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PASSIVE HOUSE

Certified Passive House Designer 2011

Passive House is a design & performance certification standard that sets a specific target for the energy required to heat, cool and ventilate a building. Inspired by North American solar & super-insulated homes of the 1970s, the German physicist Wolfgang Fiest developed comprehensive energy analysis software in the 1990s that became Passivhaus. It has been employed successfully throughout Europe since that time, and more recently has come to North America with certified projects now built across the continent.

What are the basic features of Passive House?

Passive Houses are super-insulated, super-tight, and include a fresh air supply to maintain internal air quality. Local climate data as well as all the factors of an efficient plan, solar orientation and shading, triple-glazed windows, tight construction, reduced thermal bridging, fresh ventilation air, and efficient mechanical systems are reflected in the energy use data. Depending on climate, these factors can be specifically dialed to meet the rigorous Passive House performance criteria.

How does Passive House compare with typical construction or green building?

Aspects of green building or sustainable design include: site orientation, material use and recycling, water conservation, reduced energy consumption, reduction of CO2 production, indoor air quality, longevity and beauty. Passive House focuses on reduced energy usage. Following best construction practices, the risk of building envelope problems such as drafts, condensation and mold can be greatly reduced. Compared with building-to-code, Passive House aims at radically reducing home energy consumption.

What about alternative energy sources & systems?

The mechanical systems in a Passive House should be simple and efficient. With such a small energy requirement, homes can typically be heated and cooled by highly efficient air-source heat pump (mini-split) systems. Expensive and complicated alternative mechanical systems will likely prove not to be worthwhile investments for a such a house. Solar electric (photovaltaic) panels are an appropriate active complement for a Passive House, and can result in a Zero Net Energy Home in which PV energy produced over a year offsets the energy consumed.

How much will it cost, and what about my existing home?

High performance windows, heat-recovery ventilation, super-insulation and air-tightness do have an increased upfront cost compared to baseline construction, but the benefits can be great: reduced energy consumption over the lifetime of a building; an indoor environment that provides fresh air and thermal comfort without fossil fuels; simplified mechanical systems and maintenance; and a reduced carbon footprint for our planet. Passive House principles can also be applied to existing homes undergoing major renovations such as new siding and windows. As well, these strategies can be applied in a less extreme manner to achieve what has been called a Pretty Good House, reaping many of the benefits of improved energy performance without formal certification.