A philosophy of green building that is gaining traction in the U.S. is the Passive House standard.
The Passive House requires very little energy to heat and cool. It’s super-insulated in the foundation, walls, and roof. Triple-paned windows are frequently used. Because the Passive House is airtight, special ventilation equipment ensures that the indoor air quality remains excellent.
The Passive House standard is not the same as using passive solar orientation. That technique, which sites a house to take advantage of the sun for day lighting and heating, can be a way of helping to achieve the overall energy goals of the Passive House.
The passive house originated in Germany, where government policy mandates a 20% reduction in energy consumption by the year 2020. Here in the U.S., a Passive House in Belfast, Maine, cost just $30 to heat last winter. Matthew O’Malia is one of the principals at GO Logic, the design/build firm responsible for the house…
“The big picture – why we stay with Passive House after having done it many times – is that, if the building shell is constructed well, the energy savings from the space-heating reduction is an extremely cost-effective measure to take in the long term. In other words, the Passive House will save a great deal of money over the lifespan of the building, making it a financially-viable solution as well as sustainable.”
It’s possible for Passive houses to require 90% less heating energy than typical houses. The upfront cost of building the Passive House is about 10% greater than using typical construction techniques. But that investment can be repaid in just a few years with lower energy bills.
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Web Links
Passive House Institute U.S.
http://www.passivehouse.us/passiveHouse/PHIUSHome.html
Architecture and Passive-House-standard buildings from GO Logic
Photo, taken on July 20, 2005, courtesy of Tonu Mauring via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY, with partial support from the Field Day Foundation.