PHIUS / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Green building certifications

A practical guide to green home certifications: Passive House v LEED v BREEAM

...PHIUS): The top standard for homeowners prioritizing energy efficiency and comfort. The PHIUS standard is specifically adapted for North American climate zones, making it a highly practical choice for dealing with diverse weather from Florida's humidity to Minnesota's cold. LEED: The market leader in slick American mar...

Passive House wall system ; Larsen Trusses & dense-packed cellulose insulation
Wall assemblies - new construction

Larsen truss wall systems with double-stud construction & extra insulation for new homes & energy efficient home renovation

Larson truss wall systems for new green home building & renovations for max wall insulation A Larsen Truss is a type of lightweight & non structural double-stud wall assembly that allows for thicker insulation, is ideal for dense-packed cellulose insulation wall systems and a very high R-value building envelope...

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 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. ...