His life story is entirely one of struggle and experience. At just three months old, he underwent surgery; by the age of four, he realized he was different from others; in seventh grade, he became aware of his future and understood that he had to take responsibility for his own life.

When he was born, his parents’ teacher, a medical professor, said, "Your child will not go to the military or become a builder, but he will manage to sustain his own life."

As predicted, he did not serve in the military, yet he faces challenges in Mongolian society as though undergoing military training every day. He did not become a doctor, yet he provides consultation and services to many families through his company, Rehtus. Though he is not a builder, he pioneered the first accessible passive house in Mongolia, setting an example and proving his value through his work.

This article explores how he initiated his Inclusive Passive Laboratory House project, what he has learned, and how he is sharing his insights with others.

Project Information

Location: Near Ulaanbaatar, in a summerhouse area

Construction Area: 53.6 m²

Energy-Efficient Technology: Passive House

Design: Inclusive

Living Lab: A real-life experimental living environment

The Need for the Project

The need for this project arose from his family’s necessity to purchase land in a summerhouse area and build a home. The idea of having his own residence first emerged while studying and living abroad. As an advocate for inclusivity, he wanted to integrate this principle into his home. Additionally, he aimed to implement energy-saving technologies suitable for Mongolia’s harsh climate, utilize renewable energy, create an accessible environment for everyone, and generate new knowledge. By materializing these concepts, he hoped to set a new standard for modern, inclusive, energy-efficient, and intelligent buildings in Mongolia, raising awareness about energy conservation.

Initial Challenges

The first challenges were securing land and electricity. The plot he purchased had a 220-volt power source, but conventional wisdom suggested that private houses in summerhouse areas required 380-volt power to sustain heating. Instead of seeking higher voltage, he focused on making the 220-volt supply work efficiently. The solution? Building an energy-efficient passive house.

Research

Research was a critical step. To ensure warmth, he conducted soil and solar energy studies to determine soil properties, roof length, and ceiling height. In Mongolia, a land certificate is only issued if a soil study has been conducted. His land had a slight permafrost risk, requiring a well-calculated foundation to prevent cracks and structural instability.

A solar study followed, assessing the best height for the house to optimize sunlight exposure during summer and winter. These studies played a crucial role in ensuring energy efficiency and sufficient use of renewable energy. The roof’s shape was determined accordingly, ensuring summer sunlight does not overheat the house while winter sunlight provides warmth.

Design Phase

After soil and solar analyses, the design phase began. He spent two years refining the design, collaborating with a professional architecture firm. His vision was sketched, and an architect ensured feasibility. The container-style house design emerged from the solar study findings, maximizing light absorption. Key passive house elements were integrated, including thick walls, insulation, airtight sealing, ventilation, roof structure, windows, and access points. He carefully selected materials that met passive house standards, allowing for an accurate cost estimate. To harness solar energy, the house was designed with an east-west orientation, measuring 11.59 x 4.80 meters. While the architect focused on technical aspects, he concentrated on making the house universally accessible, reducing discrimination, and promoting inclusivity. His realization? A well-designed plan minimizes construction errors and costs.

Green Financing

Many people find green loans difficult to obtain due to strict energy efficiency requirements and a lack of proper building plans. However, by meeting key criteria, he secured a discounted green loan to finance the construction. Banks assess whether the building plan meets energy-saving standards before providing funding. Once construction is completed, the house undergoes an energy efficiency and air quality evaluation before the remaining loan is disbursed. This streamlined financing process reinforced the importance of thorough research and planning.

Construction Principles

He followed three main principles when planning the house:

1. Energy Efficiency – Ensuring the house maintains low heating costs year-round. Traditional Mongolian homes incur heating costs ranging from 150,000 to 650,000 MNT per month, whereas his passive house is designed to limit heating costs to 50,000 MNT per month.

2. Inclusivity – Designing a universally accessible home suitable for everyone, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Key features include step-free entrances, wide 90cm doorways, low window handles, and accessible switches.

3. Living Lab – Creating a research platform for students, architects, and engineers to study energy-efficient and inclusive housing solutions.

Construction Process

The foundation was built 1.3 meters deep with insulation layers to prevent heat loss. The walls used 40 cm thick insulation, exceeding Mongolia’s energy-saving standards by three times. Traditional sloped roofs tend to cause heat loss and condensation issues, so he opted for a flat roof to maintain efficiency.

Ventilation & Energy Efficiency

Passive houses require airtight construction to retain heat. To regulate airflow, he installed an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator), which preheats incoming fresh air using outgoing warm air. This ensures efficient ventilation without heat loss.

After completion, a pressurization test confirmed that his house was the most airtight house built that year.

Long-Term Investment

A well-constructed house is a life investment. Many people prioritize short-term savings, opting for cheaper, less efficient houses that later result in high heating costs. His approach? Investing an additional 50 million MNT upfront to secure long-term savings and sustainability.

His passive house withstood extreme conditions. During a power outage in winter, neighboring houses suffered frozen pipes and severe damage, but his house remained warm. Additionally, when electricity prices doubled, his costs remained unchanged due to the house’s efficiency.

Future Vision

He envisions building an inclusive, energy-efficient passive community and a rehabilitation center. Having successfully constructed his model house, he now shares his experience with others, believing this is just the beginning of a broader movement toward sustainable, accessible housing in Mongolia.

The source: https://www.barilga.mn/n/34586/ (Mongolian version)

The article translated by Ai.