10 Advantages of Living in a Passive House

Picture a modern, cozy home with no drafts, uniform temperature throughout every room, and almost no need for heating or cooling. It may seem unbelievable, but this level of comfort is typical for residents of passive houses.

A passive house is a highly energy-efficient building where a pleasant indoor environment is maintained without the need for traditional heating and cooling systems [source: Passivhaus Institut].

Passive homes are primarily warmed by sunlight. Unlike solar-powered houses that use panels to turn sunlight into electricity, passive houses absorb the sun’s heat directly through the design and structure of the house itself, eliminating the need for traditional heat sources like a furnace or fireplace.

The first passive house was constructed in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1991 [source: Feist]. While earlier homes in the 1970s and 1980s utilized passive solar designs to capture the sun's warmth, the passive house standard enhances this concept with superior insulation, airtight construction, energy-efficient windows, and well-regulated ventilation systems as integral features of the building.

By 2010, over 15,000 buildings across Europe had been built or renovated to meet the passive house standard [source: Passive House Institute US]. In the United States, only a few passive houses have been constructed, but interest is growing among homebuyers. The Passive House Institute US is now testing and developing models suitable for warmer, humid climates like Florida, where cooling is more of a challenge than heating [source: Passive House Institute US].

Could your next home be a passive house? Keep reading to explore the many benefits of living in a passive house.

10: Taking Responsibility

Can the construction of a single passive house halt pollution or global warming? Unfortunately, no. However, if a significant portion of new homes and buildings in the United States and around the world were built to passive house standards, the resulting energy savings would be substantial.

A 2003 study in Germany compared the energy usage of passive houses with that of both traditional and energy-efficient homes. It revealed that passive houses saved an average of 90% of the energy consumed by conventional homes and up to 80% compared to homes built to Germany’s strict low-energy building codes [source: Passivhaus Institut].

While passive houses still require electricity for lighting, electronics, appliances, and water heating, they typically need no external heating source beyond the sun and the natural warmth generated by household appliances and occupants. By using energy-efficient appliances and renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines, many passive house owners are able to power their homes with minimal or no dependence on utility companies or polluting energy sources.

9: Reducing Utility Expenses

Passive house design removes the need for conventional heating systems, even in the most extreme climates, meaning that bills for heating oil, natural gas, or propane could be eliminated. The super-insulated structure and the use of energy-efficient appliances significantly reduce the energy footprint of a passive house. To be certified by the Passivhaus Institut, a passive house must use less than 15 kilowatt-hours of electricity per square meter annually for heating and cooling, with the total energy consumption for heating, hot water, and household electricity not exceeding 120 kilowatt-hours per square meter per year [source: Passivhaus Institut].

Dr. Gary Konkol, the owner of the 'Passive House in the Woods,' a 1,940-square-foot (180.2 square-meter) passive house built in 2010 in Hudson, Wis., reported an energy usage of 679 kilowatt-hours during a 38-day period, which included the cold and cloudy month of November 2010 [source: Hanson]. Even under overcast conditions, a small solar array in the yard generated 366 kilowatt-hours of electricity, leaving only 313 kilowatt-hours to be purchased from the electric company. The total energy cost for this 38-day period was $35, which covered all heating, ventilation, hot water, and electricity needs [source: Eian].

8: Rebates and Tax Credits

Although tax incentives change from year to year and vary by location, you may qualify for various federal, state, and local energy tax credits when you retrofit your current home to passive house standards or when you build a new energy-efficient home like a passive house.

Various states, local governments, and utility providers offer financial incentives such as grants, rebates, or low-interest loans to assist in purchasing and installing energy-efficient materials, appliances, and systems. Websites like EnergySavvy.com and the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency allow you to easily search for available credits and rebates specific to your area.

7: Better Indoor Air Quality

A core component of the passive house approach is the use of controlled mechanical ventilation, which continuously replaces stale, humid, or otherwise "polluted" indoor air with fresh, clean air from the outdoors [source: Passivhaus Institut].

