Pittsburgh Deemed as Hotspot for Energy Efficient Building Design, Draws International Experts to NAPHN 2018 Conference + Expo October 17-21
North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) 2018 Conference will showcase how ultra-efficient buildings are cost-effective and readily accessible to any manufacturer and all building types
PITTSBURGH, Pa., Sept. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) will hold its annual national conference in one of the leading cities of the Passive House movement: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Beginning October 17, more than 1,000 architects, designers, engineers, developers, policymakers and high-performance building consultants will convene at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center to share research, field experience and sustainable business strategies regarding Passive House.
Why Pittsburgh?
The Steel City, formerly described as "hell with the lid off," has now become the national leader in high-performance building design. With more than 40,000 certified Passive House buildings in the world, Pennsylvania is home to one of the largest concentrations of major Passive House and other deep green developments on the continent. While there are only 15 Passive House Institute certified trainers in the U.S., seven of these experts reside in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is also the center for technology and innovation for new Passive House projects, with architecture firms expanding efforts to retrofit historical buildings and develop affordable housing and community spaces for low-income communities. NAPHN Conference attendees will have the opportunity to tour these projects including Morningside Crossing, a redevelopment of a formerly abandoned 1897 elementary school into an affordable and comfortable senior living community, and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Carrick Library, soon to be the first certified Passive House library in North America.
What is Passive House?
Passive House is the world's most rigorous standard for building energy efficiency – reducing building energy use by as much as 75% while providing well-insulated, draft-free buildings with a constant supply of filtered fresh air and dramatic energy performance gains. Passive House buildings act like thermoses – so energy efficient that a home or unit can be heated with a hair dryer. This type of living environment is particularly ideal for Pittsburgh's climate, given its hot summers, cold winters and fluctuating temperatures across all seasons.
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency data show a cost premium of less than 2% for Passive House buildings, a number that is quickly erased by utility bill savings. This new financial reality has big implications for the equitable access to healthy, comfortable, green buildings and can be applied to all building types, from high-rise towers, office buildings, hotels, prisons, schools, hospitals and supermarkets to single-family homes. Affordable housing developers and social service agencies are taking note and adopting Passive House design into their capital projects.
What is the conference and who should attend?
The annual conference brings together Passive House design experts and building decision makers, as well as product manufacturers whose products perform to the levels needed to achieve the significant degree of sustainability found in Passive House projects. Additionally, government, financial and other interested parties join to learn of the latest Passive House advances. The goal of NAPHN 2018 is to promote and accelerate the adoption of Passive House building strategies in North America, and to work with others who share our vision for a post carbon all-renewable energy future.
Buildings are responsible for over 40% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and Passive House buildings are increasingly recognized by both practitioners and policymakers as a key element of climate action. The United Nations is adopting Passive House as a central part of its sustainable development and climate action goals.
This year's conference will feature international speakers including Hubert Rhomberg, CEO of Austria-based modular tall wood construction firm, Cree, and Scott Foster, the Director of the Sustainable Energy Division for the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe.
"Now more than ever, it's critical for us to take climate action into our own hands at the local, regional and state levels," said Mr. Foster. "I'm inspired by the work of the North American Passive House Network community who are already going well beyond code requirements to keep buildings from further impacting our climate balance."
The conference is produced by the local NAPHN affiliate, Passive House of Western Pennsylvania (PHWPA) and will highlight the social equity dimensions of this exciting building movement, capitalizing on Pittsburgh's position as a national leader in affordable Passive House projects and expertise. Sponsors include The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, The Heinz Endowments, The Sustainable Energy Fund, The Richard King Mellon Foundation, and The West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund.
The NAPHN18 exhibit booths, to be located in Exhibit Hall C in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday, October 19-20 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The public will be able to speak with manufacturers and suppliers about products, such as discussing the differences between the HVAC systems, windows and building envelope products that could be used in a Passive House project and those components that are in their own houses. Admission is $10.
To learn more or to register, visit http://www.naphnconference.com.
About the North American Passive House Network (NAPHN)
NAPHN educates architects, engineers, building owners, contractors, and the public on how to design, build, and operate very low energy Passive House buildings to make a more sustainable society. https://naphnetwork.org
About Passive House Western Pennsylvania (PHWPA)
PHWPA is dedicated to lowering energy use in buildings by providing education, promoting awareness, sharing resources, and advocating for Passive House strategies for commercial and residential buildings in the Western Pennsylvania region. http://www.passivehousewpa.org
SOURCE North American Passive House Network (NAPHN)
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