Passive design, first: how to reduce demand by up to 65% before installing anything

The decarbonization of a building starts by needing less energy. The so-called passive measures (orientation, compactness of the volume, composition and insulation of the envelope, sun protection or natural ventilation and lighting) take advantage of the climatic conditions of the environment without consuming energy directly. Properly applied, they can reduce the energy demand of a building by up to 65%, increasing the hours a year in which it operates with almost zero consumption.

That is why these measures are a priority over the active ones. A poorly oriented or poorly insulated building will always force you to oversize the air conditioning to compensate for its poor behavior; On the other hand, a building that is well designed from the ground up needs smaller equipment, which is cheaper to install and maintain, and emits less over its lifetime. The key decision is made on the project, not on the site.

Passive measurements do not completely eliminate the need for active systems, but they greatly reduce their load. The optimal combination, first reducing demand with design and then covering it with efficient equipment and renewable sources, is the most direct and cost-effective path to a low-emission building. It is also where good engineering makes the difference compared to a conventional project.