Top 10 Most Efficient Home in America

[@alexclark6768]

i would love to see a cost breakdown of his entire house. and how much he saves each month vs how much it cost to build the house

[@rafflesmaos]

Something to keep in mind is that such houses are not just for saving money (which I'm not sure is yet possible in all cases), but also for quality and comfort of living. I don't think anyone can reasonably dispute that mechanical (ERV/HRV) filtered ventilation is superior to that which might seep through cracks in a normal construction, or that it's nice to sit next to a window that won't leak in the worst storm nor condense moisture in winter, or that it's great to not be able to hear street traffic outside due to the thickness of the insulation and windows. For some those things are worth paying a premium for, and at that point any other benefits like no energy bills are just a nice bonus. That said, I think it is possible to build such houses at a very minor (5-10%) premium over typical construction if one is careful.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Agreed, some people buy a sedan, others buy a Mercedes, we all have different values

[@AJourneyOfYourSoul]

You will never get your money back in a house like this during your life time. They cost way too much to build vs what you save when you take it to this extreme.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Tough question at hand - because what you YOU compare it to? What is the actual cost of a house DONE RIGHT? Is a code built house your baseline? Would you live in a code built home? For this client, money is important, but more important was his non-dependence in his future on energy companies. He now lives out his life with no energy bills or dependence except for the sun to rise everyday. What's the price tag on that retirement plan? I'll answer for you - PRICELESS?

[@alexclark6768]

plus, the resale value of a house like that stays a lot higher then a code built house.

[@jackjmaheriii]

I don’t know why, but the passive house stuff is always my favorite!

[@sociopathicnarcissist8810]

I'm sure that part of that favoritism would only be enhanced if your electricity bill read $0.00...

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Mine too - always exciting stuff to be had when chatting Passive House

[@MATTINTEXAS19]

I can see this happening in the north... Can it be done in the south (Austin, San Antonio)? I just don't know why more people don't demand houses like this or similar.

[@jackjmaheriii]

I was stationed in San Antonio for four years, and I would have loved an extra layer of insulation in my house. I wonder how much more R30 walls and R50 lids would cost?

[@anthonyman8008]

You're my favorite

[@filipgaliza8477]

I see a lot of people asking for a cost breakdown but please keep in mind that depending on your zip code, the price may be dramatically different. Also, even if you can't achieve a passive house certification, pushing your home to be as "green" as possible will give you a noticeable difference. Smart planning with an architect, smart product selection, and so forth will give you terrific results. Cheers!

[@johnlysic6727]

I think I’ve watched this video at least 10 times - just enjoy how well thought out this house is. Wouldn’t it be cool to build an entire neighborhood of homes this way? Great Job!

[@SWWyant]

It would be nice if youd have gone into a little more detail abbout the construct. What was used for the exterior walls? foam insulation, fiberglass batts, vapor barrier, osb sheeting etc etc?

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Finehomebuilding did a video series on this home's construction

[@andydrew3320]

Or the price… I’d imagine this was incredibly expensive. Everyone’s all about building efficient and that’s what’s exciting but people seem to gloss over how pricey it is. Yes you save a ton on energy bills so that offsets it a bit but still that can’t be cheap.

[@joestanley5639]

I do sprayfoam insulation for a living and I love to see energy efficiency at its best ! This is new building science at its best ! The rest of America should really pay attention to these building practices, and start incorporating them into their builds! Thank you Matt, I love your shows!!!!

[@Furiends]

There wasn't much discussion of the solar panels but I would assume they do not have a house battery and the grid tie in is 1:1 rated. Meaning for every kWh generated one is credited. From 1:11 there are 35 250 watt solar panels for a 8.75 kW system. This makes sense for more Northern sun hours of 3.8 and to charge the EV. The average house uses about 30 kWh per day and this home would be producing about 33 kWhs on a sunny day. The efficiency gains from direct solar heating probably on their own make up a big chunk that would be needed to charge the EV. Also heat pump water heaters alone would save 5 kWhs. While we got a long way to go for energy storage we can clearly see rooftop solar is plenty of power for all residential energy use.

