Fundamental to the energy efficiency of these buildings, the following five principles are central to Passive House design and construction:

1) superinsulated envelopes

2) airtight construction

3) high-performance glazing

4) thermal-bridge-free detailing

5) heat recovery ventilation.

All these key principles are linked to and impact each other in the design. No one principle can be neglected without having a negative impact on the rest. To effectively create a Passive House building, the design should be looked at holistically to incorporate all five design principles.

The Passive House approach empowers us to build better. It creates durable, resilient buildings that slash heating energy use by as much as 90% and dramatically reduce operational carbon emissions. Passive House design tools and methods make these energy performance gains both cost-effective and predictable. You know what performance to expect with a certified Passive House. Most importantly, Passive House buildings create healthy, comfortable, and quiet interior environments, full of clean, filtered fresh air.