We’ve started on the topic of passive house cooking, as mentioned previously, the first consideration is firepower. With induction cooking, we’ve got that covered.
Onto the next important aspect- ventilation. Even without gas, how do you create keep the kitchen and the rest of the house oil, steam and scent free without using a proper fan!? Not to mention minimizing heat created during cooking. After all, you don’t want to be in a typical wok kitchen when people are cooking without a fan on. And using a conventional fan contradicts the design of the passive house, does it not?
Well yes, typically speaking, passive houses work because they minimize heat that travels in or out of the building and in order to do so, walls and windows are designed to be Air tight. HRV and ERV systems are in place to effectively control airflow. So how can you have a kitchen fan there?
Technically, you can actually still use a standard range hood, you just need a large amount of makeup-air for it to work. (Make-up air has nothing to do with beauty, but has everything to do with air pressure and having a well ventilated indoor environment. ) However, this is rather ineffective considering the cost to have this system work properly.
Alternatively, there are ductless hood fans. For those not familiar with the term, they are hood-fan/ventilation system that recycles the air from the house and uses a system of filters to remove heat, oil and scent – commonly used in high-rise apartments since they have centralized ventilation systems rather than individual chimney or external vents. Of course, ducted fans are more powerful and are often considered more effective, but whe
n you are using a ductless fan with in conjunction with induction cooktop, that should be plenty enough for your cooking needs.
Consult with your Certified Passive House builder to find out what is the best strategy for you.