[@johnbecich9540]

Dan Roy, you're home is a national treasure and you are too. Thanks for sharing, and inspiring a nation of lookie loos. I am first in line.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Dan is one of the most inspiring clients that I have had, a true pleasure, and a treasure!!

[@__-pl3jg]

Thanks for sharing. During the video I was being persnickety in my mind thinking of how I would have built certain aspects better but in the end I remembered that this is a large home that was meant to suit the homeowners needs not mine. I always hope to learn something new when I watched these videos and today was no exception. I loved the idea of putting window shades on the outside. That solves a theoretical dilemma I've been pondering in my future home. Thanks Matt!

[@calechouinard3110]

Building for 26 years and this is all new to me. Great ideas. Never stop learning Thanks

[@wunderkind56]

I lived in Boston for a few years. It has hot summers and frigid winters and it's not sunny every day. This appears to be a fairly modest home in a normal residential community, not a multi-million dollar research project or millionaire's play thing. The man has net zero energy bills and does not need to put gas in his car. I know the initial investment in the home construction is probably greater but...damn...

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

It was a little more, but not really much, I've had clients spend more on their kitchen appliances

[@johnbecich9540]

I live in sunny southern California, and I'm an evangelist for radiant barriers. I encourage my neighbors to implement this oh-so-$-inexpensive tactic, towards tempering heat extremes. We live in a dry sunny climate, entirely different from Boston MA. So anyone who lives in a hot dry climate can exploit radiant barriers, unless he already has solar panels galore; they actually compete to keep a space cool. But a radiant barrier ALSO works the other way around, to keep a space warm over night, and over winter. I saw no mention of radiant barriers in Mr. Roy's project, and I suspect that radiant barriers are of no interest in Massachusetts. Let me know if anyone "does this" in Massachusetts. I'm about to have my 32-square roof changed, after 27 years. And we will figure out how to implement radiant barrier on OSB, without removing the space sheathing that my house possesses, from its original construction date of 1964.

[@derj1981]

@@LongLiveOurBuildings This is exactly the point I try to make with folks when they say it's to expensive!

[@W1ldSm1le]

@@derj1981 the same people who say it's too expensive dont bat an eye at 7500$ a year between heating/cooling/power, really weird to me

[@Gamerad360]

@Jellcity you can just build a monolithic dome, and it's more efficient for much less money.

[@thomascourrtney45]

Just for the power outage for 5 days and only dropped 10 degrees is worth the extra money. I wish I could have a house like this for hurricane season

[@Rayfanz1]

I like that they still installed ceiling fans throughout for “people” cooling and can also aid in heat/air distribution. Here in Texas even the most energy efficient homes have fans everywhere. I see it less in videos of northern homes. Also the fact the so many windows are operable for when you just want good old outside air, really makes it for me. Amazing place.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Great points - I agree

[@TRYtoHELPyou]

Spark EV and Nissan LEAF owner here enjoying this video and this house! Now about that bolt... 238 mile range and powered by the sun. nice!

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Hard to beat that - especially in your retirement years

[@SaraH-ct4el]

5 years in Massachusetts with no heating bills now that is amazing! When I lived there 3 years ago my heating bill was around 150 a month in the winter for a one bedroom apartment.

[@nicodemus7784]

I am curious about the price tag on this place and a rough estimate of how much extra went into it to gain the extra efficiency over a regular solid build.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Don't know the metrics of a solid build - this was about 12% than code built for this market

[@markcluff7104]

Ty. It’s nice to see a finished house and see the passion in the home ownership

[@lukepeacham9663]

Much respect from the UK. We are miles behind you guys when it comes to building homes that are efficient.

[@erikkeen4136]

I learn so much from watching this channel. Thank you Matt Risinger!

[@lorileo4319]

In Massachusetts having no energy bill is AMAZING! Before we moved south our bill was upwards of 150 a month in the winter for a small one bedroom apartment.

