates the work of professionals involved in the design and execution of passive projects, and contributes significantly to ensuring the impeccable performance of the resulting building.

Within the requirements set out by the Passivhaus standard, an energy demand for heating and/or cooling less than or equal to 15kWh/m² per year is required (calculation carried out with the PHPP tool). Furthermore, it requires a degree of airtightness of less than 0.6 renewals per hour, which is why the ventilation system indicated for this type of home is a double flow system with heat recovery.

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Thermochip, first Galician company to achieve certification as an integral Passivhaus enclosure system

Thermochip has managed to become the first Galician company to achieve certification as a comprehensive passivhaus envelope construction system.

This is a remarkable milestone, since until now in Galicia there was no other company that had this certification.In the national context, success is also important, only 2 Spanish companies had achieved the same mention, and only 5 appear in the database of components certified by the institute.. From now on, Thermochip manages to position itself as the only Galician company in its category, and with this achievement it enters the tiny group of Spanish companies that offer a comprehensive construction system for envelopes with the seal.

Why does the future lie in sustainable construction?

With the entry into force of the latest modification of theTechnical Building Code (CTE)For the design and execution of Almost Zero Consumption Buildings, a new regulation emerges that directs the sector towards the energy efficiency of buildings, the comfort, health, and safety of people. This legislative change, together with the current health crisis, has caused standards such as Passivhaus to be more on the rise than ever.

The recent update ofDB HEincludes requirements similar to those of the German standard. However, today, the passivhaus seal is still much stricter than the technical building code, and there are still large differences between the two. Among them, the requirements regarding thermal comfort in summer, airtightness, mechanical ventilation or thermal bridges.

The future of the sector involves the construction of buildings that meet the energy efficiency, health and safety of their users. The Thermochip Housing system is the solution to build sustainable envelopes in an agile and efficient way that meet the requirements of the new CTE.Proof of the reliability and certainty of the system is the possibility of carrying out the test “Thermochip Blower Pass”, made available free of charge to all clients who use this solution in their projects. Through this test, air infiltrations in buildings are detected and quantified, and it serves to evaluate the permeability of the envelope, indicated in Annex H of the basic energy saving document.

If you are interested in learning more information about the system, do not hesitate to contact our technical department. The team will accompany you in the design and execution process of your project, clarifying any doubts regarding regulatory compliance.You can contact without obligation,here.