The new South West College Erne Campus in Enniskillen is the world’s first educational and currently the largest – Passivhaus Premium (PHP) rated building. It is the first UK building to achieve both PHP status and BREEAM outstanding accreditations and has also been recognised as one of 26 UN Centres of Excellence for High Performance Buildings around the world.

The new 8,000sqm campus completed in September 2021 boasts a large PV array providing renewable energy generation of 120 Kwh/m2/year, along with ultra-modern facilities for 2,800 students.

The new building design focuses on providing environmental and energy efficiency benefits, maximising daylight/solar gains through the curved design. It arcs around a landscaped public space to the north. A 15 metre deep atrium is central to the design, providing functionality whilst acting as a winter garden and encouraging daylight and ventilation.

The ventilation strategy employs various systems. The primary systems are centralised and local mechanical ventilation is supplemented by natural ventilation. The heating system is a combination of a bio-oil micro CHP unit producing 80% of the energy demand as well as 100% of the DHW demand and finally an air-to-water heat pump providing the remaining 20%.

Photos courtesy of South West College

Read more in Hamilton Architects’ Passive House Premium brochure