Passive House standards: a solution for highly efficient affordable housing
As homeowners and renters face the dual burden of weather extreme and high energy costs, Passive House standards may help. As reported by Energy News Network, Passive House Institute (Phius) standards focus on airtight building envelopes with high-efficiency ventilation and strategic window placement in lieu of HVAC systems.
The idea is to forgo a conventional central heating and cooling system and instead exploit solar gain during both winter and summer to maximize indoor comfort, which may be a lifesaver during power outage events. Phius reports that meeting passive standards increases expenses by just 3 – 5% for single-family homes and 0 – 3% for multifamily projects.
