Passive House Energy Savings
If you’re dreaming of a home that’s the ultimate in energy efficiency, take a look at the Passive House standard.
By Ed Welch
Stuart Rue and Sarah Evans’ Passive House in Salem, Ore., features high-performance windows and doors, more insulation and a more extensive ventilation system. Below is a breakdown of the home’s estimated heating savings. Learn more about this building technique in Serious Energy Savings With Passive House Design.
| Total square feet | 1,885 |
| Built cost | $159 per sq. ft. |
| Specific space heat demand | 4.08 kBTU per sq. ft./year |
| Level of insulation | Walls: R-44.1 Floor: R-50.8 Roof: R-95.7 |
| Window U-factor | 0.105 and 0.178 |
| Total energy consumption | 22.8 kBTU per sq. ft./year |
| Estimated savings per year in heating bills alone! | More than $800 |
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Estimated Annual Heating Savings |
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Heating Energy Used Per Year |
Estimated Cost of Winter Heating |
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| Average home | 11,800 kwh¹ | $990² |
| Rue-Evans home | 2,250 kwh | $154³ |
| Total savings | 9,550 kwh | $836 |
Note that heating savings can be expected to increase each year with inflation and rising energy prices.
1 = Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2005 (most recent)
2 = EIA, 2011 (any fuel)
3 = Assumes electric heat at 7 cents/kwh