[@sandorbenyovics8170]

This is an excellent Shedplans.Work with clear instructions, minimizing jargon and explaining jargon as needed . The illustrations are very clear and explanatory. I found the Ryan’s Shed Plans very helpful to me as a consumer of professional building services.

[@derj1981]

The FHB articles & videos on this house are really informative. Answers most of the questions people are asking here. Really impressed that, other than the windows, all of the components are readily available.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Thank you David!

[@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555]

I like that overhang on the 2nd floor of the first house. NICE.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Much appreciated

[@allenx2308]

Awesome video would love to see more like this where you go though the whole house and see how to make a passive home! Wish we could see the other top 9 efficient homes haha

[@dexterphillips9212]

Those windows are standard in Germany. I first saw those in Kaiserslautern in 1991.

[@GrantRTanner]

I really would love to see this idea catch on. Great material, thanks Matt.

[@josecuervo4423]

Great job guys. Please keep these energy efficient home videos coming. I plan on building soon and this is my dream.

[@an7h0ny88]

It would be nice to see more information on the building process of these passive houses. Framing, insulation & air barrier details, rain screens, types of siding.

[@buildshow]

That would make a killer video series!

[@R2D2trashcan]

The owner and architect make it all look easy but what they have achieved with this house is incredible.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Thank you very much - everyone gets easier if only the mainstream market understood, we could make this seamless.....

[@mountainbikerdave]

This is my goal in life. getting rid of all my bills

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

It's attainable

[@crazyhass84]

Except the mortgage thats 15% high so he didnt have a utility bill. Lmao

[@Bryan-Hensley]

Me to but I'm going to build an actual efficiency home. You know, thermal loss efficiency. The real efficiency rating. Then you don't need very much heat or ac

[@mountainbikerdave]

@@Bryan-Hensley well luckily A passive house only cost 5-10% on average more to build then a traditional home. but thermal efficiency is not everything, that only impacts the heating and cooling costs. (which I am aware of is the most significant, 35-70% of a homes energy usage) but there is also electricity, water, Gas, sewage, trash, property tax, HOA(yeah right), cell phone, and internet. I must get rid of them all, all these bills must die! :)

[@Bryan-Hensley]

@@mountainbikerdave that's kinda funny. I just asked a builder I know and he said 40 to 70 percent increase in price depending on how far you wanted to go. He says the one in this video would not qualify around here. And he wanted to know why they aren't testing the BTUs losses. That's one part that qualifies a home as passive. You are better off using LED 1-5 standards though. They are more detailed and strict.

[@jmmspeaks]

We needed to solve the humidity problem in our basement and were tired of using the old technology of running a dehumidifier (which costs a lot to operate and never gets rid of the toxic basement air), so we decided to buy a product called the Breeze. It has a gentle exhaust fan (115 cfm) that is rated for continuous operation, controlled by a humidistat. Instead of treating the toxic and humid basement air, it exhausts it, creating a vacuum that draws the "conditioned" air from the home's first floor into, to take its place. The results are nothing short of miraculous. The air quality in the basement has improved dramatically and we've been able to unplug the energy drawing dehumidifier. The Breeze costs pennies a week to run. No filters or drains are needed. The company sells one and two-fan models that cost from $299 to $449 and carry a 5-year warranty. I strongly recommend the appliance, especially if you’re interested in energy efficiency. It's available on the company website (breezesystemsinternational.com) or on Amazon and Ebay. Much cheaper than the $1,500 to $2,000 units sold by Wave Ventilation, Humidex or EZ Breathe. Now our dry basement also has healthy air!

[@Staki6908]

I really like the idea of a passive house. I know it wouldn't work at my house though. My wife would put the ac on 62 then open all the windows while my kids are running around leaving all the doors open including the freezer doors. All in East Texas.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Isn't America Beautiful lol - my kids climb under 4 blankets and put the ceiling fan on in winter....

