The Passive House Standard and its Impact on the Design Process | INTERN

This introductory-level presentation is geared toward an audience with limited knowledge of the Passive House Standard, or for those who are preparing to embark on their first Passive House project and who would like some guidance on best practices to integrate into their workflow. 

The Passive House Standard and its Impact on the Design Process 

Webday Wednesday Series

Topics: Advanced Technologies

Length: 1 hour l What's included: video, quiz, certificate of completion

This webinar is available to stream!

Climate change demands immediate action. Since buildings can –and should– last at least 100 years, the design decisions made today will impact energy consumption, comfort, and resilience for decades to come. Luckily, the tools needed to design buildings that perform 75-90% better than Code minimum already exist. The International Passive House Standard is the world’s most ambitious building energy performance standard, and has been backed up by 30 years of research. It can be applied to all building types and climate zones. This approach is innately appealing to architects because of its reliance on the quality of the building envelope and detailing – elements within our control.  

The presentation will introduce participants to the basic principles of Passive House design and provide context on the adoption of the International Passive House Standard in Canada. It will also describe best practices to integrate these principles into each project phase to successfully deliver this type of project. Since this standard is performance-based rather than prescriptive, it gives architects considerable freedom to test different strategies. By adjusting our process, we can make informed decisions about form, assemblies and details that will have a profound impact on the durability of our buildings, their future energy consumption, and the well-being of their inhabitants.  

This introductory-level presentation is geared toward an audience with limited knowledge of the Passive House Standard, or for those who are preparing to embark on their first Passive House project and who would like some guidance on best practices to integrate into their workflow. 

Learning Objectives 

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:  

• Define the basic principles of Passive House design. 
• Apply energy performance metrics for their projects. 
• Analyze the impact of building form on energy efficiency. 
• Effectively communicate strategies for airtightness and thermal continuity in their construction documentation. 

Subject Matter Expert

Evelyne Bouchard, Architect OAQ & OAA, Certified Passive House Designer

Architect, Tandem Architecture Écologique

Evelyne runs her own practice, Tandem Architecture Écologique, where Passive House design principles and measurable performance are embedded in the creative process for every project. She also teaches courses for Passive House Canada and McGill University, and is currently vice-chair of the board of directors of Passive House Canada.