In a passive house, high-efficiency ventilation systems extract air from moisture-prone spaces like kitchens and bathrooms, while pumping fresh air into living areas such as bedrooms and living rooms. This balanced ventilation keeps humidity levels in the home within a comfortable 30 to 60 percent range [source: Passive House Institute US]. While the windows in a passive home can be opened like those in any other, many homeowners prefer to leave them closed, relying on the filtered ventilation system to bring in fresh air and minimize dust and allergens.

6: Comfort

Comfort is such a fundamental aspect of the passive house philosophy that the Passivhaus Institut has even created a 'comfort equation' to guide its construction process [source: Feist]. Passive house design aims to keep the temperature consistent across the entire home, minimizing fluctuations from room to room. Additionally, the gap between radiant temperature (such as on windows, doors, and surfaces) and air temperature remains narrow, which helps prevent drafts.

The high-performance windows and exceptional insulation in a passive house help ensure the interior remains very quiet, while the continuous ventilation system removes odors and maintains a comfortable humidity level.

5: Construction Quality and Durability

In order to achieve the passive house certification set by the Passivhaus Institut, homes must meet the highest modern construction standards, ensuring a strong and durable structure. Each element of the passive house is meticulously planned in advance, minimizing any chances for errors during construction. The materials used, including high-quality windows and doors, are designed to be virtually maintenance-free. Additionally, the absence of a traditional furnace, boiler, or HVAC system reduces the number of components that require maintenance or repair.

4: Peace and Quiet

The high-performance windows and extensively insulated doors and walls of a passive house significantly minimize noise from the street and other external sources. Additionally, the Passivhaus Institut's specifications demand that the central heat exchanger is highly efficient, the fan's energy consumption is low, and the unit operates quietly while maintaining clean operational conditions [source: Feist].

At the 'Passive House in the Woods' in Wisconsin, even the ductwork plays a role in minimizing noise within the home. Flexible plastic air ducts are routed directly to the ventilation system, eliminating the need for duct tape or adhesives at the joints. This results in a quiet and efficient system where noise doesn't transfer from room to room through the ducts [source: Eian].

3: Reduced Reliance on Outside Power

While constructing a passive house doesn't require complete detachment from the grid, many advocates of the passive house standard emphasize the advantages of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels like oil, coal, or natural gas—and the systems that supply them—particularly as we face an uncertain energy future.

The low energy demand of a passive house allows for the possibility of generating some or all of the home's electricity from clean, on-site energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines. An added benefit: it offers the advantages of an underground bunker while still providing fresh air, sunlight, and opportunities for a vibrant social life.

2: Value

It's undeniable that the initial cost of building a passive house is higher compared to a conventional home. However, the extra investment in materials, design, and construction will eventually be balanced out by significant savings in utility bills and long-term maintenance costs.

The Passive House Institute US estimates that achieving passive house standards requires an additional upfront cost of approximately 10 percent of the construction budget, compared to the cost of building a home that meets regular energy codes with 2x4 construction [source: Passive House Institute US]. In reality, the price difference is often larger, but the small footprint of a passive house can help mitigate the cost per square foot.

For instance, The Shift House, a passive home with a 1,741-square-foot (161.7 square-meter) layout located near Portland, Oregon, had a construction budget of $330,000, or about $190 per square foot. This is compared to an average conventional home cost ranging from $200,000 to $282,000 ($85 to $120 per square foot) for a typical 2,349-square-foot (218.2 square-meter) home [source: Minervini]. By investing an extra 10 percent during construction, the design team at Root Design Build expects to reduce heating energy costs by 90 percent indefinitely, with annual heating bills expected to remain under $200 [source: Minervini].

1: The Coolness Factor

By September 2010, only 13 certified passive structures existed in the United States, and the few passive homes in the country had become nearly legendary among eco-conscious individuals [source: Zeller].

Approximately 2,000 visitors explored the Passive House in the Woods during the six weeks before its owner moved in, in October 2010. Numerous passive homes have also been showcased on green building websites, in newspapers, and within building and remodeling magazines [source: Eian].

Of course, while you may not want thousands of people touring your house before you do, you can take comfort in knowing that you're reducing your environmental footprint while simultaneously enhancing your quality of life.