Passive houses

in Austin, Texas. This single-family home was designed by Trey Farmer - Forge Craft Architecture; Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architect and was awarded the 2022 PHIUS Passive House Project of the Year. It is one of the most energy-efficient homes in the United States, using less than 10% of the energy of a typical home.

Name: Theresa Passive House

Year Built: 2021

Location: Austin, Texas

Size: 2,100 square feet

Architect: Trey Farmer - Forge Craft Architecture; Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architect

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with 2x the insulation of a typical home. This helps to reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer.

Airtight construction: The building is airtight to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy. This is achieved through a combination of sealing all cracks and gaps in the building envelope, and using high-quality windows and doors.

High-performance glazing: The windows and doors are triple-glazed with low-emissivity coatings. This helps to reduce heat loss and solar gain.

Thermal-bridge-free detailing: The building envelope is designed to prevent heat loss at all connections and penetrations. This is done by using thermal breaks, which are materials that have a low thermal conductivity.

Heat recovery ventilation: The ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand.

Energy efficiency: The Theresa Passive House is one of the most energy-efficient homes in the United States. It uses less than 10% of the energy of a typical home. This means that it can save homeowners a significant amount of money on their energy bills.

High-quality materials: The builders and installers of the Theresa Passive House relied on high-quality materials and components to ensure that the buildings meet the Passive House standard. These materials include high-performance insulation, triple-glazed windows, and a heat recovery ventilation system.

Passive House community: The Theresa Passive House is associated with the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). PHIUS is a non-profit organization that promotes the Passive House standard in the United States.

Reduced energy demand: The Theresa Passive House reduces energy demand in the community and the monetary benefit to the local economy. This is because it uses less energy than a typical home, which means that less energy needs to be generated. This can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on energy bills.

Improved air quality: The Theresa Passive House improves air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the building is airtight and the ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air. This helps to reduce pollutants in the air and improve the health of the occupants.

Environment: The Theresa Passive House creates a more comfortable and healthy living environment for their occupants. This is because the building is energy-efficient, airtight, and has high-performance glazing. This helps to keep the home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and reduces the amount of pollutants in the air.

Sense of community: The Theresa Passive House contributes to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in them. This is because the Passive House community is a close-knit group of people who are passionate about sustainable living.

 in Boise, Idaho. This single-family home was designed by VY Architecture and was awarded the 2022 PHIUS Passive House Project of the Year in the Single-Family category. It is a stunning example of modern Passive House design, with large windows that bring in natural light and a sleek, minimalist aesthetic.

Name: Fifth Street Passive House

Year Built: 2022

Location: Boise, Idaho

Size: 1,929 square feet

Architect: VY Architecture

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with cellulose and spray foam insulation, achieving an R-value of 38. This helps to reduce heat loss and keep the home comfortable all year round.

Airtight construction: The building is airtight with a blower door test result of 0.3 ACH50. This helps to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy.

High-performance glazing: The windows are triple-glazed with low-emissivity coatings. This helps to reduce heat loss and solar gain.

Thermal-bridge-free detailing: The building envelope is designed to prevent heat loss at connections and penetrations. This is done by using thermal breaks and other techniques.

Heat recovery ventilation: The ventilation system is a heat recovery ventilator (HRV). This system recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand.

Energy efficiency: The Fifth Street Passive House is highly energy efficient. It is estimated to use 90% less energy than a typical home in the same climate.

High-quality materials: The builders and installers of the Fifth Street Passive House used high-quality materials and components to ensure that the building meets the Passive House standard. These materials include cellulose insulation, spray foam insulation, triple-glazed windows, and a heat recovery ventilator.

Passive House community: The Fifth Street Passive House is associated with the Passive House Northwest community for support and information. This community is a network of Passive House builders, designers, and homeowners who share information and resources.

Reduced energy demand: The Fifth Street Passive House reduces energy demand in the community. This is because it uses less energy than a typical home. This can save homeowners money on their energy bills and help to reduce the environmental impact of the community.

Improved air quality: The Fifth Street Passive House improves air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the building is airtight and the ventilation system is designed to recover heat from the exhaust air. This can improve the health of the occupants by reducing exposure to pollutants.

Environment: The Fifth Street Passive House creates a more comfortable and healthy living environment for their occupants. It is also environmentally friendly because it uses less energy and reduces air pollution.

Sense of community: The Fifth Street Passive House contributes to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in them. The Passive House community is a network of people who are passionate about creating sustainable and healthy homes.

in Washington, DC. This mixed-use building was designed by Robin McGrew and was awarded the 2022 PHIUS Passive House Project of the Year in the Multifamily category. It is a beautifully restored rowhouse that has been converted into a modern, energy-efficient apartment building.

