Low-energy house

A low-energy house is any type of house that from design, technologies and building products uses less energy, from any source, than a traditional or average contemporary house. In the practice of sustainable design, sustainable architecture, low-energy building, energy-efficient landscaping low-energy houses often use active solar and passive solar building design techniques and components to reduce their energy expenditure.

The meaning of the term 'low-energy house' has changed over time, but in Europe it generally refers to a house that uses around half of the German or Swiss low-energy standards referred to below for space heating, typically in the range from 30 kWh/m²a to 20 kWh/m²a (9,500 Btu/ft²/yr to 6,300 Btu/ft²/yr). Below this the term 'Ultra-low-energy building' is often used.

The term can also refer to any dwelling whose energy use is below the standards demanded by current building codes. Because national standards vary considerably around the world, 'low-energy' developments in one country may not meet 'normal practice' in another.

In some countries the term relates to a specific building standard. In particular, these seek to limit the energy used for space heating, since in many climate zones it represents the largest energy use. Other energy use may also be regulated. The history of passive solar building design gives an international look at one form of low-energy building development and standards.

In Germany a low-energy house (Niedrigenergiehaus) has a limit equivalent to 7 litres of heating oil for each square metre of room for space heating annually (50 kWh/m²a or 15,850 Btu/ft²/yr). In Switzerland, the term is used in connection with the MINERGIE standard (42 kWh/m²a or 13,300 Btu/ft²/yr) or the Minergie-P (equivalent to the Passivhaus).

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