In the North American green buildings market, where LEED, BREEAM, WELL, Living Building Challenge, and Green Globes dominate the landscape, the German-born Passivhaus standard (aka, Passive House) has struggled to gain a solid foothold, despite a strong grassroots growth effort among its early adopters.
There are an estimated 60,000 buildings worldwide designed and built to Passivhaus standards, the vast majority in Europe. In the U.S., more than 1.1 million sf of building space is certified or pre-certified to PHIUS+ standards, according to the Passive House Institute US. But the lion’s share is small residential buildings.
A new study conducted by FXFOWLE and funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority set out to determine the viability of Passivhaus for tall residential buildings. The research involved investigating the feasibility of adapting the design of a sustainable mixed-use high-rise building in the 2016 New York City market to Passivhaus requirements. The base case building is a 593,000-sf, 26-story multifamily high-rise building in Queens that is targeting LEED v.3 Silver Certification and 20% energy cost savings from ASHRAE 90.1-2007. The study examined the impacts of achieving the standard from an architectural, enclosure detailing, mechanical, structural, constructability, resiliency, zoning, and code perspective.
FXFOWLE’s findings show promise for the niche standard. The technical difficulties of meeting the stringent energy efficiency and insulation standards can be overcome with minimal aesthetic changes and a glazing ratio of up to 40%, according to the report’s authors, Ilana Judah, Intl. Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Director of Sustainability, and Daniel Piselli, AIA, LEED AP, Senior Associate, both with FXFOWLE.
From a financial perspective, the Passivhaus design represents an increased capital cost of 2.4%, a 40-year net present value of $5.2 million, and a payback of 24 years as compared to the base case building.
“The multifamily project type and scale are favorable to meet Passivhaus requirements due to controllable internal heat gains and low enclosure to volume ratios,” the authors wrote. “Some code and regulatory requirements conflict with Passivhaus strategies, and these must be aligned to enable implementation.”
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Mar 29, 2015
Elevator shafts a major source of heat loss in New York City
A typical New York apartment building loses thousands of dollars worth of energy every year from leaky elevator shafts that vent warm air at the top of the building and draw in cold air at the bottom, according to a new Urban Green Council report.
Green | Mar 29, 2015
Passive House Institute launches ‘cost-effective’ passive building standard
The group says the building energy performance target is in the “sweet spot” where cost effectiveness overlaps with aggressive energy and carbon reduction.
Sponsored | Walls and Partitions | Mar 25, 2015
Metl-Span systems meet design needs in cost effective manner
The goal from the beginning was to construct an energy efficient building with insulated metal panels.
Green | Mar 25, 2015
WELL Building Standard introduced in China
The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring features that impact human health and wellbeing, through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind.
Higher Education | Mar 23, 2015
Hong Kong university building will feature bioclimatic façade
The project's twin-tower design opens the campus up to the neighboring public green space, while maximizing the use of summer winds for natural ventilation.
Green | Mar 22, 2015
6 myths holding back green building
Sustainable design has proven benefits, so why isn’t it more widely adopted?
Green | Mar 18, 2015
Vertical urban greenhouses will feed import-reliant Jackson Hole, Wyo.
A Jackson Hole, Wyo., start up aims to reduce the city’s susceptibility to food deficits by building vertical greenhouses.
Sponsored | Energy Efficiency | Mar 16, 2015
California cuts its carbon footprint with solar
Spanning four locations in Central Valley, the California Renewable Energy Small Tariff projects pack a lot of power and are prime examples of the real-life benefits of going solar.
Codes and Standards | Mar 12, 2015
Energy Trust of Oregon offers financial incentives for net-zero buildings
The organization is offering technical assistance along with financial benefits.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
AEC industry groups look to harmonize green building standards, codes
The USGBC, ASHRAE, ICC, IES, and AIA are collaborating on a single green code.