Passive House Resource Guide

Resource guide to up your Passive House knowledge –

Whether you are building your own home, or you are hiring a contractor to help build your Passive House, you’ll want to get knowledgeable. The exciting thing about Passive House is that the designs are constantly evolving and getting better. There are new faces joining the movement everyday, and there’s so much to learn!

Educated Consumer

Many homeowners find that base knowledge is vital to the success of their project, especially when it comes to Passive House construction. The more educated you are, the better you can make sure your home is being constructed in the right way. Because of the lack of general knowledge in the industry, it is sometimes best to participate more or less as a quality control agent of sorts. Knowledge also gives you a base for asking the right questions to your contractor. Even more, when you know the details about your type of construction, you can advocate for specific design choices or construction techniques that you might never have considered otherwise. An educated client is a smart client. Your contractor will appreciate the insights you can bring, and you will be more satisfied with the final product.

Educated Contractor

If you are a contractor considering getting into Passive House construction, this is a no-brainer! Education in a focused niche of construction like Passive House techniques is a huge asset to your scope of work. You’ll find yourself employing passive house concepts or approaches to any type of construction, even if the project doesn’t require strict Passive House requirements. Additionally, if you are certified, it becomes a huge selling factor for people looking for experts that can achieve nearly any high performance building objective. You can set yourself above the rest of the pack simply by getting more education.

If you’re looking to up your Passive House knowledge, where do you start?

Our team has compiled a great list of resources to help you get started. Some of these resources have specific programs and even certifications, and some are simply helpful resources to stay up on the latest developments. Either way, we hope you find them helpful as you go deeper into Passive Houses.

Passive House Associations to Check-Out:

(CPHT): Courses and accreditation exams for building professionals.
Passive House Institute US: This organization is based in the United States, but offers a ton of education on their website if you’re starting off. If you want to go deeper, they also offer certifications in Passive House construction. They even offer live events and trainings throughout the year.
Passive House Institute: The Passive House Institute (PHI) is an independent research institute focused on performance-based energy standards in construction. They offer certifications, in-person trainings, and a wealth of information on their website.
North American Passive House Network (NAPHN): A building industry leader in education for low-energy, high-performance Passive House design and construction. They offer educational resources throughout the year, but also with their big conference each year. Don’t miss how they are rolling out a virtual element this year.

Top Resources For Trainings/Events:

Emu: Emu is an accredited Training Provider with the International Passive House Institute (PHI). They are authorized to offer Certified Passive House Tradesperson
Local PHIUS Meetup: Look for Passive House Meetups in your local area. If you’re in Colorado, we’d love to see you at an upcoming event with this Meetup.
NAPHN Conference in New York: Join NAPHN for their annual conference. More info HERE.
PHIUS Conference: Currently set for Fall 2020, the PHIUS conference is always full of great speakers and education! Learn more HERE.
Global Passive House Happy Hour: The Passive House Accelerator has a weekly virtual happy hour with people from all over the world. You can find out the times and details HERE. They also have a great newsletter you can sign up for as well, full of quality information.
Love | Schack: Love & Schack are two architects who focus on client-centered design with high performance and natural materials, and made a witty company name when Lindsey and Lindsay joined forces! They offer amazing designs, but also put on webinars and share great resources with their community.
Build Equinox: Build Equinox is a great source if you love getting into the details of Passive House construction. They regularly put out new articles and updates to help the community stay on the forefront of this industry – especially related to ventilation strategies..
Certified Passive Home Consultants: If you need someone to weigh in on your project, consider hiring a certified consultant to give you expert insights. See the above sites for certifications to also find certified experts.

To Stay on Top of the Passive House Movement, Consider Following our Favorite Instagram Accounts:

@buildingsciencefightclub – Building science and construction for architects
@emubldgscience – Empowering the construction industry through Passive House training, virtual prototyping, and standardized systems
@risingerbuild – Builder, remodeler, and YouTuber focusing on high-performance homes
@passivehouseschool – Source for Passive House knowledge
@phoenixhausgj – Prefab Passive House designs and manufacturing.
@unbuilditpodcast – New industry podcast coming to the scene
@greenbuildingadvisor – Information about designing, building, and remodeling high-performance homes
@Passivehouseaccelerator – Insights from the Passive House community to design+build better buildings
@alpenhpp – Providing high -performance products, windows, and glass
@thermalbuck.us – High- performance window buck systems
@advantagewoodwork – Carpenter focusing on Passive House best practices
@siga_north_america – SIGA, focusing on zero energy loss buildings
@passivehouseinstituteus – Profile for PHIUS
@buildingsciencegirl – Educator of building performance for homes
@rockwoolna – Smart and sustainable stone wool insulation products for the construction industry.

