About this article
Published Online: Aug 09, 2022
Page range: 5 - 20
Received: Jan 05, 2022
Accepted: Jun 10, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acee-2022-0011
Keywords
© 2022 Ada KOŁODZIEJCZYK-KĘSOŃ, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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Architectural comparison – physical aspect – users’ comfort. Own study
| Passive House | “be 2226” |
|---|---|
| Rooms height | |
| The celling heights depends on the function of the building and varies from 2.5 m to over 7.5 m in sports halls. The mechanical ventilation is set for the number of users resulting from the project assumptions. | The ground floor is slightly higher, and other floors have equal celling height of 3.3 m. In high rooms, carbon dioxide can accumulate near the celling like warm air [ |
| Sound and air pollution | |
| In Passive Houses sound pollution from the outside is not a problem because the airtight windows do not need to be open. The ventilation system has acoustic silencers, but the sound of air flow can be noticed. | When the vents are open the outside sound and air pollution in some environments can negatively affect the users. |
| Draughts | |
| The thermal comfort in the Passive House is achieved by the same temperature along walls and windows. There are no draughts or temperature differences that could be felt by the users (above 4°). | During ventilation draughts can appear. The cold winter air penetrating the room can be unpleasant for the user sitting next to the opened vent. |
The diagrams show the shapes of the façades divided according to their functions. Own study
| Diagram of façades | Description |
|---|---|
| “be 2226” | |
| All façades have the same dimensions and the same number of windows. | |
| Passive House | |
| Regardless the proportions of façades all of them have equally spaced windows. | |
| There are three types of façades: a short, small one with no windows, a long one with a lot of glazing and a long one with fewer windows. | |
| There are two types of façades: a short one with no windows, and a long one with a lot of glazing. | |
| There are three types of façades. One with a large number of windows, one with fewer windows, and one without glazing | |
| There are two types of façades. One with a large number of windows, and one with fewer windows. | |
| There are two types of façades. One with barely any windows, one with no windows and one long façade with a lot of glazing. | |
Architectural comparison – physical aspect – users’ comfort – daylight. Own study
| Passive House | “be 2226” |
|---|---|
| Perforation of façades. | |
| The arrangement of the building envelopes differs according to the function. In 55% of the buildings the most perforations are on the southern façade. The deviation from the north is between 1 to 48°. In school and health care facilities the northern facades have equal numbers of rows and columns of windows. | All façades are perforated equally regardless of their orientation. Vertical arrangements of the vents are the best solution for the differences in pressure. |
| Daylight distribution and façades perforation [ |
|
| The distribution of light in rooms depends on the façade orientation. Spaces used more than 4 hours a day have window glass area of minimum 1/8 of the floor area. 0–28% on the northern façades 0–31% on the eastern façades 0–36% on the western façades 11–44% on the southern façades. |
The distribution of daylight is equal in all rooms. The 16% of each façade surface are windows. Large windows gain daylight and solar radiation. This reduces the use of artificial light and energy consumption. The balance between the windows and the solid façade wall was calculated as optimal for office buildings. |
| Location | |
| The investigated Passive House buildings relate to their surroundings. They have different locations – in the city, as extensions of existing buildings or on new sites surrounded by fields. They are simple in architectural expression. They try to be consistent and compact. They are correct but not timeless. The proportions are not sophisticated and repeat common patterns assigned to their functions. | The location of “be 2226” building is a commercial zone, surrounded by modern buildings made of glass and metal. This building is different in shape and perforation. It is a white cube with columns and rows of identical windows. It stands out from the surroundings. |
Architectural comparison – resilience aspect – change of function. Own study
| Passive House | “be 2226” |
|---|---|
| Lifespan of the building [ |
|
| All investigated Passive House buildings are designed from inside out. The shapes of the buildings are determined by their function and the requirements of the standard. The function may be slightly modified but the plan is mostly closed and intended for the specified function. |
Due to the open plan, the building can change its function in the future. It is crucial for the environment, because the lifespan of those buildings is extended. |
The examined buildings are designated by letters. Own study
| letter | building |
|---|---|
| A | “be 2226” |
| B | Sports hall in Waganowice |
| C | Sports hall in Słomniki |
| D | Sports hall in Brwinów |
| E | Sports hall by secondary school in Kraków |
| F | Sports hall of the University of Agriculture in Kraków |
| G | Sports hall in Bełdów |
| H | Kindergarten in Rogów |
| I | Kindergarten in Bełdów |
| J | Kindergarten in Słomniki |
| K | Counselling Centre office building Kokotów |
| L | Centre for Sustainable Development and Energy in Miękinia |
| M | Crisis Management Centre in Aleksandrów Łódzki |
| N | Rehabilitation centre in Szczerców |
| O | Health care and nursing centre in Kraków |
| P | Health care centre in Słomniki |
| R | Primary school in Budzów |
| S | Mini waterpark in Siemiatycze |
| T | Hotel in Bardo |
| U | Zakole Club Nowa Huta, Kraków |
| W | Counselling Centre production hall in Kokotów |
Author’s own method. Own study.
