The building industry is undergoing a significant transformation as developers and design teams seek ways to combine energy-efficient passive house principles with circular economy thinking. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems represent a substantial portion of a building’s embodied carbon and operational energy use, making them critical targets for circular design strategies. In passive mixed-use […]
Princeton University has set one of the most ambitious climate targets in higher education: achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by its tricentennial in 2046. With a campus that includes buildings dating back to the eighteenth century and a natural gas steam system serving 180 structures, this is no small challenge. The university’s strategy revolves
When In Cho of Brooklyn-based ChoShields Studio took on the retrofit of a two-family townhouse near Gramercy Park in Manhattan, she was not simply updating an old building. She was pursuing EnerPHit certification, the Passive House Institute’s rigorous standard for existing building retrofits. The project required what she described as a mosaic of construction types
The intersection of historic urban architecture and modern sustainability standards presents some of the most compelling challenges in contemporary building design. Nowhere was this more clearly demonstrated than in the Gramercy Townhouse retrofit, where ChoShields Studio transformed a cramped, poorly performing two-family dwelling in Manhattan into a high-performance Passive House residence. The project team added
The buildings we occupy shape more than our daily comfort they shape the planet itself. With finite resources, a changing climate, and growing urban populations, the construction industry faces a profound question: how far should we go in pursuit of efficiency? The Passive House standard has already demonstrated that dramatic energy reductions are achievable through
The drive toward sustainable construction has pushed architects and engineers to rethink traditional mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. Rather than treating building services as an afterthought, forward-looking project teams are embedding circular economy principles directly into MEP design from the earliest planning stages. This approach not only reduces environmental impact but also lowers operational
The Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, is becoming an unexpected proving ground for one of the most ambitious affordable housing retrofit initiatives in the United States. Known as Casa Pasiva, this program demonstrates that existing multifamily buildings can achieve dramatic energy reductions while remaining affordable for residents. The approach combines Passive House performance standards
In late February and early March of 2022, two unassuming wooden structures sat side by side in Martin Place, one of Sydney’s busiest public squares. To the casual observer, they appeared nearly identical, each looking like a modest timber tent roughly the size of a small garden shed. But hidden inside each structure was a
The concept of hygiene ventilation has gained considerable attention in building science circles, particularly as awareness grows around indoor air quality and its direct impact on occupant health. At its core, hygiene ventilation refers to mechanical ventilation systems that deliver 100% fresh outdoor air without any recirculation of indoor air. This approach ensures that airborne
Building two Passive House mixed-use developments simultaneously might sound like a monumental challenge, yet it is exactly what AJ Patton and his team at 548 Enterprise are accomplishing in Chicago. As Chairman and CEO of this unified real estate and investment social impact firm, Patton is overseeing more than $200 million in sustainable housing developments,
