Passivhaus and sustainable construction glossary
Passivhaus core {#nucli-passivhaus}
Passivhaus
Building standard developed by the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt (1991) that limits heating energy demand to 15 kWh/m²·year and total primary energy demand to 120 kWh/m²·year. It is certified through PHPP calculation, blower-door test and documentary review.
See the Passivhaus construction service and the article Mediterranean Passivhaus.
EnerPHit
Variant of the Passivhaus standard for the retrofit of existing buildings, with more permissive thresholds (25 kWh/m²·year of heating demand) that acknowledge the geometric and construction constraints of the pre-existing building stock.
Application case in the retrofit service.
nZEB
Acronym for "nearly Zero-Energy Building", a European regulatory category defined by Directive 2010/31/EU and transposed in Spain to the CTE DB-HE 2019. All new buildings in the EU since 2021 must comply with nZEB. Passivhaus exceeds it by a wide margin.
PHPP
"Passive House Planning Package", a spreadsheet developed by the Passivhaus Institut that models a building's annual energy balance with monthly resolution. It is the mandatory tool for Passivhaus certification and the basis for calculating insulation, thermal bridges and ventilation.
Blower-door test
Pressurisation and depressurisation test of the envelope that measures air infiltration in a building. For Passivhaus certification, the result must be ≤ 0.6 ach at 50 Pa (air changes per hour at 50 pascals of pressure difference).
ach
"Air changes per hour". A unit that measures how many times the interior air volume is renewed in one hour. At 50 Pa of pressure, it is the key airtightness indicator of the envelope.
Thermal bridge
A discontinuity in the thermal insulation where thermal resistance drops significantly relative to the general plane (for example, a cantilevered concrete balcony connected to the floor slab). It generates disproportionate heat losses and the risk of surface condensation. The Passivhaus methodology requires "thermal-bridge-free" design with ψ ≤ 0.01 W/m·K.
HRV / VRC / MVHR
Mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery (HRV in English, VRC in Catalan, MVHR in English with explicit mechanical support). It extracts stale air from bathrooms and the kitchen, recovers the thermal energy at the recovery unit and transfers it to the fresh air entering living rooms and bedrooms. It reaches efficiencies of 75-90 % in Passivhaus-certified units.
Building systems {#sistemes-constructius}
Eskimohaus®
Proprietary building system of PAPIK Group. It combines a timber structure (light-frame or CLT depending on the project), continuous insulation with no thermal bridges and an envelope with rigorous airtightness control. Compatible with the Passivhaus standard and adapted to the Mediterranean climate.
Details in the Eskimohaus construction service and in the article Passivhaus innovations.
CLT
"Cross-Laminated Timber", structural cross-laminated timber formed from layers of timber boards glued in perpendicular directions. It allows large-format panels that act as floor slabs, walls and roofs with notable structural and acoustic performance.
SATE
"Sistema d'Aïllament Tèrmic per l'Exterior" (External Thermal Insulation Composite System, ETICS). An energy-retrofit solution for façades consisting of the application of continuous insulation on the exterior face, finished with mesh-reinforced render and a final coating. It eliminates integral thermal bridges.
Typical application in the article NGEU grants guide.
Modular or industrialised construction
A system of factory fabrication of volumetric modules or dimensioned panels that are transported and assembled on site. It reduces the construction timeline (typically 6-9 months versus 12-18 for traditional construction), improves quality control and reduces waste.
Light-frame timber
A timber structure system with studs and rails of small section (typically 38 × 140 mm or 38 × 240 mm) that form a light frame filled with insulation. It combines lightness, material efficiency and design flexibility.
Mass timber
A category that groups large-format solid timber structural systems: CLT, glued laminated timber (glulam), LVL and NLT. It contrasts with "light-frame" through its significant structural volume.
Energy rating and certification {#classificacio-energetica}
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) A-G
A mandatory label for every dwelling for sale or rent in Spain, regulated by Royal Decree 390/2021. It rates the building across seven letters (A the most efficient, G the worst) on the basis of non-renewable primary energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. A Passivhaus home typically sits at A or B.
