The Passive House movement in the US was on a major tear in 2011 but for that awful split between PHIUS and international PHI.  The standard seemed free of maneuvers and politics and infighting, yet now there’s something about PHIUS+ certification and a ban on spray polyurethane foam insulation.  Oh boy!  Notwithstanding all of this, let’s not take anything from the following incredible, high-performance, completed projects discussed in the past year that sought or achieved Passive House certification.

Read more »

I’ve seen the tiny house thrive in 2011 like none other.  People behind these structures — whether a tiny home, shed, backyard office, ADU, or off-season retreat — seem to have a little Thoreau inside.  Nonetheless, please keep this in mind: only about 5% of the population would ever dream to live in a tiny house.  Is this for you?  Here’s a little round up of the built projects that we covered in 2011, in no particular order.  Click the text below for more and use your tabs for hours of reading.

Read more »

This is an update to a prior article about Tierra del Sol, a community of 22 prefab, starter homes, located in Stockton, California.  Built in modules by California-based ZETA Communities, the homes in Tierra del Sol have three bedrooms, two baths, and 1,268 square feet.  They’re homes are also expected to use about 45% less energy each than a typical home.

Read more »

When we first profiled Anchorage Builders in 2010, they were in the construction phase of North Carolina’s first Passive House.  We followed up with the project in a subsequent post and were quite impressed with the completed home, both aesthetically and sustainably.  Building on this successful experience, Anchorage and architect Jay Fulkerson have recently collaborated on yet another Chapel Hill home designed with Passive House building methods.

Read more »

This is the Live Work Home, one of the winning proposals (with the R-House) in the From the Ground Up Competition in Syracuse, New York, designed by Cook+Fox Architects.  The home was awarded LEED Platinum certification earlier this month, a fitting one-year anniversary since the homeowners John and Kathy Miranda moved into the home in November 2010.  Here’s more about this beautiful, durable home with an inventive design.

Read more »