PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) launched the new PHIUS+ 2015 passive building standard on March 25.
PHIUS says the building energy performance target is in the “sweet spot” where cost effectiveness overlaps with aggressive energy and carbon reduction. It promises to ignite tremendous growth in the application of passive building principles, the organization says.
Formally known as PHIUS+ 2015 Passive Building Standard: North America, the standard is the product of nearly three years of research conducted by PHIUS in partnership with Building Science Corporation under a U.S. Department of Energy Building America grant.
The effort employed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s BEopt tool (for cost-optimizing) to develop optimized design guidelines for use in North America’s wide-ranging climate zones.
Passive building has gained great attention in recent years, but the adoption of passive principles—superinsulation, airtight envelope, energy recovery ventilation—has been slower than hoped because of cost and other disincentives. The new formula and standards remove those obstacles, PHIUS says.
Related Stories
Green | Jul 23, 2015
NASA: U.S. headed for worst droughts in a millennium
Data from NASA shows carbon emissions could be the driving force behind devastating water shortages and record droughts in the western U.S.
Sponsored | Metals | Jul 20, 2015
Life cycle assessment, and why you should care
LCA is a way of quantifying the environmental impact generated by the manufacture and delivery of a product.
Green | Jul 16, 2015
7 parking facilities first to earn Green Garage Certification
The new program rates parking structures based on 48 elements of operation, from water reuse to bicycle parking to car sharing options.
Smart Buildings | Jul 12, 2015
Office of Management and Budget asks agencies to consider climate change when budgeting for construction projects
For the first time, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget is asking agencies to submit budget plans that consider the effects of climate change on construction and maintenance of federal facilities.
Engineers | Jul 12, 2015
White paper explores low-flow toilets’ impact on drain lines, clogs
The research found that certain variables: toilet paper—along with the pipe slope and flush volume—are key variables in determining whether drain lines might be predisposed to clog.
Green | Jul 12, 2015
U.S. Green Building Council aligns programs with CALGreen
California has a new LEED certification path as the state struggles with drought.
Green | Jul 7, 2015
Philips sheds new light on growing fresh food indoors
A research center in The Netherlands is testing the latest techniques in urban farming.
Green | Jun 29, 2015
Rick Fedrizzi to step down as USGBC’s Chief Executive next year
Fedrizzi will be leaving an organization that has grown to 76 chapters. The Washington, D.C.-based USGBC employs 260 people, and last year reported $74.1 million in revenue.
Green | Jun 26, 2015
Training center for electricians in L.A. focuses on net zero technologies
Construction has begun Los Angeles County on what is being called the nation’s largest Net Zero Plus retrofit of a commercial building.
![6 steps toward better water management [AIA course]](/sites/default/files/styles/list_big/public/VanDusen513.026_grassfix_stairfix.jpg?itok=K8oOWak9 "6 steps toward better water management [AIA course]")
Green | Jun 24, 2015
6 steps toward better water management [AIA course]
When it comes to water conservation, Building Teams tend to concentrate on water-efficient plumbing fixtures, irrigation controls, graywater capture, and ways to recycle condensate from air-conditioning systems. Yet many of the best opportunities for saving water begin with big-picture thinking in a project’s earliest phases.
