Palo Alto Passive House

PROJECT
Project Name: Palo Alto Passive House
Completion Date:
2013
Building Type:
SF Residential
Project Description:
The mission of the house is to create an extremely energy efficient and healthy house - with no aestheBc
compromises. The house demonstrates that sustainable building does not need to come at a cost premium and can
be built faster (in 10 months) than a comparable custom house in this area. The house is both a CerBfied Passive
House and LEED for Homes PlaBnum.
The house integrates and simplifies with state-of-the-shelf systems: a heat pump serves all heaBng, cooling, and
water heaBng, electric inducBon cooking, gravity-powered greywater system (no pumps), and simple controls. All
systems were simplified to the extent possible to minimize ongoing maintenance without compromising in
performance or funcBonality. The home, with its two electric car chargers, is expected to operate at Net Zero energy
annually (net posiBve 1,300 kWh 2014 with one car

The mission of the house is to create an extremely energy efficient and healthy house - with no aesthetic compromises. The house demonstrates that sustainable building does not need to come at a cost premium and can be built faster (in 10 months) than a comparable custom house in this area. The house is both a Certified Passive House and LEED for Homes Platinum. The house integrates and simplifies with state-of-the-shelf systems: a heat pump serves all heating, cooling, and water heating, electric induction cooking, gravity-powered grey water system (no pumps), and simple controls. All systems were simplified to the extent possible to minimize ongoing maintenance without compromising in performance or functionality. The home, with its two electric car chargers, is expected to operate at Net Zero energy annually (net positive 1,300 kWh 2014 with one car charger).
Location:
Lowell Avenue
94301 Palo Alto, CA
No. of units:
1
Construction Type:
SIPS for walls and roof
Construction Cost:
$398


TEAM
Owner:
Stuart Bernstein
Architect/Designer:
FGY Architects / EID Architects
Engineer/s:
Meline Engineering
PH Consultant:
Integral Impact / Prudence Ferreira
Contractor:
Other:
Miscelaneous:


PREDICTED PERFORMANCE

METRIC VALUES
Treated Floor Area:
5341 ft2
496 m2
Typical Calc. Area:
6830 ft2
Exterior Walls:
28.00 hr.ft2.ºF/BTU
0.203 W/m2K
Floor/Slab:
34.00 hr.ft2.ºF/BTU
0.167 W/m2K
Roof:
9.00 hr.ft2.ºF/BTU
0.631 W/m2K
Overall Window:
6.00 hr.ft2.ºF/BTU
0.946 W/m2K
Window Frame:
4.40 hr.ft2.ºF/BTU
1.290 W/m2K
Window SHGC:
0.37
0.37 %
Entry Door:
2.09 hr.ft2.ºF/BTU
2.7167464114833 W/m2K
Ventilation:
0.00 %
0.00 %
Heating Source:
Electric Heat Pump
Cooling Source:
Electric Heat Pump
Hot Water Source:
Electric Heat Pump
Airtightness:
0.60 ACH50
0.60 ACH50
Green materials:
LEED-H Platinum, Greywater, Low-VOC, Net Positive
Annual Heat Demand:
5.72 kBTU/ft².yr
18.04 kWh/m2yr
Heating Load:
2.54 BTU/ft².hr
8.01 W/m2
Primary Energy Value:
34.00 kBTU/ft².yr
107.26 kWh/m2yr


CERTIFICATION
Certification:
Issued by: