“With Passive Houses we talk about the energy consumption during use. But energy use goes from the birth of the house to its death,” she says. “Japanese timber houses had great energy performance during construction because they used local wood. Bamboo, paper, thatch, and earth are absolutely carbon neutral, and traditional designs such as wind paths and window overhangs are as important as an airtight skin. I want to combine these two aspects of energy efficiency.” Photo 9 of 9 in Architect Miwa Mori by Winifred Bird

Architect Miwa Mori

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“With Passive Houses we talk about the energy consumption during use. But energy use goes from the birth of the house to its death,” she says. “Japanese timber houses had great energy performance during construction because they used local wood. Bamboo, paper, thatch, and earth are absolutely carbon neutral, and traditional designs such as wind paths and window overhangs are as important as an airtight skin. I want to combine these two aspects of energy efficiency.”