What is a Passive House?
Maybe you’ve heard this term, “Passive House, and maybe you haven’t! For those of you who don’t regularly geek out on building science, what does it mean to YOU? In short, a Passive House is a high-quality home that prioritizes health, comfort, and durability. Of course, it’s efficient too – reducing a home’s carbon consumption and energy bill, but equally important, it’s quiet and low-maintenance. Keep reading to learn why we think these methods are a better way to build!
COMFORTABLE: In Passive House design, great windows, interior & exterior insulation, and strategic home positioning to maximize solar and shade, all work together to increase the comfort of your home. No draftiness or temperature variation from room to room, eliminating cold feet and drafty corners. The environment is quiet too! All of that insluation and those high-quality windows create a significant reduction of outdoor noise.
DURABLE: In the Northwest, the biggest threat to the longevity of a home is water! It’s everywhere and it’s sneaky. Passive House buildings are designed to keep water out and to let moisture produced inside, out. This means less maintenance and fewer repairs – a major win. The physics and design principles can seem overwhelming, but this smart building method will ensure your home stays healthy, comfortable, and durable for a lifetime and beyond.
HEALTHY: We all want to breath clean, oxygen-rich air. Passive House buildings include systems that supply filtered fresh air and remove stale indoor air – keeping pollutants out. Here in the Northwest, we have to contend with wildfire smoke and have to ensure we can keep that smokey air at bay. There are also better options for materials that have historically contained pollutants (carpets, insulation, flooring, paint, etc). We’ve got Passive House Certified crew who can help identify opportunities to implement these techniques and build towards Passive House Standards!
The Five Principles of Passive House Design
While different certifying organizations have different standards for each principle, they share the standards. They work together as a system – each enhancing the other. A building with all five right, deliver the performance and living experience that defines Passive House.
To learn more, you can find tons of resources and training on the following websites:
Passive House Northwest
Passive House Accelerator
Passive House Institute US
Green Building Advisor