7 Value Engineering Tips for Window and Door Design

Have you or your clients had significant sticker shock when the window and door bids are provided? It is pretty common… but there are ways to reduce cost without sacrificing much and often while improving performance. By Value Engineering (VE), you’ll help save money with your project and there are several concepts to consider to make it happen.

Value Engineering is often an untapped resource in projects that can save costs on a project without necessarily compromising quality and often while improving performance. Experts in Value Engineering can help identify opportunities to create a more efficient setup, especially when it comes to windows. Since we, at AE Building Systems, are always concerned about energy efficiency, we are proponents of anything that improves performance first and foremost.

Considering performance vs. cost savings, in the window world, they often go together. Whether you’re looking at many window manufacturers or options within the same manufacturer, there are a number of VE options that can actually save you a ton of money, and improve energy efficiency at the same time. The homeowners will pay less at the front end while saving money down the road in energy costs. That’s why we’re big fans of Value Engineering around here.

Worried you might be spending too much on windows and doors? You might consider some of these options:

Consider the location/region: The best way you can design effective opening is to design for the homeowner’s climate zone. The product someone needs in San Francisco (e.g. double, triple or quad-pane) are going to be drastically different than what you would want in Anchorage, Alaska. The best way to think through this is to look at the glass performance and how many panes and what type of gas-fill you’re needing. In Colorado, the front range (climate zone 5) can generally use a different glazing package than some of the colder mountain locations (often climate zones 6 and 7).
Note the purpose of the space: What is the opening used for? Windows for a kitchen or bedroom are going to need higher performance compared to that of an unconditioned garage or three-season porch. You can get by with lower performance windows in some spaces. If the garage is conditioned which is often the case in mountain areas of Colorado, this might not apply.
Selected fixed units where you can: Any time you have operable windows, you increase costs compared to fixed windows. They’re just more complex than a fixed window and fixed or picture windows also perform better – not only do they perform better thermally, they are tighter – reducing air infiltration. If it’s feasible that the homeowner is never going to open the window – go fixed. On the performance side… sliding or hung windows also open you up to greater air infiltration through the unit over casements, awnings and tilt/turns. Comparing hungs and sliders to fixed or casement units is a night and day difference. If you don’t need an operable unit in the space, opt for the fixed unit and save your money now and in the future. If you need an operable – try to go casement, awning or tilt/turn rather than hung or sliding due to the air infiltration rates.
Overlooked the materials: The materials your units are made from can make a huge impact. Wood and aluminum are often more costly than vinyl and fiberglass. If wood is the look you need, different species of wood can vary in price. Keep this in mind as you determine what material you really need.

Use fewer IGUs if you can: Consider various diagrams of the unit and how many Insulated Glazing Units (IGUs) you really need. In the high-performance arena, frames are a known culprit of energy performance. If you can consolidate windows within an assembly, you’ll get better performance and lower initial cost simply because you have less frame material and less labor. The second window below is one IGU with simulated divided lights (SDLs) where the first unit below has 6 IGU’s. The price difference on these two units is significant and using 6 IGU’s can more than double the price of a window assembly.
Be mindful of the hardware (generally door hardware): We often think about the framed unit itself, but hardware costs can add up quickly too. Decide if you really need to go fancy with your hardware. If you really need something custom, be willing to pay for it. Otherwise, the standard fixtures can save you greatly! Keep in mind that painted finishes on hardware can often cost much less than metal finishes. Also, custom door hardware can be very expensive. Depending on the look you’re going for, these simple choices can help you save quite a bit!
Mind the threshold as well: Don’t stop at windows; consider how your door design can benefit your budget. With doors, consider that a balcony threshold can be beneficial compared to a traditional swing door with a low-threshold. Adding multi-point locking on doors can be helpful for performance (air-tightness), but often adds costs. Other considerations for doors include a basic one-panel swing vs french vs sliding vs lift-sliding vs bifold and others that all impact the price and the performance in different ways. Don’t forget to chat about both price and performance with your suppliers. Check out this threshold example from our Instagram feed.

On any project, budget is generally a difficult discussion and an important one. We want our clients to be happy about the investment they’ve made, but we also want to deliver high-performing products for them. Value Engineering is a simple way to make smart decisions to maximize performance while reducing costs. We know that windows and doors are often zones in a home where lots of money is spent and we want to see it spent wisely. If you, or your clients, have specific questions about how they can best maximize their opening design for a more efficient home, our team would love to talk. We’ve seen a lot and would love to help you design a happier, more efficient space.

