passive house, definition of

Passive House

A Passive House is a house designed to use Passive Solar Design principals to drastically reduce its energy demands by making full use of the energy supplied by the Sun, this thereby reduces ecological footprint of the building.


This can include its orientation, window placement, Trombe Walls, ventilation, thermal mass and living space placement. It also include the adoption of standards on energy efficiency to further reduce energy demands.

EcoWho Articles where 'passive house' used:
  • Home Ventilation Techniques
    Home Ventilation improves the quality of living in your home, we look at the ventilation system options available.
News & Blog articles where 'passive house' used:
  • A passive design home that is built with forever in mind
    Electrical grids in cities and countries are overburdened all over the country. Load reduction is no longer an idea, it's a necessity. Phuis is a nonprofit organization that is creating healthier buildings that are better for the planet and the people...
  • First condo in NYC certified by Passive House Institute
    Charlotte of the Upper West Side sounds like a fabulous new play by that trendy new writer, but actually, the real Charlotte is even more interesting. This is the first condo in all of New York City to be certified by the Passive House Institute. And...
  • This is the first passive house dormitory in Canada
    UBCO Skeena Residence complex has 220 bedrooms, a beautiful Commons area and sustainability features throughout. Its integrated design process is energy efficiency and fits practical living needs.[...]
  • 19th century Harlem house restored to be energy efficient
    A 19th-century house, owners interested in passive house design and an architectural firm came together with a resulting blend of original elements married to modern innovations in a big-city row house.[...]
  • The Ice Box Challenge shows effectiveness of passive house design
    The Ice Box Challenge was a visual representation of the effectiveness of passive house design elements, presented as a collaborative effort from iPHA, Glasgow City Council, Passive House Institute, Edinburgh Napier University, Passivhaus Trust...
  • Ken Soble Tower sets an example for high-rise sustainability
    Vacant and in disrepair, the Ken Soble Tower in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada was a candidate for a sale or demolition. But, ERA Architects, known for retrofit architectural designs and integration of low-carbon systems, redesigned the building...
  • Explore the Saltbox Passive House's sweet sustainable design
    The Saltbox Passive House is located in Bromont, Quebec, and is a residence for a family of four. The 3100-square-foot home sits in a meadow at the edge of a 2.5-acre wooded plot. Its design combines elements of the local context with energy-efficient...
  • Architects give 1890s home a Passive House retrofit
    The idea of retrofitting is certainly nothing new, especially for historic buildings. But the Yannell PHIUS+ House project is turning a home built in the 1890s into a Passive House complete with modern style and amenities. The project, renovated by HPZS,...
  • Brooklyn Home Company designs passive townhouse with raw wood elements
    New York-based collective The Brooklyn Home Company has designed a passive townhouse in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. The townhouse, which was designed using Passive House principles, features four floors, a rooftop patio...
  • Passive House-certified residence frames ski resort views in Utah
    When a family decided to relocate from Silicon Valley to the Utah ski town of Park City, they tapped local design studio Klima Architecture to realize their dream of an energy-efficient home...

Related Tags: passive solar, cooling, heating, thermal mass, energy, home, green architecture, environmental architecture, solar house

Search the Web for Passive House
What is passive house?
passive house definition.
About passive house.

Click on a letter to see all the terms and definitions that begin with that letter.

A free Android app containing all these definitions is now available, called the Green Dictionary. Click here to see the entry on the Android market; or click here if on an Android phone.