What a year it’s been for Passive House in Massachusetts. Here are just a few highlights of what we have accomplished:
- We continued our Passive House + Renewables = Net Zero Energy campaign to promote Passive House as the foundation required to meet Net Zero goals.
- As part of this campaign, we have been integral in the work of the MA Net Zero Building Coalition. We have worked extensively with DOER to push both the Stretch Code update and the Specialized Opt-In Stretch Code as far as possible toward net zero and full electrification. The current draft of the Op-In Code requires all multi-family buildings over 12,000 GSF to be Passive House Certified and suggests Passive House as a pre-approved alternative pathway for all other projects. This appears to be a first in the nation accomplishment.
- Our campaign for 2022 is centered on Passive House Retrofits. In order to reach our state’s climate goals, it is essential that we tackle the GHG emission of existing buildings. We have focused this year’s monthly presentations and website case-studies on retrofits.
- We continued to lobby the EEAC to make sure that the Mass Save Passive House Incentive Program for multifamily Passive House projects was extended for the new 3-Year Plan. The first 3 years of this program has enrolled over 8,000 registered units across the state. This new 3-Year Plan also includes a new All-Electric Homes incentive for 1-4 unit projects – many of which will be Passive House homes and buildings.
- We’ve also continued to grow our ICF / Mass Save training program with Lunch & Learns and Workshops, including an expanded Online Video Library for on-demand viewing. So far this year, we have held 18 Passive House Lunch & Learns ranging from introductions and refreshers at various architecture firms to deep dives into thermal break details for structural engineers.
- We hosted the Passive House Network’s annual conference in Boston for the first time. PHN honored the Winthrop Square project with the first ever Trailblazer Award in recognition of what will soon be the largest certified office space in the world.
Finally, we ended the year with our return to in-person Passive House Symposium and welcomed over 200 of you to the BSA Space in downtown Boston for largest and most successful event yet.