Frames Direct, the UK’s leading supplier of Internorm products, has completed their first Passivhaus installation of Internorm’s windows and door systems at The Green Base Horticultural Centre situated in the heart of St Helena’s Queensland Estate in Thatto Heath, Liverpool. It has been designed for the office of the Green Space Service; providing the community an area to learn about green issues and the environment.

With rising energy costs and the need to find sustainable alternatives many architects are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of Passivhaus buildings. As one of the few Passivhaus certified buildings in the UK visitors are able to see the benefits of living in a more eco-friendly environment without compromising on the design or finish of the project. The Green Base has been designed to use as much natural energy as possible. This is achieved partly through well positioned windows, allowing as much heat and light possible into the rooms.

When it came to choosing the windows for the project it was important for Paragon Construction to find the very best performing windows taking into account both glazing and U-values. Paragon Construction decided to use our Internorm Varion range to allow for as much natural light to be drawn into the building and with U valves as low as 0.63W/m^²K, heat loss is not an issue. Varion’s 3+1 system with Integral blinds allows the occupants to control the amount of solar gain during the summer months.

Internorm offers nine Passivhaus certified systems which incorporate the benefits of triple glazing in modern and stylish frames to suit the design and finish of any home or building. Internorm’s innovative SOLAR+ glass technology creates the perfect conditions to maximise the solar gain through improving the g value of the glass. The Green Base also profits from the Fix-O-Round technology that is unique to Internorm and provides increased thermal performance and soundproofing.

The Varion system seen here in is an aluminium/timber composite component which has given the modern finish to the exterior with a thermal foam insulation leading to the warmth expected from a traditional timber frame.