Passive Perfect: Passive House Construction in the Hudson Valley

A Chronogram Conversation presented by Upstate House and in partnership with Passive House Alliance Hudson Valley.
Join the conversation on Wednesday, March 30 as we discuss the Passive House construction standard (the most rigorous, energy-efficient set of performance-based building technologies currently available); highlight recent Passive House projects in the Hudson Valley; and examine the technology’s role in the roll-out of New York State’s ambitious climate goals.
The Passive House concept-which can reduce heating and cooling energy consumption of buildings by up to 90 percent-represents today’s most compelling option for counteracting climate change in the built environment.
The event will feature presentations by builders and architects and a panel discussion moderated by Chronogram Media editorial director Brian K. Mahoney.
In Cho, R.A., C.P.H.D.-Choshields Studio
In Cho is a Registered Architect, Certified Passive House Designer, and co-founder of architecture firm ChoShields Studio. For over twenty years, she has integrated environmental resiliency into her practice of creating and transforming people’s spatial experiences to bring joy and well-being to their lives. Her wide-ranging focus encompasses the aesthetics of architectural design, technical aspects of energy efficient construction, policy support, and designing & teaching educational initiatives that convey building sustainability knowledge with the goal to empower everyone in addressing climate change so that we can together ensure a positive and equitable future for all.
Karl Hansen, AIA, NCARB, CPHC-River Architects
Karl Hansen, AIA, NCARB, CPHC, is a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) and a project manager at River Architects in Cold Spring, NY. Karl joined River Architects in 2017 and immediately took the Cohen Skating Center and Fountain in Stamford, CT through its final documentation stages and construction. Since then he has earned his CPHC and enthusiastically tackled many high performance projects. He recently completed a PHIUS+ 2018 Certified organic cider mill and a high performance residence that utilized panelized construction. He uses his experience with large projects and background in metal fabrication to provide a balanced approach to managing projects with an attention to the careful execution of details. He enjoys working in a collaborative team environment where everyone is focused on the same end goal.
Michael Robinson, Urban Myth Construction
Builder and developer Michael Robinson has been a Passive building enthusiast since he first learned about it more than decade ago. He is trained as a builder by both PHI and PHIUS and serves as a founding board member of the Hudson Valley Passive House Alliance. In 2020, his low/moderate income multi-family project in Newburgh, North Miller Multifamily Passive House, which he owns and built, was a first round winner of the NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence award. He is currently finishing a nearly passive single family home on Outer Cape Cod.
Alessandro Ronfini LEED AP BD+C, C.P.H.D.-DEMO Architects
Born and raised in Italy, architect Alessandro Ronfini worked on large commercial projects throughout Europe and the US before deciding to partner with Daniel Kidd and start DEMO Architects. With a mix of technical expertise, construction experience, and design background DEMO Architects works towards implementing high-tech and prefabricated solutions both in commercial and residential projects, with a particular focus on sustainability and the principles of Passive House.
Sponsored By:
New Energy Works
GH Builders Hudson Valley
ChoShields Studio
PH Design
Energy Conservation Services

[@woshizhentiao]

Thanks very much for sharing your projects, I have a question regarding a range-hood shown at 26:00, how do you get away with that level of extract and still comply with the balanced air system? I was told Passive House can only use recirculating range-hood, or is it one of those?

[@steveeb9567]

More volume. Easy to turn down if too loud.

[@dustinabc]

passive house: excellent "Social equity" "mitigate climate change" etc.: Cognitive dissonance & irrationality

[@hattietyrone7046]

Pᵣₒmₒˢᵐ

[@dustinabc]

Someone who claims to care about sustainability and then jumps to the concept of recycling ahead of discussing reducing, reusing, and repurposing is inefficient and less effective, and are themselves less sustainable. It's also funny/disappointing to hear fossil fuels demonized by people who still use them, and promote electric, which is still, and will be for a long time, dependant on fossil fuels. Instead of apologizing for and being afraid of fossil fuel use we need to be grateful for it, while promoting wise and efficient production & use of it. And of course end crony gov't subsidies of oil (and all) energy production. Understanding economics is essential for thinking ecologically, and so many who advocate for "sustainability" push for Keynesian ideas that are founded on the idea that debt = wealth, which is clearly a contradiction to natural laws. And nature always wins in the long run. #NaturalRights #AustrianEconomics #ActualSustainability = #PropertyRights #VOLUNTARYISM