[@FreekHoekstra]

maybe they wouldn't in a more comfortable house? I dunno, one can hope lol

[@masondixon6269]

5k views in the first 5 hours?! What do y’all just sit on KZbin all day? Can’t wait to watch this after work tonight. Thanks Matt!

[@buildshow]

It’s funny how that goes. Amazes me too

[@jimk5307]

This is a globally accessible outlet isn’t it? A large portion of the world is awake and off work at any given time of day.

[@karrob]

This is amazing! I'd love to see some in-depth videos on homes like this in Texas.

[@grendelum]

6:30 What company made the windows? They say they’re not *Shueco* but I can’t make out what he says...

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Makrowin sourced thru European Architectural Supply

[@johnellis7614]

True R value for 2x6 Wall --- R-11 Wall is 60% insulated --- R-22 (fiberglass or cellulose) Wall is 25% solid wood --- R-10 Wall is 15% windows and doors --- R-2

[@OlivierBL]

In north east R-22 is rather low, maybe even under most code minimums. This construction's walls probably hit R-75 (this is what PassivHaus projects hits up here in Quebec). Its probably not 2x6 walls but 2 2x4 with a good foot of insulation in between and no thermal bridge. And he said his windows were R-7+ and they are smartly arranged so that they can let the sun in many hours a day (only when needed)... There is no way he would have got a passive certification with R-11 walls.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

But this is a double wall - thermally broken

[@CHSmoot]

I must have missed the part where the average interior temp & humidity levels were shared. Dig your stuff Matt. Thank you for constantly putting out relative & forward-looking content.

[@ashelyanderson2370]

The amazing thing is that all of this if running for free! You see it and think you are really paying a ton, but he is receiving a return. Wow!

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

The PV system paid for itself in less than 5 years - on to energy free......

[@willschneider4616]

Great content! I can't wait to see the nuts and bolts of passive design like insulation and energy storage and carbon footprint.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

It only gets better and more interesting the deeper you dig - there's a Whole Other World on the other side of fear

[@kalijasin]

You are suppose to run the exhaust fan thingie when finished showering for 30+ minutes not while showering even though you can run it while showering too, because the steam builds up over time and it also spreads out throughout the bathroom it doesn’t stay just within the shower basin area.

[@skipduncan1]

Great video, if you weren't thinking about a Passive Home, you will be after watching this, Well done !!

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Thank you sir!!

[@graphicsociety1]

Outstanding! I found your videos very informative, to the point and educational. Thank you so much.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Great - much appreciated

[@alanmalmberg1549]

Is there a list of the components used somewhere? Like brand and model of windows, AC, external remote sunscreens, on demand pump, ERV, etc.

[@alanmalmberg1549]

Also, what R values for slab, walls, windows, roof? Construction of walls and roof (ie, SIP - double wall - ICF, etc.)? PLEASE????!!!! I live in Texas.

[@grmrtnz]

Matt love your vlog even though I'm not a builder. Very informative and presented in an easy to understand manner. But, cab you start using a gimbal? Very disconcerting the image movement in some scenes.

[@erickessler6094]

Matt, Thank you so very much for the follow up on this home... and Go Red Sox! This project was extremely influential when I was designing my home. Really it was between all Your advice 3-4yrs ago, this article on this home, and my Mastering Building Science from Dr. Allison Bailes that I designed and built my home. Thanks again for all your wonderful videos!

[@alec4672]

I think the reason Dan's is such a perfect case is because he understands and cares that he has a passive house. Going passive takes just as much attention from the homeowner as it does work from the builder. Not to say going passive is allot of work but I'm sure Dan checks all his numbers and keeps good track of the efficiency he can spot when something is wrong and usually just from the data know why.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

I would argue there aren't many people that understand their house better than Dan does

[@fuzzygreysocks]

Agreed. These para-off grid homes are capital intensive and demand more attention from homeowners than less efficient conventional homes do. In our domestically transient society there will be a very limited niche market possessing the inclination for the additional maintenance and care. Such buyers would MORE likely just build their own design than trust someone else's X-years old tech + questionable maintenance. The aging-in-place aspect, although romantic, will be harsh in another decade when Mom & Dad probably should hang up their car keys. These are custom made sports car homes. Great grandpa is going to maintain a sports car (house)? Really? GLWT.

