Passive House As An Indoor Air Quality Strategy (NYPH)

Passive House standards are widely recognized as the gold standard for building energy efficiency. However, focusing solely on energy savings overlooks one of their greatest benefits: significantly enhanced indoor air quality. This presentation delves into various indoor air quality metrics and demonstrates how Passive House standards surpass code-minimum construction in improving these factors. By combining superior air tightness with a continuous supply of filtered, fresh air, Passive House buildings achieve…


Passive House Air Quality

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…


HRV and ERV for Passive House Applications

Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) and Energy Recovery Ventilation (HRV) for Passive House applications will provide information about how HRVs and ERVs play a central role in Passive House construction. Information will be provided to enable learners to achieve the following learning objectives: Describe the role of HRVs or ERVs in Passive House construction and how it contributes to energy-efficient design Identify how system components contribute to the performance of an…


Wildfires, COVID-19 and Passive House in California

Based on the great interest we noticed during the round table discussion “Passive House on the Frontlines: Wildfire Smoke & Indoor Air Quality” we would like to share the following two articles on this topic with you: “How Do You Sell a 'High-Performance Home?” by Lloyd Alter who is Design Editor for Treehugger “Keeping the Smoke Out” by Cameron Munro & Joel Seagren


Passive House on the Frontlines: Wildfire Smoke and Indoor Air Quality

We know that the airtightness and filtered fresh air ventilation of Passive House design delivers superior indoor air quality to residents. These benefits are well-documented and are a key reason that many choose to live or work in Passive House buildings. But what happens when wildfire smoke creates unprecedented levels of pollution with astronomical particulate counts and AQI indices of 600 or higher? Is the superior indoor air quality of…