NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. Architecture and Passive-House-standard buildings, in Belfast Maine. England’s First Passive House is a Vaulted Green-Roofed Wonder Crossway House Eco Arch. Ruby House: A Modern Passive House in the Historic Avenues District of Salt Lake City. The Ruby House is a modern and sustainable home located in the Avenues in Salt Lake City that is currently awaiting certification from the Passive House Institute. The site of the home was an empty lot bordered to the north by a stately 2-story Victorian and to the south by a bungalow. The new home not only had to fit within the context of the neighbors and pass historic planning approval, it also had to be sustainable.
At first, Dave Brach of Brach Design Architecture thought it would be impossible to create a passive house without a good sunny, southern aspect, but after some serious design work, they put together a plan to create an energy efficient home. The home is so efficient in fact that it is 3 times tighter than PHIUS standard minimum and 50 times tighter than average home construction. The blower door test measured .26 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals of pressure (.26 ACH50). Passive House - Green Building and Environmental Project Case Studies. Bessancourt, France March 2011 Karawitz Architecture By Laura Raskin Photo © Herve Abbadie Karawitz Architecture’s bamboo-clad Passive House stands out in its neighborhood, where 12th- and 13th- century architecture is the norm. Rate this project: Based on what you have seen and read about this project, how would you grade it?
----- Advertising ----- KEY PARAMETERS Location Bessancourt, France (Seine River watershed) Gross area 1,905 ft2 (177 m2) Cost $377,900 Completed September 2009 Annual purchased energy use (based on simulation) 10 kBtu/ft2 (110 MJ/m2) Annual carbon footprint (predicted).1 lbs. Program Bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, living room, and garage TEAM Owner, architects, and interior designers Karawitz Architecture Engineers Solares Bauen (thermo); DI Eisenhauer et Philippe Buchet (structural) When it was completed in 2009, the officially named Passive House was the second in France and the first in the Paris region. A nearly 2-foot-wide “spine” splits the simple rectangle in two. Spain's First Certified Passive House Cuts Energy Use by 90% Architect Josep Bunyesc built Spain's first certified passive house (PHPP) two years ago.
The home is located in Llerida, and its orientation, insulation, solar panels, materials and overall design slash energy usage by 90%. The architect designed the wooden prefab shelter to serve as a beacon of sustainability and his own family home. Josep Bunyesc’s home consists of a ground floor, first floor and a basement, where the architect has his office. The wooden shelter with solar panels on its facade is orientated to the south to capture free passive solar energy while protecting itself from hot Spanish summers.
The central patio creates a new internal southern facade, providing plenty of natural light, cross ventilation and views throughout the building interiors. The construction was quick and utilized prefab OSB boards with 7.8 inch sheep’s wool insulation, and an external breathable surface to prevent condensation. . + Josep Bunyesc Photos © Josep Bunyesc.