Podcast: | Download

Graham Irwin, principal of Essential Habitat, talks today with The Real Story about remodeling existing homes to Passive House standards. First, he admits it is not an easy undertaking, because a certified Passive House has so many standards to meet. And California homes, especially those built before Title 24 was passed in 1978, essentially leak energy. Since the Passive House concept is all about being air tight, there are a lot of changes to be made in window technology and insulation, to name the two biggest energy-loss culprits.

Graham expresses a philosophy of balance, acknowledging that Californians are more knowledgeable about solar and photovoltaics than they are about any of the other solutions available today. Rebates and incentives have certainly helped create greater awareness of solar solutions. But, he reminds us, we have the technologies available to help conserve energy in the winter months and at night, when solar is not an option, and he is committed to showing people just exactly how much energy can be conserved through Passive House design. To that end, go to www.passivehouse.us, www.passivehouseca.org, or essentialhabitatconsulting.com.

Podcast: | Download

The best thing about working with a 20-year old technology is that there are lots of successes to be studied. Although the concept of passive house technology is new to California and most of the United States, it is a building process with a track record in Europe. Graham Irwin of Essential Habitat tells The Real Story that the concept of passive house technology is so accepted in Germany and Austria that not just single-family homes, but multifamily buildings, schools, groceries and even the Austrian energy offices are built using these construction techniques.

Can California builders imagine putting plans before a city for approval without furnaces, air conditioning or radiant floors? Those are some of the standard features absent in passive house building. Yet in the finished product, there is uniform temperature, from the windows to the walls and ceiling, of about 68%—mostly from sun and internal heat gains from these ultra-well-insulated homes. In today’s podcast, Graham Irwin tells us about a recently completed house in Sonoma County with 2400 square feet of living area that might need some energy on the coldest day of the winter—about 2000 watts, or the equivalent of a hair dryer’s energy.

Podcast: | Download

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.