As Passive House specialists, we often get chunked into a niche of the construction industry usually reserved for extreme “greenies” and mad scientists. However, it’s interesting to see how mainstream America is having many of the same conversations we are – only in a different context and slightly different vocabulary.
In an effort to continue closing that gap between mainstream and Passive, I’ve started writing again for Houzz.com. Many years ago, when we were based in Italy, I helped start some posts in what became their “Green Building” section along with my editor, Mitchell Parker. Perhaps it was a little early then for that audience, but now there is a turn towards conversations about moisture control and indoor air quality… right up the Passive House alley.
Check out my most recent article, and please feel free to share with your mainstream buddies:
3 Things to Know About Building a Green Home
Take advantage of the newest technologies while avoiding potential pitfalls
The increased desire for homes that are healthy, sustainable and efficient, or green, is catalyzing some long-overdue innovation in the homebuilding industry. With this innovation, however, comes a degree of risk, both for homeowners who are selecting features that are the best expenditure for their budget, as well as for the builders who are trying new methods that may leave them legally responsible for failing systems.
After working on high-performance products and passive-standard projects for over 10 years on three continents, I wanted to share a few ideas about where I think we should be focusing our attention, and what high-level lessons we can learn. Homeowners and homebuilders who know what to watch for can take advantage of the newest sustainable building technologies without leaving themselves liable to potential failures of new methods.
Read the rest on Houzz.com: