What is Passive House?

Passive House (aka Passivhaus) represents today's highest energy standard, with the promise of reducing the energy consumption of buildings by 75% to 80% while providing superior comfort and air quality. When coupled with renewable energy systems, such as solar, Passive House puts true zero energy buildings within reach. Passivhaus is a performance-based standard which utilizes a modeling tool called the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) that has been field calibrated and verified over the last 20 years.

Why SeriousWindows for Passive House

Superior energy efficiency allowing for the maximum amount of glass in the design. The high performance characteristics of SeriousWindows fiberglass products combine to allow for more direct natural lighting in the overall building design resulting in less energy usage and passive solar heating and cooling. Fiberglass SeriousWindows high performance characteristics include highest full frame R values and full range of low to high SHGC while maintaining high visible light transmittance. Compare performance data of the full SeriousWindows fiberglass series here.

Superior air infiltration values. Extremely low air infiltration is required for passive homes. SeriousWindows have some of the lowest air infiltration values available.

Selectable solar heat gain. SeriousWindows offer both low and high solar heat gain for correct high gain required in passive homes in northern climates and optimal solar control.

High visual transmission. Even with very high R values and high solar heat gains, SeriousWindows offer superior light transmission required for passive homes.

Operable windows for natural ventilation. Operable windows take full advantage of natural ventilation to help maintain comfortable temperature year-round, depending on the local climate.

99.5+% UV protection. Harmful UV light can significantly fade furniture, drapes and carpeting, and cause interior damage. SeriousWindows - using our suspended film, multi-chamber glass technology - creates windows with high UV protection allowing for natural light, not the sun’s damaging rays, to come in.

Fiberglass or vinyl choices.While fiberglass is a superior window for infiltration and strength, Serious offers many high R value vinyl options as well for Passive House design on a budget.

Learn More

Visit our blog to follow and learn about the Passive House projects utilizing SeriousWindows. Find out more about SeriousWindows and Passive House and performance specification by visiting our Project Gallery or by downloading the Passive House brochure:

  SeriousWindows and Passive House

  SeriousWindows Fiberglass Window Frames and Edge-of-Glazing U-factor Calculations according to ISO 10077 For Input