[@Lughnerson]

How good is the air if there is no electricity?

[@KSIXRIDER]

Interesting how we used these style of windows in Europe for the last 20 years. When will roladens become the norm?

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

I have no idea… I really don’t have a problem with the windows we have but I do wish they’d add an additional pane in the middle but keep it a slider with the screen.

[@naveenj18]

@Steve, why did the house owner remove Geothermal loop for heating and cooling and go for split A/C ?

[@jthummell]

Does the cooking smell linger longer in a Passive House?

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Constant mechanical ventilation in here - because of it's air tightness it actually performs better

[@rickmills6080]

Awesome content on this one!, definitely learned something new!!

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Matt did a great job, didn't he

[@rickmills6080]

Steven Baczek Definitely!

[@ocnier]

The wild part is that PV panels have had a break thru in wattage output in just the last 2 years. If he switches his panels from just 5 years ago he'll have over wattage and easily juice to spare. The only that sucks even with Bolt, Teslas, etc is that we need a break thru in batteries now. They are still too heavy, dense, and don't store enough juice for the footprint they are presently at, either way that is very cool house. I just wish there were more like it for the general consumer but this video is 30 years ahead of common practice. :(

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Dan is a forward thinking engineer, and a dream client. I agree batteries are the log jam, but we'll get there

[@b4804514]

Tragic thing in CA they limit the solar generation to just what the home uses. Power companies don't want to pay a homeowner for power. Shortsighted to me.

[@Blox117]

li ion batteries are not dense

[@ocnier]

+Future Hindsight that is a nice summation but you have one problem you are ignoring the fact that pound-for-pound ounce per ounce kilogram per kilogram the hydrocarbon is still 60 to 70 times the energy density of the finest lithium battery on the planet. Sorry but until that changes and I'll take a ratio of 30 to 1 to settle then the batteries are and will remain the ultimate log jam in the Tesla equation. The stored energy capacity is nowhere near what it needs to be for the absolute means of the majority of drivers on the roads today and don't even get me started about light duty pickup trucks. When you start handling Mass to haul ratios unless you are a semi with massive storage capacity that can house that many batteries you have no chance against the hydrocarbon. Storage capacity and the inefficiency of the present battery technology is the Kluge. Charging stations are great but you got to have so many of them for distance so close together and coupled with the inability to charge under 5 minutes to full capacity without catching fire. You need to reexamine your numbers and I'm saying this as someone who is pro e v. Sorry but your statement doesn't add up on the practicality scale.

[@ocnier]

@Future Hindsight energy density is anything but a red herring you referenced your house which is fine house you can add onto you can have two full bedrooms filled to the ceiling with battery power I have zero issue with that but when you talk about a mobile conveyance that doesn't fly from a practicality standpoint you are still missing the point of the energy density equation until there is a battery breakthrough Tesla doesn't make the cut overall it doesn't mean that they shouldn't be made and it doesn't mean that you shouldn't buy one but it also doesn't mean that we need to all Drive U-Hauls that are over 12 ft long and 8 ft High so that we can get to wherever we need to go whenever we need to go to it. You can defy a lot of things but the laws of physics are not one of them. As for the CO2 emissions and the pollution from the hydrocarbon I completely agree but you're still trying to dodge the simple fact of 60 to 70 times the energy density. Until that ratio changes whether it's lithium batteries hydrogen fuel cell or some magic goo then the storage capacity for mobile conveyances and to some degree free-standing structures then we are still stuck at a log Jam.

[@kiohaha]

Why is there a fan on the ceiling when the room has two air inlets for fresher air @11:00 Contradicting the passive idea of always having perfect air is it?

