A passive house is one that’s certified to meet strict energy-efficiency standards.

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Here’s a look at how passive homes work.

What are passive homes?

“Passive house” is a high-performance construction standard that targets sustainability.

The modern concept of the passive house was popularized in Germany.

The first passive house was piloted in Darmstadt in 1990, and Germany’sPassivhaus Institutewasestablished in 1996.

Since then, the concept has expanded to dozens of countries and climate zones worldwide.

The US created its ownPassive House Institute US, or Phius, in 2003.

A building must meet strict criteria to become passive house certified.

Here’s a peek intohow it’s done.

It also prevents things like dust, bugs and rodents from getting in.

Builders then look for ways to prevent thermal bridges, which are areas that conduct heat and trap moisture.

Things like small cracks, inefficient windows and poor insulation can all act as thermal bridges.

Energy can also leak through fasteners, outlets, junction boxes, studs and plumbing.

And if moisture creeps in, it can lead to mold or other structural damage.

Passive houses are designed to eliminate these thermal bridges by using simple building frames and loads of insulation.

Air control

Passive homes are also designed to be as airtight as possible.

This prevents warm air from leaking out in the winter and cool air from escaping in the summer.

So passive homes use another feature, called “balanced ventilation with heat and moisture recovery.”

They maximize shade in warmer weather and capture and retain heat when it’s cold.

The windows' orientation also allows daylight in, which reduces the need for artificial light.

Passive houses that generate renewable energy earn a special recognition as “Passive House Plus.”

You may, for instance, installsolar panelsthat power your home outside of the electrical grid.

This can potentially knock your utility bill down to $0.

Are passive homes worth it?

Themedian sales price on new-construction homeswas $430,300 in August.

It doesn’t have to break the bank, either.

A passive building typically costsjust 3% to 5% more than a conventional-equivalent building.

Passive houses may even becost-neutral, Johnson said, if you hire an experienced team.

Any extra costs you absorb may be recouped from the home’s drastic energy savings.

Your home may also be worth more to future buyers whenever you sell.

However, the entire passive house concept isn’t perfect.

It’s “the biggest bone I have to pick with passive house,” Johnson said.

He uses a cooking analogy to explain why material selection is so crucial.

“And that’s what we do in the build environment; we focus on efficiency and efficiency only.

We don’t think about how toxic the materials are.”

Passive house pros and cons

Pros

Cons