Passivhaus Institut
A private research institute founded by Dr. Wolfgang Feist in Darmstadt (Germany) in 1996. It develops the Passivhaus standard, maintains the PHPP, certifies buildings and trains "Certified Passive House Designers". Official website: passivehouse.com.
FSC
"Forest Stewardship Council", an international sustainable forest management certification. It guarantees that the timber comes from forests managed according to environmental, social and economic criteria. PAPIK Group uses FSC timber whenever the source allows it.
PEFC
"Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification", a forest certification scheme alternative to FSC, widely established in Europe. In Catalonia, a relevant share of local timber (mountain fir, Pyrenean Scots pine) is certified via PEFC.
LEED and BREEAM
Sustainable-building certification systems. LEED ("Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design") is North American; BREEAM ("Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method") is British. Both assess energy, materials, water, interior quality and location, without focusing exclusively on energy demand as Passivhaus does.
Planning (Catalonia) {#urbanisme-catalunya}
POUM
"Pla d'Ordenació Urbanística Municipal" (Municipal Urban Planning Plan), the basic planning instrument in Catalonia regulated by Legislative Decree 1/2010. It defines land classification, planning codes, building parameters (buildable area, occupancy, height) and the permitted uses for each plot in the municipality.
See the article demolition permit Cerdanyola-Bellaterra.
ITE
"Inspecció Tècnica de l'Edifici" (Technical Building Inspection), a mandatory review of the state of conservation of residential buildings in Catalonia from 45 years of age, regulated by Decree 67/2015. It results in a report classifying the building as "favourable", "with minor deficiencies", "with significant deficiencies" or "with very serious deficiencies".
EMD
"Entitat Municipal Descentralitzada" (Decentralised Municipal Entity), an administrative body specific to Catalonia that recognises population centres with autonomous management of limited powers within a larger municipal area. Bellaterra, within Cerdanyola del Vallès, is the paradigmatic example in our area of activity.
Buildable area
A planning parameter that establishes the maximum floor area that can be built on a plot, generally expressed in m² of floor area per m² of land (m²f/m²l) or in absolute m². It is the determining factor for the value and viability of a development.
PEIN
"Pla d'Espais d'Interès Natural" (Plan of Areas of Natural Interest), a Catalan environmental-protection instrument approved by Decree 328/1992. It includes areas such as Sant Llorenç del Munt or the Montseny and entails specific restrictions on building in adjacent non-developable land.
AOC
"Administració Oberta de Catalunya", a public consortium that offers electronic processing services between administrations, citizens and businesses. Essential for procedures such as planning permits, occupancy certificates and energy performance certificates.
Sustainability {#sostenibilitat}
Carbon footprint
The total amount of greenhouse gases (expressed in kg or tonnes of CO₂ equivalent) emitted directly or indirectly by an activity, product or building. For buildings it breaks down into operational carbon (use) and embodied carbon (construction + maintenance + end of life).
Detailed analysis in the article ecological footprint.
LCA
"Life Cycle Assessment". A standardised methodology (ISO 14040/14044, EN 15978 for buildings) that quantifies the environmental impact of a product from raw-material extraction to end of life. Output: kg CO₂-eq, kWh primary energy, m³ water, etc.
EPD
"Environmental Product Declaration", a third-party verified environmental product declaration in accordance with ISO 14025. It documents the environmental impacts of a construction material based on an LCA. Essential for calculating the building's embodied carbon.
Embodied carbon
CO₂-eq emissions associated with the manufacture, transport, installation, maintenance and end of life of a building's materials. In Passivhaus construction, where operational consumption falls to a minimum, embodied carbon comes to dominate the total footprint.
Operational carbon
CO₂-eq emissions associated with energy consumption during the building's use (heating, cooling, DHW, ventilation, appliances). A Passivhaus home reduces it by between 60 and 90 % compared with a comparable conventional building.
Financial and regulatory framework {#marc-financer}
NGEU
"Next Generation EU", a Community financial instrument of 750 billion euros approved in 2020 for the post-pandemic recovery. In Spain it is implemented through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, which includes direct grants for residential energy retrofit of up to 80 % of the cost.