Name: Harrison Street Infill Passive House

Year Built: 2021

Location: Washington, DC

Size: 3,650 square feet

Architect: Robin McGrew

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with cellulose insulation, spray foam insulation, and rigid foam insulation. This reduces heat loss and makes the building more energy efficient.

Airtight Construction: The building is constructed to be airtight with a target air leakage rate of 0.6 ACH50. This prevents air infiltration, which can waste energy.

High-Performance Glazing: The building has triple-glazed windows with low-emissivity coatings. These windows reduce heat loss and solar heat gain, making the building more comfortable and energy efficient.

Thermal-Bridge-Free Detailing: The building envelope is designed to prevent heat loss through thermal bridges. This is done by using continuous insulation and avoiding materials with high thermal conductivity.

Heat Recovery Ventilation: The building has a heat recovery ventilation system that recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air. This reduces the heating demand of the building.

Energy Efficiency: The Harrison Street Infill Passive House is very energy efficient. It is estimated to use 80% less energy than a conventional building. This makes it a more comfortable and affordable home to live in.

High-Quality Materials: The Harrison Street Infill Passive House is built with high-quality materials and components. These materials are designed to last for many years and to meet the Passive House standard.

Passive House Community: The Harrison Street Infill Passive House is associated with the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). PHIUS is a non-profit organization that promotes the Passive House standard.

Reduced Energy Demand: The Harrison Street Infill Passive House reduces energy demand in the community. This is because it uses less energy than a conventional building. This can benefit the local economy by reducing the need for power plants and other energy infrastructure.

Improved Air Quality: The Harrison Street Infill Passive House improves air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the building is airtight and has high-performance glazing. This can improve the health of the building occupants and reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses.

Environment: The Harrison Street Infill Passive House creates a more comfortable and healthy living environment for its occupants. It is also better for the environment because it uses less energy and reduces air pollution.

Sense of Community: The Harrison Street Infill Passive House contributes to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in it. It is a model for sustainable and energy-efficient living, and it can inspire others to build similar homes.

This house was designed by Architecture for Humanity and is made from local materials. It is energy-efficient and comfortable, even in Rwanda's hot climate.

Name: Passive House in Rwanda

Year Built: 2023

Location: Rwanda

Size: 1,000 square feet

Architect: Architecture for Humanity

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with cellulose and rockwool insulation to reduce heat loss.

Airtight construction: The building is airtight to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy.

High-performance glazing: The windows are triple-glazed with low-emissivity coatings to reduce heat loss and solar gain.

Thermal-bridge-free detailing: The connections and penetrations in the building envelope are designed to prevent heat loss.

Heat recovery ventilation: The ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand.

Energy efficiency: The Passive House in Rwanda is very energy efficient, requiring minimal heating and cooling. It is estimated to save up to 90% on energy costs compared to a conventional home.

High-quality materials: The builders and installers of the Passive House in Rwanda relied on high-quality materials and components to ensure that the building meets the Passive House standard. These materials include cellulose insulation, rockwool insulation, triple-glazed windows, and low-emissivity coatings.

Passive House community: The Passive House in Rwanda is associated with the Passive House Rwanda community for support and information. This community provides resources and training to help people build and live in Passive Houses.

Reduced energy demand: The Passive House in Rwanda reduces energy demand in the community by requiring less heating and cooling. This can save money on energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Improved air quality: The Passive House in Rwanda improves air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the building is airtight and the ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air.

Healthy living environment: The Passive House in Rwanda creates a more comfortable and healthy living environment for its occupants. This is because the building is energy efficient, airtight, and has high-quality materials and components.

Sense of community: The Passive House in Rwanda contributes to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in them. This community can share knowledge and support each other in their efforts to live more sustainably.

by Comprehensive Design Services. This project was awarded the Buckminster Fuller Challenge in 2014 for its innovative use of sustainable materials and construction techniques to create affordable housing in Nigeria. The project comprises four self-contained apartments that are made from compressed earth blocks and bamboo, and they are powered by solar energy.

Name: Affordable Passive House Prototypes

Year Built: 2014

Location: Nigeria

Size: 4 self-contained apartments

Architect: Comprehensive Design Services

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with compressed earth blocks and bamboo, which reduces heat loss and makes the homes more energy efficient.

Airtight construction: The building is airtight to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy. This is achieved by using weatherstripping, caulking, and other techniques to seal all the cracks and gaps in the building envelope.

High-performance glazing: The windows are triple-glazed with low-emissivity coatings to reduce heat loss and solar gain. This helps to keep the homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Thermal-bridge-free detailing: The connections and penetrations in the building envelope are designed to prevent heat loss. This is done by using materials with low thermal conductivity and by sealing all the penetrations with caulking or foam.

Heat recovery ventilation: The ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand. This helps to keep the homes comfortable and reduces energy costs.

Energy efficiency: The Affordable Passive House Prototypes are highly energy efficient, which means they require less energy to heat and cool than traditional homes. This can save homeowners money on their energy bills.

