Google "lancaster cohousing"
Lots of installation details for various wall types.

Posted By: tonyAny window fixed in the outside skin is by definition not good in my book

Being at that point where we have planning permission and have just started to get into the detail, I find it difficult to find best practice. Ideally a best practice web site would be good, but lots of this stuff is only available behind a pay wall of some description.

Posted By: owlmanDon't you pay the architect

Yep as you said pay and I'm not sure that all architects are the font of best practice!

Nothing is free!

Posted By: JT101Can anyone point me to some very simple diagrams for good installation of windows

There are a lot of details online for different window installations. But window installation seems to be one of the more difficult areas to find exactly what you need. The main problem is that it depends on what components you are using, what the surrounding components are as well as where you live and what your goals are. So there are a lot of possible variations. For example, when you say 'good' with regard to Passivhaus, I assume you mean - with least possible risk of any air leakage and with no thermal bridges and nominally zero psi value. But depending on the exact design of your house, you might be able to live with a slightly positive psi-value and save some cost. Or you might need a negative psi-value! And with regard to a non passive house, that's so ill-defined that there's no hope of finding a single meaning for 'good'.

For Passivhaus, the best practice guide is the Passivhaus Details book. There are also various specific details published by product suppliers.

Thanks everyone. Yeah, I figured as much. A friend is just having some new PVC double glazed units installed. I asked the guy who was installing them, and he said there are hundreds of variations, but of course he didn't know anything about the best way to install. He only knew that they were "ECO". I won't go into that one.

Anyway, my point is that I'm either going to be dealing with Passive House, or normal buildings that have to meet the minimum code in the UK. So as you've rightly said, the passive house details book should cover all eventualities for passive house.

But I guess I need to understand the general underlying principles.

I usually see that the insulation always overlaps the frame on a passive house. So, despite the window units being passive house certified, the frames still are the cold bridge and need that extra insulation. So I get that.

But for normal build, the opening of the brickwork is smaller than that of the inner leaf of blockwork and the frames have checked reveals, butting up to the outside brickwork.
Or they are inline with the outer brickwork, so the opening is the same for brick & block.

But what is the advantage of checked reveals. In effect, the brickwork overlaps the frame, much like the insulation in passive house. But how does this help? Surely this could even leak heat away quicker since the brick could get cold, and transfer heat from the frame faster.

Thanks

Posted By: tonyPH details book

Do you have the ISBN number for the book, or a link?

Set the window frame in the insulation layer as Tony states, minimises thermal bridging + use an Insulated cavity closer.

There's a dearth of good details with calculated psi values for normal timber frame I'm afraid.

Ok, so if you go tother last page on this site http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/masonry_internal_wall_insulation_illustrations.pdf

It is a detail for checked reveals. Is this what you are talking about Tony?

If so, how is this thermally better than the detail prior to it on page 32?

And secondly, how do you easily build such a thing. Trying to make an opening in the brickwork smaller than in the blockwork would a pain in the butt

Posted By: JT101And secondly, how do you easily build such a thing. Trying to make an opening in the brickwork smaller than in the blockwork would a pain in the butt

Why? Standard detail in Scotland (worse weather). Only thing I'd add is that the windows should be set back inwards by 5mm or so to allow an edpm foam seal so the blockwork does not actually come in contact with the window frame (and put the window in a plybox to support it and fix it to the inner leaf of any material).

Are you building 2 skin block? Use a temporary ply box as a former or fit the windows as you go. Get the cill detail right though.

Don't really want to get involved in obsolete cavity walls, but just curious, how do you make the check at the head/lintol, as it involves different coursing heights between inner and outer skins?

Sure, but those separate lintols sit on different coursing planes. How to do that?

What, you mean the 'check' width, which may be what - 20mm? - on the jambs, is 225/75/300 wide (or rather, high) at the head? Doesn't that leave you with a missing bit of inner wall face?