Operational detail in the article NGEU grants guide.
Green mortgage
A mortgage product that offers improved conditions (reduced rate, discounted fees) to homes with a high energy rating (typically A or B). Indirectly regulated by the European taxonomy for sustainable finance. Several Catalan institutions market it with spreads of 10-30 basis points over the conventional mortgage.
Analysis in the article green mortgage.
ICIO
"Impost sobre Construccions, Instal·lacions i Obres" (Tax on Construction, Installations and Works), a municipal tax levied on the execution of any works requiring a permit. The rate ranges between 2 and 4 % of the material execution budget depending on each municipality's fiscal ordinance.
BOPB
"Butlletí Oficial de la Província de Barcelona" (Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona), the official publication where municipal ordinances, edicts, expropriation files and other administrative acts of the province's municipalities are published. A mandatory reference source for verifying tax rates and deadlines.
Occupancy certificate
An administrative document issued by the Generalitat de Catalunya certifying that a dwelling meets the minimum habitability conditions (floor areas, ventilation, services). Essential for contracting utilities, renting and selling. Validity: 25 years for new housing, 15 for used.
Materials {#materials}
Blown-in cellulose
Insulation of recycled paper fibres treated with boron salts (fire retardant and fungicide). It is applied blown into a closed cavity or wet-sprayed. Density 35-65 kg/m³, λ ≈ 0.038 W/m·K. Especially low embodied carbon.
Full coverage in the article sustainable materials.
Mineral wool
A family of insulants formed from volcanic rock fibres (rock wool) or molten glass (glass wool). λ ≈ 0.035-0.040 W/m·K, fire behaviour A1 (non-combustible). A conventional material with a moderate-to-high environmental impact.
Cork
Bark of the Quercus suber (cork oak), abundant in the Catalan coastal range. A natural insulant, water-repellent, rot-proof and with high thermal mass. λ ≈ 0.040 W/m·K in pressed boards. Carbon-negative in capture when sourced from managed forests.
Hemp
A plant fibre (Cannabis sativa) that is turned into boards, batts or insulating blocks. λ ≈ 0.040 W/m·K. An annual-cycle crop, with low water requirements and high CO₂ absorption during growth.
Wood-fibre boards
Rigid or semi-rigid insulants made from wood fibres sourced from managed forests. λ ≈ 0.038-0.045 W/m·K. High thermal mass (the ability to delay the summer thermal wave), a vapour-diffusing function and favourable fire behaviour.
CTA
If you are planning a Passivhaus build or an energy retrofit, request your tailored quote. Technical response within 48 hours.
JSON-LD
``json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "DefinedTermSet", "@id": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset", "name": "Passivhaus and sustainable construction glossary", "description": "Authoritative definitions of 38 Passivhaus, sustainable construction, energy retrofit and Catalan planning terms.", "inLanguage": "en", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "PAPIK Group", "url": "https://papik.cat" } }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Passivhaus", "description": "Building standard of the Passivhaus Institut that limits heating demand to 15 kWh/m², year.", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "EnerPHit", "description": "Passivhaus variant for the retrofit of existing buildings with more permissive thresholds (25 kWh/m², year).", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "nZEB", "description": "Nearly Zero-Energy Building, a European regulatory category (Directive 2010/31/EU).", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "PHPP", "description": "Passive House Planning Package, an annual energy-balance spreadsheet with monthly resolution.", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Eskimohaus", "description": "Proprietary building system of PAPIK Group based on a timber structure and a Passivhaus envelope.", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "POUM", "description": "Pla d'Ordenació Urbanística Municipal, the basic planning instrument in Catalonia.", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "ITE", "description": "Inspecció Tècnica de l'Edifici, mandatory review from 45 years of age (Decree 67/2015).", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "LCA", "description": "Life Cycle Assessment, methodology ISO 14040/14044 and EN 15978 for buildings.", "inDefinedTermSet": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary#termset" }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://papik.cat/en"}, {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Glossary", "item": "https://papik.cat/en/glossary"} ] } ] } ``