[Xringer]

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

the issue with this is sick building syndrome. you need air changes to keep things healthy. but you can do it with a heat exchanger to minimize cost.....

At the link above, there is a Facebook post.. And a link to some neat pics.


Kristin Donaldson · University of Wisconsin-Madison

Hello, I am the owner of the house discussed in this article. I appreciate all of the comments and have some clarifications:

1) The $900 per year is the total energy bill (heating, lighting, etc.). The portion for heating itself is about $200 per year. If anybody is interested, http://energy-alaska.wdfiles.com/loc...ady%20Home.pdf has more details about the numbers.

2) The 0.05 ACH (air changes per hour) number does not refer to the ventilation rate. It refers to the air leakage through imperfections in the building envelope, as determined by a blower door test at 50 pascals. Ventilation is provided through an HRV (heat recovery ventilator), and the rate can be adjusted based on occupancy and activities. This results in superior indoor air quality.

3) The house certainly has additional windows on the south side (not seen in the AK Dispatch photo) and does have good day-lighting. The good day-lighting is not achieved through a large number of windows, but rather through careful selection of glazing materials (high visible transmittance) and locations of the windows. Many people, who have visited the home, have attested that the interior has a very pleasant feel. If anybody is interested, Passive House Project 2012 - a set on Flickr has some interior pictures.

4) Correct, it costs more to build a super efficient home and the payback isn't super short. However, a well built home is likely going to be here for a very long time and save a lot of resources in the long-term.

If anybody is interested, Net Zero Energy Ready Home in Dillingham, Alaska - Alaska Energy Wiki has more information about the house. Thank you for your interest.
March 15 at 5:52pm