[@atywood]

That is basically my dream house. The home I’m in now has terrible energy consumption. Im on Florida and switched to window units to cut waste and have lowered my bills but with and engineer mother I’ve got a clear understanding of just how bad thin windows, poor insulation and envelope can be... I did add reflective tint to the windows but the whole place needs to be redone for sure.

[@ryangarner5804]

That is awesome. Great work.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Thanks

[@DennisRobert1]

Matt! Have you seen the Freefly Movi gimbal and Moment lenses? Would be great for getting steady wide angle video on the road without carrying a ton of gear.

[@travislongwell]

How did you go about getting a r100 in the roof?? Please and thanks!!!

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

30" blown cellulose

[@juzoli]

Steven Baczek Cellulose can only go up to R60, it collapses under its own weight above that. How can you still go up to 100?

[@MetalGearMk3]

No powerwall or electric storage(battery) for overcast months??

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Don't need it - this house has so little loads

[@axelotl86]

The second one in Massachusetts... Let that sink in.

[@95GuitarMan13]

If every client cared as much as Dan about home performance our industry would be in a very good place. Instead everyone is obsessed with low first cost, curb appeal, and more space than they know what to do with. Keep pushing that needle in the right direction Matt!

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Dan was a dream client

[@andreycham4797]

in Europe they make heat exchangers with built in heat pumps where for every 1 Kw of electricity used for ventilation you will get 2,5 or more Kw of heat

[@2awesome292]

This is USA, we just recently upgraded from caves to glass walls.

[@benwoline]

The CERV air exchange system that I installed from Build Equinox in Illinois does the same thing with a heat pump.

[@2awesome292]

Link to specs?

[@andreycham4797]

@@2awesome292 I give you names you do the research. "Enervent " name of company, from brits LD 800 recuperator, Combi 302 polar, Sundue SDAR 500

[@benwoline]

www.buildequinox.com/thesystem/

[@globaldemise]

Basic construction. Love it

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

With a little more attention to detail

[@victorgalagan1151]

Wow Matt,Awesome vid.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Thank you

[@reedtower]

That's is just an amazing house. One day .... One day ... Zero energy bills. .... And hopefully no water bill. .. Thanks for sharing Matt.

[@TheAIKnowledgeHub]

How long does it take for a passive house to pay for itself? Like how much did it cost for that house Also how often do you have to work on the house to keep it passive?

[@Staki6908]

"How long does it take for a passive house to pay for itself? Like how much did it cost for that house Also how often do you have to work on the house to keep it passive?" A year later and no replies. Shame. I'm curious too.

[@technicalitems731]

It seems that the air tight house holds in bathroom stink of not for that filter system. What is the brand and unit name etc for that air filter unit? Price? Thx

[@grahampye2314]

I love the Passive concept. I would love to see a project that takes a suitably positioned home (most glazing facing South and nothing shading the sun) that was built using standard construction techniques and renovates it to incorporate as many Passive House principals as possible. If you need a home to do this project, I have one...

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

LOL, I do that almost everyday

[@2awesome292]

So build a new traditional house, gut it, then make it passive?

[@grahampye2314]

In my case I have a house built in 1989, it has tons of windows facing South that are at the point they need replacing, the walkout basement (lots of south facing windows too) needs refinishing after a flood... this sort of scenario seems perfect for upgrading windows to something suitable for passive-solar, but beyond that the reno would need to add some thermal mass in the right places, upgraded insulation, perhaps tweak mechanical systems... etc.

[@2awesome292]

Upgrading windows is possible. As far as adding insulation, you would have to tear out all the walls (to put on inside) or remove siding (to put on outside). There is a airborne system out that can fill in some of the holes in the envelope, but i'm not sure about effectiveness is when drywall is already up. Adding thermal mass would be pouring concrete inside the house? You can't usually tweak mechanical systems besides sealing. Changing capacity would usually involve replacement. You can't just replace one wall, you have to replace all of them to get maximum effectiveness. Analogy: If you have 4 water leaks in your pipes, you can't patch one and expect your house not to flood. Look up chainsaw retrofit. That would be the ideal scenario if you need new siding, roof, and mechanicals at the same time and want to significantly decrease your utility bills and increase interior comfort.

