BDC: Passive House Gains Momentum In Apartment Design
Building Design & Construction magazine says Passive House, an ultra-efficient building standard that originated in Germany, has been used for single-family homes since its inception in 1990. Only recently has the concept made its way into the commercial market.
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CMHC: Housing Without Heating Systems In Sweden
CMHC report describes twenty row houses that do not use traditional heating systems. Instead, they use heat exchangers in combination with an exceptionally well-insulated construction. (PDF)
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CMHC: Riverdale NetZero Passive Solar Design Home In Alberta
CMHC describes the Riverdale NetZero semi-detached duplex on a prime inner-city site in Edmonton, Alberta. This EQuilibrium home highlights the use of passive solar design principles, one of the key features that help reduce consumption of non-renewable energy. (PDF)
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Dovetail: Overview Of Passivhaus Principles & Benefits
Dovetail report provides provide an overview of the PassivHaus phenomenon including a brief history, a summary of the certification standards, design and construction techniques, and the potential economic benefits and energy savings. (PDF)
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GBA: Passive House Concepts & Basics
Green Building Advisor discusses the Passivhaus standard, the housing industry's simplest yet most rigorous and challenging energy consumption standard.
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PBC: Comparing Passivhaus & LEED
Passive Buildings Canada online video discusses how the performance based Passiv system differs from the prescriptive LEED system.
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SAB: Passive Narrow House In Vancouver
Sustainable Architecture and Building magazine says the Passive Narrow House in East Vancouver makes green home ownership more affordable through careful planning, use of simple forms, and a combination of inexpensive yet durable materials that reduce maintenance costs.
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Tree Hugger: In Praise of Invisible Sustainability in Saskatchewan
Tree Hugger says in 1977, a team of clever architects and engineers built Saskatchewan Conservation House which had a compact design, continuous super-insulation, high-efficiency mechanical ventilation and summer shading. They had been asked to design a solar-powered house but Harold Orr wrote that they "came to the conclusion that solar heating of a home in Saskatchewan was not appropriate" -- so instead, they came up with the simpler, passive approach.
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Peel: Online Passive House Course
Peel School of Passive House online course shows participants how to use the Passive House Planning Package for residential building design and certification.
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Dovetail: Pushing Passive House Forward: Moving Beyond Energy-Efficiency
Dovetail report Pushing Passive House Forward: Moving Beyond Energy-Efficiency addresses the current state of Passive House, progress that has been made, problems that have been encountered, and the creation of the Active House system, which has been developed in response. It also explores the outlook for widespread movement toward highly energy efficient structures, as well as existing obstacles to substantial change in construction practices. (PDF)
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International Passive House Conference
The annual International Passive House Conference and Passive House Exhibition brings together thought leaders and innovators from around the world. It offers networking opportunities, presentations, workshops and excursions.
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CanPHI: Canadian Passive House Institute
Canadian Passive House Institute is a non-profit educational organization that provides knowledge, tools, networks and confidence to design and construct buildings which meet the world’s highest level of energy efficiency, the international Passive House Standard.
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IPHA: International Passive House Association
International Passive House Association is a global network of Passive House stakeholders including architects, planners, scientists, suppliers, manufacturers, contractors and property developers. It works to promote the Passive House Standard and foster a greater public understanding of its significance. Encouraging the exchange of Passive House knowledge, iPHA communicates with the media, the general public and the entire range of construction professionals.
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Passipedia: Passive House Resource Site
Passipedia provides Passive House relevant research, articles, information, insights, and new Passive House findings from around the world. Members of the International Passive House Association (iPHA) receive special access to the more in depth sections.
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PBC: Resource Site On Passive Homes
Passive Buildings Canada serves as a passive house information group that provides a network for the Canadian Passive House community to connect, share knowledge and experience, and empower the delivery of Passive House projects.
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PHIUS: Passive House Multifamily Resource Center
US Passive House Institute online Multifamily Resource Center offers information tailored for developers, architects, engineers, policy makers, and investors who are considering projects that would meet requirements of the PHIUS 2015 building standard.
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Building Science: Passivhaus Standard Issues For Colder Climates
Building Science says the Passivhaus standard, a set of voluntary criteria for an ultra-low energy use home originally developed in Germany, contains many recommendations that are not likely good decisions for cold climate North American housing, and some are very impractical with little or no benefit to the environment or the homeowner.
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CMHC: Passive Approaches to Low-Energy Affordable Housing
CMHC report Passive Approaches to Low-Energy Affordable Housing summarizes a literature review of existing research and projects to identify promising passive design strategies and technologies for low-energy and affordable multi-residential buildings, real-world projects that have successfully implemented passive low-energy approaches in their design and construction, and some of the challenges, costs and benefits associated with passive low-energy affordable homes. (PDF)
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CMHC: Solar Mass Walls Not Feasible For Space Heating In Canada
CMHC study explores performance of one type of passive solar heating system, the mass wall. Mass walls hold the promise of being able to provide passive solar heating in situations in which direct gain is not suitable, but results of the study are not favourable for Canada. (PDF)
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US DOE: Climate-Specific Passive Building Standards
US Department of Energy report Climate-Specific Passive Building Standards provides cost-optimized climate specific performance targets for more than 1,000 climate locations. The metrics represent the sweet spot where aggressive carbon reduction and energy efficiencies overlap with cost-effective building solutions. (PDF)
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CCHRC: Thermal Mass Study For Cold Climates
Cold Climate Housing Research Center online video summarizes their study of thermal mass to determine its effects on occupant comfort and annual heating load for a typical cold climate residence.
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CMHC: Passive Solar Design Features Of Avalon Discovery 3 Home
CMHC fact sheet describes passive design features of EQuilibrium house Avalon Discovery 3, one and one-half-story, detached home built in Red Deer, Alberta. It highlights the use of passive solar design principles, one of the key features that help reduce consumption of non-renewable energy. (PDF)
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EBN: Could Passive House Revolutionize Way We Build?
Environmental Building News says the Passive House standard, imported from Germany, sets a high bar for energy performance in buildings. But some see it as inflexible and inappropriate for the North American climate.
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GBA: All About Thermal Mass
Green Building Advisor describes why interior thermal mass can sometimes help lower energy costs, but in cold climates it won't help much.
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GBA: Cost-Effective Passive Solar Design
Green Building Advisor says cost-effective passive solar design includes orienting your house properly, including an adequate amount of south-facing glazing protected by roof overhangs, and including some interior thermal mass.
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GBA: Net-Zero-Energy Versus Passivhaus
Green Building Advisor discusses net-zero energy versus Passivhaus approaches to building a superinsulated house, and describes how each has its strengths.
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GBA: Q & A On Passivhuas Standards
Green Building Advisor Q & A with Passivhaus Institut founder Wolfgang Feist discusses the five elements of a Passivhaus building, and future challenges for Passivhaus proponents.
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GBA: Using Sun For Passive Heating & Daylighting
Green Building Advisor describes how to design around the sun to lower heating and lighting needs. How a house is oriented to the sun has a dramatic impact on heating and cooling costs, the largest energy load in most homes.
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Vancouver City: Passive Design Tool Kit For Homes
City of Vancouver online Passive Design Toolkit for Homes details strategies for achieving energy efficiency and improved heating comfort through building design. These passive design elements are evaluated for relative cost and effectiveness and can reduce a buildings energy demand by as much as 50 per cent. (PDF)
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