Passive House Consulting

VCA Green offers certification assistance for Passive House. The Passive House standard is possibly the world’s toughest certification for building energy use reduction. It requires projects to use levels of insulation that are beyond code and to eliminate nearly all air leaks and thermal bridges. It also requires intensive energy modeling. The result are buildings that are inexpensive to operate, exceptionally quiet, and exceedingly comfortable throughout the entire year.

Passive House certifications are not limited to just homes. Passive House buildings can be almost any type of building. The base certification is the Certified Passive House Classic, but projects adding solar can earn Plus or Premium certification. Through EnerPHit certifications, renovation projects can be recognized. VCA Green can help project teams seeking to certify buildings of any size, commercial or residential.

VCA Green utilizes years of experience and building science knowledge to navigate the rigorous standards. VCA Green can assist project teams with the specialized modeling required for Passive House, envelope design strategies, and optimizations and assist with the required diagnostic testing.

The Passive House certification requires:

1. Minimal air leakage through the envelope, as verified through a blower door.
2. Continuous air and vapor barriers in order to pass blower door requirements and control moisture within each assembly.
3. Fresh air ventilation strategy for health and comfort.
4. A maximum annual heating load of 4.75 kBtu per square foot per year or 3.17 But/h per square foot peak load.
5. A maximum annual cooling load of 4.75 kBtu per square foot per year or 3.17 But/h per square foot peak load (with allowances for humidity).
6. An envelope design that reduces or eliminates point and linear thermal bridging.
7. Intense energy modeling through a proprietary Excel workbook.

Passive House is one of the toughest voluntary green programs available. Rewards are seen on the energy bills and in how healthy and quiet the buildings are.

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