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Collection by William Lamb

Passivhaus Institut Crosses Million-Square-Meter Threshold

The Passivhaus Institut in Darnstadt, Germany, announced today that a million square meters of interior space—or nearly 10.8 million square feet—have been certified as having met the passive house standard. The threshold was crossed with the certification of a renovated Arts and Crafts-style house in Santa Cruz, California, dating to 1922, the institute reported. Passive houses are “zero-energy” structures that have no active heating or cooling systems and maintain a comfortable interior temperature through a combination of an airtight envelope and a heat-exchange system. “The primary purpose of certification is quality assurance,” says Zeno Bastian, head of building certification for the Passivhaus Institut. “With this internationally recognized seal, building owners are safe in the knowledge that the desired savings for heating costs and added benefits of a passive house will actually be realized.” Click through the slideshow for images of structures that the Passivhaus Institut named as finalists and winners of its 2014 Passive House Awards.

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New Zealand's first passive house, designed by Jessop Architects, is a finalist in the single-family home category.
New Zealand's first passive house, designed by Jessop Architects, is a finalist in the single-family home category.
Kimmo Lylykangas Architects designed three two-story passive houses in Espoo, Finland, near Helsinki, as a pilot project for the Finnish social housing company TA Asunnot.
Kimmo Lylykangas Architects designed three two-story passive houses in Espoo, Finland, near Helsinki, as a pilot project for the Finnish social housing company TA Asunnot.
The three units in the Belfield Homesare the first certified Passive House homes in Philadelphia. Designed by Plumbob, the project is a model for low-income urban infill development, providing sustainable homes for those who can least afford to absorb rising energy costs. It is a finalist in the single-family home category.
The three units in the Belfield Homesare the first certified Passive House homes in Philadelphia. Designed by Plumbob, the project is a model for low-income urban infill development, providing sustainable homes for those who can least afford to absorb rising energy costs. It is a finalist in the single-family home category.
ArchitekturWerkstatt Vallentin designed this seminar and apartment building in Goesan, South Korea, which is a finalist in the educational buildings category.
ArchitekturWerkstatt Vallentin designed this seminar and apartment building in Goesan, South Korea, which is a finalist in the educational buildings category.
This multi-family structure in Berlin, designed by Deimel Oelschläger Architekten, is a finalist in the apartment buildings category.
This multi-family structure in Berlin, designed by Deimel Oelschläger Architekten, is a finalist in the apartment buildings category.
Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects designed this artist's studio in Orient, New York, on the North Fork of Long Island, to conform to Passive House standards. It is a finalist in the office and special-use buildings category.
Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects designed this artist's studio in Orient, New York, on the North Fork of Long Island, to conform to Passive House standards. It is a finalist in the office and special-use buildings category.
This house in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, designed by BLAF Architecten, is a finalist in the single-family homes category.
This house in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, designed by BLAF Architecten, is a finalist in the single-family homes category.