Living in a Passive House Apartment: A How-To Guide

Introduction

Passive House apartments blend smart design and high performance materials to create comfortable indoor environments while using up to 90% less energy for heating and cooling. Living in a Passive House means learning some new things, but offers major rewards through enhanced comfort, indoor air quality, and energy savings.

The Basics

- Passive House buildings are super insulated and airtight. The thick insulation and minimal leaks make them very energy efficient.

- These airtight units continuously bring in fresh air through a Heat Recovery Ventilator system (HRV).

- Your Passive House windows are triple-paned and have insulated frames to reduce heat loss.

- Apartments take advantage of passive solar design, maximizing heat gain from sunlight in winter and controlling it in summer.

Live Efficiently

- Your apartment interior will warm up with sunlight, appliance use, and even human (and pet) body heat. Try opening windows to regulate heat when needed.

- Close window shades when you want to keep it cooler, open them when you want to get more warmth.

- Let in daylight and turn off lights to reduce energy use.

– Use the Heat Recovery Ventilator to bring in more fresh air when you need it. Because a Passive House is very well sealed, it uses an HRV bring in filtered outdoor air and pump out stale air. Cooking will often emit indoor pollutants, and increased human activity (like exercise or a party) will create more carbon dioxide. Open windows or turn up the HRV to push out indoor air and bring in fresh air.

Enjoy the Benefits

- Your unit will feel consistently more comfortable year-round without temperature fluctuations.

- Better insulation and windows mean less outside noise.

- Excellent indoor air quality from the ventilation system benefits your health.

- By using less energy, you'll save on utility bills!