X-mas social, PH101 presentation and hands-on airsealing seminar

Toast with all NY Passive House members to a great year for Passive House. We have had tremendous growth of PH projects, media attention (thank you NY Times for this NYC centric and that article this month), code seminars and presentations.

Foursevenfive will open the doors of their offices/showroom to have drinks and exchange experiences on how to deal with PH specific issues. We will start at 6:30 with 30 minuted Passive House 101 presentation.

If you are familiar with PH already, you can come a little later when the socializing start. At 7:30 there will be a quick hands-on workshop in which you can experience sealing your structure/windows in an airtight way with Pro Clima tapes and intelligent vapor barriers.

As we never get tired of talking about Passive House (ask our significant others....) we will be at Union street for the rest of the evening. Hope to see you there.

The NYPH team

NYPH code workshop 2 - 12/6 at 7pm

NYPH Code Workshop 2 reminder

,   Quick reminder regarding NYPH's second Code Workshop tomorrow at 7pm. Please RSVP to events@nypassivehouse.org to let us know you will be attending. The first workshop was a great success and we want to keep the momentum going.   Issues discussed were: - Elevator, trash chute, bulkhead vents - Plumbing vent - air admittance valve (one will be present) - Ventilation rates, ductwork and dampers - Exhaust/supply distance for individual ventilation of units - Exterior insulation issues - 90 minute bulkhead door - clarification - Wood furring in non combustible construction - Condensate, propose to drain to dishwasher connection These ideas will have to be worked out in detail so they can be proposed to the BSB (see links below). Any additional items please submit any items that you think could be improved upon. Chris Benedict RA and Floris Keverling Buisman will review the submitted materials and guide the discussion/working groups. This member-only workshop will be on 12/6 at 7pm at the Paul Castrucci Architect offices at 179 Rivington street #1A, New York NY. Please RSVP to events@nypassivehouse.org    Thank you for your time and input as we work to improve the viability of Passive House projects in and around New York City.   Sincerely,   The NYPH Team   PS Check NYC DOB Building Sustainability Board protocol   and the NYC/Urban Green Council Greening the code proposals how to set up code amendments (summary, proposed legislation, rule or study, supporting information),

Building code workshop for NYPH Members 11/11/22 at 7pm

After a very well attended international open Passive House days last weekend, we turn our focus to the legal side of things. In order to help local efforts to promote and build Passive House projects, NYPH will host a Code Workshop to address issues encountered when dealing with building codes.  We will primarily focus on the building codes of New York City and the interpretation of this code by New York Department of Buildings' plan examiners and inspectors. Zoning issues can be brought up as well.

 

Often interpretations of the code within mentioned jurisdictions force PH consultants and architects to alter/make design decisions that negatively effect the economical feasibility or ability to complete successful Passive House projects.

 

The goal of this workshop is to discuss existing and potential

code issues. review these issues in depth, and determine:

 

- in case if the particular issues is actually permitted according to their understanding, to spell this out in a clarification to get a written statement from the DOB tbat confirms this understanding so that this can be used by all in future projects.

 

Example: bulkhead doors are considered exit doors by plan examiners and thus need to be 90-minute, fire-rated doors

when in fact, these should be treated as facade openings and could thus be south facing thermally broken PH doors with high SHGC glass.

 

- in case the issue is not permitted under according to current code. analyse how the current code impedes the incorporation of Passive House/energy efficient technologies and how the code could be amended to promote high performance/Passive House construction practices.

 

Example: Think thermally breaking a cast-iron plumbing stack with a piece of PVC or even better imagine being able to use an air admittance valve and not having to puncture the thermal envelope.

 

Call for submission:
This email serves as a call to all NYPH members to submit any and all issues that you have encountered or solutions you have thought off, to be included in the Code Workshop for further discussion with attending NYPH members. Please send description of the issues, including relevant code sections and drawings to events@nypassivehouse.org

Richard Leigh from the Urban Green Council, and member of the DOB Building Sustainability Board will be there as well to provide guidance to regarding the process.
This member-only workshop will be on 11/22 at 7pm at the Four Seven Five offices at 131 Union street, Brooklyn NY. Please RSVP to events@nypassivehouse.org 

 Thank you for your time and input as we work to improve the viability of Passive House projects in and around New York City.