[@keninatlanta8452]

Would love to have heard a discussion on the payback period for this passive house. Also, how many square feet are we talking about for the 7.5 KW solar system? And where were the batteries and what is the maintenance interval for replacement on those?

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

No batteries, house is about 26oo sq ft

[@paperwait9611]

if you live in an area that supports net metering, maintaining an energy storage system doesn't really make sense. the problem with assessing "payback period" is the artificially low energy prices in the US. so the "payback" doesn't look as favorable as it would in europe where energy prices tend to be higher. the problem with artificially low energy prices is that it encourages wasteful use of energy or at least provides little incentive to go out of your way to be particularly energy efficient.

[@keninatlanta8452]

@@paperwait9611 what is it that you're referring to that makes energy prices artificially low?

[@paperwait9611]

@ken in atlanta: energy is more heavily taxed in europe. there are a number of "externalities" costs that go beyond the cost of delivering the energy. higher taxation of energy recaptures some of those externalities costs and encourages more efficient use of energy. for example, triple glazed windows make more sense in europe, but if you go to a window store and ask to purchase triple glazed windows, the salesman would probably think that you were crazy for spending extra money above the cost of double glazed windows.

[@ronselliers6951]

@@LongLiveOurBuildings I have a problem with that after going 15 days without power after a hurricane.

[@sandan2358]

I’d love to have a home like this built in Kansas.

[@nathanroper5988]

I'd love some more info on exterior shading. Steve says to shade on the exterior so the energy doesn't make it into the home but what options are out there for this sort of thing? I am building a house that is south west facing in northern utah and planned to build window shutters for privacy but also figured it *might* help with energy transfer. What options do I have? (Shade trees are going in but will take time to shade the house...)

[@joeozzie1]

In 2012, I added solar to my home, bought an electric car and moved to heat pump appliances, with gas basically as a back up. Initially, when my parents passed away, I put the inheritance money in the bank making less than 1% interest and paying tax on that income. Instead, I moved to solar, which generates $2000. of tax free energy per year, which feeds my home and electric car. An 11 year ROI. Like this home, I produce more energy than I consume, and receive credit for this excess production, Solar is a enabler to move away from fossil fuels for most of our needs. My home is in the south, so cooling is my focus. My only regret was not going solar earlier.

[@aayotechnology]

Why was the hot water pump button placed in the corner like that?

[@WhatsHisFace2013]

Holy crap.. I never knew I wanted a passive house until I saw this video.

[@scottjenkins4613]

Loved the video. Amazing house! But I can think of one reason someone wouldn't... Can this house function in the deep south, Orlando, San Antonio, etc.?

[@DouglasPelo]

What were the vents for on the stair risers? 8:28

[@pa3n0x14]

With were things are going right now here in germany, we soon might be required to build passiv houses when building new homes or at least come close to to the requirements of one. I quite like the idea of everyone living in one of those to help make the world a better place.

[@greg925911]

Mat please talk about the Continuous Air change, building a new home an I'd like to try an work that in my cost I like the fact that its on it's own system separate from the HVAC if possible

[@VetteFan815]

for years i've thought of what my dream house would be like and now i know what to call it. This is definitely the model for the home I want.

[@dyrectory_com]

What's the ballpark price for the air unit? I guess you to have this unit installed when the house was being built? Installing such an air unit would be nearly impossible once a house has been built, right?

[@mikethebeginner]

I love the build show.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Me too!!

[@6478nick]

What is the life of the HRV system. What happens when it stops working or needs repairs or service?

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Kinda like a refrigerator, get it fixed or buy a new one......

[@BgHatcher]

This is great. I would love to learn what you can do to renovate a house little by little. I know insulation first but if I needed a water hearted would this one used in that house work?

