flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Passive House standards proving their worth in multifamily sector

Codes and Standards

Passive House standards proving their worth in multifamily sector

Energy performance beats conventionally built by 32% to 58%.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | June 1, 2021
Passive House standards proving their worth in multifamily sector

Illustration: ©Building Energy Exchange. Download the "Multifamily Passive House:
Connecting Performance to Financing"
report.

  

A recent study from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Community Preservation Corp., BrightPower and Steven Winter Associates, found that multifamily dwellings built to Passive House standards significantly outperformed conventionally built buildings in energy efficiency.

The study compared Passive House structures to two control groups: one consisting of New York City multifamily buildings built before 2003, and the other comprised of conventional new construction properties built after 2003. When comparing energy use, the Passive House buildings outperformed the post-2003 buildings by 32% to 58%.

Passive House upfront costs are up to 5% higher than conventionally built structures. But, the report asserts that the cost premium is likely to decrease as components become more widely available and cost-efficient.

Obstacles to wider Passive House adoption include a lack of experience and familiarity with the process of designing and building larger-scale Passive House developments among contractors and owners. The study also found that Passive House residents enjoy more consistent interior temperatures, humidity levels, and better acoustic comfort than those living in traditional buildings.

Related Stories

Codes and Standards | Sep 21, 2018

More than 130 organizations petition OSHA to create heat protection standard for workers

Includes mandatory rest breaks, heat-exposure monitoring, record-keeping injury requirement.

Codes and Standards | Sep 20, 2018

North Carolina law banning use of recent climate science could worsen Hurricane Florence impact

Policies may have undermined ability to make coastal regions more resilient.

Codes and Standards | Sep 19, 2018

AIA endorses building owner participation in cap-and-trade programs

Would spur more energy conservation in buildings and cut carbon emissions.

Codes and Standards | Sep 18, 2018

ConsensusDocs Coalition publishes new Lean Addendum

Industry-first document to facilitate lean tools without need to sign multi-party IPD agreement.

Codes and Standards | Sep 13, 2018

As ICC prepares to vote on codes for tall wood buildings, opposition is still strong

Influential body will vote in October on new provisions to allow 18-story wood-framed structures.

Codes and Standards | Sep 12, 2018

Saltwater incursion into Miami’s aquifer may make city uninhabitable later this century

Rising sea levels likely to claim drinking water before land is under water.

Codes and Standards | Sep 11, 2018

Smart Surfaces Coalition will help cities reduce urban heat island effect

Surfaces can reflect away heat and help prevent flooding.

Codes and Standards | Sep 7, 2018

Certified Green Buildings may have an advantage in capital markets

Research supports financial case for certification.

Codes and Standards | Sep 7, 2018

NIST releases report outlining steps to bolster disaster resiliency

Offers immediate occupancy building codes and performance standards strategies.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021