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Passive House
SUSTAINABILITY & URBAN DESIGNintermediatePassivhaus
Definition
A rigorous energy performance standard that reduces a building's heating and cooling demand by up to 90% compared to conventional construction. It achieves this through super-insulation, airtight construction, triple-glazed windows, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery — not through active systems like solar panels.
Example
The Brock Environmental Centre in Virginia Beach (2016) achieved Passive House certification and Living Building Challenge status simultaneously, producing more energy than it consumes.