High-quality materials: The builders and installers of the Affordable Passive House Prototypes relied on high-quality materials and components to ensure that the buildings meet the Passive House standard. This includes materials such as compressed earth blocks, bamboo, triple-glazed windows, and low-emissivity coatings.

Passive House community: The Affordable Passive House Prototypes are associated with the Passive House community for support and information. This community can provide guidance and advice on how to maintain and operate the homes.

Reduced energy demand: The Affordable Passive House Prototypes reduce energy demand in the community. This can have a positive impact on the local economy, as it can reduce the need for new power plants and other infrastructure.

Improved air quality: The Affordable Passive House Prototypes improve air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the homes are airtight and have a heat recovery ventilation system, which helps to keep the air inside the homes clean and fresh.

Environment: The Affordable Passive House Prototypes create a more comfortable and healthy living environment for their occupants. They are also more environmentally friendly than traditional homes, as they require less energy to operate.

Sense of community: The Affordable Passive House Prototypes contribute to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in them. This can help to create a more cohesive and vibrant community.

This embassy is designed by A2M and is expected to be net-zero energy and BREEAM Excellent. It will use solar power, passive cooling, and rainwater harvesting.

Name: Belgian Embassy in Rabat, Morocco Passive House

Year Built: 2023

Location: Rabat, Morocco

Size: 10,000 square feet

Architect: A2M

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with high-density mineral wool and triple-glazed windows to reduce heat loss.

Airtight Construction: The building is airtight to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy. This is achieved through careful detailing and the use of high-quality materials.

High-Performance Glazing: The windows are triple-glazed with low-emissivity coatings to reduce heat loss and solar gain.

Thermal-Bridge-Free Detailing: All connections and penetrations in the building envelope are designed to prevent heat loss. This is achieved through the use of thermal breaks and other techniques.

Heat Recovery Ventilation: The ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand.

Energy Efficiency: The passive house is extremely energy efficient, requiring very little energy to heat and cool. This is estimated to save up to 90% on energy costs compared to a conventional building.

High-Quality Materials: The builders and installers of the passive house relied on high-quality materials and components to ensure that the building meets the Passive House standard. This includes materials such as wood, concrete, and glass.

Passive House Community: The project is associated with the Passive House Institute, a global organization that promotes the Passive House standard. This provides the project with support and information from a network of experts.

Reduced Energy Demand: The passive house reduces energy demand in the community, which can benefit the local economy. This is because less energy is needed to power the building, which reduces the need for power plants and other infrastructure.

Improved Air Quality: The passive house improves air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the building is airtight and the ventilation system is designed to recover heat from the exhaust air.

Healthy Living Environment: The passive house creates a more comfortable and healthy living environment for its occupants. This is because the building is well-insulated and airtight, which keeps it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The ventilation system also helps to remove pollutants from the air.

Sense of Community: The passive house contributes to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in it. This is because the project is a collaborative effort between the architect, builders, installers, and occupants.

in Sri Lanka is the first certified Passive House in Southeast Asia. It is a factory building that has been renovated to meet Passive House standards, resulting in a 54% reduction in energy consumption. The project was awarded the Honorable Mention in the Commercial category of the 2019 PHIUS Passive House Projects Competition.

Name: Star Garment Innovation Center

Year Built: 2019

Location: Katunayake, Sri Lanka

Size: 10,000 square feet

Architect: Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with a combination of mineral wool and expanded polystyrene, resulting in an R-value of 20. This helps to reduce heat loss and keep the building comfortable year-round.

Airtight Construction: The building is airtight to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy. This was achieved by using high-quality construction materials and techniques, such as sealing all cracks and gaps.

High-Performance Glazing: The building features triple-glazed windows with low-emissivity coatings. This helps to reduce heat loss and solar gain, while also providing good daylighting.

Thermal-Bridge-Free Detailing: All connections and penetrations in the building envelope are designed to prevent heat loss. This was done by using thermal breaks, such as insulated sheathing and gaskets.

Heat Recovery Ventilation: The building is equipped with a heat recovery ventilation system. This system recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand.

Energy Efficiency: The Star Garment Innovation Center is highly energy efficient. It has a 54% reduction in energy consumption compared to a conventional building. This makes it one of the most energy-efficient buildings in Sri Lanka.

High-Quality Materials: The builders and installers of the Star Garment Innovation Center relied on high-quality materials and components to ensure that the building met the Passive House standard. These materials include mineral wool insulation, triple-glazed windows, and a heat recovery ventilation system.

Passive House Community: The Star Garment Innovation Center is associated with the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). PHIUS is a non-profit organization that promotes the Passive House standard in the United States.