 

Sincerely,

 

The NYPH Team

 

PS Check NYC DOB Building Sustainability Board protocol  

and the NYC/Urban Green Council

Greening the code proposals how to set up code amendments (summary, proposed legislation, rule or study, supporting information),

Int PH days, NYPH has quite a few PH projects open this weekend for you to experience and enjoy!

Experience the Passive House for yourself

8th International Passive House Days; 11 -13 November 2011

By opening Passive Houses to the public, the Passive House Days provide a chance for enthusiasts and newcomers alike to experience Passive Houses in all their variety, along with the comfort they offer, first hand. This year's Passive House Days is set to be larger than ever, with participating projects and side events marking the occasion in a wide array of countries such as Japan, Chile, Ukraine, Lithuania, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, the UK and the US, just to name a few! On this 20th anniversary event, join us in raising awareness about and interest in Passive Houses!

 

Find participating buildings near you through the Passive House Database as well as on the map and other regional links below*.

USA - New York

New York Passive House

Participating buildings found through the Passive House Database and the New York Passive House meet up website

Open PH days in/around NYC http://www.meetup.com/NYPassiveHouse/#calendar

Go to http://www.meetup.com/NYPassiveHouse/#calendar to see all the Passive House projects that will be open this weekend!

 

 

Jordan goldman's presentation of several PH projects at Toto shwrm

Floris

Sign up for the PH Academy 8 day PH consultant training - Nov 2-5 & 16-19 at http://passivehouseacademy.com/

There are some spots available for the Passive House Academy training in November. There is still time to registrer (contrary to what the PDF on the site currently indicates).

 

Eight full days of direct contact classroom training, from 8.30am to 5.30pm. The course is scheduled to deliver Participants approximately two weeks ahead of the exam (3

rd December). All exams globally for accreditation as Certified Passive House Consultants are set by the German Passivhaus Institut (but with IP units for the US Participants!) and the exams take place four times per year.

 

Format: Combination of lectures by Passive House experts, group exercises,workshops, exchange with experienced contractors, site visit(s) and hands-on training in the use of PHPP software (Passive House Planning Package).

 

The cost of the Course is $2,200. This includes tutor fees, course notes (two detailed andtechnical manuals amounting to over 1,000 pages), exam preparation guides, lunches and coffee breaks. The exam fee costs an additional $300.

The courses will be delivered at Pratt Institute, 144 West 14

th Street,Manhattan, NYC.

Comprehensive course material is provided at course commencement, as well as excellent preparatory guides for the exam. All material presented in IP Units, along with Metric units for orientation purposes.

PHA exam prep and thermal bridge courses Oct 21-22 and 23-24

The Passive House Academy will be back in NYC to give the following courses:

 

PHI exam preparation - 2 day session to prepare for the international exam

Friday 21 and Saturday 22 October

 

Thermal bridge calculations - 2 days course to learn how to indentify, calculate and improve thermal bridges for PH design and PHPP input

Sunday 23 and Monday 24th October.

 

For more info and registration go to:

http://passivehouseacademy.com/

Jordan Goldman presents 3 PH projects at 10/26 - 6:30pm

Jordan Goldman, Engineering Principal at ZeroEnergy Design, will present several Passive House projects his firm is involved in. The projects will include both residential and commercial buildings, detached housing and townhouses, and even an exterior insulation retrofit of a Brooklyn brownstone.

 

10/26 at6:30pm

 

Toto Showroom - 25 Mercer St. New York, NY 10013.

 

 

PH Buildings Introductory Lecture at the Austrian Consulate in NYC

Course details

Prof. Christoph Buxbaum (Carinthia University of Applied Sciences and architect/consultant for building science in Austria), will give an overview of the design principles of energy-efficient buildings, especially made in “Passive House Technology.” The lecture supplements individual basic knowledge about energy efficient building design, passive solar concepts, solutions for new homes and remodeling up to realization and construction and prefabrication processes. Principles for the design and construction process as well as detailed solutions for improved building enclosures, high efficient window systems and state-of-the-art ventilation systems with heat recovery to decrease ventilation heat losses will be presented and examples of Austrian architecture will be shown.

