Passive House

The future homeowners of what's expected to be the first Passive House in South Lake Tahoe are currently weekend warriors who head up to Tahoe when they can spare time from their busy lives in the Bay Area. They look forward to full-time residence in Tahoe once their new home, an Angora Fire rebuild, is completed in 2014. Sitting near the flanks of Mt. Tallac, their new homestead will be perfectly placed for regular excursions into the mountains.

Spectacularly sited high above the Jackson Hole valley floor with direct views to the Teton range, this home and writer's studio are incorporating thick double-stud walls, insulated rammed earth wall accents, triple-pane windows, heat recovery ventilation, and numerous other high-performance and green features. The original goal of getting to Passive House levels of performance in this 10,000 heating-degree-day climate will not be met, but heat demands are expected to be at least 60% less than code level. The project is currently on hold.

Winning Best New Home of 2013 and labeled “Passive House Perfection” by Fine Homebuilding, this 1600-square foot farmhouse achieves the highest performance standards without sacrificing aesthetic standards. One of the pioneering features is the phase change material (PCM) that was installed behind drywall to dramatically increase thermal mass and temperature moderation, without requiring traditional exposed concrete or masonry.

Chatham University's new Eden Hall Campus is turning a 388-acre plot of land into Chatham's School of Sustainability and the Environment.

Clarum Homes built the first passive home in San Mateo County & Menlo Park, California. It blends unsurpassed energy-efficient technology and sustainable building materials into a custom home that is gorgeously designed, healthy for occupants, and amazingly comfortable.

This is Clarum Home's second completed Passive House, which was substantially complete in early 2013. Learn more about the project here.