North American Passive House Network Conference 2018

New construction projects are frequently arduous, requiring the skill of developers, architects, engineers, code officials, and construction teams to bring them to life. Layering on high performance requirements such as Passive House can add overwhelming complexity for even the best team. In this session, learn about the Stack Eight affordable housing project delivering 18 for sale stacked flats in Washington, DC that is tackling not just one performance standard, but four: Net Zero Energy, Passive House, Enterprise Green Communities, and Living Building Challenge Petal certification.

While each of these standards adds richness to the project and ensures a holistic outcome, they also require a lot of creative thought to get it right. Learn about some of the policy pathways, technology, and construction techniques that make it all possible, including the innovative integration of renewable energy systems that will make net zero site energy possible by supplying most of the electrical and thermal loads of the ultra - efficient passive house buildings year round, plus summer electrical surpluses to compensate for any cloudy day deficits.

Learning Objectives
1. Learn how developers can work
with housing authorities, community groups, code & zoning officials, and multiple sustainable design certification standards to innovate a project that sets performance standards for other regional projects to aspire to while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and providing resilience against climate change.
2. Debunk the myths that exemplary energy efficiency is too costly to be compatible with affordable housing, and that home ownership and low operating costs are incompatible and out of reach for people that can’t afford a custom home.
3. Learn about new technologies that can ensure that airtight buildings have the best indoor air quality without sacrificing energy efficiency, while providing a smart interface that allows homeowners to remotely track their indoor air quality.
4. Study a unique mechanical and renewable energysystem integration that provided cost savings by
minimizing the duplication of mechanicalequipment while ensuring that each condominium owned and separately metered all the mechanical and electrical equipment within its walls.
5. Examine the challenges of meeting different certification standards and potentially conflicting goals in a single project, such as affordable housing, preserving the historical character of an established neighborhood, and meeting Passive House Certification and the Energy Petal of the Living Building Challenge.