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Buildings Guide


Zai Shui Yi Fang

Ultra-Low-Energy Building
Year 2012
Municipality Qin Huang Dao
Location China | OSM
State Hebei
Area (TFA) 5112 m2
Dwellings 54
Cost 138 EUR/m2
Consumption 23.7 kWh/m2/year (primary energy)
Specific Primary Energy Demand in KWh/m2a

Qinhuangdao has developed a flagship demonstration Passive House project ‘Zai Shui Yi Fang’ as a part of International Cooperation Project (Sino-German Project) under the auspices of Scientific Development Promotion Centre of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development, China and German Energy Agency (DENA). A total of 4 high-rise residential buildings, each with18 floors high, are being built in the Qinhuangdao ‘C’ block in two phases. It covers a total construction area of 80,344 square metres and is expected to be completed by November 2013. The building falls in temperate climate with a long heating period and short cooling period.


Overall performance

The project has set the stringent target of the German Passive House standard in contrast to conventional less stringent domestic standards for residential buildings in China. The building has set out to construct an exemplary building envelope and integrate it with efficient thermal comfort systems. The new building is expected to bring heating demand down by 75% compared to conventional energy efficient.

Cost and effectiveness

The overall costs amounted to € 296/m2 which is approximately 10.5% premium over the cost of constructing conventional efficient buildings. However, area saved due to the implementation of innovative energy systems and minimized service areas led to more saleable space and thus offered a bargain for the extra premium. In addition, heating subsidy offered by local finance scheme and recurring reduced energy bills offer an attractive pay back period for the capital. The passive house is expected to save heating energy costs of approximately € 56,481 per annum.

Building basics

Year of completion 2012
Number of units 54
Number of occupants 150 people
Elevation 10 m

Building areas

Residential space 5112 m2

Special features

Solar powered street lights, Solar PV installation for basement lighting, waste water reuse capacity of 200 m3 and rain water harvesting facility.


The external wall is made of concrete and it is heavily insulated on the outside with a double layer of expanded polystyrene (EPS) board to ensure Passive House standards for walls which is less than 0.15 W/(m2K).  All the layers are joined together by using full scraping adhesive mortar and anti-cracking nets. The outer layer is made using a set of weatherproof membranes. A thick fire resistant rock wool insulation has been added above the lintel. The parapet of the balcony is insulated as well, with a 270 mm thick insulation. Interior walls that separate dwelling units are insulated using 30 mm thick polyurethane board.

All above grade building floors except the ground floor above the basement are made up of concrete slabs are insulated using 30 mm thick polystyrene board insulation with an additional sound barrier. The ground floor above the basement is insulated using 160 mm thick B-1 grade polystyrene board insulation. Foam glass insulation has been used to insulate basement walls. 

Double glazed windows with vacuum trap and UPVC frame have been used. All the doors that open to exteriors/unconditioned hallways are specially sealed for air tightness. The U-value of windows and doors is between 0.8-1.0 W/(m2K). Thermal bridges are avoided by special details at all critical junctions such as the installation of outdoor unit for air-conditioning, vent and plumbing pipes. All the refrigerant pipes are specially insulated and are housed within the insulated building envelope.

A certified blower door test has been conducted to measure the air tightness of the house,  to seal any potential leakages and to meet passive house standard of 0.6/h at n50 value.

Type of construction Heavy
A/V ratio 0.25 -1
Thermal bridging Detailing for thermal bridge free design was carried out according to Passivhaus criteria.
Air tightness Certified pressure test (blower door)
Air tightness value 0.40 1/h
Shading Internal blinds

Ground floor
U-value 0.150 W/m2K
Total thickness 44.00 cm
Total area 343 m2
Material Thickness Thermal conductivity λ
Screet and finish 6.00 cm 0.930 W/mK
Plaster coat 2.00 cm 0.930 W/mK
EPS insulation exterior 16.00 cm 0.042 W/mK
Concrete slab 10.00 cm 1.740 W/mK
EPS insulation interior 10.00 cm 0.042 W/mK
(From outside to inside)
External walls
U-value 0.150 W/m2K
Total thickness 61.00 cm
Total area 3620 m2
Material Thickness Thermal conductivity λ
Plaster coat 1.00 cm 0.930 W/mK
EPS insulation board 22.00 cm 0.042 W/mK
Concrete wall 18.00 cm 1.740 W/mK
Cement plaster 20.00 cm 0.930 W/mK
(From outside to inside)
Upper ceiling

From outside to inside.

