Seattle architect plans city's first Passive House apartment building retrofit

Dive Brief:

A Seattle architect has announced plans to develop a 20-unit Passive House-certified apartment building in the city, the Puget Sound Business Journal reported.
Nicholson Kovalchick Architects plans to convert an existing building into apartments and also build a new, connected, four-story structure next door, with a 2,500-square-foot solar array spanning them both.
Although there are other Passive House projects planned for Seattle, the Business Journal reported that this is the first such retrofit.

Dive Insight:

Architect Brandon Nicholson told the Business Journal that after a trip to Europe, where Passive House standards are common and have produced significant energy savings, he was convinced that the building method is the best way to slow down the global warming rate.

At the heart of the Passive House standard is a well-insulated, airtight building, along with carefully calculated airflow and ventilation, that is intended to keep a building's interior temperature constant, eliminating the need for traditional heating and cooling systems. Structures, both commercial and residential, built to this standard report energy savings of up to 90%.

In June, Cornell Tech announced that its New York City Roosevelt Island campus would soon be home to the world's tallest Passive House-certified building. Developers expect the $115-million, 270-foot-high dormitory to see a 70%-90% reduction in energy bills, as well as a yearly 882-ton carbon dioxide reduction. The building, which will open for occupancy in August 2017, also has a "thermally-insulated" exterior with panels that are taped and sealed from the inside.

On a smaller scale, building manufacturer Ecocor and Richard Pedranti Architect have joined forces to develop a line of prefabricated "Passive House" homes. The line currently includes 11 customizable models ranging from 323 square feet to 2,685 square feet, but all include Passive House Institute-certified wall assemblies. Home components will be made in a factory but shipped and assembled on site.