Implementation and Challenges of the Passive House Concept in Portugal: Lessons Learnt from Successful Experience

António Figueiredo, Filipe Rebelo, Rui Alexandre Castanho, Rui Oliveira, Sérgio Lousada, Romeu Vicente and Victor M. Ferreira
Additional contact information
António Figueiredo: RISCO—Civil Engineering Department of University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Filipe Rebelo: RISCO—Civil Engineering Department of University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Rui Alexandre Castanho: Faculty of Applied Sciences, WSB University, 41-300 Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
Rui Oliveira: RISCO—Civil Engineering Department of University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Sérgio Lousada: VALORIZA—Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization, 7300-110 Portalegre, Portugal
Romeu Vicente: RISCO—Civil Engineering Department of University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Victor M. Ferreira: RISCO—Civil Engineering Department of University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: The European Green Deal defined by the European Commission on December 2019 presents an ambitious set of measures for the European Union and its citizens to accomplish the challenge of climate change, making Europe until 2050 the first neutral continent, where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases. The Passive House (PH) concept has the same ambitious goal, targeting the reduction of the carbon footprint while promoting a construction design that gives primacy to the optimum energy balance, assuring comfort and quality with a minimum impact on the final building cost and operation. However, the PH concept is still not an easy process to implement in the traditional construction sector, especially in South European territory, as is the case of Portugal. Contextually, the present study through the discussion of a case study research method applied to European PH successful experience, has defined guidelines for the implementation of this concept within sustainable development principles. The methodology strategy starts with the information collection from Hanover, Brussels, and Tyrol case studies. Then, a statement regarding the current situation of Portugal in respect of the PH numbers and policies was performed. Moreover, the information gathered, as well as the experience of learnt lessons, were compared to the Portuguese reality. As a final procedure, barriers and obstacles for the Portuguese case have been identified through the analysis and understanding of the country’s social dynamics, and also with the crossing of sustainable development principles. Thus, the present research enables us to propose guidelines to increase the PH implementation in Portugal.

Keywords: public policies; social dynamics; territorial governance and management; urban planning; energy efficiency; Passive House (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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