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Coldwells Build founder, Ross Booth explains how we use the Passivhaus standard to build and deliver the world's most energy-efficient, healthy homes. For more information, read our Coldwells Build manual, Passivhaus: Explained.

If you want to explore customisations, we’ll be happy to assist. All we ask is that you understand this will inevitably add time, money and additional complexity to your project. The Coldwells Build Passivhaus is predesigned, so the layout, engineering and Passivhaus modelling have mostly been taken care of. The designs are tried-and-tested to meet Passivhaus certification criteria and draw upon well-planned layouts and established manufacturing methods, refined over many years. Sticking to these designs means you can count on the quality of your finished home and keep the build time and costs as low as possible. 

Of course, you can make some minor adjustments to the design, like tweaking layouts or window placements, but big changes that need re-engineering or affect the manufacture of the Coldwells Build Passivhaus aren’t possible without a redesign. It’s all possible, but this redesign would then fall under our Custom Build service. 

Coldwells Build founder, Clare Booth addresses the initial cost differences and explains the long-term savings and benefits of building a Passivhaus. 

For more information read our blog, ‘Are Passivhaus Homes More Expensive to Build?’

In the UK, many of us live in homes that simply aren’t comfortable — often draughty, damp and prone to mould. We’ve become so used to cold, leaky homes that we often don’t think about the discomfort they cause. We just turn up the heat, consume more energy and drive up our bills further.

Passivhaus homes are different — they’re designed for maximum comfort and minimal energy use.

Passivhaus takes a ‘fabric first’ approach to energy efficiency, meaning the home's materials and components (the building fabric) do all the hard work without the need for expensive bolt-on eco technologies like solar panels. 

Passivhaus homes are packed with higher quality and far greater levels of insulation than modern new builds. The insulation wraps the home like a thermal blanket, reducing heat loss in winter and keeping the interior cool in summer.

Passivhaus homes are airtight, with no gaps for cold draughts to seep in and warm air to leak out. This is achieved through the use of a continuous air barrier that envelopes the entire building – from the walls and roof, to the floors and openings. The design process identifies all potential air leakage paths, and during construction, even the smallest of these gaps are sealed using specialist tapes and adhesives. Anywhere an air leak could occur, Passivhaus makes the extra effort to plug it.

A State-of-the-art ventilation system circulates fresh air 24/7, removing indoor dust, pollen and pollutants. Asthma, eczema and hay fever sufferers should see marked improvements in symptoms. Constant air circulation means your laundry dries fast, cooking odours disappear and your bathroom never steams up. 

High performance triple glazing comes as standard. The spaces between each pane of glass are filled with Argon gas, which functions as an acoustic and thermal insulator. It reduces outdoor noise, prevents cold glass surfaces and eliminates condensation – warding off mould growth and keeping the atmosphere in your home a healthy one. 

The bulk of the home’s heat is supplied by ‘passive’ sources, including sunlight, the body heat of occupants and electrical appliances (i.e. boiling the kettle, watching tv). In winter, a small, economical air source heat pump will also help top up warmth. All of this combined results in a comfortable, healthy Passivhaus with hardly any heating bills. 

For more information, read our Coldwells Build manual, Passivhaus: Explained.