An active house generates more energy than it uses, possessing a larger energy generating capacity. The goal is to utilise renewable energy sources for generating excess energy. With the installation of many solar cells, we can even roll our electric meter back as the energy generated by the cells feeds back into the electricity grid.
In Hungary, approximately a third of the country’s annual energy consumption is used to operate buildings. Energy consumption is frequently wasteful and detrimental for the environment due to poor insulation and sound and water-proofing in residential dwellings. Energy consumption could be reduced through building new, energy-saving apartments and retrofitting old buildings, which would also have the additional benefit of increasing their value.
An energetics certificate is considered authentic if it can be found in the National Electronic Registryand the electronic copy (supplied with an ID code) can be viewed. Any number of hard copies can be printed from the electronic copy, which are considered copies of the authentic original.
Any structure can be considered a light-frame building in which the volumetric weight of the walls is significantly (several times) smaller than that of the walls in traditional buildings. Wooden structures are not the only ones to belong to this category. Metal structures or other structures made lighter through the use of polystyrene can be considered light-frame as well.
A passive house is a building that maintains a pleasant temperature through heat recovery or through pre-cooling ventilation, without the need for additional air circulation. The house is heated by energy derived from such sources as lights, body heat or sunshine. Additional heating only needs to be provided when these prove insufficient.
The purpose of energy efficiency is to achieve the greatest possible energy output with minimal waste. There is still much progress to be made in this area in Hungary. Today, for each 100 energy units generated, 78 are lost and only 22 are actually used. As much as 80% of the energy used for heating residential and public buildings could be saved through building passive houses.
Satisfying the current demands of mankind while simultaneously preserving the environment and natural resources for future generations.
A building produced through building techniques whereby the manufacturing process is performed in a factory and not on a building site exposed to the elements.
Unfortunately, a thickness of only 5-8 cm of thermal insulation is used in Hungary, as opposed to the 12 cm the Hungarian climate would require. Anyone planning long term and taking environmental considerations into account would be wise to install insulation that is 20 cm thick.
An Active House can also be called a PlusEnergy House. The two terms have the same meaning.