| Author’s own method | |
| Subject | Standards of passive buildings |
| Objective | Optimization of passive standards |
| Scope of research problem | The analytical research, interpretation of architectural factors, diagnosis of the standards problems |
| Measures taken | Logical comparative analysis, deduction, literature research, synthesis, drawing conclusions |
| Techniques applied | Observation, measurement, parametric techniques, counting of elements, analysis of non-parametric data, visual inspection of the investigated object, analysis of documents, description, clarification, interpretation, benchmarking, observation |
Comparison of passive standards – principal differences and similarities. Own study
| Passive House | “be 2226” | |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional heating and cooling | elimination | elimination |
| High quality of temperature and air quality | delivered by mechanical ventilation | delivered directly via opened vents controlled by CO2 sensors |
| Well-insulated outer envelope material | polystyrene or mineral wool | constructed with two layers of a high insulating brick used as a storage mass |
| Wall thermal insulation coefficient U | between 0.08 and 0.19 W/(m2K) A significant problem with overheating in summer because the used thermal insulation materials do not accumulate the heat inside | 0.161 W/(m2K) (calculated by the Author with the assumption that the insulating bricks coefficient for the plastered wall is λ =0.126 according to the producer’s specifications) |
| Heat | provided exclusively by mechanical ventilation with recuperation | stable indoor temperature (despite the weather change from extreme cold to extreme warm) secured by thermal storage capacity of “be 2226” building envelope walls |
The diagrams show daylight access to the buildings divided according to the evenness of the access. Own study
| Diagram of light access | Description |
|---|---|
| “be 2226” | |
| Daylight is delivered equally inside the building from all four sides via evenly distributed windows. | |
| Passive House | |
| Daylight is delivered equally inside the building from all four sides via evenly distributed windows. This arrangement appears in two buildings: O, T. | |
| Daylight is mainly delivered through the south (with slight deviations) glazing on the elongated façade. |
|
| Daylight is mainly delivered through the south (with slight deviations) glazing on the elongated façades. |
|
| Daylight is mainly delivered through the south from one main elongated façade. Daylight from other directions is limited to the necessary room illumination in accordance with the regulations. This arrangement appears in three buildings: G, J, K. | |
| Daylight is mainly delivered through the south glazing on the elongated façade, from other directions it is limited to the necessary room illumination in accordance with the regulations. This arrangement appears in seven buildings: H, I, L, M, N, P, S. | |
| Daylight is mainly delivered through the east and the west façades. There are no windows on the north façade. The short south façade is also perforated with windows. This arrangement appears in three buildings: R, U, W. | |
The diagrams show main shape allocation of the investigated buildings. Own study
| Diagram of light access | Description |
|---|---|
| “be 2226” | |
| Cube | |
| Passive House | |
| Cube. |
|
| Elongated cuboid. |
|
| Buildings with pitched roof. |
|
| Elongated cuboids placed in L-shape. |
|
| Elongated cuboids placed in L-shape with pitched roof. |
|
| Combination of elongated cuboid and pitched roof cuboid. |
|
Architectural comparison – aesthetic aspect – shape. Own study
| Passive House | “be 2226” |
|---|---|
| Shape and glazing of façades | |
| The shape and amount of glazing of façades differ depending on the orientation to the north. The buildings have rectangular shapes, which are extended and exposed to the south (with deviations). | All four façades have exactly the same dimensions and the windows-to-walls ratio. |
| Plans of buildings | |
| The plans of the buildings differ depending on the function of the object. The rooms of basic function are larger and situated in the south – west or east. Auxiliary rooms are situated in the north. Most of the buildings are constructed with corridors in the middle and spaces on both sides. | The open plan on all storeys is created by two staircases and two sanitary facilities. It divides the space into four parts on each floor. |
| Roof | |
| The shapes of roofs differ from flat through gable to multi-pitch. None of the investigated buildings has a gravel or green roof. Some roofs have solar or photovoltaic panels. | Over the typically thermoinsulated roof there is a layer of round grain gravel. |
| Number of storeys | |
| The investigated buildings have from one to four floors and some of the buildings have basements. The number of floors in a Passive House building is not limited because the building can be of any construction. The height of the building depends only on the function and local legal regulations. | The building has six floors and according to the static requirements it is the limit for this kind of construction [ |
| Place in postmodernism | |
| The investigated Passive House buildings tend to be postmodern average designs, with a potential but also with flows (wrong proportions, colour-based, artificial division of façades, designing inside-out with closed plan) | The proportions of the “be 2226” building are beautiful It is a perfect 24x24x24 meter cube. This elegant building goes beyond the postmodern state of architecture full of glass covered offices and commercial buildings façades [ |
The diagrams show the main plans of the buildings divided according to their function arrangement. Own study
| Building plan diagram |
Description |
| Crossed communication dividing auxiliary functions and main function sticked to them. This arrangement appears in five buildings: B, C, D, E, F. | |
| L-shaped function plan with straight line of communication leading to main function. This arrangement appears in one building: G. | |
| Simple plan with communication dividing building to two parts of main and auxiliary functions. This arrangement appears in five buildings: H, I, J, R, T. | |
