Leading German Architect Georg Zielke has suggested the introduction of passive homes to Sri Lanka, in an exclusive interview with the Island.

. Zielke, who was in Colombo to give a talk about passive homes to the Sri Lankan Institute of Architects, said that the homes provided "more comfort and less cost". A passive home uses ultra-low amounts of energy for heating and cooling, without infringing on comfort, because of its unique design. He cited examples in his home-country of Germany where passive houses had vastly reduced the energy costs of heating by lessening heat-loss to keep homes warmer through a so-called "enveloping" structure – where rooms are sealed completely air-tight. The rooms in the houses can therefore be effectively heated or cooled using the minimum energy necessary.

Zielke also added that this had positive side-affects such as noise-reduction, a benefit particularly relevant to those building houses in urban areas.

This concept could be effective in reverse – to keep Sri Lankan homes cool – by creating an environment suitable for energy efficient air-conditioning, Zielke said. Simple suggestions such as shading of walls and position of buildings could also aid keeping homes cool, Zielke said.

This is the first time that the introduction of Passive homes in Sri Lanka has been suggested. The homes, which currently represent 1/3 of every newly-built building in Germany, cost approximately Euro 200,000 to build for 150sqm – between 5% and 10% more than a non-passive house. The Sri Lanka Institute of Architects will be running a Passive Homes project.