Location:

Austrian Consulate General
31 East 69th Street
New York, NY 10021

Free event, seating limited, information and registration: office@ibsee.us

Passive Passion @ NYADFF

Forwarding email from Charlie about the screening of his Passivhaus documentary

 

Hi Passiveheads-

You may remember me as the NYU grad student shooting a documentary on Passive House last year. I just wanted to let you know that the final product made it into the NY Architecture & Design Film Festival and will be playing at Tribeca Cinemas on October 22nd (7:15PM) and October 23rd (3:45PM). It would be great if you could help get the word out to Passive House enthusiasts in NYC; it could be a great opportunity for people to see a bit more of what's going on in Europe, or give a curious friend a quick introduction to the concept.

Here is the film's listing; there is a link on the right to buy tickets. Hope you guys can make it!

All the best,

Charlie Hoxie

Günter Lang presents Austrian High-Rise and other innovative PH projects

NYPH is proud to have Günter Lang present the latest in Austrian high-rise, multi-family construction and nonresidential projects and innovations in Austria. The lecture will be preceded by a NYPH members-only seminar (4-6pm) for those who would like to get in-depth feedback in regards to multi-family issues and nonresidential projects from Mr. Lang (and other PH consultants).

Günter Lang is owner of Lang Consulting which specializes in new and retrofit passive houses. He served as CEO of the IG Passivhaus Upper Austria between 2002 and 2006 and of the IG Passivhaus Austria between 2005 and 2010. Most recently he was Press Spokesperson for the 2011 International Passive House conference in Innsbruck. 

Parsons New School

25 East 13th Street, 3rd Floor

Manhattan

Lecture - rsvp at http://www.meetup.com/NYPassiveHouse/events/31865952/
General Public - $25
NYPH Supporting Member - $10
NYPH Professional Member - free

Member only Seminar - please email: events@nypassivehouse.org to reserve a spot (15 spots left)
NYPH supporting member - $20 (incl. lecture at 7pm)
NYPH Professional member - $10  

NYPH open house at Empowerhouse -parsons/Stevens solar decathl

Hot day, great turn out. Grear explanation of Project and to see it underconstruction with walls open!

Floris

Chris Benedict's BEC presentation on German/Austrian PH and other highly efficient buildings http://tiny.cc/m0bhm

AIA CES LUs 1.5

When: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM MONDAY, JULY 18

Where: At The Architecture Center
  

16 buildings, five minutes each!

In this presentation, Chris Benedict will show 16 buildings that she visited this past winter with a team from the North East Sustainable Energy Association. The buildings are located in the Saxony region of Germany and in Upper Austria. In these areas, the local governments have made a concerted effort to showcase new innovative work. The buildings represent the broad spectrum of the current conversation in  European Architecture offices. Included in that conversation are numbers – expected performance and measured results!

The group includes single family homes, apartment buildings, schools, industrial/manufacturing buildings and small commercial buildings. Chris will also share results of the data loggers she placed in a Passive House that the team stayed in. Also, Chris will show a quick run through of the trade show floor of an energy conference in Upper Austria.

Wall street Journal article on NY Passive House(s) http://tiny.cc/33woz

Nancy Sirianni's overhaul of dream house by Long Island's gold coast will have recycled pine boards, a new second floor and attic—but no furnace.

 

In Teaneck, N.J., engineer Len Moskowitz estimates the heating bill for the four-bedroom home that he and wife plan to build will run $200 annually.

 

And in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, developer Brendan Aguayo believes that the demand for environmentally friendly, low-energy use apartments is so great that buyers will pay a premium for one of four units in a renovated brownstone at 96 St. Marks Ave.

 

Ms. Sirianni, Mr. Aguayo and the Moskowitz family are among the early tri-state adopters of "passive houses"—a type of "green" housing that is growing in popularity in Europe and is now reaching the U.S.

