Check out the New York Passive House Podcast!

New York Passive House has published its first episode of the NYPH Podcast on Spotify and RSS.com on Tuesday, April 5. The first episode of the pod features Sarah Bayer and Matt Scheer of MAP Architects discussing the role sustainable building plays in their role as architects. Click here to listen


THE CHESTNUTS ENERPHIT CASE STUDY – A SCALABLE APPROACH TO RETROFITTING

It is no secret that retrofitting an existing structure to a high standard is more challenging than building a new one. In part, retrofitting is challenging because of the diversity of obstacles faced by designers when considering insulation, airtightness, and thermal bridge mitigation strategies – every house is different. With unprecedented retrofit targets outlined by both Irish and UK governments, it is important to develop scalable retrofit approaches, that can…


NYC Enacts Legislation to Promote All-Electric Buildings

NYC is now the largest city in the U.S. to enact legislation relating to the electrification of buildings. On December 15, 2021, the NY City Council voted in support of Int. 2317A-2021, which effectively mandates the electrification of most new buildings by prohibiting the on-site “combustion of a substance that emits 25 kilograms or more of carbon dioxide per million British thermal units of energy.” Former Mayor Bill de Blasio, a…


Passive House Meets Net Zero – Zeroing In On Energy Efficiency

  If you missed Passive House Meets Net Zero, you still have a chance to listen to a recorded streaming of the event! This education event, co-hosted with Ontario Passive House Group, focused on Net Zero Energy Homes and Buildings. Participants learned about the work of the Passive House Institute (PHI) in Germany, which has spent the last few years tackling the question what does it mean to be "Net…


China’s first Passive House office building now certified

Press Release, Passive House Institute, 2 July 2015 China’s first Passive House office building now certified Local stakeholders turning increasingly to energy efficiency Darmstadt, Germany. The Passive House concept has reached yet another milestone in the growing market of China: The countries’ first office building designed to this highly energy efficient standard has been certified in the city of Zhuozhou. The building owner and occupant is the company Hebei Xinhua…



NY15PH: Passive House Conference Gains Momentum in New York

[caption id="attachment_4999" align="alignright" width="250"] Ken Levenson, Nilda Mesa, Josh Fox[/caption] New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s watershed report One City: Built to Last looks to Passive House standards to inform how New York might reach its goal of 80% carbon reductions by 2050.  In doing so it raised many questions: What might implementation look like?   What are the hurdles we see?  What are the opportunities? With over 450 participants, the 4th…


“Green Zones: Do Buyers Want Sustainable Buildings?” – Observer article

By Emily Nonko From the Observer:   [caption id="attachment_4922" align="alignright" width="300"] PHOTO CREDIT: Hayes Davidson[/caption] "Last winter, Carroll Gardens resident Laura Mackall didn’t turn the heat on in her home once. “We just didn’t need it,” she said, “And the house stayed between 68 and 70 degrees all winter.” Ms. Mackall lives in a four-story rowhouse that she retrofitted as a Passive House last year. She stumbled upon the notion,…