Earlier this year, our G30 cast-in anchor was officially certified by the Passive House Institute (PHI) as a Passive House component, with or without StubGuard® and in cold and cool-temperate climate zones.
Recognised for its ability to minimise thermal bridging while delivering the consistent performance Sapphire is known for, the G30 becomes our first Passive House-certified balcony connection, enabling our lightweight aluminium balconies to support Passive House projects.
For architects and developers, this opens new opportunities to include outdoor living space in residential buildings designed to Passive House standards, without compromising the thermal performance of the building envelope.
To achieve certification, building components must undergo rigorous testing to prove they can support Passive House design principles. For a balcony connection, this revolves primarily around thermal performance.
Notoriously, balcony anchors create thermal bridges, either by allowing heat to escape through the building envelope, or by cooling down and creating a cold block in the structure. The Passive House Institute therefore places strict limits on the heat transfer (χ-value) permitted at the connection point.
The G30 is engineered with this challenge front and centre:
The G30 provides a stable balcony connection from just two or three penetrations per balcony. With fewer penetrations into the structure, the G30 anchor helps to minimise the risk of thermal transfer at connection points. Other forms of balcony anchor may require as many as six penetrations (depending on their weight), while concrete balconies need to be thermally broken along the entire length of the connection.
Passive House criteria requires that the temperature factor (fRsi) of a component must not fall below strict limits, thus ensuring internal surface temperatures can remain high enough to avoid moisture-related issues. The G30’s design allows it to satisfy these demands, supporting buildings that operate without traditional heating systems.
The Passive House Institute validated the G30 both as a standalone component and when combined with StubGuard®, our proprietary solution for maintaining fire barrier continuity around balcony anchors. This flexibility means developers can choose an approved fire barrier to go with their balcony anchor while still maintaining Passive House standards.
During testing, the G30 demonstrated that it maintains Sapphire’s hallmark rigidity with minimal deflection characteristics, even while reducing thermal conductivity.
To secure certification, the G30 underwent detailed thermal modelling and assessment by the Passive House Institute. These calculations confirmed that its thermal behaviour stays within Passive House limits when integrated into a compliant wall build-up.
Traditionally, balconies have been one of the most difficult elements to reconcile with Passive House principles. Their connection points are among the biggest potential thermal weak spots in a façade.
Better still, combined with the benefits of Sapphire’s complete balcony connection systems, all balconies are delivered in a way that minimises programme cost, cuts embodied carbon emissions, and accelerates schedules while maintaining site safety.
For architects and developers working to Passive House standards, the G30 anchor finally removes a longstanding barrier: the ability to attach balconies without undermining the building’s thermal performance.
By delivering a structurally rigid connection with low thermal transfer, the G30 allows you to incorporate generous outdoor spaces while still meeting the strict energy efficiency criteria set by the Passive House Institute.
When paired with Sapphire’s lightweight aluminium balcony systems – which can help to reduce overall structural load – our solution makes it simpler to design mid and high-rise buildings that prioritise resident comfort, achieve architectural ambitions and align with Passive House criteria.
With the G30 now officially recognised as a Passive House component, architects and developers no longer need to choose between high-performance energy design and high-quality, attractive outdoor living space.
Are you considering a Passive House structure that requires balconies? Contact us today to find out more about how the G30 anchor could support your aspirations.