| The communication in shape of letter T, divides functions of building to main bigger function and two auxiliary functions. This arrangement appears in three buildings: K, M, U. | |
| Communication dividing object to compact main function on one side and auxiliary functions divided by additional corridors. This arrangement appears in one building: L. | |
| The U-shaped communication with main function on one side. This arrangement appears in one building: N. | |
| Building consists of two - one with atrium in the middle and one L-shaped building. This arrangement appears in one building: O. | |
| T-shaped communication dividing main function in three parts. This arrangement appears in one building: P. | |
| The communication is located in one corner of the building leaving an open space for swimming hall. This arrangement appears in one building: S. | |
| The communication is minimalized to the one part of office building. This arrangement appears in one building: W. |
Summary comparison of passive standards. Own study
| A | Total | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | W | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of floors | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Resilience | + | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | + | + | - | - | + | + | + | - | + | - | - | 6 |
| Aesthetic | + | 1 | - | - | + | - | + | - | - | + | + | + | + | - | + | + | + | - | + | + | + | + | 13 |
| Equal daylight delivery | + | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | + | + | + | - | + | - | - | 4 |
| Differentiation of facades | - | 0 | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | - | + | + | + | - | + | + | 18 |
| Compactness < 0.7 m2/m3 | + | 1 | - | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | - | + | - | - | + | + | - | + | 15 |
| Good proportions | + | 1 | + | + | + | + | + | + | - | + | - | + | + | - | + | + | - | + | + | + | + | + | 16 |
| Conventional heating in building | - | 0 | + | + | + | + | + | - | + | - | + | + | + | - | + | + | + | - | + | + | + | - | 15 |
| Sound pollution from outside | + | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Sound pollution from inside | - | 0 | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | 20 |
| Draughts | + | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Pitched roofs | - | 0 | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | + | - | + | + | + | + | - | - | - | - | + | + | - | 8 |
| Colorful facades | - | 0 | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | - | - | + | + | + | + | + | - | + | - | - | 15 |
Architectural comparison – physical aspect – users comfort – temperature. Own study
| Passive House | “be 2226” |
|---|---|
| Window structure | |
| Double and triple pane windows have the U factor from 0.6 to 1.3. The higher U value factor is caused by using fire-proof doors and windows. All the investigated buildings have openable windows. | Triple pane windows with a U factor 0.5 are fixed glazing. Every window has openable independent ventilation flap. |
| Walls constructions | |
| The external walls are made of reinforced concrete, masonry structures, wooden or mixed constructions. All investigated buildings have thermal insulation of polystyrene or mineral wool. The thickness of all walls varies from 48 to 65 cm. | The walls with two layers of a high insulating brick are 76 cm thick. |
| Windows placing | |
Windows are placed in the insulating layer near the structural part of the wall. The insulation is superimposed on the window frame from the outside. Some of the windows are installed in the construction part of the wall due to their fire proof function. |
Windows and vents are placed in the inner part of the wall, giving the plasticity of a concave-convex façades. The window seems frameless on the façade as if emerging from the openings in the wall. |
| Inside temperature | |
| The designed temperature is not less than 20°C. This can cause some problems. Hotel guests and office workers complain about low temperatures and sometimes use additional blow heaters for thermal comfort. The humidity and air quality depends on mechanical ventilation. The frequency of filter changes is relevant. The ventilation system is designed for a certain number of people in a room, so if there are more of them inside, the comfort cannot be reached. | The comfort and health aspects are obtained by temperature between 22 and 26°C and humidity not below 40%. These parameters may be achieved due to the heat storing capacity of the brick walls and their ability to absorb and storage water vapor [ |
Methods and techniques. Own study based on Niezabitowska E. D., (2014). Metody i techniki badawcze w architekturze (Research methods and techniques in architecture), Wydawnictwo Politechniki Śląskiej, Gliwice
| method | technique |
|---|---|
| experimental research | measuring, observing, parametring |
| quantitative | measuring, elements counting, non-parametric data analysing |
| case studies | investigated object viewing, documents analysing, describing, explaining, interpreting, comparative analysing, measuring, observing, interviewing, polling |
Architectural comparison – aesthetic aspect – colour. Own study
| Passive House | “be 2226” |
|---|---|
| Architectural expression | |
| Passive House buildings have a user-friendly scale because the usable area is not too big. The façades of some Passive House objects are articulated with the southern façade roof overhang for shadowing windows in the summer, or with plenty of balconies around the building. All buildings play with colour. The façade expression is blank and plain sometimes created only by the colour, not by the architectural procedure. This colour application tends to be insincere. A façade should be created by the shape of the building. | The scale of “be 2226” building is adequate and user-friendly. The relation between the material and the geometry of the building is balanced. The façades have small deviations in the form of irregular projections and setbacks. Minimal deviations from the perfect geometry of the cube also appears in ancient Greek architecture, this technique is to highlight the effect of the building on the viewer [ |