PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) launched the new PHIUS+ 2015 passive building standard on March 25.
PHIUS says the building energy performance target is in the “sweet spot” where cost effectiveness overlaps with aggressive energy and carbon reduction. It promises to ignite tremendous growth in the application of passive building principles, the organization says.
Formally known as PHIUS+ 2015 Passive Building Standard: North America, the standard is the product of nearly three years of research conducted by PHIUS in partnership with Building Science Corporation under a U.S. Department of Energy Building America grant.
The effort employed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s BEopt tool (for cost-optimizing) to develop optimized design guidelines for use in North America’s wide-ranging climate zones.
Passive building has gained great attention in recent years, but the adoption of passive principles—superinsulation, airtight envelope, energy recovery ventilation—has been slower than hoped because of cost and other disincentives. The new formula and standards remove those obstacles, PHIUS says.
Related Stories
Green | Feb 1, 2016
Supreme Court ruling on demand response expected to benefit smart grid
Ruling allows PV owners and other small energy generators to continue to be paid wholesale rates for power they generate.
Green | Jan 29, 2016
USGBC names top 10 states for LEED green building
Illinois leads the list for the third straight year.
Green | Jan 4, 2016
Florida lagging on development of green roofs
Florida lagging on development of green roofs.
Green | Dec 23, 2015
Austin, Texas mandates construction recycling
Projects larger than 5,000 sf must recycle or salvage at least half of their trash.
Green | Dec 15, 2015
USGBC aims to scaling LEED buildings to 5 billion sf in five years
Plan revealed at UN climate conference.
Green | Dec 13, 2015
Detroit plans massive effort to convert vacant properties to green spaces
Effort aims to improve property values, city life.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 10, 2015
AASHE’s STARS tool highlights the university sector’s holistic approach to sustainability
Buzzwords like “living lab” and “experiential learning” are indicative of the trend toward more holistic sustainability programs that incorporate all facets of college life.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 8, 2015
Is ‘green’ still a selling point in the office sector?
Some developers are missing an opportunity by downplaying sustainability at a time when demand for such features is palpable among lessee firms who are trying to attract younger workers.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 1, 2015
Data centers turn to alternative power sources, new heat controls and UPS systems
Data centers account for 2% of the nation’s electricity consumption and about 30% of the power used annually by the economy’s information and communications technology sector, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Greenbuild Report | Nov 30, 2015
10 megatrends shaping the future of green building
Increased competition among green building rating systems, the rise of net-zero buildings, and a sharper focus on existing structures are among the trends that will drive sustainability through 2020, according to author and green building expert Jerry Yudelson.