Reduced Energy Demand: The Star Garment Innovation Center reduces energy demand in the community by using less energy than a conventional building. This can save money on energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Improved Air Quality: The Star Garment Innovation Center improves air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the building is airtight and has high-performance glazing that blocks out pollutants.

Healthy Living Environment: The Star Garment Innovation Center creates a more comfortable and healthy living environment for its occupants. This is because the building is well-insulated, airtight, and has good ventilation.

Sense of Community: The Star Garment Innovation Center contributes to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in it. This is because the project was designed and built by a local team of architects, engineers, and build

in Qingdao, China is a large passive house settlement that is currently under construction. The project will provide various types of housing, including apartments, townhouses, and detached houses. The settlement is expected to cut carbon emissions by 2.376 tons and save 12.72 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

Name: Heidelberg Village Passive House Settlement

Year Built: 2023-2025 (under construction)

Location: Qingdao, China

Size: 200 acres (8.6 million square feet)

Architect: Frey Architekten

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with high-density insulation materials, such as mineral wool and foam. This helps to reduce heat loss and keep the building warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Airtight construction: The building is made airtight to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy. This is done by sealing all cracks and gaps in the building envelope.

High-performance glazing: The windows and doors are triple-glazed with low-emissivity coatings. This helps to reduce heat loss and solar gain.

Thermal-bridge-free detailing: The building envelope is designed to prevent heat loss at connections and penetrations. This is done by using thermal breaks, such as foam insulation strips.

Heat recovery ventilation: The ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand.

Energy efficiency: The Heidelberg Village passive house settlement is expected to be very energy efficient. It is estimated to use 70-90% less energy than a conventional building. This will save residents money on their energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

High-quality materials: The builders and installers of the Heidelberg Village passive house settlement used high-quality materials and components to ensure that the buildings meet the Passive House standard. These materials include high-density insulation, triple-glazed windows, and heat recovery ventilation systems.

Passive House community: The Heidelberg Village passive house settlement is associated with the Passive House Institute China. This organization provides support and information to passive house builders and homeowners.

Reduced energy demand: The Heidelberg Village passive house settlement is expected to reduce energy demand in the community. This will benefit the local economy by reducing the need for new power plants and infrastructure.

Improved air quality: The Heidelberg Village passive house settlement is expected to improve air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the ventilation system recovers heat from the exhaust air, which reduces the amount of fresh air that needs to be brought in.

Healthy living environment: The Heidelberg Village passive house settlement is expected to create a more comfortable and healthy living environment for their occupants. This is because the buildings are well-insulated and airtight, which helps to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The buildings also have high-performance glazing, which helps to reduce solar gain and glare.

Sense of community: The Heidelberg Village passive house settlement is expected to contribute to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in them. The project is designed to be a mixed-use development, with a variety of housing types and amenities. This will create a vibrant and active community where people can live, work, and play.over the next 20 years.

in Kunming, China is a school building that is designed to meet Passive House standards. The building is equipped with features such as triple-glazed windows, high-performance insulation, and a heat recovery ventilation system. The project is expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 90% compared to a conventional school building.

Name: Passive House School in Kunming, China

Year Built: 2023

Location: Kunming, China

Size: 10,000 square feet

Architect: Green Building Design Studio

Superinsulation: The building envelope is heavily insulated with 20 inches of high-performance insulation, which reduces heat loss by up to 90%.

Airtight Construction: The building is airtight to prevent air infiltration, which can waste energy. This is achieved through a combination of high-quality sealing materials and construction techniques.

High-Performance Glazing: The building has triple-glazed windows with low-emissivity coatings, which further reduce heat loss and solar gain.

Thermal-Bridge-Free Detailing: All connections and penetrations in the building envelope are designed to prevent heat loss. This is done using thermal break materials that do not conduct heat.

Heat Recovery Ventilation: The building has a heat recovery ventilation system that recovers heat from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air, reducing heating demand.

Energy Efficiency: The Passive House School is extremely energy efficient, requiring less than 10% of the energy of a conventional school building. This makes it a sustainable and cost-effective choice for schools.

High-Quality Materials: The Passive House School is built with high-quality materials and components that are designed to last for many years. This ensures that the building will continue to be energy efficient and sustainable for years to come.

Passive House Community: The Passive House School is associated with the Passive House International community, which provides support and information to Passive House projects around the world.

Reduced Energy Demand: The Passive House School reduces energy demand in the community by up to 90%. This can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

Improved Air Quality: The Passive House School improves air quality by reducing the need for ventilation. This is because the building is airtight and has high-performance glazing, which helps to keep pollutants out.

Healthier Living Environment: The Passive House School creates a more comfortable and healthy living environment for its occupants. This is because the building is well-insulated and airtight, which helps to regulate temperature and humidity.

Sense of Community: The Passive House School contributes to a sense of community by bringing people together to build and live in it. This is because the project is often community-led and involves the participation of local residents.