Is it really so that passive houses do not require any heating at all?

A passive house has an annual demand of 15 kWh/m2 or less for space heating. This corresponds to 1.5 cubic meter of gas or 1.5 liter fuel oil per square meter floor space. For standard new buildings today, these figures are 8 times as high.

In extreme circumstances, the maximum heat demand may be as low as 10 W/m2. This means the house could be heated with an electric iron (1000 - 2000 W).

A passive house is always equipped with a very efficient mechanical ventilation to maintain optimal air quality without large heat losses. This requires adequate ventilation, but the heat that is normally lost through the various leaks in the building shell is recovered to heat the incoming fresh air. This means less energy losses (less warm air to the outside) and more comfort (less cold air coming in, hence no problems with draught).

For the main poart of the year, these choices keep the house at room temperature without the use of a heating system. During extreme weather conditions, an active heating element will be needed. But it can be very small. Because incoming air temperature (150 - 250 cubic meter air per hour) is increased 20-30 degrees, the house can be kept at a comfortable temperature even during extreme weather conditions.

Source: Passiefhuis - Platform