Passive houses popular in Aabybro

The choice fell on passive houses when the Danish housing association Domea started planning to build, let and manage twelve new single-family homes in Aabybro in northern Jutland. While minimising environmental impact, the climate-friendly houses also greatly minimise the residents’ energy costs.

The homes are built as single-storey terraced houses in three small blocks with four homes in each block. The extremely well-insulated homes require minimal heating, and every home has its own ventilation system to ensure a healthy indoor climate.

The ceilings in the open kitchen/living room are clad with light Troldtekt panels to ensure a good acoustic environment in the high-ceilinged space which serves as a natural gathering point. 

Popular with tenants

Each of the houses has a floor area of 85-100 square metres, which is a very popular size for the area. This perhaps explains why all the homes were let in the space of a single day when Domea Aabybro held an open-house event in 2012.

“Tenants can appreciate the advantages of living in a house which is heated by the passive heat of the sun shining in through the windows, and which the occupants create when cooking, using their computers or taking a shower. Enjoying a healthy indoor climate while minimising your environmental impact holds tremendous appeal. Which is perhaps why hardly anyone has moved since the homes were first occupied,” says Anni Thomsen, head of the organisational board in Domea Aabybro. 

“Consequently, we are keen to build more passive houses in future, and to energy-optimise existing properties. Our cooperation with the consultants was excellent, and ensured that we lived up to the requirements of the passive house certification, and the building process was no different for us than for other homes we build,” she explains.