Construction

We build your Passivhaus home,
from the ground up to turnkey.

Passive house with the Eskimohaus® construction system

Eskimohaus®.
Thirty years of craft,
our own system
since 2014.

Our own building system | company founded in 1994

We have developed a system that pairs Passivhaus principles with Mediterranean materials and climate: C-24 pine studs, high-density rock wool, an airtight barrier and a ventilated façade. Every panel is prefabricated at our Castellbell workshop, where quality control reaches 100%, something you simply cannot do on site.

Learn about the Eskimohaus® system
Certified performance

Every project is tested with a Blower Door before handover. Our homes hit thermal transmittance and airtightness figures three times better than the CTE limit. Real energy savings you can verify, not estimates.

  • U 0,16W/m²K | thermal transmittance
  • n50 ≤ 0,6ach/h | Blower Door verified
  • −70%average verified savings
  • better than the CTE limit
See the construction options
High energy-efficiency passive house by PAPIK Group

−90%
energy
consumption.

Single-family passive house built by PAPIK Group

36 homes.
All documented.

Team and traceability

Every home we have built is a documented case study: plans, specifications, line items, time-lapse and final results. Four in-house departments work in sequence so nothing slips through the cracks, from the first sketch to after-sales.

  • 30 yearsbuilding in Catalonia
  • 1994founded in Sant Cugat del Vallès
  • 4 departmentsarchitecture | engineering | execution | post-construction
  • 36 homespublicly documented
See the 36 documented projects
Construction system

Passivhaus façade wall

Exterior Interior
Technical sheet

Performance

The full envelope section, layer by layer. Hover or tap any material to see what it does.

SystemPassivhaus
Total thickness47.4 cm
μ façade wall0.142 W/m²K
11

Hover or tap a layer of the section to see its material, thickness and role.

    Construction process of a PAPIK Group Passivhaus home
    Our process

    Design in 3 to 8 months.
    Construction in 9 to 18 months.

    Every project is different. The process isn't. Design takes three to eight months, construction another nine to eighteen.

    Phase 01 | Planning

    Survey and project

    A topographic survey of the plot and a full architectural project. We handle the building permit with the town council and prepare all the technical paperwork.

    Phase 01: Planning 2-6 months
    Phase 02 | Planning

    Preliminary design and estimate

    A first sketch and a detailed indicative budget. In under a week you have the figures in front of you, with full transparency on materials, labour and timelines.

    Phase 02: Planning 1-2 weeks
    Phase 03 | Base

    Foundations and sanitary slab

    Foundations sized to the geological study, plus a sanitary slab of 180 mm timber and 180 mm rock wool. It blocks moisture, termites and heat loss from day one.

    Phase 03: Base 3-6 weeks
    Phase 04 | Manufacturing

    Workshop prefabrication

    We prefabricate the panels (C-24 pine 100×50 mm), floors (180×50 mm beams) and roof at our Castellbell workshop. 100% quality control, off site.

    Phase 04: Manufacturing 6-10 weeks
    Phase 05 | Assembly

    Structure and roof

    Dry assembly on site. A roof with 180 mm beams, rock wool and a breathable waterproof membrane. Full thermal and acoustic insulation.

    Phase 05: Assembly 2-4 weeks
    Phase 06 | Envelope

    Façades and closures

    Ventilated timber façades. Passivhaus windows and doors (triple glazing, thermal-break frame). An airtight OSB barrier to guarantee airtightness of n50 ≤ 0,6.

    Phase 06: Envelope 3-6 weeks
    Phase 07 | Systems

    Systems and MVHR

    Water, electricity, drainage and heating with solar panels. MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) is mandatory in certified Passivhaus homes.

    Phase 07: Systems 4-8 weeks
    Phase 08 | Handover

    Finishes, blower door and handover

    Interior finishes to your taste. A final blower door test to certify airtightness. We hand over the keys with the full documentation, a user manual and the Passivhaus certificate.

    Phase 08: Handover 4-8 weeks
    Phase 09 | After-sales

    After-sales and ten-year follow-up

    Ten full years of direct warranty and support. Regular inspections, MVHR maintenance and ongoing technical help with the Eskimohaus® system.

