I’ve been doing a lot of research into sustainable design and building practices lately. Today I stumbled upon a set of green guidelines known as Passivhaus (or Passive House) that were new to me, but have been around for nearly two decades. The first Passivhaus was built in Darmstadt, Germany in 1990 and formal standards for the building type were instituted six years later. While Passivhaus certification is common among European houses and commercial structures, the first U.S. Passive House was built only a few years ago in Urbana, Illinois. More recently, the young Philadelphia-based firm Interface Studio Architects is looking to Passive House design techniques to build sustainable and affordable houses in downtown Philly.

You’ll be able to find plenty of information about Passive House concepts with a thorough Google search as I did, but basically the tenets include correct solar orientation, super-insulation, an airtight envelope, low energy heating and cooling systems, and highly efficient windows. Nothing particularly radical in the world of green building, but the Passive House Institute U.S. says that using the standards reduce a home’s energy consumption by 90%. A number worthy of a second look. If you like what you see, you can learn more at the 3rd Annual Passive House Conference, November 7-9 in Duluth, Minnesota. –Shelley D. Hutchins