An Active House offers a healthy and comfortable indoor climate, which it achieves primarily through optimal use of daylight and natural ventilation. Active House units are built from sustainable materials with minimal adverse impacts on the indoor climate and the external environment. Daylighting in an Active House is considerably greater than in the majority of contemporary buildings and is maximised through strategic sizing and siting of the building's windows. Thanks to intelligent control solutions, the windows can be screened against sunlight in hot weather, while the dynamic facades offer shielding in winter, thereby reducing heat loss from the building. Natural ventilation – a solution whereby windows are opened automatically as required – contributes to the healthy indoor climate and is supplemented in winter with combined mechanical ventilation and heat recovery.

Did you know that... in Northern Europe we spend 90% of our time indoors, which is why the focus on indoor climate and human health in the built environment is a key design parameter? various studies suggest that medical conditions such as allergies and asthma may arise as a result of adverse indoor climate, while insufficient daylighting and dimly lit interiors increase the risk of seasonal affective disorder/winter blues?