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The Home of the Future

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In the U.S., green building can mean a lot of things — recycled greywater, roof gardens, solar panels and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification all come to mind. But in Europe, many green builders focus laser-like on the amount of energy a building consumes, half of which typically comes from heating and cooling. Twenty years ago, German physicists erected a home that demonstrated how little energy a building would need if built with, among other things, thick insulation and airtight walls. The so-called “Passive House” (or “Passivhaus” in German) was soon replicated throughout the continent.

I learned about the concept when I met building scientist Henry Gifford — a persistent critic of LEED certification and noted leader of the New York City “Boiler Tour” — while researching a story on green building in Manhattan’s East Village. In the same way that I feel the ‘organic’ label doesn’t necessarily mean a food was produced in the most sustainable manner, it seemed the term “green” was often misleading when applied to buildings. But Gifford’s Passive House projects seemed like the real deal – no bells and whistles, just slashing energy use with some simple principles.

I embarked on a documentary project to show how far Europeans have taken the concept and to show the pioneering American builders who are bringing the movement across the Atlantic. The result was “Passive Passion,” a documentary selected for the 2011 Architecture and Design Film Festival.

Continue reading: The Home of the Future

Courtesy: Charlie Hoxie via txchnologist.com

Tags: Business, Green building, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, New York City, Passive house, Sustainable Architecture, United States, US Green Building Council | Comments (0)