 

Instead of focusing on environmentally friendly ways to produce energy, passive houses cut the need for energy consumption in the first place—by as much as 90% compared with the average American home, backers of the passive-house movement say.

 

A combination of air-tight building materials, insulation calibrated for the local climate and windows set to maximize the angle of incoming sunlight all are designed to reduce energy needs. Even the expected body heat of the building occupants is factored into the calculations.

 

In addition, a small filtration and energy-recovery system ventilates passive houses and heats cool air pulled in from outside. In deep winter, a small space heater might be needed to break the chill.

 

"If it's a very cold winter night, you just have a party—the extra body heat will do the rest," says Floris Buisman, a New York architect.

 

Mr. Buisman and fellow architect Andreas Benzig are co-founders of a New York offshoot of the German-based Passive House Institute that aims to educate both the public and building professionals about passive houses.

 

Costs for passive-house construction usually run between 5% and 10% above the average building project, according to Messrs. Benzig and Buisman. But developers say they hope a green home with the promise of low utility bills will attract more buyers willing to pay a premium for a passive house.

 

see full article on WSJ site:

http://tiny.cc/33woz Phtoto by Natalie Keyssar for WSJ

Full house NYPH meetup with Barry Stephens presenting Zehnder HRV systems

Tonight we have more than 50 passivists / NYPH members attending Barry Stephens lecture regarding Zehnder HRV and ERV +their associated ducting system. Toto USA generously hosted us at their showroom in Soho.

R-house presentation 5-5 at Urban Green Council Salon - 6pm

May 5, 2011- Salon: R-House: Passive House Innovation in Sustainable Homes

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Archdaily Passive House Competition for New Orleans http://tiny.cc/v0eb6

Jason Andersen send NYPH this competition on Archdaily for New Orleans/PH, thanks for the tip.
http://www.archdaily.com/125478/challenge-design-a-passive-house-for-new-orleans/

Architecture 2030 has changed the way we look at buildings. Recognizing that the building sector is BOTH the
problem and the solution Design By Many has media partnered with ArchDaily to issue the following Challenge:
Design a Passive House for New Orleans, sponsored by HP.

According to Architecture 2030 and the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the building sector consumes two-
thirds (77%) of all electricity produced in the U.S. and is responsible for producing nearly half (46.9%) of U.S. CO2
emissions in 2009.

The technologies necessary to achieve significant energy reductions in buildings are cheap and readily available: no
exotic mechanical systems or costly renewable energy sources are needed. These technologies have already been
successfully applied to achieve dramatic reductions in tens of thousands of buildings across Europe and North
America using the Passive House Standard, the world’s most rigorous building energy standard

This Challenge, coinciding with the 2011 AIA National Convention, seeks to address this issue directly by engaging
the design community in developing a series of affordable, low-energy, single-family homes for the communities
in New Orleans that are still recovering from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. The homes that are
rebuilt in these communities will need to be sustainable in the broadest sense of the term: affordable to build and
purchase, long-lasting, with minimal impact on the local environment, and affordable to heat and cool throughout
the life of the building. Adhering our Challenge Objectives to the Passive House Standard will insure that all of
these goals are met.

Prizes include an HP Designjet T2300 PostScript eMFP (nearly $10,000 value), a feature on DesignReform on the
first day of the AIA National Convention in New Orleans (May 12th), AND the winner will also receive a feature
on ArchDaily.

Thermal bridge course by PH Academy at Solar1

THERM and their calculator.
Boom! And you get it. Great humor and instructions by Tomas and Bob.

Floris

Wetvelope, David White's seminar with lots of good discussions and solutions

>

> > > > > Floris

Wetvelope, David White's seminar with lots of good discussions and solutions

Floris

March 15th : Jotte Seghers presenting variety of Belgium PH projects +PH 101

Jotte Seghers, who some of you might have met at our earlier Meetups, will be coming over from Belgium to present a variety of PH project that he and his colleagues at BURO II & ARCHI+I worked on that side of the Atlantic.

