On October 17, 2020, the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter Executive Committee voted unanimously to update its January 25, 2019 resolution on Passive House to highlight the public health as well as environmental rationales for promoting this green building design.
The resolution, which I introduced, states: “It is the position of the Atlantic Chapter that all new buildings in NYS that receive any form of public financing and, optimally all new buildings, shall be designed and built to Passive House standards.” [1]
The implementation of this resolution is technically and financially feasible, and will facilitate the greenhouse gas emission reduction goals of the NYS Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. [2]
Our next steps are to “Make contact with appropriate lawmakers to promote this idea for legislation, if not statewide, then in local areas at first.” Contact person: Lisa DiCaprio, lisa.dicaprio@nyu.edu [Indicate Passive House in the subject.]
PASSIVE HOUSE: AN INTERNATIONAL BUILDING EFFICIENCY STANDARD
Passive House is an international building efficiency standard, developed by the Passive House Institute (PHI) in Darmstadt, Germany, that saves up to 90% of the energy required for heating and cooling conventional buildings and 60 to 80% of all energy usage when electricity is included in the total. The first Passive House building was built in Darmstadt in 1991.
by Lisa DiCaprio, Sierra Club NYC Group
