by Kim Degenkolb | April 26 2021
We are currently seeing an uptick in the passive house movement – which is a great thing! However, many developers and owners still shy away from the construction of a passive system when the first costing estimates come in. It is no secret that passive housing construction usually costs more upfront, but is there maybe an exponential saving in the long-term that you are neglecting when making your decision?
When talking about building costs we usually only look at the immediate construction cost and especially with the current influx of material prices, many are concerned about extra costs. But we rarely consider the cost of ownership, the part that happens after construction and will follow …
Passive housing is …
The increased cost can be explained through various factors. First and foremost, the cost of materials. Quality local materials are commonly used in passive house construction, and the higher levels of required insulation drive up the price. Furthermore, a passive house performs only as good as it’s details are designed and built. Experienced traits and designers do have their price – but it’s all worth it in the end!
Passive houses are designed to keep energy consumption at low levels during summer and winter. This means, your mechanical equipment is able to adapt to the exterior temperatures and use them to its advantage in order to achieve the required level of comfort indoors. In a climate like Canada, with very hot summers and chilly winters, this can be a bit tricky but is entirely do-able.
The saved energy will shrink your bills for the entire lifetime of the building and will more than outweigh the construction cost. If you’d like to reduce your cost of ownership for your future project and do something good for mother earth we’d be happy to guide you through the process!
Check out Lorrie Rand’s article on the topic to see if a passive house is a fit for you!
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