We will be holding lectures throughout 2013 so please be sure to check back regularly or sign up for our newsletter.

The 2012 International Passive House Days are happening this weekend, November 9 – 11th. Locally, the Passive House in the Woods project in Hudson, WI, will be open to the public on Sunday, November 11th from 10.45 AM. You will have the opportunity to learn about the performance of this Passive House in its first 2 years of operation, and meet the owner to get first-hand feedback. Click to learn more about this event and find the official Passive House Days announcement below.

Darmstadt, 2 November 2012 –During the International Passive House Days from 9 -11 November 2012, residents of Passive House buildings around the world will open their doors (and their windows) to demonstrate their advantages to potential property owners and developers. Step into comfortable living of the future, already a reality today!

Passive House has proved to be an extraordinarily energy-efficient construction standard for more than 20 years, saving 75% compared with today’s low-energy buildings. A Passive House requires just one tenth of the heating energy needed by a conventional buildings – an ever more appealing fact in these times of steadily increasing fossil fuel costs. Vast savings have also been demonstrated in warm climates, where buildings typically require active cooling throughout the summer.

Passive House occupants needn’t give up comfort for efficiency. Instead, they enjoy the additional benefits of a draught free, mould free indoor environment with even temperatures year round. Large windows, where desired, provide for plenty of light and cleverly designed ventilation systems ensure a constant supply of fresh air. There are almost no limits to the architect’s imagination; from classic state-of-the-art detached houses to well-planned kindergartens or indoor tennis halls, almost any building type is possible. While the higher quality required results in minimal increases in investment costs, these are offset by the savings in energy costs over the long term. Passive House also forms the basis for legislation on energy efficiency in buildings around the world, such as the European Union’s target to have nearly zero energy buildings by 2020 and the State of California’s call for zero net energy buildings by the same year.

Many potential builders or property owners planning refurbishments are nonetheless reluctant to consider this sustainable construction standard, expecting to find some sort of catch. During the Passive House Days in November, sceptics as well as enthusiasts will have the opportunity to clarify any such questions in direct exchange with owners and architects, listen to residents’ experiences of life in a Passive House, or simply let the comfortable ambience of the building leave its own impression.

Participating properties can be found online www.passivehouse-database.org as well as on the International Passive House Association website at www.passivehouse-international.org.

The exiting news didn’t stop there as Katrin Klingenburg announced another partnership with the United States Department of Energy.  Starting today, getting certified as a Passive House (through PHIUS+) simultaneously gets the DOE Challenge Home label and the Energy Star label.  This endorsement of PHIUS+ passive house certification by the DOE instantly makes passive house the most energy efficient option for builders, designers and developers who want to achieve a zero energy building.  Read more about it here.

Finally, the weekend finished with a speech by Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute.  He spoke of changing our future, working towards a fossil fuel free country by 2050.  You too can be inspired to “make energy do our work, instead of working our undoing”  by watching his TED talk here.

It was a great weekend and we hope to continue the momentum built in Denver locally.  Please be sure to join us October 10th as Nancy Schultz presents her Eco Home, a certified Passive House.  Register by visiting the national calendar.

Wednesday, September 12, 5pm – Tim Eian, Passive House Retrofits – Minnephit House

MinnPhit House   TE Studio

A case study and designer perspective on residential Passive House retrofitting.

Wednesday, October 10, 5pm – Nancy Schultz, Isabella Eco-Home – An Experiment Station

Compass Rose, Inc.  Isabella Experiment Station

A case study and homeowner perspective on owning a cutting-edge building, which also serves as a lab.

Wednesday, November 14, 5pm – Gary Nelson, Air Tightness and its Importance for High-Performance Buildings

Energy Conservatory

Location – TE Studio/ Integrated Planning Office: 212 2^nd St. SE #222, Minneapolis, MN 55414

• Parking is available in the surface parking lot off of 2^nd St. SE for $1.75 flat fee, or in the St. Anthony Main ramp for $2.50
• Metro Transit bus lines to Central Ave & 2^nd St. SE:  10, 17, 25, 59, 260, 261, 270, 825
• Bike racks available

Enter the historic St. Anthony Main Building on the left of the two entrances off of 2^nd St. SE, take the stairs one flight down. Suite 222 is located just to the right of the stairs.

Time(s)

5pm – 5:15pm – Sign In

5:15pm – 5:45pm – Intro to PHAMSP and PH Principles

5:45pm – 6:30pm - Lecture

6:30pm – 7:30pm – Q&A/Networking

Light snacks and beverages will be provided, $10 suggested donation at the door or pay online.

Please RSVP at here, scroll down to the event title and click REGISTER.

See you there!

Lecture at the University of Minnesota

Tim Delhey Eian of the Minneapolis based design firm TE Studio will be lecturing on holistic design and the Passive House building energy standard on May 1, 2012 at 2.30 in room 31 in the basement of the old wing of the architecture building.

Passive House Retrofit

2012 Living Green Expo Workshop

Want to learn about Passive House retrofitting? Tim Delhey Eian of the Minneapolis based design firm TE Studio will be showcasing the first Passive House retrofit project in the TwinCites (and one of the first in the country)—the MinnePHit House in a presentation on Saturday, May 5, at 2 PM in Bay A at the 4-H Building at the MN State Fair.

MinnePHit House during construction

www.livinggreenexpo.mn

The Passive House Alliance US recently launched a new website.

This will be a cash event, food and drink not provided.
Once there please proceed to the Common Room.

Please RSVP using this link.