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Passive House Design Principles & Fire Resilience in Buildings Passive House principles can contribute to improved fire resilience in several ways, primarily through the careful selection of materials and design strategies incl. 1. Continuous insulation, 2. Air-tightness, 3. High-performance windows, and 4. balanced ventilation with ERV): ➡️ 1. Continuous Insulation Continuous insulation enhances the energy performance and slows the spread of fires through walls and roofs when fire-resistant insulation materials, such as rock wool or mineral wool, are selected. Projects often specify these materials to meet both energy efficiency and fire safety goals. ➡️2. Airtight Construction The air-tightness required by Passive House standards is about 5 times lower compared to a building following the IECC 2021 building code. Such a well-sealed building envelope can slow the spread of fire and prevent oxygen from fueling the fire and reduce smoke infiltration into occupied spaces. ➡️3. High-Performance Windows Windows and doors with robust frames and low air leakage rates enhance fire resistance. Fire-rated glazing and window systems are optional and will further improve fire resistance. The window install is detailed to avoid thermal bridging and enhance air-tightness which further reduces the spread risk. ➡️4. Ventilation Systems The building is extremely airtight and fresh air supply is managed through mechanical ventilation with heat recovery via only two intentional openings in the building envelop (intake and exhaust) which will be turned off in the event of a fire which can help mitigate flame spread. This reduces the chance for amber to penetrate through the building envelop. ➡️Other Factors: Non-Combustible and Fire-Resistant Materials Passive House standards often encourage the use of durable and non-combustible materials for insulation, cladding, and structural components. Materials such as rock wool or mineral wool insulation, which are inherently fire-resistant, are commonly used. Passive House construction often involves detailing that includes fire stops and compartmentalization to prevent the rapid spread of fire between building sections Compact Building Form Passive House designs favor compact forms to reduce thermal bridging. This compactness can also mean fewer exterior vulnerabilities where fire could penetrate, such as eaves and corners.   Integration with Local Fire Codes While Passive House principles don't directly address fire safety, certified projects must comply with local building and fire codes. Passive House strategies often complement fire safety measures, creating a safer overall design. By integrating these elements, Passive House buildings not only achieve energy efficiency but also enhance fire resilience, providing a safer, more durable, and sustainable environment for occupants. #Phius #passivebuilding #fireresilient #passivehouse

Join Ryan Abendroth (BuildZeroConsulting) tomorrow (Tuesday at Noon Eastern) on the Reimagine Buildings Collective to ask him anything about modeling for high-performance buildings.

As we wrap up 2024, we’re reminded of the warmth and comfort that well-designed spaces bring—not just in our buildings but in our connections, too. We are grateful to be part of a community that creates more energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthy spaces and we hope to continue this journey with you in 2025. This holiday season, we hope you find joy, rest, and maybe even some Passive House-level coziness, while spending time with your loved ones. Here’s to another year of building better spaces! Happy Holidays and a very warm New Year!

Check out this article featuring a unique passive building..."Passive house is an energy-efficient building approach focusing on airtightness and continuous insulation, says Ryan Abendroth, co-founder of BuildZeroConsulting and senior lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis. Abendroth, who has designed award-winning passive-certified buildings, now helps clients develop sustainable solutions for various building types. He notes that passive buildings benefit the local city and global climate by reducing energy use and associated pollutants, easing strain on power grids during peak times." #passivehouse #zeroenergy #buildingscience #zeroemissions

Thank you Phius for putting up an excellent new conference with the Phius Pro Forum in Providence, RI this week. 3 days of high quality deep technical passive building content! We enjoyed the knowledge exchange, meeting old friends and making new ones!

Why Combining Green Roofs and Photovoltaic Systems? ➡ Green roofs can increase the efficiency of PV systems by cooling the surrounding environment. The cooler temperature around the panels leads to higher performance since PV panels perform better at lower temperatures. ➡ By combining green roofs with PV systems, the space on a roof is used more effectively, achieving both energy production and environmental benefits. ➡ Subsoil provides the required weight to secure the PV System to avoid penetrations through the roof that could cause thermal bridging and water leakage. What are your experience with combining green roofs and PV Systems? For additional information: https://lnkd.in/g2i3t-wP Thank you Sempergreen Group for this quick interview at the Bau in Munich with Stefan Goebel. #NetZero #Passivehouse #greenroofs #PV

Thank you Jason Blush for the great discussion with Stefan Goebel at GlassBuild America about Guardian Industries's vacuum insulated glass (VIG) units. It's impressive how their VIG technology (coming back to market in 2025) achieves R-values of R13 (0.07 BTU/hft2F) and in hybrid use (VIG within standard IG) of up to R19 (0.052 BTU/hft2F), depending on configuration. ➡ Some key points: - VIG offers superior insulation compared to triple-pane insulated glass (R13 or higher vs. R9). - It uses less material (two panes vs. three), reducing both embodied and operational carbon. - Overall IG thickness 0.31" (8mm) compared to 1.26" (32mm) - Metallic spacers are hardly visible - Needed innovation for slimmer frame systems to support such slim IG's Sounds like a game-changer in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability! https://lnkd.in/g3qVUPjY #VIG #Highperformancebuilding #Phius #Passivehouse #NZE #embodiedcarbon #buildingscience

Window to Wall Joint Sealing done differently Part 2 - Install! Stefan Goebel (Build Zero Consulting) visits Hanno in Hanover, Germany to interview Philipp Staude (Hanno) and learn about expandable multi functional tape install. A good water control layer, insulation and acoustic control as well as vapor control depend on the installation and joint sealing between the window and wall. If these details are not solved with the necessary care, shed water and water vapor can cause mold growth and structure to rot, issues that affect indoor air quality, comfort, energy use and building durability immensely. Expandable multi-functional foam tapes hold great potential to conventional material such as caulk, spray foam or flashing tapes. Check out this video from Hanno's factory in Germany. #passivehouse #netzeroenergy #windowinstall #energyefficiency https://lnkd.in/gZkFNikA

Cooling & Resilience: The In's and Out's of Energy Modeling Listen in to this Passive House Accelerator episode on Cooling and Summer Resiliency series where Co-host Ilka Ilka Gronert Cassidy interviews Ryan Abendroth (BuildZeroConsulting), Prudence Ferreira, and Christina Snyder on the intricacies of cooling and resilience in building design. Hear from experts as they share their experiences, challenges, and strategies for predicting and mitigating overheating in buildings. Discover everything from foundational energy modeling to advanced methods for optimizing building performance. Join in to learn how these professionals ensure comfort and sustainability in Passive House projects across diverse climates. #passivehouse #netzeroenergy #energymodel #buildingsience

What it's like to work in an office building that was designed with the Passive Building principles in mind and why this German company chose to build it that way. ➡ Listen in as Stefan Goebel interviews Volker Brock (CEO) of Hanno Werk GmbH & Co. KG on what encouraged the company to go the extra mile to provide a healthy, comfortable and energy efficient office building for their employees and listen to Philipp Staude (R&D) and Andreas Rissmann (International Key Accounts) on what it's like to work in such a building. The company manufactures expandable multi-functional tapes for window to wall joint sealing and supports project teams that aim to achieve water and air tight building joints. Stay tuned for an install video from our visit in Hanover. Follow BuildZeroConsulting for more Passive House and Net Zero Energy content. #PassiveHouse #Healthybuilding #sustainabledesign #officebuilding #germany #buildingscience https://wix.to/CVUoF7G