Green Building News

Updated with a revised competition timetable.

One of the more spirited consumer movements in the energy-management realm has been the stop-smart-meters trend. In fact, there is a nonprofit group called Stop Smart Meters!

Based in California, Stop Smart Meters! is one of more than 50 groups and individuals nationwide advocating against utility-installed, wirelessly connected “smart meters.” These citizens have been tirelessly calling into question the accuracy and safety of the devices, and have voiced concerns about their vulnerability to security breaches.

As the Passivhaus standard becomes less of a novelty and more widely embraced by designers and builders in the U.S., it seemed logical that some of the standard’s advocates would create an independent forum for sharing news, project ideas, and technical expertise, and for generally promoting the standard.

UPDATED on 1/27/2012

On August 17, 2011, the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, Germany cut all contractual ties with the Passive House Institute U.S. (PHIUS). The director of the Passivhaus Intstitut, Wolfgang Feist, announced, “We must make it clear that PHIUS may no longer rely on PHI’s name and expertise to bolster its own image.”

Philadelphia-based developer Onion Flats has been mentioned in GBA at least twice before in connection with TED, a 1,130-sq.-ft.

Updated to reflect the installation plans for the photovoltaic systems.

Work is very nearly completed on TrekHaus, a duplex built to the Passivhaus standard in southeast Portland, Oregon. At some point this spring, if all goes according to schedule, the west unit will be equipped with a 4.14 kW roof-mounted photovoltaic system and monitored for performance for a while before a similar system is added to the east unit. Once the renewable-energy systems are in place, the building is expected to operate at net zero energy with three people in each unit.

Concordia University in Montreal got a nice pre-holiday gift last month with the launch of a solar energy research laboratory and the inauguration of a national net-zero-energy research initiative that will be headquartered at the university.

On December 12, GBA posted an item about a Passive House Institute U.S. proposal to disallow use of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation using hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blowing agents with a high global warming potential. PHIUS also was considering extending the stricture to other petroleum-based insulation materials whose embodied energy is linked to greenhouse gas emissions.

The McMinnville Area Habitat for Humanity, in Oregon, had guided its proposed 35-unit affordable-housing development through a design process that strongly emphasizes energy conservation and makes efficient use of the subdivision’s 3.47 acres. The energy efficiency, affordability, and layout of the community have won praise from most people who have studied the project.

Including those who oppose it.

Trainers from the Passive House Academy of Rathnew, Ireland, will be offering four courses in New York City in February and March 2012.

On February 1, 2012, Tomas O’Leary will teach a half-day introductory course that includes a demonstration of PHPP software. The course fee is $85.