What is Passive House?

Although many people cannot afford to build their own home, there are energy lessons to be learned by this new technology regarding in-home efficiency. Keeping your home properly insulated is the key to this concept. Keep your doors and windows properly sealed so it can ultimately reduce heating and cooling leakages from your home. That's money leaking from those cracks! Planting trees on the south side of your home or using blinds during the hottest part of the day are small things that can also help reduce your energy consumption! Taking lessons from revolutionary ideas can help everyone on the grid. Stay concious of your energy expenditure and stay informed!

Here is an article we found that demonstrates just that:

“Maximize your gains, minimize your losses”. These are the basic tenants of the Passive House approach. A Passive House project maximizes the energy efficiency of the basic building components inherent in all buildings; roof, walls, windows, floors and the utility systems: electrical, plumbing & mechanical. By minimizing a building's energy losses, the mechanical system is not called to replenish the losses nearly as frequently, saving resources, operational costs and pollution. Unlike any other structures, Passive House buildings maintain occupant comfort for more hours of the year without the need for mechanical temperature conditioning of the indoor air. The opposite has been the norm in this country with a history of inexpensive fuel and construction techniques with little consideration for energy losses through thermal bridging, air-infiltration, let alone being conscious of using some or even any insulation.

Thus, to minimize losses, Passive House theory is focused on insulation. The research shows that energy conservation is the most cost effective and immediate solution to global energy production and resulting global pollution concerns.

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