Waste not energy, want not energy, so that you can have a nice happy passive house We’ve been having a lot of fun lately.
Howcome?
Some online journalism. Sourceable.net. Check it out if you are into design, architecture, building, engineering, thermal efficiency, prefab, modular, and maybe just common sense.
I have written a few articles now, on topics to do with passive house, condensation and mould (avoiding it, that is), why our building components are not nearly as good as they could be (try a comprehensive approach instead of choosing components in a vacuum).
We love all the blogs about high quality building envelopes, energy efficiency, and saving the planet.
But is any of this going to really motivate people to procure the best kind of living environment you can buy?
If I had a dime for every time someone said “I love the idea of sustainable, but if it costs more…” When they say that, they aren’t thinking about all the benefits passive house brings. And that’s because they aren’t aware of them. Which is fair enough. But that’s why I want to talk about it.
Maybe some people – let’s say in the Top End of Australia – will start to realise that the passive house standard will save them heaps of money in power bills, generators, or diesel.
Or they will start to ‘get’ that mould isn’t just part of life in a humid climate, if you are in a passive house building. A controlled environment, with dehumidifiers and ventilation, can stop the mould getting any traction inside.
Maybe people who suffer from breathing difficulties will start to realise that a cold, damp home in Victoria or Canberra or Tasmania is a thing of the past, if they start to procure passive house buildings.
And perhaps some people will get thinking that when they buy their next house or apartment; temperature, freedom from drafts, and comfort, should be factored in, not left to the lottery. So, when they get redirected here to find their ideal apartment, they can ensure that it meets their desired standards.
Anyway, just to help people along the journey, I wrote an article to cut through all the talk about solar panels, recycled benchtops and low e coatings (not that they aren’t important too). To stop our focus on pretty looking baubles, and start to get us to tap into our feelings.
So next time we design or build or buy a home or office or school or hospital or retirement village, whoever we are, we think about what we really want.
Anyway, enjoy this article.
