PHI / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Passive House in Quebec
Passive House

The passive-aggressive house - our history of a Passivhaus build

First, the background to this Passivhaus My partner and I are geeks. Our idea of a romantic dream was to build a house so well insulated you could heat it with a hairdryer. For added fun, we wanted to do this on a tight budget while raising a young child. The hairdryer part wasn’t a pipe dream – it’s a common way of de...

Passive House certification - PHI or PHIUS? The Spring House Passive House
Passive House

Everything you need to know about Passive House certification

...PHIUS website, but here’s a little snapshot: Passive House certification comparisons between PHIUS & PHI standards in different climate zones * PHIUS and PHI calculate living space somewhat differently. PHI calculates Treated Floor Area (TFA) while PHIUS calculates interior Conditioned Floor Area (iCFA)....

Building a Passive House that's LEED Certified too - an Owner's Tale
Passive House

An owner/builder's account of building a Passive House

...PHI vs. PHIUS Passive House certification PHI (Germany’s Passive House Institute) and PHIUS (Passive House Institute U.S.) have the same goals at heart, namely creating buildings that achieve a certain energy performance standard. The only way they differ is in their approach to determining that standard. In order for ...

Passive solar house design
Passive solar home design

Passive solar home design

Homes heated by the sun's free heat! Passive Solar Houses are aptly named because there are no wires, panels or batteries and nothing to break down. It's just about design, and it isn't a new concept. Humans around the globe have been incorporating passive solar design features into their homes for thousands of years. ...