The Wave House -Passivhaus Design

Passivhaus certified housing on the Costa del Sol -Mijas, Málaga Spain.

Year of construction 2016 – 2018

Built Area: 578 m2 -

Porch area 115 m2

Energy reference area: 326 m2

Construction cost: €1,450/m2

Passivhaus Classic Certification 2018 ID: 8776_ENH_PH_20180907_MA

International Passive House Database: ID 5898

https://passivehouse-database.org/index.php?lang=en#d_5898

“Along the North-South axis, space transforms and expands in search of the infinite horizon”

Passivhaus Design: Design and sustainability criteria have been followed in the design of this house, which has allowed obtaining the Passivhaus Classic Certification.

Designing a house under the Passivhaus standard on the Mediterranean Coast is relatively easy and economically very accessible, since we are not in an extreme climate.

As a benefit, the house offers its occupants maximum conditions of thermal and acoustic comfort. A very healthy indoor environment, thanks to the quality of the air coming from the ventilation system with heat recovery that ensures the filtration of particles, pollen, dust, etc.

And above all, the energy savings of 85% to 90% in cooling and heating stand out.

The latter makes it possible to recover the initial investment in an average of 7 to 10 years, added to this the improvement of the quality of life that living in a Passivhaus House means.

North South axis route

The main idea is to create a spatial axis with a North-South direction that crosses the house and extends towards the landscape. This axis becomes the organizing element of the space. This experience of discovery begins at the entrance to the north, through a route from north to south, the landscape opens up before our eyes.

Along this route, a high-rise stone wall that crosses the whole house longitudinally is the only element that breaks the orthogonal geometry in the project. Its direction indicates the direction of opening towards the landscape.

 The continuous ceiling plane that rises gently from the entrance and the ground planes with unevenness are consistent with the spatial proposal that opens onto the landscape.

"Shadow Design"

"Design of the Shadow" The general approach of this house was organized, based on the views towards the sea and the orientation. These two conditions define the spatial axis of the North-South orientation house

The east, south and west facing façades that surround the hall have been designed as a double-height opening, allowing for a strong continuity between inside and outside.

Given this open design, solar control is key in order to avoid excessive energy gain and overheating.

In this sense, the "Shadow Design", fixed elements such as eaves and mobile elements: blinds are essential to control the solar radiation that falls on the openings.

The correct regulation allows the use of this energy during the winter period and avoiding these gains in the summer.

The intermediate eaves, like a large slat that surrounds the house, become an expressive and design element that characterizes the architecture of this house.

Energy Demand and Consumption:

Annual cooling demand PHPP: 11.0 kWh/(m2a)

Cooling Load: 12.0 W/m2

Annual Heating Demand PHPP: 10.0 kWh/(m2a)

Heating load: 13W/m2

Total primary energy demand: 89 kWh/(m2a) includes heating and air conditioning installations, domestic hot water, electricity.

Blower Door test: n50 0.59 h-1