EpiPHany Corner | How is Integrated Design analogous to a winning football team?

By Passive House California , July 25, 2022 - EpiPHany

We are experiencing increased interest and awareness of the possible integration of Passive House strategies in the affordable multifamily industry to increase energy efficiency, healthy indoor air quality, and resilience. Affordable multifamily developers have consistently been early adopters of environmentally responsible practices in the design and construction of their projects. Most recently, in their quest to reduce greenhouse gasses (GHGs) and provide the best possible living conditions for occupants, they…

EpiPHany Corner | Achieving Your Vision for a High-Performance Home

By Passive House California , June 24, 2022 - EpiPHany

The following is true for the design and construction of any home or building, but particularly important when your vision includes high-performance: The elements of high-performance include energy efficiency, indoor air quality, comfort, durability, and — resilience to extreme heat/cold, wildfires/smoke, and power outages. Historically, the process of building a custom home on a particular parcel has been a bit like a relay race. The potential homeowner would have an…

EpiPHany Corner | Three Tips for Achieving High-Performance Buildings

By Passive House California , May 26, 2022 - EpiPHany

Today, “High-Performance” generally refers to: Maximum Energy Efficiency; Physical and Emotional Comfort; Healthy IAQ; Resilience; and ultimately, Zero Net Energy; Zero Net Carbon. The Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) and the recently introduced PH Ribbon (integrates embodied carbon) make it possible to deliver the owner’s targets for high-performance. The three-legged stool of Early planning, Envelope first, and Aspirational goals are critical to achieving desired performance on time and on budget with…

EpiPHany Corner | The Natural Order of Decarbonization

By Passive House California , April 25, 2022 - EpiPHany

First, we acknowledge the extremely important success of the Decarbonization Coalition (buildingdecarb.org) in their efforts to drive the electrification of the built environment. As a result of their work, over 50 California cities/counties have committed to phase out natural gas in new buildings. The Decarbonization Coalition’s traction with municipalities and other entities is advancing the conversation to include all four of the imperative factors that will enable the decarbonization of…

EpiPHany Corner | The Natural Order of Sustainability

By Passive House California , March 27, 2022 - EpiPHany

When you are in the process of designing and constructing a new building, or planning for the remodeling or retrofitting an existing building, the Natural Order of Sustainability is: Passive First - Active Second - and Renewables Last. A “passive” solution delivers desired performance naturally, as a function of design, and continues to deliver that performance over time with little or no intervention other than basic maintenance. When you design…

EpiPHany Corner | A High-Performance Enclosure: The #1 Priority for Resiliency

By Passive House California , February 20, 2022 - EpiPHany

Resiliency is the “ability to withstand and recover from difficult life events.” In the case of buildings, difficult life events include extreme heat or cold, wildfires, airborne pollutants (including smoke), and power outages. The #1 priority for achieving resiliency is a high-performance enclosure (envelope) The #1 priority for attaining a high-performance enclosure is air sealing Employing Passive House protocols is the #1 way of delivering an airtight enclosure The high-performing…

EpiPHany Corner | The Logic of The MacLeamy Curve

By Passive House California , January 18, 2022 - EpiPHany

In 2004, Patrick MacLeamy (CEO of HOK Architects) introduced the “Effort Curve”, now known as the MacLeamy Curve, to leverage technology and collaboration early in the design process for new buildings. Today, application of MacLeamy’s logic is critically important in achieving Passive House performance. A simple analogy: Imagine you were arranging a family vacation that included visits to several countries — and you wanted to arrive back home on time…

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…

EpiPHany Corner | Do Pass/Fail choices deliver optimum performance?

By Passive House California , September 28, 2021 - EpiPHany

Even though it seems intuitively obvious that the logical answer is NO, a surprisingly high percentage of decisions regarding the design and construction of new homes are made on a Pass/Fail basis. “Building to code”, means complying with at least the minimum acceptable requirements in the large number of specific areas where compliance is required. Code is a Pass/Fail system and if a building does not meet one or more…

EpiPHany Corner | The Audubon Society Supports Wind Energy

By Passive House California , August 31, 2021 - EpiPHany

This month’s EpiPHany Corner, while not directly related to Passive House, does provide some relevant insights associated with the production of renewable energy — specifically, the misinformation regarding the significance of bird deaths from wind turbines. The fact that the misinformation is largely funded by the fossil fuel industry is not an epiphany. Indeed, a significant number of birds are lost to collisions with turbine blades, but research into causes…

EpiPHany Corner | PH Envelope Elevates the Impact of other Efficiency Measures

By Passive House California , July 25, 2021 - EpiPHany

Passive House protocols, when applied to the design and construction of a building, will dramatically reduce the energy required for heating and cooling. This reduced energy for heating and cooling lowers the overall energy use significantly. As a result, the amount of energy used for water heating, lighting, refrigeration, appliances/electronics (plug loads) become more impactful and more important to manage. Consider the example below.  The Pie Chart on the left…

EpiPHany Corner | Can You Quantify the Value of High Performance?

By Passive House California , June 15, 2021 - EpiPHany

When you shop for a pair of running shoes, you will consider the purchase price and relevant performance related features (waterproofing, arch support, tread pattern, durability, etc.) but your purchase decision, among similar alternatives, will be based on how they fit your feet (comfort) and how well they “fit with” your intended use. Even if you wind up spending a few dollars more, you are choosing the best value based…