Community: PassivHaus

Much of the value of this site is the pooled experience of members and their willingness to share it. This page offers a Community area formatted for Questions & Answers dedicated to PassivHaus. Other topics appear to the right.

Anyone may ask a question and anyone may answer. Sometimes one of our 15 Advisors may chime in; in other cases, you'll get the wisdom of some of our members who have some experience in this area. We encourage everyone to give us the benefit of both their questions and answers. The usual rules of courtesy apply.

PassivHaus is a standard of construction that yields extremely tight envelopes and low energy use.

The PassivHaus Institute is in Germany, but we have a branch here in North America as well, Passive House Institute US

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19 Answers
Hot Water in PH (passive house)

I am designing a PH as a vacation house in Vermont. We will have a peak load of 10 persons over the weekend.

This is a lot of hot water.

Can anyone point me to a Wood Stove/Hot Water heater with:

Outside Air Intake
Hot Water Coils
Oven
Cooktop

in Modern Design with a large percentage of heat going to the water?

Like this:
http://www.wodtke.com/momo.html (hw only)
http://www.euroflues.com/products/fireplaces/woodstove/pallas-back (cooking & oven)
http://www.twlag.ch/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=... (hw only)

Asked By Steven Landau | Jun 16 09
5 Answers
Can I build a Passivhaus using recycled shipping containers?

I am currently designing prefabricated housing using recycled shipping containers (i.e. the weeHouse by Alchemy Architects) and would like the structure to meet the requirements for PassivHaus certification. Is this possible? Are PassivHaus certified windows and doors compatible with this style of construction? The site is near Olympia, Washington on the Evergreen State College Campus.

Asked By Nick | Mar 2 10
3 Answers
To those who attended the 2009 Passive House conference.....

The Passive House Institute-US had made available for viewing and downloading the presentations made at the conference. I'm glad they did this-there was a lot of great information and seeing it again does make one re-energized!

http://sites.google.com/site/phconferenceoct172009/home

Derek

Asked By Derek Vander Hoop | Feb 4 10
1 Answer
Link to Dr. Wolfgang Feist dialogue

For those looking for the link to the recent dialogue with Dr. Wolgang Feist, the founder of the Passivhaus Institut in Germany, it's here:
http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/forgotten-pioneer...

Asked By Martin Holladay | Dec 30 09
8 Answers
Dr. Wolfgang Feist posts a comment on GBA's Passivhaus reporting

Dr. Wolfgang Feist has decided to post a comment on one of my blogs. Since it's easy to miss such postings, I'm alerting interested readers to his post and my response. They can be found here:
http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/forgotten-pioneer...

Asked By Martin Holladay | Dec 24 09
6 Answers
I'm thinking of building attached townhouses in NYC (3 or 4 floors).

My foundation will probably be a matt foundation. I am trying to meet passive house standards. What is the best way to create a thermal break between the ground and the matt. I'm concerned. I would love to see some form of database of components, assemblies and appropriate products for Passivhaus construction.

Asked By Marshall | Nov 11 09
0 Answers
Passive House Conference

Midwestern readers who have been following ongoing discussions about the Passivhaus standard may be interested in attending the Fourth Annual North American Passive House Conference, which begins tomorrow (October 16, 2009) in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Among the speakers will be Marc Rosenbaum, who will present a workshop on mechanical system design for passive houses; and David White, who will present a workshop on the PHPP software.

Asked By Martin Holladay | Oct 15 09
24 Answers
Very Recent Passivhaus Article

Freshly published Insight from BSdotCom
http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-025-the-passivhaus...
I am a big fan of BSC and Passivhaus.......
This is very confusing for me.....
I would love to see the two work together......share knowledge..challenge each other
This is not a contest.
I think the solution is somewhere in the middle... in between BSC and Passivhaus

Asked By John Brooks | Sep 13 09
9 Answers
RE: Passive Solar at Oregon Coast

I am working on a new house design at the Oregon Coast on a southeast to southwest facing hillside overlooking the ocean (yes, great site). The client wants to use photovoltaics, but I am trying to convince them that with no air conditioning needs (the temperature range is 35-75 throughout the year) and a house for a retired couple, that we can limit their loads and use the sun to keep the home temperate throughout the year. I would like to open up the south-side to warm the house (augmented with hydronic in floor heating) and provide for great views.

Asked By Robert Saladoff | Jul 22 09
1 Answer
4th North American Passive House Conference

Registration has begun
http://www.passivehouse.us/phiusConference2009/phiusConference2009/Regis...

Asked By John Brooks | Sep 19 09

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