U-value 0.110 W/m2K
Total thickness 44.00 cm
Total area 357 m2
Material Thickness Thermal conductivity λ
Cement plaster 2.00 cm 0.930 W/mK
Concrete slab 10.00 cm 1.740 W/mK
Self levelling 2.00 cm 0.830 W/mK
EPS insulation 27.00 cm 0.042 W/mK
Waterproofing-slope 3.00 cm 0.180 W/mK
(From outside to inside)

Windows

U-value window 0.90 W/m2K
Total area 1040 m2
Glass infill Argon
Coating/Tint Low-E
Solar heat gain coefficient 0.30
U-value glass 0.70 W/m2K
U-value window frame None W/m2K

Passive strategies

Each house is centrally air-conditioned using a split ducted reversible VRV system with 75 % efficient heat recovery capability. The conditioned air is distributed from the central air conditioning unit to various rooms using ducts and the return air is collected from a single point. The air-conditioning system also supplies the required fresh air into the house.

Indoor design temperature summer 26 °C
Indoor design temperature winter 20 °C

Heating system

The heating capacity is 3.3 kW with an input power requirement of 1 kW. The COP of the complete machine is 2.8 and is expected to perform at a COP of 2.4 when the ambient temperature is -10 °C.

1 individual heating system installed:
Type Heat pump (air)
Heating capacity 149.00
Annual final energy consumption 14742

Cooling system

The cooing capacity of the system is 2.7 kW with an input power requirement of 1 kW. In addition, the heat rejected during the cooling period is used in the production of domestic hot water with a tank capacity of 150 L.

1 individual cooling system installed:
Type Electric Chiller
Cooling capacity 159.30 kWth
Annual final energy consumption 33621 kWh/year

Hot water system

1 individual hot water system installed:
Type Evacuated Tube

Ventilation system

The fan power is 90 W. The return air from the system is directed towards the outdoor unit, which helps to keep up the efficiency of the outdoor unit.

1 individual ventilation system installed:
Type Mechanical

Primary energy consumption 120908.00 kWh/year
Primary energy consumption (ref. building) 698298.00 kWh/year
Specific primary energy consumption 23.70 kWh/m2/year
Specific primary energy consumption (ref. building) 137.00 kWh/m2/year
Differentiated specific primary energy demand and production

Accumulated specific primary energy demand and production

Efficient envelope and systems for Passive House cost a premium of 30 % compared to conventional envelope and systems. However, when the cost is normalised including the land cost, construction cost and other ancillary costs the premium comes down to 10.5 % and is approximately € 296/m2.

Envelope costs 517469 EUR
Systems costs 190013 EUR
Total investment costs 707482 EUR
Cost: 138.00 EUR/m2
Total differentiated annual costs 53917 EUR
Specific differentiated annual costs 10.00 EUR
Yearly energy costs 2998 EUR/year

Cost and cost effectiveness

The area saved due to the implementation of innovative energy systems and minimized service areas led to more saleable space and thus offered a bargain for the extra premium. In addition, heating subsidy offered by local finance scheme and recurring reduced energy bills offer an attractive pay back period for the capital. The passive house is expected to save heating energy costs of approximately € 56,481 per annum.


Investment cost

Absolute building investment costs

Specific building investment cost

Annual Costs

Absolute annual costs
Specific annual cost

Assumptions

Local Currency CNY
Currency rate to EUR 0.12000 (March 25, 2013)

Energy prices

Electricity 0.0620 EUR/kWh
Gas 0.0270 EUR/kWh

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