PASSIVE HOUSE VS.

PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN

ARTICLE BY TIM DELHEY EIAN, TE STUDIO
This article describes the differences between the Passive House building energy
standard and the passive solar design concept.
The Passive House Standard utilizes Passive Solar Design principles but takes it to a
higher level, by adding more strategies to retain energy, as well as utilizing internal heat
gains and energy recovery to create an energy balance. It limits space conditioning
energy and primary (source) energy. It is a certified building standardnot a building
conceptthat uses energy modeling and field-testing to create a measurable highperformance building.
Passive House (certified building energy standard)

Comprehensive, certified building standard

Limits energy use per square foot and year
Utilizes solar heat gains and internal heat gains
Utilizes shading devices and glazing to control solar heat gains
Uses superinsulation to retain space conditioning energy
Uses ventilation system to distribute and recover heating energy
Requires high level of air-tightness to minimize heat-losses

Passive Solar Design (design concept)

Building design concept

No standards for energy
Utilizes solar heat gains
Utilizes shading devices to control solar heat gains
Uses thermal mass to absorb and store solar energy
Uses thermal mass to release heating energysometimes through passive
convection, sometimes with active mechanical system augmentation

TE Studio, Ltd.

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5/25/15