Two different approaches to achieving Passive House certification

I have had my eye on the passive house concept for the better part of a decade now. Essentially, builders are able to achieve unprecedented energy savings and occupant comfort using extremely tight building envelopes combined with high levels of insulation. The always informative folks at Green Building Advisor have brought back some observations from … Continue reading Two different approaches to achieving Passive House certification →

What are the trends that will impact high performance residential construction in the US in 2014?

Hammer and Hand is a Portland, Oregon-based contractor specializing in high performance residential construction. Sam Hagerman, Skylar Swinford and Dan Whitmore, three of the green building experts at Hammer and Hand, put together their predictions for high performance residential construction in 2014. The entire article is worth the read. Here is a summary: Focus will … Continue reading What are the trends that will impact high performance residential construction in the US in 2014? →

Introduction to the Passive House standard by Houzz

The content marketing team at Houzz put together a great overview of one of the hot buzzwords in the built environment these days: Passive House. Here is an overview: Unlike LEED, the Passive House standard does not require that you use natural or recycled materials. Certification is based on energy performance alone. Not only do … Continue reading Introduction to the Passive House standard by Houzz →

Passive House Institute US Incorporates Quality Standards to Certification Requirements

The Passive House (formerly Passivhaus) standard is a bold and intriguing approach to reducing the energy usage associated with residential construction. After breaking away from Passivhaus-Institut in August of this year, Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) has decided to kick things up a notch, as it were. Now, the organization is requiring what they refer … Continue reading Passive House Institute US Incorporates Quality Standards to Certification Requirements →

Green Building Certification Standards: Passivhaus

The Passivhaus standard includes the following requirements: A building must have a maximum annual heating energy use of 15 kWh per square meter (or 4,755 Btu per square foot) as well as an equivalent cooling load (1.39 kWh per square foot, since you'r...