Passive House Design

The Passive House standard requires buildings to use 90% less heating and cooling energy than conventional construction. Less about technology than about careful attention to insulation, air sealing, and window placement, the approach is accessible to standard builders. I want to live in 1 because energy bills in a Passive House are almost nothing, sometimes under $20 per month for a whole apartment. Indoor air quality is better because a heat recovery ventilator exchanges stale air for fresh air without losing the temperature you have already paid for. From the outside, the buildings look normal, which is important because the standard proves you don't need solar panels on the roof or a futuristic shape to achieve radical efficiency. Passive House Institute certified the first building in Germany in 1990. The standard has spread slowly because the upfront construction cost is 5-10% higher, but lifetime operating savings more than make up the difference.