• A project of 24 PH apartments currently under construction
• A Passive neighborhood with houses and apartments in the design phase
• A Passive School delivered in 2006 and some individual Passive Houses.

Expect explanation of the design phase decisions, construction details, and a lot of info on used construction materials.

The event will begin with a 15-20 minute introduction to the passive house concept for those new to the topic by New York Passive House - we will emphasize PH insulation methods in this intro. This PH 101 will begin at 6:30 pm and Jotte will begin at 7:00 pm. A Q&A will follow.

NYPH members free - join here
Meetup members and general public $5

Event hosted at NYC Accelerator for a Clean and Renewable Economy

RSVP at NYPH Meetup page
Please include first and last name in your profile, so we can have list at the door and get you into the building!

Passive House Consultants' Training Program in NYC

Passive House Consultants' Training Program

 

NY, NY

Phase I: June 13-June 17, 2011 

Phase II: June 20-June 23, 2011

Parsons College

Course Description

1. • Learn to implement Passive House principles in residential, commercial, and retrofit scenarios.
   

2. • Work in inch/pound or metric units—PHIUS has adapted course material and Passive House Planning Software for North America.
   

3. • Courses offered in locations across the United States. 
   

4. • Nine-day programs prepare students for the Passive House certification exam. 
   

The PHIUS Passive House Consultant’s Training program is geared to North America’s unique climatic, building code, and materials challenges. The program’s developer and lead trainer—Katrin Klingenberg—studied at the Passivhaus Institut with Dr. Wolfgang Feist in Darmstadt, Germany. She has since designed and built her own passive house residence – as well as several affordable Passive House units – in Illinois. She has consulted on projects and challenges ranging from humidity load in Louisiana to temperature extremes in Wisconsin’s north woods. Her team of Passive House instructors bring real-world experience to each session. 

PHIUS is sanctioned by the Passivhaus Institut to provide training and administer tests leading to certification. The program’s main components:

1. • Principles of Passive House Design - Heat Transfer, Air-tightness, Super-insulation, Ventilation and Moisture Control
   

2. • Instruction in the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP), a powerful and precise energy modeling software (PHPP is offered to accepted students at a discounted price)
   

3. • Minimizing Mechanical Systems (Energy Recovery Ventilation)
   

4. • Passive House Construction Examples
   

5. • Passive House Materials Selection
   

6. • Quality Assurance
   

The full training period is nine days. The course will be offered in separate phases but in 2011, a single, intensive nine-day session is also being offered (March, Carnegie-Mellon session only).

Fees: 

1. • $2,100 for full 9-day training ($1,050 per phase) 
   

2. •$150 for the PHPP software (enrolled students receive a $75 discount off the off the standard price of $225) 
   

3. •$250 for certification exam
   

The program assumes a base knowledge in building science commensurate with architectural training, hands-on building experience, or similar background.

If you have questions after reviewing these materials, email us at: training@passivehouse.us

If you are interested in finding out more about upcoming trainings or would like to apply, please contact us at: info@passivehouse.us

(Subject: "Consultants' Training")

PH Town & Country - Dennis Wedlick & Prospect Architecture + PH 101

Presentations will focus on the work of two NYC architects and their first Passive House projects. Both are finishing up construction and aim to achieve PH certification.

Town & Country will illustrate how the passive house concept can be applied with equal and remarkable success in residential projects in both the urban and rural settings. The need and knowledge are out there--there has never been a better time to "go passive"!

The event will begin with a 15-20 minute introduction to the passive house concept for those new to the topic by New York Passive House. This will begin at 6:30 pm and "Passive House: Town & Country" will begin at 7:00 pm. A Q&A will follow.

Speakers: Dennis Wedlick AIA: Principal of Dennis Wedlick Architect LLC in New York and Hudson, NY. Illustrating the success of the passive house concept in the country setting, he will discuss the Hudson Passive Project, a new construction and the first certified passive house in New York State.

Jeremy Shannon, AIA: Principal of Prospect Architecture in Brooklyn, NY. Shannon will discuss his passive retrofit of a townhouse in the Park Slope historic district.