    Phase 09: After-sales 10-year warranty
    Who we work with

    Six kinds of client, one and the same system.

    Private individuals, architects, developers, cooperatives, companies and public administration: whoever you are, you get the same quality control and the same ten-year warranty.

    Private self-builder

    We build your one-off home with our own system, an in-house team and a ten-year warranty, no insurance intermediaries.

    Architect or studio

    You sign the design. We build it faithfully, with prefabrication controlled at the Castellbell workshop.

    External developer

    We build your Passivhaus development to fixed deadlines, with verifiable quality and a transparent line-item budget.

    Housing cooperative

    A shared building under a cooperative scheme, with industrial prefabrication and A-rated or Passivhaus certification per home.

    Company

    Commercial buildings and corporate offices with minimal consumption and a certifiable energy audit for investors.

    Public administration

    Public facilities and works adapted to the tender format, with a line-item budget and a technical specification document.

    Frequently asked questions

    We answer the most common questions.

    01

    How much does an Eskimohaus home cost?

    The indicative price is 1.300–1.600€/m² built. It includes architect's fees, permits, taxes and all the bathroom and kitchen finishes. It does not include the cost of the land or the foundations.

    02

    What additional costs should I anticipate?

    Beyond the price per m², you should take into account:

    • The cost of buying the land
    • A topographic survey (~450€) and a geological study
    • Foundations (variable depending on the topography)
    • Earthworks on slopes
    • Perimeter boundary walls
    • Taxes and municipal fees

    03

    Difference between Eskimohaus and certified Passivhaus?

    Every Passivhaus we build is an Eskimohaus, but not every Eskimohaus is certified:

    • Certification: in PH homes, the openings carry a Passivhaus seal
    • MVHR: mandatory in the PH
    • External control: an independent certifier supervises from the design to the final tests

    04

    Why build instead of buy?

    Building with PAPIK Group lets you design it to measure, avoid hidden defects, apply the latest knowledge in efficiency and obtain a home with documentary warranty and real energy certification.

    05

    How long does it take to build an Eskimohaus?

    The complete process, from the initial consultation to the handover of the keys, has two phases: design between three and eight months and construction between nine and eighteen months, depending on the size and complexity of the project. The detailed schedule by phase can be consulted in the construction process section.

    06

    Does Passivhaus work in a Mediterranean climate?

    Yes. The standard is designed for any climate, but in Catalonia it must be calibrated to control summer overheating: sized solar shading, cross night ventilation and orientation studied from the preliminary design. The MVHR system with an enthalpy recovery unit regulates the indoor humidity and cools the air when the outside is fresher.

    07

    Do I need my own architect?

    It is not necessary. If you already have a studio you trust, we execute their project with technical fidelity and coordinate it with the workshop prefabrication. If you do not, we propose architects with Passivhaus experience in your area. The choice of the design team is yours.

    08

    What is the extra cost compared to conventional construction?

    The initial extra cost compared to traditional construction is approximately 8 to 15% depending on the type. It is paid back in eight to twelve years through energy savings, without counting the property revaluation or the improvement in the energy rating of the asset.

    09

    Difference between an efficient home, nZEB and Passivhaus?

    Efficient is a generic term with no threshold. nZEB (nearly zero emissions) is the regulatory minimum of the CTE for new construction since 2020. Passivhaus is an international standard with a verifiable threshold: 15 kWh/m²·year in heating demand and n50 ≤ 0,6 ach/h in airtightness. Passivhaus is more demanding than nZEB and certifiable by independent third parties.

    10

    Do you work with developers and administrations?

    Yes. We build private developments, cooperative buildings and facilities for companies and public administration. We adapt the technical and administrative documentation to the format of each counterpart (public tenders, a detailed budget by line item, a specification document).

    Ready to build with us?

    An indicative quote in one minute, or a direct meeting with our technical team.

    For self-builders, architects, developers, cooperatives, companies and public bodies. No commitment, no sign-up.