This energy-saving building method doesn’t compromise on design or comfort, and some say it’s becoming the obvious choice.
By Nessa Pullman | Photos by Janis Nicolay
It’s been more than three decades since homebuilding became an act of environmental advocacy.
The year was 1991 when German-based architect Dr. Wolfgang Feist built what he termed a “Passivhaus.” The build pulled inspiration from earlier iterations of energy-conservation houses in the ’70s and ’80s. Still, the home was revolutionary in its structure. It had solar collectors for hot water, a subsoil heat exchanger for airflow and a grass roof, all the while looking nothing short of a mansion. It would change the world’s ideas around what was possible in home design.
And that was only the beginning.
Since then, this idea of building resourceful, more energy-efficient homes has expanded to North America. Passive construction is quickly becoming the preferred choice as people around the globe face the direct impact consumption is having on the planet.
“As a society, we are coming to terms with climate change and the need to build smarter homes,” says Allison Holden-Pope, Victoria-based architect and principal of One SEED Architecture + Interiors.
Since 2016, Holden-Pope has been on a mission to bring Passivhaus projects into the design industry in hopes of inspiring a more mindful building approach, especially on the West Coast.
“When designing a home, the focus shouldn’t be on looks only,” she says, “but also on the impact it will have on the homeowner and the planet for years to come.”
Passive homes rely on three main principles: creating a highly insulated and airtight envelope, optimizing orientation to the sun and using a Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system. With these principles in place, a home can function at a consistently comfortable temperature without the need for traditional heating or cooling systems.
In a nutshell: passive homes are self-regulating homes that don’t emit harmful substances such as carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere while saving the homeowner on hydro costs.
Building for Tomorrow
One of Holden-Pope’s recently completed projects, nicknamed Bird’s Wing Passivhaus +, makes exemplary use of these principles. This multi-unit, multi-family fourplex creates an energy-efficient home that blends in seamlessly with its location in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood.
“It was certainly a challenge designing four homes in one while staying true to Passivhaus principles,” says Holden-Pope, “and, of course, without compromising on the design.”
Holden-Pope began by designing the airtight envelope shell while strategically planning window placement. Since passive homes need proper sun exposure to regulate temperatures, large, south-facing windows and minimal north-facing windows are the key to creating that balance. However, since this home has four units needing windows for daylight, Holden-Pope had to get creative.
“I chose tall, narrow windows on the north elevation to allow sunlight in without losing too much heat,” she says.
Using a narrow design allowed for an application of insulation on the upper windows to block excess heat transference. Looking at the exterior of the building, you wouldn’t suspect this is a simple rectangular frame, typical of Passivhaus designs.
“What’s nice about passive homes is that, once the envelope shell is secured, you can build on top of that to add architectural articulation,” says Holden-Pope.
In other words, despite their standard format, not all Passivhauses look the same.
Bird’s Wing got its name from the gabled roof design, which wraps around the side of the building, creating an outdoor deck for the top unit. Though on-site energy generation isn’t a requirement of passive homes, Holden-Pope built a photovoltaic roof (a fancy term for a solar roof), which uses PV panels to convert the photons from sunlight into electricity.
Due to the high energy efficiency of the home, that roof generates enough on-site energy to power four kitchens, four TVs and four sets of appliances, making this a “net-zero” home. This also makes Bird’s Wing applicable for Passivhaus Plus Certification: a step up from those early iterations, recognizing homes that generate more energy than they consume.
“A passive home is a healthy home,” says Holden-Pope, noting that a mandate she has in her own work is to ensure her projects use non-toxic, low-carbon building materials.
For Bird’s Wing, Holden-Pope took a low-embodied carbon approach, limiting any fossil fuel-based materials.
“Using sustainable products paired with Passivhaus principles just makes sense,” she says. “As an industry, we’ve been building houses based on an outdated method — one that doesn’t take into account the current state of our climate crisis.”
Holden-Pope believes the climate changes taking place are our responsibility to fix and, for her part, she’s dedicated her work to making sure the architectural industry has a role in supporting the advancement of that conversation.
“Passivhaus theory isn’t some high-technology invention or fast trend,” says Holden-Pope. “It’s taking the same materials we’ve been using, but in a smarter, more efficient way that is more responsive to our environment.”
