Toronto Storeys article “Building The Home Of The Future”

From January 2017 issue of torontostoreys.com“We often look to the younger generation to be ahead of the curve, setting trends and embracing innovation. So why are two of the GTA’s earliest adopters of passive-house methodology a retired couple, who live with their 103-year-old mother?

To those who aren’t as au courant as the Josephs, passive housing actually came about in Germany in the 1980s, as an energy conservation standard for residential and commercial buildings.

A true “passive design” dramatically lessens the need for heating and cooling, relying instead on controlled solar exposure, airtight construction, triple-glazed windows, thermally insulated bridge-free building envelopes, and a high-quality ventilation technology that makes productive use of the particular climate.

So, what led the retired couple down this proactive passive path?……

Then, when it came time for the couple to consider retirement and move out of their home of 30 years, they were intent on retaining that sense of balance and community consciousness…………

Given the opportunity to use less, the Josephs have always done so. As the gap of eco-affordability narrowed, they began to research ultra-low-energy home builds. That led them to Rob Blakeney, founder of Local Impact Design. He, in turn, introduced them to passive house concepts. ……………….”