(Note: This post was first published on the 475 High Performance Building Supply blog and is reproduced here with permission.) As the New York Times, post-election, reminds us: if Trump abandons the commitments of COP21 made in Paris, other countries like India will likely become disincentivized to act. If this comes to pass it will be impossible to prevent runaway global warming, with human population collapse, massive species extinction and unimaginable levels of…
Dublin City Council Votes to Make Passive House Standard Mandatory
Dublin City Council has voted to make the passive house standard or demonstrably equivalent evidence-based approaches mandatory for all new buildings in the city, after a similar policy was enacted in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in February. (From Passive House Plus Magazine) On 30 May the council met to discuss the chief executive’s report on the public consultation in response to the first draft of the development plan, which included…
Two Victories, One Day – OneNYC: Mayor de Blasio Announces Major New Steps to Dramatically Reduce NYC Buildings’ Greenhouse Gas Emissions
This year, Earth Day feels like NYPH's Birthday! Excerpts below are taken directly from the NYC Office of the Mayor's article "OneNYC: Mayor de Blasio Announces Major New Steps to Dramatically Reduce NYC Buildings' Greenhouse Gas Emissions", published April 22, 2016. Read the full article here. NEW YORK—Today Mayor de Blasio announced a suite of new energy efficiency initiatives that will dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from New York City’s over…
NYC’s First Certified Passive House Townhouse in a Landmark District
Location: 20 Garden Place, Brooklyn Heights, New York Size: 3600 Square Feet Levels: 4 Levels + Cellar + Penthouse Addition Construction: Masonry Row House, Exposed Front and Rear Walls The home at 20 Garden Place was a two-family home in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District that Baxt Ingui Architects converted into a single family home. Where most of the exterior detail at the front façade remained…
NAPHN16 Passive House Conference & Expo Preview Video
NAPHN16 Conference & Expo on June 13-14, 2016! New York Passive House (NYPH) and North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) present the Third Annual North American Passive House Network Conference & Expo. The two-day conference and expo features state-of-the-art building strategies, components and professional development necessary for us to decarbonize by 2050, the #1 public policy goal of our time. SEE THE DEVELOPING PROGRAM HERE With presentations and workshops by scientists from the Passive House…
A Passive House Victory: NYC Law 701-A Passes, Creating New Low Energy Intensity Building Requirements
New York City Local Law 701-A has just passed, bringing with it a great victory for the low energy buildings community. This new law requires strict new measures to be applied to future buildings to ensure their low energy intensity. Read the law details here, or read the commentary by the Urban Green Council.
NAPHN16 Tickets – Best Price During March 22-23 FLASH SALE
Get your tickets for #NAPHN16 The Third Annual North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) Conference & Expo will be held June 13th and 14th, 2016, in NYC The conference will feature industry leaders discussing the critical aspects of Passive House adoption: finance, policy, retrofits, technology, big buildings, net-zero, multifamily and commercial buildings. View the conference program here. The scientific consensus is clear–we must decarbonize by 2050 to prevent the worst effects…
Pioneers of German “Energy Revolution” will be at Passive House Conference in Darmstadt
Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker and Franz Alt will discuss building sector potentials 20th International Passive House Conference Darmstad, Germany • April 22-23, 2016. (Press Release, Passive House Institute, 24 February 2016) Darmstadt, Germany. Eminent guests are expected at this year’s Passive House anniversary celebration: two of the masterminds of the German "energy revolution" will come to Darmstadt on 22 and 23 April. At the 20th International Passive House Conference,…
First Passive House Projects in Greece and Turkey Now Certified
Passive House Building Standard Provides Incredible Efficiency in the Mediterranean Climate (Press Release, Passive House Institute, 11 February 2016) [caption id="attachment_6482" align="alignleft" width="300"] Passive House Turkey - Photo Credit: Gaziantep Municipality[/caption] Darmstadt, Germany. With intelligent architecture, considerable energy savings are possible in every climate. The latest examples of this now stand in Greece and Turkey. A complex of terraced houses and an environmental education center are the first buildings to fulfill…
Passive House Academy Announces 2016 Training Dates with NYSERDA Discounts
The Passive House Academy (PHA) has announced several new dates for Passive House professional certifications. There is no better time to register than the present, as NYSERDA has offered to extend its 60% course fee discount on several of the year's upcoming New York State courses. Funding will be offered to New York State residents for New York classes on a course-by-course basis until it runs out, so register for…
New Passive House Office Building in Frankfurt Now Certified
Visits to take place around the International Passive House Conference 2016 (Press Release, Passive House Institute, 21 January 2016) [caption id="attachment_6433" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo Credit: City of Frankfurt[/caption] Darmstadt, Germany. Curved façades, but a straightforward energy concept: a new office building in Frankfurt, Germany, clearly shows the potential of sustainable building design, with an architectural style that is not only elegant but also intelligent. The result is a 90 percent…
Sallan Foundation Snapshot: “Actively Passive” by Richard Yancey, Founding Executive Director of BEEx
This week, the Building Energy Exchange (BEEx)‘s Richard Yancey shared some of his insights regarding Passive House in the Sallan Foundation website’s Snapshot Column. In the editorial, Yancey describes his inadvertent first visit to a Passive House. As he stepped away from the hot, noisy, and smelly NYC summer streets and into the building, Yancey describes his experience, stating, “The interior felt like an oasis; a refuge from the street noise and heat; a…
