All-electric multi-family Passive House projects can be built at the same cost or close to the same cost as conventionally designed buildings, according to a report by the Passive House Network.
The report included a survey of 45 multi-family Passive House buildings in New York and Massachusetts in recent years. The average cost to construct those buildings was 3.7% more than standard, and in some cases cheaper when factoring in incentive programs.
The report also found that Passive House buildings have reduced energy usage of 30% to 50% when compared to conventionally built properties. “In some cases, these bills are eliminated entirely,” according to a Passive House network news release.
Construction of Passive House buildings has surged since 2018, but Passive House accounts for less than 1% of all multi-family construction started in the U.S. during the past decade. About half of all Passive House projects being built in the U.S. are affordable housing projects, illustrating the cost-effectiveness of green building design, the release says.
The report found that construction of all-electric, multi-family Passive House buildings, including market-rate and affordable housing, is primed to soar in early-mover states such as Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts. “This is due to a combination of bold policy requirements in new energy codes as well as utility-funded incentive programs, energy efficiency programs, and the Inflation Reduction Act.”
Related Stories
| Aug 23, 2013
Mack Urban, West Coast real estate and development firm, formed from intercompany collaboration
Urban Partners, LLC, Harbor Urban, LLC, and Mack Real Estate Group, three leading full service real estate firms known for high quality urban infill development, today announced the formation of Mack Urban, LLC, a premier West Coast real estate investment and development company.
| Aug 22, 2013
Energy-efficient glazing technology [AIA Course]
This course discuses the latest technological advances in glazing, which make possible ever more efficient enclosures with ever greater glazed area.
| Aug 22, 2013
6 visionary strategies for local government projects
Civic projects in Boston, Las Vegas, Austin, and suburban Atlanta show that a ‘big vision’ can also be a spur to neighborhood revitalization. Here are six visionary strategies for local government projects.
| Aug 21, 2013
Chicago's Magellan Development Group builds national presence with new luxury apartments
Chicago-based Magellan Development Group, one of the Midwest’s most prolific large-scale, mixed-use developers, is building a national footprint through two mixed-use projects in Minneapolis and Nashville.
| Aug 21, 2013
SummerHill Apartment Communities creates SoCal division, hires SVP, announces development plans
SummerHill Apartment Communities, a division of SummerHill Housing Group based in San Ramon, Calif., announced today that the firm has hired multifamily industry veteran Patrick S. Simons as senior vice president to lead SummerHill Apartment Communities' new Southern California division. Simons will be focused initially on creating a high volume of future projects throughout Southern California.
| Aug 14, 2013
Green Building Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
| Jul 25, 2013
First look: Studio Gang's residential/dining commons for University of Chicago
The University of Chicago will build a $148 million residence hall and dining commons designed by Studio Gang Architects, tentatively slated for completion in 2016.
| Jul 19, 2013
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, DPR, Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 19, 2013
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
URS, STV, Wiss Janney Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 19, 2013
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HOK, HDR top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
