How to transform your house into a BBC?

You have certainly heard about it from your relatives, colleagues, or on television. The BBC house is adored for its countless advantages. That’s why you finally decide to adopt it.

But before starting the project, you first want to gather as much information as possible on the subject. Not to mention that home renovation requires a significant investment, so it is necessary to be well informed.

My anecdote (field feedback)

I gained more than 35% savings just with attic insulation + airtightness… even before changing the heating. The blower-door test revealed leaks around the shutter boxes and hatches: an afternoon of sealing was worth a whole winter of extra comfort.

Definition of the BBC house

When rejuvenating a home, one sometimes wonders which type of cladding to choose to renovate a facade or which paint to use to dress the walls.

But to transform it into a BBC house, the questions don’t stop there! The important thing is first to know: exactly what a BBC house consists of.

The term BBC means Low Energy Building. In practice, a BBC house is one that has low energy consumption.

But that’s not all, its greenhouse gas emissions must be greatly reduced. A BBC house is thus environmentally friendly.

To enjoy the BBC label, the building must consume on average 50 kWh/m2 per year. This consumption includes heating, ventilation, lighting, cooling, and of course hot water.

A BBC house is also built in compliance with RT2012 or the Thermal Regulation 2012. From 2013 onwards, all constructions must meet low consumption conditions. In case of renovation, the building must not exceed 80 kWh/m2 to benefit from the BBC label.

From 2021, the BBC Effinergie Low Consumption and Low Carbon label was created to replace the existing regulation. It retains the primary energy consumption of 80 kWh/m2 but also introduces some recent requirements.

These relate to summer comfort, airtightness, ventilation, and carbon emissions. Apart from that, this new standard takes into account the biodiversity of the environment and the building’s exposure.

If you want to know how to transform your house into a BBC, also explore our advice for choosing the best exterior insulation, discover tips for insulating an interior wall without losing space, and learn about financial aids related to heating.

Steps – Upgrading your house to BBC level

• Conduct an energy audit (DPE + thermography/blower-door) to prioritize the work.
• Insulate the envelope in order of impact: attic/roof → walls (ideally exterior insulation) → ground floor.
• Treat airtightness: membranes, tapes, seals; infiltration test to target a low n50/ Q4Pa-surf.
• Replace or optimize joinery: double/triple glazing, careful installation, sealing.
• Install an efficient CMV: at least hygro B; double flow to recover heat.
• Choose efficient heating/DHW: air/water heat pump, well-adjusted condensing boiler, pellet stove, thermodynamic water heater.
• Add renewable energy sources & control: PV self-consumption, solar thermal, room-by-room regulation, connected thermostats.
• Monitor and optimize: sub-metering, monitoring apps, seasonal adjustments, eco-gestures.

The principles of the BBC house

To be classified BBC, a building must meet certain criteria such as good thermal insulation. This parameter concerns all parts of the house, whether it is the lost attic, walls, roof, or floors.

Table – Work stages & typical gains

Similarly, the building configuration should not be chosen lightly. To consume less energy, it must be compact. That is why the BBC label particularly favors cubic structures over L-shaped or multi-story ones.

As for the orientation of the dwelling, it is preferable to place living rooms to the south. With this orientation, they can enjoy the intense warmth of the sun.

The less used parts can, however, be placed to the north such as the staircase, garage, or corridor. The need for sunlight is not regular.

A BBC house also places importance on air tightness. It must avoid air leaks. You must carefully choose the finish of windows and doors so that they limit heat loss as much as possible.

It is recommended to use renewable energies. Between Canadian wells, photovoltaic solar energy, geothermal energy, and solar thermal energy, there is no shortage of choices.

Tips for renovating your house to BBC standards

These renovation works do not only take into account the question how to repair a water leak in a wall. The project considers several different elements.

To ensure energy consumption is minimal, you need to look for eco-friendly materials. Although the dwelling is not made with these prescribed elements, you must adapt it.

To achieve this, do not hesitate to make modifications to the roof, facade, floor, or carpentry.

To renovate a house according to the BBC label, consider reviewing the insulation. Regardless of the insulation system present, it is essential to align it with the BBC standards. It is important to properly insulate the roof, walls, openings, attic, floor, and many other surfaces.

In the renovation project, also try to review the energy consumption. For a BBC house, this must be lower. In this case, the use of a renewable energy source is strongly recommended. To supply itself, the building uses natural energy.

Therefore, it is not possible to use just any type of device. Only devices compatible with solar power are approved.

If you meet all these criteria, you do not only obtain the BBC label. You will make significant energy savings. Moreover, you will live in a house that is both comfortable and healthy.

FAQ – BBC House

And monitoring consumption?
Essential: sub-metering (heating, DHW, specific uses) to manage settings and verify actual savings.

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