Is Efficiency a Renewable Energy?

By Passive House California , May 13, 2021 - EpiPHany

Recently, the International Passive House Association (iPHA) and the North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) have introduced the concept that “efficiency is the first renewable energy”. For several years, we have been told that “the least expensive energy is the energy we don’t use.”  From a technical perspective, neither phrase is accurate, but if you compare the relative outcomes of employing renewable energy versus applying energy efficiency measures, they are…

Passive House Air Quality

By Passive House California , May 10, 2021 - Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation

Passive House buildings rely on a constant supply of filtered fresh air, provided by a heat or energy recovery ventilator (HRV/ERV). Fresh air is delivered to the primary living areas, and stale air is exhausted from the “wet” areas—bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. (Note—the kitchen exhaust is not a replacement for a properly-sized range hood.) There are several important characteristics of this equipment: Fresh air is delivered and stale air…

Municipal Green Building Conference and Expo (MGBCE) 2021

By Passive House California , April 28, 2021 - Conference, News

Passive House California (PHCA) has a virtual booth at MGBCE 2021. Any questions about the international Passive House construction standard please come and visit us or just stop by to say hello. The time is now! Join us virtually at MGBCE 2021! This year the community and conference are coming together online to build a greener future for all with action-oriented sessions, interactive expos, workshops, and more. Learn more about our…

How does a 10% change in efficiency have a 100% impact?

By Passive House California , April 26, 2021 - EpiPHany

“Value engineering” is a term that is familiar to those involved in the design and construction of buildings and generally involves the substitution of a specified component or system with an alternative solution that is similar, but less expensive. Consider the following: A building is designed to include a heat recovery ventilation system (HRV) in order to provide a balanced exchange of continuous fresh air to the occupants and, at…

Passive House Residential Ventilation in California

By Passive House California , April 23, 2021 - Indoor Air Quality, Member News, News, Ventilation

Passive House residential ventilation seems like a fairly straightforward topic on the surface. You install a whole-house heat-recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy-recovery ventilator (ERV), exhausting stale air from the wet areas of the house and supplying fresh air to the primary living and sleeping areas. (I’ll use the term HRV to represent both types of equipment throughout the remainder of this article). Unfortunately, the Passive House design guidelines don’t always…

We want to see your Passive House Projects in California

By Passive House California , April 22, 2021 - Member News, Project Tours

We want to know about your Passive House (PHI) building or project located here in California — in planning, under construction or recently completed. Passive House California (PHCA) wants to spread the good news about the Momentum we are seeing on the West Coast in recent months. Here is how you can contribute and be part of the movement. Provide us with a virtual video tour of your completed Passive House building. Provide us with a virtual…

Vote Now! PHI Certified Passive House Buildings nominated for the Green Solutions Awards

By Passive House California , April 15, 2021 - Award|Competition, News

International competition run by the Construction21 network, the Green Solutions Awards highlight exemplary solutions integrated into buildings, districts and infrastructures contributing to the fight against climate change. Here are the Passive House nominations: Good Energy Haus (USA) Scott Subaru – Car Dealership (Canada) Old Holloway straw passivhaus (UK) King Street, Great Yarmouth (UK) GAP Energy Efficiency and Consultant Incubation Center (Turkey) Charter Telecom Headquarters (Canada) Parkview House (Canada) Owl Woods…

How is a Firefighter’s “Protective Gear” like a Passive House?

By Passive House California , March 26, 2021 - EpiPHany

How is a Firefighter’s “Protective Gear” like a Passive House? We are all aware of wildfires here in California — and grateful for the thousands of Firefighters who risked their lives battling those wildfires. They put themselves in environments where they need to be protected from the extreme heat, winds, and unhealthy air full of smoke and other pollutants. Fortunately, they are kept safe “inside” of their personal equipment (PPE).…

Green Solutions Awards | Submit your Passive House Project

By Passive House California , March 15, 2021 - Award|Competition

It is free to enter, and iPHA (International Passive House Association) has negotiated a quick entry option with Construction21 for projects already registered in the Passive House Database. The Awards are a great opportunity to promote Passive House projects at scale, thanks to Construction21's reach and the awards ceremony taking place during COP26 proceedings. Please submit projects delivered between January 1st, 2015 and March 31th, 2021 and may the best…

2021 Conference: Passive House for All | Registration is Open !

By Passive House California , March 12, 2021 - Conference

Registration is now open. Each month the ticket price will rise so get your ticket soon. Ticket price is $100 until March 31. • Included with registration is a 5% discount code on all NAPHN trainings in 2021. • NAPHN Members get 50% off. • Members of Allied Passive House groups get $25 off. • In-person or online, the price is the same. Passive House for All is a call to…