[@TruthSee-Ker]

Steven Baczek any idea what kind of exterior doors he used or do you know of any good ones? Having a hard time finding good ones in the US for my passivesque house.

[@pdm1942]

Exterior DOORS are a very weak point in the U.S. market , I think ! Especially for cold climates. Nothing good available.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

These are Makrowin, sourced thru European Architectural Supply

[@brettryan3298]

Love this house, wish I could build something like this around the Houston area

[@lavectech]

Nice house, great work. Heat pumps are best to be indoors? I read they need to be in a large room?

[@timothyendsley5833]

Hey, Matt I what to know what you think of Earthships.

[@duhwalt4596]

Has Most energy efficient House on the East Coast and still drives a Chevy! Would love to know what was done to insulate the house.

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

Blown cellulose in the walls and attic. What's wrong with Chevy?

[@JohnnyMotel99]

It would be interesting to see a cost vs efficiency study. Since this level of efficiency is most likely out of range for majority of homeowners. Why not aim for slightly less efficiency but at an affordable upfront cost?

[@jake_of_the_jungle9840]

How much does it cost to get solar panels on a home? And is the cost worth the benefit? Thank you!

[@stevenbaczekarchitect9431]

This system was $35k and paid for itself in less than 5 years

[@williamw747]

Would anyone have a link to the window shades mentioned in this video? They were outdoor mounted to block heat. Thank u

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

They are a tracked roll down - pretty common

[@IainB]

It's definitely a gorgeous house. No energy bills sounds great but what was the cost premium up front to get to there? Considering the quality of the materials they used I imagine it's fairly high. What's the ROI for all that expense up front?

[@Bryan-Hensley]

Takes about a hundred years to break even

[@spencerwilton5831]

Bryan Hensley nonsense. It will pay for the additional costs inside a decade. As the technology is more widely adopted costs will fall making payback quicker. Energy bills will continue to rise making it pointless to build anything else. Homes like this are common in Europe, and will soon become mandatory for new construction. Only America seems determined to continue the cycle of sky high consumption and disposable, cheaply built homes. Weird.

[@andreknudsne7648]

it is amazing that people even have a passion to insulate a house that good in a country there electrcity and fuel is alot cheaper than Europe.

[@raymondj8768]

wow what a great setup !!!!!!!!!

[@doctordutch]

15:45 why are the meters and breakers in garage?

[@elevatoroperator2021]

Well breakers belong in the garage

[@antiatrophy72890]

Your friend seems very smart. Consider teaming up with him and produce a mini-series. Let him choose the topic of the series. That will keep help the channel stay fresh with new content. (I am from Central NYS)

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Yeah Matt, this sounds like something to think about

[@GG-si7fw]

Awesome home and thanks for the great video tour.

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

Agreed

[@Tbm-ov5ky]

What is possible in a similar vein for a hot humid climate?

[@chopshop6446]

You should do a video on the pensmore mansion.

[@AnthonyGriffin23]

Matt, can you tell me who made those windows?

[@sjenkins88]

Anthony Griffin - I was wondering the same thing. Matt and/or Steven, you guys mentioned what sounded like 'Shuco' and 'Makrowin' for two similar window manufacturers. Could you verify I got that right? The windows in this house appear to be the 'Makrowin MW88G2' with Tilt-Turn option. These windows open either by turning in, tilting in, or by micro-tilt, which allows for a rain resistant option for passive fresh air ventilation via a small gap - while maintaining peace of mind with what remains a securely locked window. I've been a fan of this incredible German engineering for a couple years now after seeing them in a friends 'small house' built in Colorado. Anthony check out the following link for more information: www.eas-usa.com/Products_Wood.cfm

[@LongLiveOurBuildings]

yes Makrowin 88's

[@JohnnyMotel99]

Don’t know if a available in USA, but Rationel in Europe do very similar high performance windows.

[@michaelblanchard4176]

Who makes the shades for the windows?