What is Passive House Design?




If you’ve been doing research on building your own home, you have likely come across the term “passive house design”. Here is some insight into what this type of design is all about and whether or not it will work for your project, from a leading residential architect in NJ.
Firstly, passive house design is about using the principles of efficiency to meaningfully reduce energy needs for heating and cooling in a residence and can be applied to single family homes as well as large buildings. Achieving this is focused on using airtight construction, energy recovery systems, insulation, solar heat management systems and exceptional-quality windows. This is known as passive house design because they are constructed in a way that creates a comfortable living environment without relying extensively on heating and cooling systems that actively use energy.

Any House Can Be a Passive House 

There is no single type of house that is a passive house, as these design principles can be integrated into almost any style of home. This means:
  • Using a lot of high-quality insulation to seal the home effectively, reducing leaks of warm or cool air, thermal bridging and drafts.
  • Incorporating state-of-the-art windows like high-spec, thermally broken units. These are usually triple-glazed to prevent heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer.
  • The implementation of a Heat Recovery Unit system that removes heat from exhaust air and heats incoming air to create a stable, comfortable indoor temperature.
This makes these types of homes more expensive to build but the costs are coming down as the technology and materials become more available and popular. However, because they use up to 90% less energy than traditional buildings, this additional expense is quickly recouped and the long-term savings generous – making this design option affordable as well as sustainable. In fact, many people are using these principles to remodel existing homes to gain the same cost-savings.

Passive Houses are Not Closed Off Homes 

Passive homes function just like regular homes and can be as open or closed to the elements as you like – you don’t have to keep the home closed off from the outdoors. The focus is on living as you would in a regular home and, because the home is designed to sustain a comfortable environment, you simply don’t need to heat or cool it nearly as strenuously as a traditional home.
Find Out More About Passive Home Design from New Jersey Architects 
With 20 years of experience on new residential building projects and home remodels, the architecture firm of Seth A. Leeb knows that the secret to creating outstanding homes is building a great client relationship. As a full-service New Jersey residential architects, we are able to assist our clients all the way from site analysis and design conception through the construction of their home itself. For more information on our residential architecture design services in New Jersey and to start planning your project with custom home architects, please contact us today or visit our website at https://leeb-architecture.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hybrid Office Design: A Guide for Architects and Employers

Image
Hybrid office design is now standard practice across the board. Some companies still require employees to be in the office full-time, while many others offer a permanent hybrid work alternative.  Gallup  states that hybrid workers are, on average, coming into the office three days per week, which requires a rethink of modern office architecture. We need innovative office spaces to accommodate the diverse needs of hybrid work. That being said, our team of architects in NJ have put together a guide to hybrid office design based on the most recent commercial office additions to our portfolio. What Are Hybrid Work Models?    What are flexible and hybrid work models at their core? They link remote workers with on-site employees and include spaces such as home, the office, and a third space that could be a local coffee shop or a more ambitious spot like the beach. Employees have the flexibility to choose when they will be in the office, unless there are team-specific ...
Read more

How to Keep Commercial Building Costs On-Budget

Image
Commercial building projects are highly complex and demanding – and it’s important that they not only stay on schedule, but that they stay on budget too. While unforeseen circumstances can push both of these goals out, there are ways recommended by  Commercial architecture in NJ   to help prevent delays and rising costs. Know the Weak Points in  Commercial Building Design  and Construction Projects  When a commercial building project is facing delays and rising costs, there are several areas where weak points in the project are often found. By knowing these weak points and having a strategy that prevents them from collapsing, your project should move forward much more smoothly. These weak points include: Lack of vital design information –  Incomplete architectural plans that lack certain details and specifications will cause confusion, delays, miscommunication and even more work due to tear-outs. Choosing cheap contractors –  Contract...
Read more

How Residential Architecture is Responding to Climate Change

Image
Climate change is something every industry, including architecture, has started  adapting to. Building residential architecture that is made for the ever-changing weather challenges like extreme hot temperatures, flooding, and storms has become an integral part of the future.  Climate adaptation in architecture has changed to increase sustainability and the safety of the people who reside in homes that experience extreme weather patterns. Our team of  residential architects in NJ  takes a closer look below:  Evolution of Climate-Responsive Residential Architecture Climate architecture considers the environment and the structural adaptations of a building to thrive in its abode. Here are some ways in which the building industry has transformed residential architecture for climate change: Using eco-friendly resources Incorporating natural building materials Maximizing the building structure Focusing on the environment to reduce carbon emissions has become vital. T...
Read more