What Is a Passive House?
Passive homes are the ultimate signifier of quiet luxury design. The concept has been around for a few decades, but passive houses are becoming more sought-after for the healthy, comfortable, and quiet environment they provide. Passive Houses, as anyone familiar with the 2023 dramedy series The Curse may know, essentially act like a thermos; they maintain a consistent internal temperature with little energy use, meaning they’re more affordable to operate than a conventionally built home. From that efficiency to the fresh, clean air in every room, it’s easy to see why passive structures have such a following.
The innovative ideas behind passive properties formed in the 1970s, and the design was refined with the founding of the Passive House Institute (PHI) in Germany circa 1996. By 2003, the first Passive House built to PHI standards in the United States was created by architect Katrin Klingenberg, cofounder of Phius, a nonprofit that’s dedicated to making passive builds mainstream. Most of the passive projects in North America are certified by the Chicago-based organization. Don’t be fooled by the Passive House title: Any structure can be passive, whether it’s a residential house, a high-rise office tower, an industrial facility, a school, a hospital, a museum—you name it.
For homeowners, choosing a Passive House doesn’t mean you’re tied to a certain architectural or design style. “It’s just a layer in the design process of any kind of home,” architect Jennifer Mowery Marsh of Mowery Marsh Architects explains. “Often, architects who design Passive Houses tend to be more contemporary and minimal, which may not suit everyone’s personal aesthetic.” That said, slong with renovating traditional brownstones into passive properties, Mowery Marsh Architects has worked on a freestanding Victorian home and new builds “that consist of a stone barn compound, a campy field house, a rustic cabin in the woods, and a modern vernacular suburban home,” Mowery Marsh says. All of those typically have a clean, modern sensibility that the firm finds clients are drawn to “when coupled with the comfort and nostalgia of more traditional forms.”
Whether you’re looking to gut renovate a rundown home or embark on a new build, it’s worth it to, at the very least, consider implementing the main design principles of a Passive House. After all, a home with quality finishes, well-made furnishings, and charming decor can only go so far in the comfort department if it becomes drafty and dusty and costs a fortune to heat and cool. Ahead, brush up on what defines a Passive House to fuel your decision.
Thermal Control
The wood beams, deep navy cabinetry, and furnishings sourced by designer Corinne Gilbert give this Passive House by Mowery Marsh Architects a warm, rustic feel.
Passive homes require a layer of insulation that completely envelops them. It keeps heat inside during the cold months and the cool air inside during the warm months. Should you want to wear T-shirts and no socks all winter, you’d be comfortable doing just that—and your utility bills won’t skyrocket because of it. This insulation also protects passive homes against moisture buildup by eliminating the thermal bridges, like bad window frames or concrete floors that continue from the interior to the exterior, that allow warm or cool air to seep in or out. That reduces the risk of condensation and the rot, corrosion, and mold that can come with it. It also makes heating and cooling more energy efficient and affordable.
Solar Control
The kitchen in this Passive House built by Mowery Marsh Architects features large, high-performance windows.
Another big component of Passive House design is balancing solar radiation by harnessing it when needed and using shading to deflect it and help with cooling. A major part of this involves installing double- or triple-paned high-performance windows and doors, depending on the climate and building type. The natural light and solar heat gain from glass windows and doors act as energy “freebies.” During warm weather, overheating can be minimized by window shades and screens, exterior overhangs, or trees.
Along with controlling solar gains, glazed windows and doors boost soundproofing. “We live in a Passive House in Hoboken, and so once we did it ourselves, we were like, ‘Oh, wow, this is actually even more amazing than I thought,’” Mowery Marsh says of the quiet atmosphere a passive building provides, especially in an urban environment.
Air Control
Mowery Marsh Architects transformed this dreamy homestead into a Passive House.
An airtight layer within passive homes prevents outside air from getting inside. This way, all incoming air passes through a ventilation system where it’s filtered before entering the house. Maintaining fresh air is especially important in urban areas or places where smog and forest fires are common as it stops polluted air from seeping in. With a consistent supply of fresh air, interior surfaces won’t accumulate dust. The ventilation system also quickly eliminates unwanted moisture and odors inside, and the airtight layer ensures any moisture and smells from the outside won’t sneak in.
This bedroom exists in a Passive House built by Mowery Marsh Architects.
While passive homes are airtight, they don’t have to remain closed up and can still include features like screened-in porches. “There is a misconception that Passive Houses have to be all buttoned up because they are airtight, and you can’t open windows,” says Marsh. “If it’s a beautiful day, you can open everything up and let the breeze in! But when it’s 10 degrees in the winter or 95 degrees in the summer, you’ll be at optimal temperature inside with minimal heating or cooling costs.”
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Kelly Allen is the Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she creates design, culture, and travel content online and in the magazine. She’s been on the team since 2019, writing features on and , in-depth , and inspiring . From researching to discovering can’t-miss onscreen, she’s always eager to answer burning pop culture questions through a design lens. In her five-year career, she’s built a strong network of designers across disciplines to tap for their invaluable expertise. Her background includes honing reporting skills while tackling viral news for Delish and contributing to Cosmopolitan’s entertainment coverage. When she’s not watching every new and , she’s browsing vintage home stores, attending industry events, and wandering around —highlighting it all .
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