Timber framing is somewhat of a staple in the building and construction sector. It’s an essential element that allows for weight-bearing and structural stability. Such a commonplace piece of the building process that most outside of our industry wouldn’t stop to think too hard about its existence. It’s simply a given.
Yet, here we are, proud as punch, celebrating some big contract wins, which have seen White Haus building bespoke Passivhaus timber frames for clients across the country.
Is it special news? Yes, it is because these are Passivhaus frames.
Passivhaus innovation meets construction

Innovation brings excitement to even the most commonplace of activities. While we’re in an industry as old as civilisation, every day, we come to work excited about how we can modernise and ecologically enhance the buildings we construct through the use of Passivhaus principles and standards.
Timber frames lend themselves perfectly to Passivhaus standards. All about improving the building’s ecological footprint, working with natural materials, such as timber, is one step in the right direction. But the real innovation comes from the creation of the frames to Passivhaus standards.
Building bespoke timber frames to Passivhaus standard means consulting with clients about the orientation of the buildings and strategising on the best positions to work with natural sunlight and shade for heating and cooling that does not require energy beyond the guests and the sun outside.
How Passivhaus works

Passivhaus is an internationally recognised building standard that drastically reduces the amount of energy required to heat or cool a building by instead working with the building’s orientation and sunshine outside to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer.
Rather than heating and cooling, Passivhaus buildings use heavy-duty insulation, airtight building envelopes, and an HVAC system to keep fresh air circulating through the house.
Airtight building envelopes are achieved with airtight liquid vapour, as well as advanced timber framing that sets the foundations for a structurally sound, Passivhaus optimised building.
Passivhaus constructions use roughly only 10 per cent of what typical buildings require for heating and cooling, meaning that most can be effectively heated with body warmth and appliances alone.
Passivhaus timber frames taking over the UK

Out of our Cambridgeshire headquarters, the team at White Haus has designed and manufactured Passivhaus timber frames for a range of clients, including holiday homes for Forest Holidays locations across the UK and safari lodges and bespoke barn conversions for West Midland Safaris.
Working with Forest Holidays on their new Delamere site, Delamere Forest Log Cabin Holidays & Breaks, we delivered timber frames for 67 new cabins, five tree houses and a large retreat building. All of these kits were manufactured in Cambridge, at White Haus, with the window cladding already installed onto the timber frame panels for streamlined installation once they reached the site.
For West Midland Safaris, our team had the extremely fun job of designing and manufacturing six new elephant lodges. In these bespoke lodges, guests can stay and look out to the elephant enclosures in an environmentally friendly building, using no more energy than that of the warm bodies staying there and the appliances they use on their holiday.
Work with White Haus on your Passivhaus timber frames

White Haus builds bespoke timber frame packages for people and organisations all around the UK. Read about some of the Passivhaus timber frame projects we’ve completed or learn more about our bespoke Passivhaus timber frame services, get in touch with the team today. We’re here to help you modernise and maximise your buildings.