Passive house

Completed in 2018 by Russian architceture firm Snegiri Architects, the cottage was created as a “passive house”, with the ability to save 90 percent more energy than a regular home thanks to a little technical know-how.

The passive house approach to construction offers the ultimate in energy efficiency. To achieve its standards, builders have to follow five exacting rules.

Living in a Healthy Home that uses next to Zero Energy is what everybody wants, and building a home to Passive House standards is one way to achieve this - Check out below "How to Build A Passive House on a Budget" in USA & Canada with EcoHome. Many high-performance construction techniques are explained in the Green Building Guides section, and for an overview to Passive House Certification in North America see here.

A Passive House is a highly energy efficient building standard that is known to combat global warming while also promoting indoor comfort and soundproofing.

Keep the building warm in the winter and cool in the summer with little to no utility bills / fossil fuels. This increases both psychological and physiological comfort. Both the International Building Code and the International Residential Code have requirements for maintaining a minimum temperature in buildings. They do not have requirements for a maximum temperature

The Annapolis Net Zero project meets its energy performance goals while maintaining the comfort and reliability needed in a retirement home. Read more.

Image 9 of 13 from gallery of Warren Woods Passive House / GO Logic. Photograph by Trent Bell

Some advantages of passive houses include lower energy costs and design flexibility, airtightness, extreme comfort, HRV compliance, and constant dryness. But, on the other hand, they're also expensive to build and difficult to locate.

This passive extension and renovation creates a warm, robust, family and pet friendly space, while protecting a mature Magnolia tree