EpiPHany Corner | Position High-Performance as the Baseline

By Passive House California , December 20, 2021 - EpiPHany

You cannot discern how a building will perform by appearance alone. The home pictured below must be at least code compliant in order to pass inspection, but it might be a high-performing building in terms of energy efficiency, comfort, indoor air quality, durability, and environmental responsibility. It may even qualify as a Passive House. You need additional evidence from modeling and testing to make a determination. The key word here…

Thank you, Mitsubishi Electric for renewing your Passive House California sponsorship.

By Passive House California , December 16, 2021 - News

Thank you, Mitsubishi Electric for renewing your Passive House California sponsorship. Mitsubishi Electric’s leadership in variable capacity heat pumps makes them an excellent fit for high-performance homes and Passive House California is proud to have them continue as a Supporting Sponsor. Their all-electric HVAC systems are quiet and efficient, available in a variety of ducted and ductless styles as well as capacities, and they allow for zoning. For those reasons,…

Seasons Greetings from iPHA

By Passive House California , December 14, 2021 - Member News

From all of us at iPHA, we wish you a very happy holiday season and all the best for the new year! It has been quite a year for us all, with our joint #EfficiencyFirst campaign, welcoming new members and launching further advocacy efforts just to name a few!  It’s amazing what the iPHA network can achieve when we work together! For now, we wish you a wonderful holiday with family…

You are not Alone – International Passive House Affiliates

By Passive House California , December 9, 2021 - Member News, Passive House 101

You are not alone !  The International Passive House Association (iPHA) is the international umbrella organization for Passive House.  Passive House California (PHCA) is a proud iPHA member since 2012. All iPHA affiliates are independent, member driven organisations. An affiliate organization does not exclusively represent a geographic region and multiple affiliate organizations can be, and are, active to promote the Passive House Standard in the same country. Click here to meet…

Passive House California welcomes Minotair as a Silver Sponsor through 2022

By Passive House California , December 7, 2021 - News, Sponsor

Minotair manufactures state-of-the-art, ultra-high-efficiency HVAC solutions that are all electric, heat-pump based, and an excellent fit for Passive House projects. They offer all-in-one HVAC/D solutions that provide balanced fresh air ventilation, heating, cooling, and dehumidification—no outdoor unit. In addition, their medical-grade air filtration and additional air scrubbing capacity enables recirculation, which is a significant plus in California, as we deal with increasing smoke from wildfires and in dense urban areas…

Passive House Certification Worldwide

By Passive House California , November 28, 2021 - News

Passive House stands for healthy, comfortable living and impressive energy efficiency, regardless of the local climate. Over the last several years, Passive House has rapidly increased in popularity, with over three million square meters total floor area certified worldwide (the graph shows the stats as of June, 2021). 1 Square Meter = 10.76 Square Feet Source: International Passive House Association

PHCA & NYPH | Durable & Resilient Retrofit

By Passive House California , November 23, 2021 - Sponsor

Solving with stone wool insulation – Presented by Rockwool Globally, existing buildings account for approximately 30% of final energy demand and CO2 emissions. Typical renovation rates are 1-2% of the building stock per year, with an average energy use intensity (EUI) reduction of less than 15%. However, to reach sustainable development and climate targets, EUI reductions should be between 30-50%. In addition to energy and emissions conservations, building retrofits improve…

Passive House California at COP26

By Passive House California , November 15, 2021 - Conference, Decarbonization, News

It should not be a surprise that the International Passive House Association (iPHA) was well represented at the recent COP26 in Glasgow. Four years earlier at the 2017 North American Passive House Network conference, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammad described Passive House as “a model for the developing… and the developed world.” (Originally published on the EcoReport 2017) iPHA was involved in COP26 in several ways, including a tour…

PHPP vs. Title 24 – Thermal Bridging

By Passive House California , November 15, 2021 - News, Passive House 101

Thermal bridging is a complicated topic for two reasons: it has multiple aspects, and it often requires complex calculations. Let’s look at a simple case first—exterior wall framing. An exterior wall has multiple layers. For instance, from outside to inside, it may have: Stucco or some type of siding An air gap or rain screen designed to help drain bulk water A bulk water barrier Sheathing, typically ½” plywood or…

EpiPHany Corner | How is a Passive House building like a glider?

By Passive House California , November 15, 2021 - EpiPHany

The wings of an airplane are designed to provide lift when pushed or pulled through the air at sufficient speed. The wing itself can be considered a “passive” element because it is the design and shape that enables it to produce lift whenever the airplane moves through the air. As long as the airplane maintains sufficient airspeed the wing will deliver lift and the aircraft will fly. When an airplane…

Certified Passive House Tradesperson (CPHT) Compliant Passive Pod Workshop

By Passive House California , November 10, 2021 - Member News, Training & Education

Emu Systems unique Certified Passive House Tradesperson (CPHT) training is coming to a city near you…or nearer to you. This training is open to new CPHT students, alumni, and anyone with a Passive House professional accreditation. It is eligible for Passive House Institute (PHI) CE credits. The Certified Passive House Tradesperson curriculum, developed specifically for the North American market and climate zones, is widely recognized as including the most cutting-edge research available. It…