10th International Conference On Passive Houses

The following emphases of the 10th International Conference on Passive Houses will be discussed in panel sessions:
I. Refurbishments using Passive House Components
II. Innovations in Passive House Ventilation
III. Examples for Implementation in the Hannover Region
V. Architecture: Theory and Practise
VI. Schools built as Passive Houses
VII. Regional Networks promoting Refurbishment
IX .Examples of Passive House developments
X. Experiences: Passive House Principles used for Refurbishment
XI. Research and Development: Construction Components
XIII. Research and Development: Building Physics
XIV. Implementation at the Community Level
XV. Architecture with the Passive House

International Sessions (only papers in English were accepted):

IV. Promotion of Passive Houses
VIII. Passive Houses in cold and in Mediterranian climates
XII. How to design a passive house in a specific climate
XVI. Innovative Constructions and Projects

10th International Conference on Passive Houses in Hanover, Summer 2006

The anniversary event of the 10th International Conference on Passive Houses will take place in the Congress Center ( HCC) of Hanover from the 19th to the 20th of May 2006. The organizers, namely the Passive House Institut based in Darmstadt, the local enercity-fonds proKlima and the Hanover region agency of climate protection, expect 600 to 800 participants. With the majority coming from Germany and the neighbouring European States, North America and Asia will also be present. For ten years, this conference has brought together all different active participants within the field of energy efficient building. Thereby meeting the approach of “global thinking and local acting”.

“Especially in times of drastically increasing energy prices, an efficient use of energy becomes more and more important”, states Dr. Wolfgang Feist of the Passive House Institut. The Institute researches on highly efficient uses of energy and initiated the first conference on Passive Houses. “Ten years ago, no-one believed us that houses can manage with less than a tenth of the heating energy used by average old buildings”, says Mr. Feist. Since then, the concept of Passive Houses developed new markets – more than 5.000 flats are already inhabited. And not only flats have been successfully built according to Passive House Standards, but schools, office buildings, nursery schools and factory buildings as well. The inhabitants of Passive Houses do not have to worry about energy prices any longer. With 100 Euro per annum, the heating costs stay affordable, even if energy prices should double up. An amount, most people in conventional buildings have to pay each month – an enormous financial burden.

“Obviously, concepts have to be put into action on a local level”, says Manfred Görg, director of proKlima, and refers to successfully carried out projects in the region of Hanover. Within the European CEPHEUS-project, the first worldwide Passive House Estate was built in Hanover already in 1998 by the Stadtwerke Hannover AG in cooperation with proKlima and a building contractor.”We are convinced that the Passive House is one of the most important concepts. Nowadays, with the help of the enercity-fonds even old buildings in the region of Hanover are being modernised using Passive House elements. In doing so, more and more landlords and inhabitants get in touch with this technology, its high comfort and low energy costs”, Mr. Görg points out. At the 10th Conference on Passive Houses, proKlima committed itself to promote international dissemination. “The European Union realized that the highly efficient use of energy is not only contributing to climate protection, but also lessens Europe’s dependence on energy imports from crisis areas. That is why there is PEP (‘Promotion of European Passive Houses’), an EU-project to promote further dissemination of Passive House Standards. The 10th International Conference on Passive Houses makes an important contribution to achieve that goal”, tells us the director of proKlima.

Passive House Exhibition completes Conference
As usual, the conference adresses experts like architects, engineers, building contractors, designers in the building and heating business as well as representatives of regional administrative bodies. This time, the regional organizers thought it especially important to adress interested private clients as well. The accompanying Passive House Exhibition offers information on thermal insulation, windows, ventilation systems and energy efficient heating technologies. The exhibtion can be visited from 19th to the 20th of May at the Hanover Congress Center. ”It is the first time we have an exhibition that concentrates on highly energy-efficient building in the region of Hanover”, points out Udo Sahling, financial director of the agency for climate protection. ”It is fantastic. We can show to international experts how far the climate protection region of Hanover already progressed, and to owners of houses and flats, how they can save money through energy efficiency while protecting the environment at the same time.”
It is worth noting down the date. The 10th International Conference on Passive Houses will take place in the Congress Center of Hanover, from the 19th to the 20th of May 2006. More information under www.passivhaustagung.de .