Importance of the foundation in passive houses

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When talking about insulation in construction, we usually think of the walls or ceilings of the home; also in points such as windows, where there may be air infiltration or heat loss through the glass. But there is another element that can cause a large heat leak if it is not properly insulated: the foundation. Did you know that 15% of the energy loss in a house occurs in the foundation? This heat leak has an enormous impact on the conditions inside the home and, also, on its energy consumption. To avoid this, passive houses are built differently from the foundation itself. We tell you why it is important to do so and how passive houses do it . Importance of insulation in the foundations of a passive house The foundations constitute one of the barriers between the interior and exterior of the home and, therefore, we must insulate them effectively, avoiding thermal bridges through which heat can be transmitted to the outside. Yes on the facadeone of the critical points for the appearance of thermal bridges are the windowsor the junction between walls and ceilings, in the case of the foundations, the most delicate place is where the walls come into contact with the foundation. What problems do thermal bridges cause in foundations? Loss of comfort inside the home.

Increased need for heating. Increase in the amount of the electricity bill. Formation of condensation that ends up generating humidity, mold and health problems for the inhabitants. If the loss of energy were severe, it could jeopardize compliance with the Passivhaus standard in the home. To avoid them, materials are used in the foundations of a passive house that prevent heat transmission through the structure , such as expanded Colombia Phone Number List polystyrene (EPS), with a thermal conductivity of . Main types of foundations There is no single way to efficiently insulate a passive house through the foundation, and the use of one or the other will depend, in part, on the conditions of the land on which it is built; These are two of the most common types of foundations in passive houses . raft foundations Raft (or floating) foundations are the most used in the construction of passive houses. They allow you to build faster and more economically , since they usually require less excavation and less cement is used. They consist of a reinforced concrete slab of uniform thickness, poured inside the container formed by the layer of insulation, in the form of a raft. This avoids any point of contact between the concrete and the ground.



The edges of this raft coincide with the insulating material of the walls, so that it createsan isolation barrieruninterrupted throughout the entire envelope that efficiently avoids thermal bridges. strip foundations Strip foundations are a good option for soft soils, which can be modified by the roots of nearby trees or are located in an aquifer zone. In this case, the foundations do not extend along the entire floor of the house, but rather run along its contour. The insulating material is then placed on the total surface of the footprint of the house, which will form the thermal barrier between the interior of the house and the ground. The difference between this system and the raft system is that, in this case, the walls are set into the insulating material, which is "U" shaped so that it can fit onto the foundations. In this way, contact between the walls and the foundation material or the ground is avoided. A correct foundation is essential in a passive house Although we have only talked to you about 2 of the main foundation systems, there are more and more options to foundation a passive house .