New York, Pennsylvania, and British Columbia shone through as centers of successful Passive House policy innovation.

Aligning design and construction towards Passive House standards will result in zero carbon multifamily buildings that are comfortable and resilient.

Super airtight construction and heat recovery ventilation are necessary companions for zero energy homes. But the outside air may not be as clean as we think. Increasingly common extreme pollution events can overwhelm most fresh air systems. It’s time to make high-efficiency filtration a standard feature of zero homes.

Experts Say Cooking with gas is hazardous to health, according to research that spans the last several decades. A recent study puts the issue in stark terms. Air inside homes can be more unhealthy than outdoor pollution even during a wild fire that fills the air with smoke.

Energy efficiency is at the core of all green building certification programs. It’s time to ratchet up these modest improvements to make homes as green as they can be by operating them entirely with clean energy.

When addressing indoor air quality, let’s not leave out existing homes and buildings. The same principles that make new zero energy buildings more healthy can also be applied to existing homes, whether during minor upgrades or major renovations. The return is in improved health and comfort. This is the final installment of our three-part series on indoor air quality and health.

As described in Part One, indoor air can be unhealthy. When you invest in zero energy, you’ll also get something even more important than money in return. Zero energy buildings are also healthier. Here in Part Two of this three-part series, you can read about all the components of zero energy buildings that make this invaluable benefit possible.

In Part One of a three-part series we look into health risks and the cost to society rising from conventional construction approaches. Most people are unaware of the health risks that permeate their homes. Ironically, all homes present dangers, but it is a deeper understanding of building science and greater attention to detail that make energy-efficient zero homes healthier than conventional ones. Part One of a three-part series lays out the risks and costs.

High-performance homes deserve high-performance ventilation. BuildEquinox now offers a second generation ventilation system with an integrated heat pump and sophisticated user-friendly controls.