On 24 June 2011 the Saxon Energy Agency as Lead Sub-Project Participant of the EnercitEE sub-project RIEEB organised the first practical workshop on “Building with Passive House components”. The “Westbad Leipzig” served as the perfect venue since the building shows how future energetic requirements in the building sector will be implemented.

Since 2003 the “Westbad Leipzig” has been rebuilt to a Health Care and Sport Center. The middle part of the complex of buildings will be reconstructed in the passive house style. The very low rest of the whole building’s thermal heat demand of 6 kWh/(m²a) will be provided by a gas-fired condensing boiler. After the reconstruction the middle part will host “Assisted living” and doctor’s offices. 

The aim of the practical workshop was not only to learn more and get an insight into building processes with passive house components. Another important item of the day was the presentation of Prof. Dr. Bert Oschatz, from the ITG Dresden Institute for Building Systems Engineering Research and Application, regarding possible upcoming changes in the “regional regulations in building authorities” which is scheduled to be published in 2012. Amendments will refer to newly built houses and older housing/building stock. Whereas for building new houses requirements on heat insulation and installation engineering will slightly be tightened, existing heating systems in the older building stock should be checked against retrofitting.  

In the afternoon Mr Tittel, Managing Director of architrend Leipzig, being responsible for the rebuilding of the “Westbad Leipzig” gave a short presentation on the project itself which was followed by a guided tour through the building. 

For me this practical workshop was very interesting and informative with regard to getting to know the future energetic standards or requirements within the building sector.