Leading Beyond LEED: NYC Buildings and the Evolving Fight to Consume Less Energy

Posted by NYPH , July 28, 2014 - Events, General Interest - Science & Lifestyle, News

Here is an article written by Tobias Salinger from the Commercial Observer on the Passive House Revolution in New York City:   "One of the country’s first hyper-efficient affordable multifamily passive houses was failing a basic evaluation early this month and nobody on architect Chris Benedict’s Architecture and Energy Limited team could figure out why. When the innovative foam-and-stucco structure at 803 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick couldn’t hold up to the blower…

Architects and Advocates Predict Passive Revolution

Posted by Andreas Benzing , June 19, 2014 - Events, General Interest - Science & Lifestyle, News

Hundreds of architects, builders and advocates called for residential and commercial buildings of all sizes to consume 75 percent less energy in order to live up to so-called “passive house” standards at a convention yesterday. The New York Passive House conference and expo at in the Flatiron district attracted both a local and international crowd of those interested in perfecting and popularizing the strict German specifications that make use of controlled ventilation, air-tight installation…

Passive House: also a maximum energy efficiency solution for hospitals

Posted by NYPH , May 28, 2014 - News, Passive House Institute

Key results of baseline study now available online on Passipedia (Press Release, Passive House Institute, 21 May 2014) Darmstadt, Germany. Hospitals are among the most energy-intensive of building types. Here too, the Passive House Standard provides a solution that results in considerable savings. The time is ripe to take advantage of this finding. In Germany, for example, many of the some 2000 hospitals are currently in need of refurbishment – likely a familiar…

International Conference in Aachen shows solutions for maximum energy efficiency

Posted by NYPH , May 5, 2014 - Events, News, Passive House Institute

Press Release, Passive House Institute, 30 April 2014:   "Once completed, a building often goes untouched over the course of decades; the energy standard to which it is designed or retrofitted is therefore crucial. At the 2014 International Passive House Conference in Aachen, Germany, which took place April 25-26, experts from all over the world showed how current construction practices can be made fit for the future. Recent progress on highly energy efficient…

New York and Philadelphia Projects among Finalists for Passive House Award 2014

Posted by NYPH , March 28, 2014 - Events, News, Passive House Institute

Designers from around the world are honored as finalists for the international Passive House design award, including our friends in Brooklyn, Long Island, and Philadelphia. Congratulations!   Passive House Award 2014: Finalists confirmed   Winners will be announced at the Passive House Conference in Aachen (Press Release, Passive House Institute, 28 March 2014) Darmstadt, Germany. The finalists of the Passive House Award 2014 have again proved that world-class architecture and the Passive House Standard…

NY14 Passive House Conference and Expo

Posted by NYPH , February 26, 2014 - Events, News

Green Building Conference Sets Its Sights High June 17th, 2014 in New York City Passive House is a building standard that promises 90% reduction in heating and cooling energy usage compared with existing building stock. Proponents of the standard cite energy savings, comfort, health, and affordability among the reasons Passive House is gaining traction among green building and energy specialists. Translated as “Passive House” in English from the German “Passivhaus”, the name…

Mamaroneck Passive House in the News

Posted by NYPH , December 21, 2013 - News

New York Passive House board member Andreas Benzing designed a luxury home renovation in Mamaroneck, NY to the EnerPHit Passive House retrofit standards. A local CBS news reporter toured the house, and you can see the video here. You can find more information about this project and other Passive House projects in New York State in the International Passive House Database. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

Imagine Passive House

Posted by NYPH , December 3, 2013 - General Interest - Science & Lifestyle, News, Passive House Institute, Real Estate

Conjure an image of home.  Of your elementary school.  Of your office.   They’re familiar.   Now imagine your own Passive House.  More difficult, right?   But what if Passive House can describe a school, an apartment building, a factory, an office or a home?  And it does.  What if Passive House design can be modern, historical, vernacular, high and low design.   And it can.  What if the “House” in…

Why Passive House?

Posted by NYPH , November 29, 2013 - General Interest - Science & Lifestyle, News, Passive House Institute, Real Estate, Technical

Building to the Passive House Standard[1] reduces our buildings’ operational energy demand to an optimized extent through passive measures and components such as insulation, airtightness, heat recovery, solar heat gains, solar shading and incidental internal heat gains.   Passive House reliably delivers up to approximately a 90% reduction in heating and cooling demand and up to a 75% reduction in overall primary energy demand when compared to our existing building stock.[2]…

New Book: The Greenest Home: Superinsulated and Passive House Design

Posted by NYPH , November 14, 2013 - General Interest - Science & Lifestyle, News

The Greenest Home: Superinsulated and Passive House Design (Princeton Architectural Press) Last week Amazon Editors' announced the Best Architecture Books for 2013 and The Greenest Home made # 6! Author Julie Torres Moskovitz is a member of New York Passive House. The book highlights 18 Passive House case studies primarily in North America and a project range of new construction and retrofit projects. The book features photographs and drawings of…

Talking Transition: join NYPH and Urban Green Council to help make the Mayoral transition count

Posted by NYPH , November 11, 2013 - Events, General Interest - Science & Lifestyle, News, Passive House Institute

How do you think Mayor De Blasio should promote sustainable, healthy and resilient buildings? For the first time in 12 years, New Yorkers will have a new mayor. It’s time to start Talking Transition. Talking Transition is an open conversation about the future of New York City to help shape the next mayor’s goals and strategies. Whether you’re a lifelong New Yorker or you’ve just arrived, everyone has a unique vision…

Passive House Living

Posted by NYPH , November 7, 2013 - General Interest - Science & Lifestyle, News

I have now been living in our brand new passive house for 3 weeks and wish to report my first impressions: Peace, bliss, silence, fresh air, no draft, no headache: WOW, it actually does what it says on the box! What was a bit destabilizing in the beginning is that you do not hear anything at all: no furnace igniting like a truck has started moving in your crawl space,…