Passive building techniques in Vaxjo, Sweden
Vaxjo, Sweden, is leading the world in the charge towards going completely carbon neutral - leading the way in the sustainability movement, in part, with the use of passive house construction for all buildings and residences. Vaxjo plans to become carbon-neutral, at least in part, by using passive building techniques (a.k.a. passive house, passivhaus) throughout the city.
Buildings in Vaxjo must conform to strict efficiency standards. The construction processes, as well as the energy spent on maintenance of the building, maximize energy efficiency. All-timber construction, the use of the latest insulation technology, as well as individual smart metering of heat, water, and electricity; are some of the ways in which energy efficiency is prioritized in new construction in Vaxjo. Air-tight construction is combined with energy efficient windows (double-pane or triple-pane windows) to seal-in internal building temperatures and keep out external weather.
Heating in a passive home or building consists of heat trapped from the sun's rays, residents themselves, and electrical appliances. Air-tight construction, premium insulation, and double- or triple-pane windows effectively ensure daytime heat within the building is not lost.
This practice of using timber, air-tight construction, and excellent insulation, to build passive homes, are popular techniques for prefab home manufacturers, particularly in Sweden. In addition to energy efficient means in construction, Vaxjo prioritizes renewable energy generation (solar, geothermal, biomass) in its new buildings; so that some of Vaxjo's new buildings are plus-energy (generating more energy than the building consumes), like in Vauban, Germany.
Passive House Standards
Here are some basic guidelines of constructing a passive home, from Passive House Institute U.S.-
Passive building comprises a set of design principles used to attain a quantifiable and rigorous level of energy efficiency within a specific quantifiable comfort level. "Optimize your gains and losses" based on climate summarizes the approach. To that end, a passive building is designed and built in accordance with these five building-science principles:
- Employs continuous insulation throughout its entire envelope without any thermal bridging.
- The building envelope is extremely airtight, preventing infiltration of outside air and loss of conditioned air.
- Employs high-performance windows (double or triple-paned windows depending on climate and building type) and doors - solar gain is managed to exploit the sun's energy for heating purposes in the heating season and to minimize overheating during the cooling season.
- Uses some form of balanced heat- and moisture-recovery ventilation.
- Uses a minimal space conditioning system.
For more on a European city dedicated to the construction of Passive House Plus buildings, please see:
Vauban, Germany - The Greenest City District in Europe
GCT Featured Articles
The Role of E-mobility Trends in Decarbonizing Transport
Decarbonizing the Transportation Sector with E-mobility | It's no secret that transportation is a major source of...
Read Post5 Ways Cities Can Handle Waste More Sustainably
5 Ways for Cities to Implement Sustainable Waste Management | Article by Jane Marsh | Global and national policies...
Read Post10 Ways Smart Cities Improve Worker Safety
10 IoT Technologies for Sustainable Smart Cities | by Jane Marsh | As the conversation around greenhouse gas...
Read Post10 Sustainable Technologies Improving Air Quality in Cities
GREEN Tech for Healthy Air | Article by Jane Marsh | Cities are the heart of every global region. They are headquarters...
Read PostVauban in Freiburg, Germany
Vauban is an exemplary sustainable town, the greenest town in Europe. A “zero-emission” district in Freiburg, Germany,...
Read Post5 categories of change in climate
Climate change is adversely affecting all parts of the earth. There have been dramatic increases in greenhouse gas emissions...
Read PostProfiles in Sustainable Cities – San Diego, California
Sustainable cities, like San Diego, have eco-city designs that prioritize consideration of social, economic, and environmental...
Read PostAustin, Texas: a sustainable city
Eco-friendly Capital | Austin is widely recognized as a top eco-friendly city, especially in the United States. In...
Read PostOslo, Norway – Europe’s Eco-capital
Oslo: Net Zero Future | Oslo, Norway has fleets of green mass public transit - trams, electric buses, and ferries...
Read PostSustainable city: CHICAGO
Chicago might not be widely known as a green city, however, the city has a Sustainable Action Agenda, a vast network...
Read PostThe Global Fight Against Climate Change; NDCs and Net Zero Targets Worldwide
Nationally Determined Contributions | As part of the ongoing global battle against climate change, almost 200 countries...
Read PostCalifornia – Current Progress of a Climate Champion
Learning From California's Struggle to Balance Decarbonization With Energy Resilience | Since California passed the...
Read PostSustainable Energy Infrastructure
Updating Infrastructure for Developing Renewable Energy in Cities | People-centered smart cities are cropping up worldwide....
Read PostClimate Solution- Sustainable Ag.
Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture Sustainable agriculture turns farms into thriving ecological lands that produce...
Read PostThe future generation of batteries
Advanced li-ion batteries | Next-generation lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries are being developed, and varieties are...
Read PostClean Hydrogen Power
Hydrogen and the Clean Energy Transition | Hydrogen is one of the most promising emerging energy technologies to fill...
Read PostNuclear – necessary energy
Both nuclear and renewable energy are needed in the global energy mix to help fight climate change. In order to cut...
Read Post10 Ways to Reduce Food Waste
As the climate changes, global ecosystems experience debilitating effects. Resource depletion degrades the security...
Read PostCOP21 – good news for the planet
NDCs and Net Zero Pledges | At COP21, commonly referred to as the Paris Climate Accord, nations sent representatives...
Read PostHow Safe & Clean is Nuclear ☢️ Energy?
When looking at climate solutions for clean energy generation, it is prudent to look at all clean energy sources. Nuclear...
Read PostRenewable Energy Jobs are UP, and RE cost is down
Employment in the clean energy sector features, first and foremost, jobs in energy efficiency (of the over 3 million...
Read PostReforestation
Deforestation and solutions; including reforestation Deforestation of our planet, for centuries, has led to issues such...
Read PostRegenerative Agriculture
The United Nations (UN) has advised that a global shift towards plant-based food will counteract the worst effects of...
Read PostUsing Technology to Provide Clean Water to Cities
How Technology Can Help Cities Avoid Another Flint Water Crisis | Article by Jane Marsh | The green movement is influencing...
Read PostKamuthi Solar Project; and the largest solar PV farms in India, China, and other countries
Featuring over 2.5 million individual solar PV modules, and on 2,500 acres, in the town of Kamuthi in the Ramanathapuram...
Read PostPermanent ban on new coal mines and other sustainability priorities
Strategies for mitigating climate change | What are the best strategies for mitigating global warming? How is the...
Read PostRenewable Energy – Breakthroughs in Wind Energy
Onshore Wind Farms - Cheap and Clean Energy | Onshore wind farms now provide the least expensive form of energy, renewable...
Read PostShortfall in International GHG Reduction Pledges
Is the World Going to Meet its Climate Targets? There is a substantial shortfall between GHG emission reduction pledges...
Read PostBreakthroughs in Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Solar Thermal Technology
Solar - the most abundant renewable energy on the planet | Recently there have been dramatic breakthroughs in solar...
Read PostEconomy vs. the Environment
Economic growth does not have to come at the expense of the environment. Sustainable technologies (such as renewable...
Read PostPlan for Smart Meter Deployment in all 50 States
Modern SMART Meters | Many buildings in America today still rely on inefficient energy infrastructure, such as older...
Read PostDesalination- Clean Water for a Thirsty World
Carlsbad, California desalination plant | The Sorek desalination plant in Tel Aviv, Israel | The two desalination plants...
Read Post10 Countries Promoting the use of EVs
Why Is There A Need For EVs Globally? In its World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency identifies pathways...
Read PostMicrogrids spread across Africa
Developing Microgrids Communities see tremendous benefits from microgrids, especially in developing countries and developing...
Read PostEVs to be the main car on the world’s roads
EV mandates In the near future, there will be laws implemented mandating sales of electric vehicles (EVs), and the phase-out...
Read PostPutting a Price on Carbon
Carbon Markets | Carbon cap and trade systems are regulatory policies in which countries, provinces, states, and even...
Read PostA Close Look at San Diego’s HERO Program
San Diego, Green Buildings, HERO Program The importance of green energy for use in homes and businesses is becoming...
Read PostRecycling – how we are doing as a global community; waste-to-energy
Effective waste management strategies for cities include citywide recycling programs, circular economy strategies, as...
Read PostRide-sharing our way to saving the planet
Sustainable Commuting | Carsharing (a.k.a. ride-sharing) services provide an opportunity to reduce emissions from...
Read PostThe UNFCCC
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – Conference of the Parties | World leaders, dignitaries,...
Read PostCarbon tax – a levy on pollution whose time has come
Defining effective carbon taxes | A carbon tax is a levy in countries and regions on: fossil fuel power plants, oil...
Read Post12 Ways You Can Help the Environment
It’s not hard to lower your carbon footprint, combat climate change, and help the environment. By doing just a few...
Read PostImproving energy efficiency
Energy Efficiency Foundations for Green Building: Energy Star, LED and CFL Lights, LEED technologies When it comes to...
Read PostDecoupling and Divestment to Reach Sustainability
Decoupling Decoupling in eco-environmental terms can be defined as a striving for economic growth without creating corresponding...
Read Post