EnerPHit: How to Fix a Cold, Draughty Home
It is a well-known fact that most UK houses are draughty and expensive to heat. If you are planning a renovation, a standard "makeover" usually misses the chance to fix the root of the problem. That is where EnerPHit comes in.
What is EnerPHit?
Essentially, EnerPHit is the Passivhaus standard for existing buildings.
While a new build allows us to start from scratch, an old house has fixed walls and a history. EnerPHit is a rigorous, proven method designed specifically to handle these constraints. It focuses on the "fabric" of the building - the insulation, the windows, and the airtightness - to ensure the house performs as well as it looks.
Why go this far?
A typical renovation might make a house look better, but it rarely makes it warmer. Following the EnerPHit standard can reduce your heating demand by up to 80%.
Here is why that matters:
Constant Warmth: We eliminate "thermal bridges" - the gaps in your insulation that let heat leak out. This keeps the temperature even in every room.
Clean Air: We use Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR). It quietly pulls in fresh, filtered air and keeps the heat inside. This stops condensation and mould for good.
Lower Bills: By dramatically cutting the energy you need for heating, you protect yourself from rising energy costs.
Design Meets Physics
At Folia Architects, we don’t just care about the numbers. We care about how a space feels.
A South West Passivhaus barn conversion project like our Tin Barn shows what is possible. We took a derelict agricultural shell and used these principles to create a modern, high-performance home. It’s about being smart with the science so we can be creative with the architecture - the end result is a yearly heating bill of £155!
We believe an old home should be more than just a piece of history. It should be a healthy, comfortable place to live that doesn't cost the earth to run.
Planning a renovation or conversion? If you want to turn a cold house into a high-performance home, we’re here to help.
The Tin Barn EnerPHit
Our clients wanted to turn a derelict set of barns into an exemplary Passivhaus home. On a rural plot in the South West, they wanted a home that would be more manageable in scale and more cost-effective to run, allowing them to live more sustainably.
Find out more on the Tin Barn EnerPHit Retrofit here