Microsoft have had the facility to add custom buttons on a ribbon (toolbar) in Excel for some time. Tim Martel and the AECB have teamed up to create one for PHPP which speeds up common tasks and extends what PHPP can do. No special PHPP is needed. PHribbon includes Cradle to Grave Embodied CO2:
| Features Beginners might like | Features Advanced PHPP users might like | |
|---|---|---|
| Climate | easier selection of climate region using a more detailed map, shows shows what counties are in what region. You only need to know the county that the building is in. | |
| U-values | library of typical constructions to start from (R-values for the US version) |
build up your own library of constructions |
| Lambda values | enters lambda value from a library of common lambda values (R-values/inch for the US version) |
lambda 90/90 vales & link to BBA certificates, have your own custom lists |
| Orientation tool | very simple way of entering bearings of each wall, also draws outline of building as a crosscheck (if you have entered wall lengths) | |
| Absorptivity | on the Areas tab allows quick entry of the wall shading, Absorptivity and Emissivity, gives absorptivity and emissivity of a range of common materials | |
| Window tool | enters different window styles quickly, in mm or m, calculates the d-reveal, and enters the other info |
advanced formulas option can accommodate changes in window or pane dimensions when calculating the d-reveal |
| D reveal tool | an alternative to the window tool, calculates the d reveal and d over if you have already filled out the Windows and Components tabs | advanced option can accommodate changes in window or pane dimensions when calculating the d-reveal |
| CheckPHPP/ UpdatePHPP | CheckPHPP runs through a standard check for PHPP and gives you a list of what is OK and what needs attention. You can customise the checks you do, add your own checks, remove them or just temporarily ignore some | Update PHPP allows you to make the same changes to a list of PHPPs, or you can use it for data entry |
| Summarise PHPPs | List results for recent PHPPs you have done | useful to summarise a large development where you have many individual PHPPs for different blocks. |
Window Tool
The window tool helps you add windows by entering much of the data for you. On the windows tab it enters the dimensions, ‘1’s and ‘0’s and name and quantity. On the Shading tab it puts together a specific formula for the d reveal, and d over. The advanced formulas option for the d reveal can accommodate updates to the width of the whole window, width of each pane, changes to the frame selection and changes to frame dimensions. This minimises the amount of work you have to do as the design evolves. Some window styles allow you to change the quantity of middle panes (these are marked with blue shading). You can now choose, for example, a 3 pane window and change the quantity of the middle pane to 10 if they are all the same, to get a 12 pane window. The d reveal will still be correct if you change the quantity of any pane.
A new D reveal tool calculates the d reveal (and d over) where you already have the window tab and frame information entered.
Daylight Factor
This exports window information to a daylight factor spreadsheet by Mark Siddall of LEAP. It helps you plan window sizes which give enough daylight without over-provision. Good windows have 5x the heat loss of a good wall so it is important not to over size them.
Embodied CO2
The PHPP already has quantities of 75% of the materials of the building, this button makes it relatively straightforward to obtain lifetime CO2 using an extensive list of hundreds of EPDs. The calculation is for the full lifetime Embodied CO2 suitable for design stage estimates of RIBA 2030 challenge (though an official RICS calculation requires more). Read more
- PAS2035 – first version of the Improvement Option Evaluation now available to anyone who has bought the Costing module. Use version 3.06 or above of PHribbon
- Compatibility – all tools are compatible with earlier versions of PHPP: 9.3, 9.1 and 8.5 as well as 9.6. Copy constructions from older projects, estimate retrofit costs or Embodied CO2
- Retrofit Costing – links to rates of master PHribbon list, allowing you to update results automatically if you change the rates in the master list. Read more
- Certifier Export – a new button creates the summary certifiers need to send to the Passivhaus Institute