Digested from Passive house design expands to multifamily dwelling
Green Building Council (11/5/15) Blum, Jared
Passive design, which aims to make buildings extremely energy-efficient through insulation, solar exposure planning and natural ventilation, is coming to some multifamily markets.
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Commons project, a 36-unit passive design apartment building for low- and moderate-income families, is about to be completed in Washington, D.C. Passive design was used so that utility costs would be low for these families, 12 of whom have been living in D.C. homeless shelters. Similarly, Philadelphias Belfield Avenue Townhomes used passive design for the benefit of its low- and moderate-income renters.
Started in Sweden in 1988, passive home design came to the U.S. in 2003. But due to its increased construction costs, passive design has typically been used in the building of private single-family homes in affluent areas. Of the 121 certified passive homes in the United States, 100 are single-family homes, according to the Passive House Institute.