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/

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