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The Real Story met up with Graham Irwin, a certified Passive House consultant, at West Coast Green last week. Graham introduced us to the idea and technology behind creating homes that use no conventional heating and cooling systems. Far from being a wild idea, the passive home concept has been in use for more than 20 years, primarily in Europe. Graham wants to bring the concept to the United States, and the Bay Area seems like a good place to start.

Today on The Real Story, Graham talks about the first retrofitted home using passive energy—it’s up in Sonoma County, and it uses about 80 percent less energy than a standard home today. The passive house idea is all about boosting efficiency rather than installing systems, like solar, on a home. Needless to say, the passive house approach, which creates an airtight shell and stops energy seepage, allows a home to literally heat and cool itself, while providing a high level of air quality for its residents.

Graham’s explanation of the science behind the concept, and how the future looks for this kind of construction, continues tomorrow. In the meantime, check out www.passivehouseca.org for more information.