PHMass
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Creating a Net-Zero Stretch Code
At this year’s Passive House Symposium, we featured a session on updating the Massachusetts Stretch Code for Net-Zero and Passive House buildings led by Rebecca Winterich-Knox of the Mass Climate Action Network (MCAN). Thanks to everyone who expressed interest in learning more about how we can make our buildings better, safer, and more efficient. You can check out Rebecca’s…
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Multi-Family Passive House: Bringing Passive House to Scale
Introduction to Multi-Family Passive House: Bringing Passive House to Scale On May 13th, 2019, PHMA sponsored a discussion on the PHIUS standard and multi-family Passive House development with Katrin Klingenberg, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). The presentation covered a variety topics including Passive House within the larger context of Net…
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Emerging Professional Scholarship
PHMA Emerging Professional Scholarship for PHIUS CPHC Training This scholarship will award one recipient with a fully funded registration for the upcoming PHIUS CPHC training in Boston from June 17 – 21, 2019. Candidates should have experience in the fields of architecture, construction, or building engineering with a focus on high-performance buildings. As an emerging…
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Updating Building Codes for Zero-Energy and Passive House
At our last monthly meeting in February we welcomed speakers for a discussion on updating building codes to encourage Net-Zero and Passive House buildings. Below is a summary of that discussion: The building code has long been a follower and not a leader of best practices in sustainable building, but this year we have an…
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Passive House Funding Included in State Approved 2019‑2021 Energy Efficiency Plan
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved this week the state’s new three-year energy efficiency plan that outlines utility directed energy savings programs and with it congratulations are in order for the all those who pushed it to include support for Passive House. This includes Passive House Massachusetts and many of our individual members along…
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Wheaton College Goes Passive
When Wheaton College went to build a new residence hall, they not only wanted more space for their students, but to also create a model for environmental sustainability. The result is an ambitious Passive House dorm that reduces energy use while creating a healthier and more comfortable home for students. The 45,000 square foot building…
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Passive House Reaches for the Sky (and the record books) in Boston
Boston will soon be home the largest Passive House building in the world when it welcomes the new Winthrop Center tower. The massive new skyscraper will be constructed at the Winthrop Square site in downtown Boston and reach 691 feet, becoming the city’s third tallest building. While it will feature a mix of residential, office,…
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MassCEC Launches the Passive House Design Challenge
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has issued a call for solicitations for a new funding program aimed at promoting Passive House buildings. The Passive House Design Challenge is meant to demonstrate that multi-family affordable housing can be built in Massachusetts to the Passive House standard at a low to no cost premium. The program…
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Passive House Funding and Policy Initiatives
Passive House in the EEAC Three-Year Plan After a year of work from our members and partners, the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) has officially included funding for Passive House in the their new three-year state energy efficiency incentive plan. This includes funding for: • Passive House Training for contractors and consultants • Passive House…
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Passive House Policy Initiatives
Passive House in the EEAC Three-Year Plan The Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) is currently drafting their next Three-Year Plan for how to allocate energy efficiency program funding in the state and they’re considering including programs to fund the development of affordable Passive House buildings. The current draft is available here. Passive House Massachusetts,…
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Construction begins on a Passive inspired student residence at MIT.
Incorporating sustainable construction techniques inspired by the Passive House standard, a student residence hall has begun construction on the Vassar Street in Cambridge. Read more at MIT News.
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Energy-saving Quincy home costs $215 a year to heat, cool.
Design New England profiles a Passive House in Quincy designed by GO Logic, noting that it’s “ cool [on a warm summer day], comfortable, moderately priced, cheap to operate, and good for the environment” and that “the only other warmth comes from, remarkably, body heat, electric towel warmers and radiant floors in the bathrooms, waste…
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Ultra-Efficient, Economical Apartments Now In South Boston Are Part Of ‘Big Wave’
By Fred Bever, Maine Public You may have heard about passive housing: residences built to achieve ultra-low energy use. Imported from Germany, it’s been kind of a boutique-y thing here until recently, with eco-minded homeowners making costly upfront investments to downsize their carbon footprints. But now, New England is joining a surge in large-scale passive…
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NESEA Pro Tour: Passive and Net Zero Buildings on a Working Farm
September 16, 2016 1:00 to 5:00 PM @ Westport, MA This Pro Tour will take you through a mixed-use site featuring residential green building methods in a small-scale agricultural settings. The tour includes three distinct residences (a main house, a guest house, and an apartment) built with the guidance of Passive House and Net Zero principles. Learn…
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Open Mic Night!
PH Mass September 13, 2016 6:30 to 8 PM @ BSA Boston This is your opportunity to bring questions, basic or advanced, as well as pictures of projects, details for the group to review or anything else you’d like to get group feedback on. Email slides or photos in advance to the RSVP address or…