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Green building methods
'Passivhaus' is a German standard for extremely energy efficient building construction.
To meet the standard, a house must be extremely well insulated and have very low energy use for heating and cooling. The passive house uses the sun, its occupants, household appliances and the extracted air - passive heat sources - to cover much of the heat demand. The remaining heat is provided by the supplied air, and is sufficient as a heat source because the house has such reduced heat losses. A passive house will save you money on heating bills. A 75% reduction in space heating requirements compared to standard UK new build is achieved, according to the Passivhaus Trust. However, the building will cost more to create in the first place - estimated at between 3 and 8% more by the International Passive House Association.