A Better Way With ThermalBuck

ThermalBuck Basics For Energy Efficiency

“There’s got to be a better way!” Have you ever thought to yourself? So many of us in the world of construction become miffed when it comes to dealing with the problem spots in construction like window and door openings. No, this isn’t an infomercial, and we aren’t going to incentivize you with a set of knives, but there truly IS a better way to build out windows and openings, and ThermalBuck is a huge part of that.

What is ThermalBuck?

ThermalBuck is a product designed to enhance the construction of rough openings. It solves varying problems in window installation, especially when working with continuous insulation and/or rainscreens. ThermalBuck extends the mounting point of doors and windows to help create a flush plane. It extends the rough opening for a window or door, but limits a common thermal bridge within the building envelope. ThermalBuck is easy to install and flash and is a true continuous insulation option for builders.

ThermalBuck is also coated with a waterproof resin and is affixed to a rough opening with an air & water barrier sealant along with nails. It doesn’t warp or shrink with moisture, and also provides extra support to the weight of a window.

Why is ThermalBuck needed?

Traditionally, a wood buck is used to extend the mounting point of a window to create a flush plane. However, wood can shrink, warp, or even rot over time. Wood is also not an ideal insulator, allowing thermal bridging around each opening, whether a window or door. Wood bucks can only do so much, and can lead to other issues for energy efficiency, condensation, and eventual moisture damage. Ultimately, this is a contributing factor to why there can be so many expensive repairs related to window and door damage. Wood bucks are helpful, but only go so far. With the ThermalBuck, we see an innovative approach that actually provides more long-term benefits to the end-user.

How is ThermalBuck beneficial?

Can you build window openings without ThermalBuck? Sure, you can. But, why would you when there’s a better way? The ThermalBuck product is so helpful when it comes to preventing heat and energy loss, that we’ve come to see it as a given around here. Here are just some of the main ways it’s so helpful in energy-efficient construction:

Easier to install than traditional wood buck designs (Watch how it installs here)
High-performance window installation solution
Verified for Passive House installations
Maintains the integrity of the window installation with a dimensionally stable solution
Simplifies flashing and adds an additional water/air barrier at the rough opening
Available in multiple depths to match the projects needed depths.
One solid piece, compared to multiple pieces of wood in traditional wood buck installs
R-value of 4.4 per inch

How Do I Use ThermalBuck?

ThermalBuck is not necessarily something we carry alone. Instead, it’s a product that is paired with our Alpen window orders. We work with so many people who care about high performance and reducing thermal bridging in a project that we see these two products pair together seamlessly. That said, you can get ThermalBuck in depths of 1.0” to 4” depending on your needs, and Alpen currently stocks 2” and 2.5” depths. This allows you to use a quality product and get a premiere result.

ThermalBuck & Passive House Design

In Passive House design, the focus is on energy efficiency, especially at areas of weakness like openings and corners. That’s why we love the ThermalBuck products because they eliminate so much of the thermal bridging that normally occurs at these openings. While there are various angles on ThermalBuck and how it relates to Passive House design, here’s a more in-depth review of the product in relation to sustainable design. One thing we can all agree on is that ThermalBuck is a better alternative to traditional wood buck designs if you are building for energy efficiency.

At AE Building Systems, we’re always working to educate our customers so that they can build with the best resources and processes possible. ThermalBuck is just one of these amazing products that make building a Passive House or building with an energy-efficient focus so much easier. Our team works with these products every day, and we’re happy to help answer any questions you have about using ThermalBuck in your next project!

Learn more about thermal bridging and ThermalBuck here.

New Year, New Products from SIGA

You may not have asked for construction products for the holidays this year, but that’s what you got under the Christmas tree! As we start off another great year, we’re all excited about the latest and greatest from SIGA. We know this means even better construction and energy savings in projects to come. These products make for big energy savings, big-budget savings, and even more comfort.

Why do we carry SIGA?

SIGA carries a versatile line of products for the construction industry and building envelopes. Their products avoid spray applications and also avoid toxins such as chemical dyers, formaldehyde, solvents, and harmful resins. This family business started in Switzerland in 1965 and is focused on research and development to always push the thermal envelope! SIGA products are also proven products to help with Passive House design and construction. Whether you’re building to these standards, or you just want a more energy-efficient space, SIGA products are a winner!

AE Building Systems has carried SIGA products for years, which is why we’re so excited to share the latest and greatest in their innovative products.

Here’s an overview of the newest SIGA products:

SIGA Majvest 700 SOB

Ready to seal out the elements in a sleek way? The Majvest 700 SOB is ideal for open facades with gaps up to 50 mm and maximum surface share of 40%. As designers start to add in more and more intricate exteriors with openings and reliefs, the construction behind the pretty face of the wall needs to hold up. The Majvest 700 SOB product allows you to do just that. This product is also UV stable, making it an ideal product for any side of the building and in multiple different climates.