March 12, 2024
Passive House Is Now a Platform for More
For years the German sustainability standard had a singular focus on energy efficiency. But today architects around the world are using Passive House as a jumping-off point to make an even bigger impact, transforming the potential for sustainable living.
With energy efficiency as a stepping-stone rather than the prize, firms are reaching for much more ambitious goals with multiple benefits in historic preservation, affordable housing, public health, and local economic growth.
The three projects below—a southern bungalow that’s hyper energy efficient, a multifamily community that’s sustainable and affordable, and a high-performance island residence that celebrates local culture—represent this Passive House renaissance.
PASSIVE HOUSE PROJECTS
Projects
In Texas, a Passive House Blends Style and Sustainability
Forge Craft Architecture + Design and Hugh Jefferson Randolph partner to refresh a 1914 craftsman home, making it hyper energy efficient along the way.
Projects
This Brooklyn Multifamily Community Is Sustainable—and Affordable
Passive House mixed-use development Chestnut Commons provides affordable housing to formerly homeless and low-income residents within a self-sustaining neighborhood.
Projects
OHLAB’s Paseo Mallorca Keeps the Heat at Bay
Through facade positioning and wooden slats, the Spanish firm delivers high performance Passive House design with local materials.
Would you like to comment on this article? Send your thoughts to: [email protected]
Latest
Profiles
Michael Ford and Momentum Find a New Way to Express Hip-Hop Culture
Ford’s new textile-and-wallcovering collection brings rhythm to commercial interiors.
Products
Discover the Winners of the METROPOLISLikes 2026 Awards
This year’s product releases at NeoCon and Design Days signal a transformation in interior design.
Projects
A New Housing Model for the Missing Middle
In Madison, Wisconsin, 301 Vanilla rethinks middle-income housing through prefabrication, low-carbon construction, and an architecture that prioritizes character over convention.