An apartment hotel, completed west of Shanghai, China, recently received Passive House certification, making it the first building in the country to be constructed with the standards.

As energy-efficient construction is becoming increasingly important around the world, Passive House “Bruck”, a pilot project commissioned by Chinese Landsea Group, was built to test and introduce sustainable and cost-effective construction methods in the Yangtze River Delta region.

“A very large part of the global construction activity is currently taking place in China; consequently, it is all the more pleasing that the advantages of the Passive House Standard are also being recognized here,” says Dr. Wolfgang Feist, director of the Passive House Institute.

The five-storey building, designed by Peter Ruge Architekten, contains 46 residential units. Chinese families who live in the sweltering summers and cold winters of the region can live in this complex for a short time to experience the quality of comfort the standard provides.

In August, the building was protected from the harsh sun by fixed shading elements which created comfortable indoor temperatures. During the rest of the year, temperatures will remain pleasant because of the highly efficient ventilation system, a well-insulated building envelope and triple-glazing of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Compared with conventional residential buildings in China, about 95 percent of the energy is saved in the environmentally friendly Passive House, reducing the need for active energy and building ownership cost.

During the second weekend of November, people around the world wishing to experience a Passive House will have the opportunity when residents open their doors for the International Passive House Days event.

For an overview of the buildings, or to register your own building for the event, visit: http://passivhausprojekte.de/index.php?lang=en