Construction project - ventilation system, heating - your experiences?

Thanks already for the previous answers. I will probably try to have a direct conversation with brickmakers because I often read that the lifespan of a cladding construction is not the best. The idea of not having to worry about the facade for the rest of my life was extremely pleasant to me.

I don't think I need a new architect just because he advises me on a type of heating that I had actually ruled out for myself. He said he will do everything the way I want it, but if he has a different opinion, he will tell me. I actually prefer that to someone who only says yes and amen because the client wants it that way.

Regards

The costs for controlled residential ventilation are overestimated. We paid just under 10K (NRW, 165 sqm, central). And it’s money well spent!! I would never want to do without it again.

Solar is not worth it, better photovoltaic (countless calculations can be found online).

We have a heat pump with deep drilling; from today’s perspective, maybe a trench collector would have been better (because cheaper), but well... The heating runs and is economical. Last year, two of us used 600 kWh electricity all in (heating, water, electricity). I can live with that!
We never seriously considered an air heat pump. If so, I would only choose an indoor unit. The noise outside can sometimes be unpleasant (but there are differences there too).

Our architect had no knowledge about heat pumps when we brought up the topic. He also said that, so I got very involved in the subject, also because I enjoy it. He benefited from that too but couldn’t really support us.
Architects cannot fully provide that support either.
As already mentioned: he can mediate as the project manager, but the experts are others. If the architect is supposed to support technically in full depth, what else should he be able to do? Structural engineering? Electrical with all refinements? HVAC, heating, plumbing with all innovations? Windows, shading systems with all advantages for the best control?

Read up on the topics and try to select as well as possible for your requirements. And not because Mr. X once said so and because everyone in the forum always says so... In the end, you have to live with everything!

To me, it sounds like your architect doesn’t really want to plan in technology he has no knowledge of (like ours at the beginning).
But we as building owners pay for the whole thing anyway.
So you read up. If you don’t want a belly flop, you have to take the time and work on these things.

Have fun and success with your project. An exciting time!

We have a ground source heat pump (incl. cooling function) and are very happy with it. I have now seen that instead of deep probes or surface collectors, there are also ground heat baskets. Maybe that is something for you. Advantage: space-saving and doesn’t need to be buried so deep.

We have an earth collector under the basement, but that is probably quite special. Also photovoltaics AND solar thermal. I find that particularly sensible in winter since we produce less electricity then and need it elsewhere more than to heat water. The ST is quite effective, and since we decided on a large hot water tank (1,000l), we also store energy gained through the ST.

How it ultimately adds up in the end, we still have to wait and see.

Solar thermal energy is not profitable. It is greenwashing and nothing else. Just like currently (still) the home storage systems for photovoltaics. Photovoltaics, on the other hand, are profitable.

Solar thermal energy is not cost-effective.

Why not? Is it that expensive? My dad has it on the roof and is enthusiastic. Ok, he is enthusiastic about technology anyway. But he says he gets boiling water from the roof on sunny winter days.