A building method that makes houses that use 90 percent less energy is gaining popularity in Portland.
The Passive House building method uses an airtight building envelope and energy calculation software to reduce energy consumption compared to a standard home by 90 percent.
Nathalie Weinstein of the Daily Journal of Commerce reports that the Passive House concept was engineered in Germany in the 1970s, and is gaining momentum in Portland.
Current wind and solar technologies cannot meet the energy demands of buildings on their own, said Stephen Aiguier of Green Hammer Building Contractors. But Passive House, he added, could figure into pursuit of the 2030 Challenge, which seeks a 50 percent reduction in buildings’ energy consumption by 2030.
“Passive House allows you to get to that reduced energy consumption today rather than struggling to generate all of your power by on-site solar and wind,” Aiguier said. “When you look at emerging energy economies, Germany tops the list. We are massively behind the curve, and this is a well-vetted and engineered system.”
Read Weinstein’s entire article at the Daily Journal of Commerce.
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