Passive House Climate-Specific program protocol presentation at the American Institute of Architects 2015 Minnesota State Convention

Date Occurred: 15 1111   Presented the new Passive House Climate-Specific protocol to architects from around the state at the AIA's annual convention. Minnesota is one of two areas on earth that experience both climate extremes, cold-dry and extreme hot–humid. This results in high construction costs when meeting International Passive House metrics which were developed for a more moderate European climate. Passive House Institute | US (PHIUS) and Building Science Corporation (BSC) did a cost optimization study for a hundred cities and climates across the US to develop the new climates specific metrics. The study input location-specifc data for climate, construction material and labor costs, energy costs, renewable energy rebates and financing costs. The resultant PHIUS+ climate-specific computer modeling metrics optimizes a buildings insulation investment and indicates where further investment is optimized when applied to renewable energy systems. The new metrics are especially valuable in Minnesota with its two climate extremes of cold-dry and hot–humid. Twin Cities area residential case studies were presented to demostrate the principles and how these homes benefited from the climate-specific protocols. The PHIUS and BSC climate-specific study was prepared for National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's "Building America Program". Presentation attendees earned Continuing Education Units from the American Institute of Architects, Passive House Alliance-US and Green Building Council Inc.