Organised by: University of Ulster (Founding PHAI MEMBER)
Fifth Passive House Briefing attracts over 50 people to the University of Ulster.
The University of Ulster at Jordanstown, Centre for Sustainable Technologies, (a founding member of the Passivehouse Association of Ireland), hosted a well-attended Passive House Briefing on Thursday evening last 21st March.
The University which is ranked fourth in the UK in regard to Sustainable Technologies and Research was also showcasing its own ‘state of the art’ Passive House Test Studio, which includes a solar array that can replicate all types of solar conditions for research purposes. The Campus also includes the largest wall mounted PV array in the UK and two purpose built terraced houses to facilitate energy research and modelling of retrofit solutions.
The speakers and topics covered a wide variety of pertinent issues ranging from a current domestic project (reflecting passive house costs running at a very reasonable c. 8% extra compared to a standard SAP 2009 Building Regulatory House) to the real issues pertinent to low energy refurbishment (ventilation) to Thermal Bridging analysis (usually underestimated) to the latest research initiatives currently in the College dealing with Passive House and Solar Array Energy Collection and Storage (Dublin was recorded as the best capital in Europe to benefit from solar fraction gains within low energy design).
Feedback on the event has been very positive. As reported by one of the attendees, John Humes of Povall Worthington Architects: “A brief note of thanks and praise for a superb seminar on Thursday evening. I have attended a number of similar events over the years – on this occasion I came away further inspired.”
PHAI would like to thank the speakers Paul McAlister Architect, Mark Gribbin of Setanta Construction, Peter Keig of Eco Energy (NI) and Dr Shane Colclough of the University. Thanks must also go to Professor Neil Hewitt and Dr Shane Colclough for organising and sponsoring the event and we look forward to an on-going, useful and beneficial relationship with the University in the years ahead.
– Martin Murray, Chairperson PHAI
PHAI welcomes suggestions from other venues for future Passive House Briefings.
- Paul McAlistair
