Sheep House | House in Balance

Same house, different standard

Set the total conditioned floor area and today's bill. Then switch the same house between weaker and stronger standards.

Conditioned floor area 140 m²

Total conditioned floor area stays fixed when switching scenarios. The standard changes, not the size of your house.

Your current monthly energy bill 220 EUR/mo.

This is only your starting amount for comparison. It does not define the energy class.

Approximate conversion based on ECB reference rates.

Keep fixed 140 m² · same climate Same total conditioned floor area and the same climate.

Change house standard Selected version against the Lake house benchmark.

Starting bill starting amount for comparison Only the comparison anchor, not the energy class.

Your current bill 220 EUR/mo. The amount that anchors the comparison.

The same house in this version 220 EUR/mo. An indicative translation for the same area and climate.

Same benchmark, two ways to read it

House keeps the number in winter kWh/(m²a). Car turns the same winter gap into a small-car analogy. Bills and the Italian listing label stay in their own rows below.

The fixed benchmark is the Lake house with the same total conditioned floor area and climate.

Optimized passive220 EUR/monthsame house · 140 m² · same climate

I compare the selected version with the Lake house of the same size and climate.

Running cost is translated through an indicative energy price by system type.

I also estimate delivered energy and relative operating pressure.

House appetite

Optimized passive15.0 kWh/(m²a)same house · 140 m² · same climate

Compared with the Lake house, this version needs far less heating energy to get through the same winter.

For heating alone, this would read as a much smaller monthly slice than the Lake house benchmark.

House mode stays on winter heating demand, so Passive House near 15 and a reasonable new build near 45 still read correctly. Car mode turns that same winter-demand gap into a simple small-car analogy, while the bought heating energy and the Italian listing label stay below as separate layers.

Indicative label in the Italian market: loading.

APE references

APE basics SIAPE register

House settings

Start with form and sun. Envelope and operation can be tuned below.

Detail level

Loading a short reading for a first quick pass.

Loading what is currently building the simplified balance.

Form and massing

Number of storeys 2 storeys

For the same total conditioned floor area, 3 storeys still means the same 100 m² in total, just stacked into a smaller footprint. That usually helps because roof area and exposed envelope are reduced.

Compactness of form compact

articulated, spread-out formcompact, simple massing

Fewer corners, projections and shape changes usually mean lower A/V and less risk of losses.

Site microclimate mid-range

The base climate is roughly the north of Lake Como. You are mainly shifting the site toward more exposure, more wind or a cooler location.

Sun and glazing

Where the main glazed areas face south

In quick mode, the main direction is enough. In depth, you can tune each wall below.

Amount of glazing mid-range

rather smaller windowslarge glazed areas

More glazing helps daylight and winter sun, but also increases summer sensitivity and the importance of good detailing.

How much sun the site really gets reasonable

This reflects neighbouring buildings, trees, topography and how much winter sun the house truly receives.

Glazing share on each wall S 24% · E 14% · W 14% · N 5%

South wall 24 % East wall 14 % West wall 14 % North wall 5 %

Each value is glazing as a percentage of that wall. The four values do not add to 100%.

Envelope and air

If terms like building envelope, airtightness or thermal bridge are new, here is a short principle-based explainer right where you need it.

Envelope insulation good

weak, discontinuous envelopestrong, continuous envelope

A stronger and more continuous envelope reduces transmission losses through walls, roof and floor.

Window quality and detailing decent

This affects heat transfer, useful solar gains through glazing and how cleanly the windows are designed and installed.

Airtightness average

Leaks are an unobtrusive but powerful source of losses and discomfort.

Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery mid-level

It helps winter balance, indoor air quality and partly the summer regime as well.

Summer and operation

Summer shading partial

no summer protectionstrong exterior shading

Exterior blinds, awnings, overhangs and vegetation are among the strongest summer measures.

Night cooling in summer rather limited

It helps purge the heat stored in the house after a hot day.

Number of people in the house 3 people

People create internal gains. In winter they help; in summer they add a little more heat.

Appliances and internal loads average use

Higher use means more electricity and more internal heat.

Systems

Heat source and operating logic

This mainly changes delivered energy, operating cost and indicative APE, not the geometry of the house or the heating demand itself.

Photovoltaics small array

It helps the net operation, but by itself it does not turn a weak house into a passive one.

House at a glance

Loading an indicative snapshot of the current version.

The quickest mental model

One simple map before the numbers start to get in the way.

Winter: heat losses vs heat gains

Losses through the envelope and air minus the useful gains from sun, people and use.

Summer: overheating vs protection

Solar gains and internal heat versus shading, night cooling and ventilation.

Operation: system and photovoltaics

They change net operation, cost and the label. They do not repair a weak envelope on their own.

What it means in money

220 EUR/mo.

Loading a simple operating-cost translation.

How demanding winter will be

0 kWh/(m²a)

Loading a simple winter reading.

How many summer hours may fall outside comfort

0 %

Loading a simple summer reading.

Indicative listing label

APE E

Loading an indicative market label.

APE references

APE basics SIAPE register

Why it ends up like this

Just three main reasons, without a technical breakdown.

What I would tackle first

Loading the biggest first lever.

Loading a simple next move.

Annual heating demand

0 kWh/year

Peak heat load

how much peak power the house wants in a cold spell

Share of summer hours outside comfort

estimated share of assessed summer hours above comfort

Indicative APE / EPgl,nren

this is not the same quantity as annual heating demand

PV generation

0 kWh/year from photovoltaics

Net primary after PV

the wider operating layer after systems and photovoltaics

Form and A/V

Loading the link between storeys and heat-loss area.

Orientation and glazing

Loading the effect of solar orientation and glazing split.

Summer without magic

Loading the summer behaviour of the house.

Winter: where the house loses heat and where it gains it

Cyan shows where heat escapes. Magenta shows the heat sources that help the house in winter.

Loading losses and gains.

Summer: what heats the house up and what protects it from heat

Magenta shows summer heat sources. Cyan shows protection, shading and cooling.

Loading summer interactions.

How the house is doing

I show the Passive House threshold directly as the space-heating-demand criterion. The Italian APE label is read here only approximately via EPgl,nren and kept separate from heating demand.

Heating demand

Overheating

Indicative label (IT)

G F E D C B A1 A2 A3 A4

How to read APE and EU labels without confusion

On Italian listings you will often see the A4 to G scale. In general, the worse the label, the higher the operating cost and the weaker the energy standard of the house.

This app therefore separates three different things: heating demand, resulting operation and the indicative market APE language. It is not a legal APE calculation or a replacement for a detailed design-stage calculation.

Official references

EPBD framework Official SIAPE Passive House criteria Methodology & sources

What helps most

Small simulated steps on top of your current setup.

What this means

Loading a readable summary of the current results.

House in Balance

Watch the guide in one clear pass