It's hard to believe that a blower door test could feel...if not routine, than not like a really big deal on just our third Passive project. I mean, that 0.6ACH50 target we learned about in Certi...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2016/02/from-field-another-house-that-doesnt.html
I'd like to share a few interesting products we're using on two projects currently in construction. Funny thing is, they're both blue, so it's an accidental theme here. The fist is Blueskin , a s...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2016/02/from-field-blue-walls.html
We have two new Passive projects in construction now, "Acorn Glaede" in Downers Grove, and a not-yet-named house in Hinsdale. They both started in the summer; Downers is a slab-on-grade, but Hins...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2015/11/from-field-new-projects-arising.html
As I prepare to head out of town for my favorite holiday, I've been thinking about gratitude. I have to credit my new-found meditation practice for an increased sense of appreciation of those ar...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving.html
The excitement has been building as the house nears completion. As the cleaning crew wrapped up on Thursday, we saw all the tile, countertops, flooring, and built ins in their finished state at l...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2015/05/from-field-finishes-contd.html
Occasionally I am asked why I named my domain "drawingonplace." The reason behind it is at the core of my aspirations in architecture, so I thought I'd take a shot at explaining it, and then illu...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2015/04/drawing-on-place.html
Now that rough mechanicals are in and the air barrier system has been successfully tested, finishes are going in.These will get a lot more exciting pretty soon as tile, wood trim and accents, cab...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2015/03/from-field-finishes-p-1.html
In Passive architecture, you really don't want your buildings to suck. Technically, you want them to lose less than: 0.6 air changes per hour when depressurized to 50 Pascals of pressure fo...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2015/01/from-filed-more-insulation-and.html
Here's an update for the Oak Park home in construction--it's been a busy time with roofing, insulation, overhangs, exterior insulation, weather barrier, and windows. First thing after the air bar...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2015/01/from-field-insulation-and-windows.html
Framing is great fun to watch--it goes up fast, and in a few weeks you go from having drawings to being able to walk through real enclosure of space. It's like the week after Halloween to an arc...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/11/from-field-framing.html
So what does this new dwelling look like? Well, of course, it could take endless form; but to provide a prototypical starting point, I created a series of designs using American housing typologie...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/04/manifesto-follow-up-three-designs.html
The single-family home is a great American dream, one that so many of us have been fortunate to share; but as our attitudes and awareness grow and shift, so do the definitions of that dream. It's...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/02/manifesto-new-american-dwelling.html
At last! Eric Hausman took these in late summer, but I had to hold off making them public until some publications happened. Dwell website, Green Builder Magazine, Tribune, Crain's, to name a fe...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2014/01/river-forest-passive-house-final-photos.html
The Lemas have been in the house since January (moved in the coldest week of the year!), and have been extremely gracious to allow us team members to bring over clients and even take over the hou...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2013/07/quick-follow-up.html
Brandon Weiss continues to keep the schedule flowing. It seems almost magical that a house like this can be built to this level of quality in about 7 months. upper family room with light...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/12/finishes-inside-and-out-under-way.html
The driveway has been poured (though it's under blankets due to the cool weather), the siding is up, and the gabions are installed: almost there! Entry view: the door is unveiled at last! F...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/11/exterior-finishes.html
Here are some updated pictures I took for my presentation at the Passive House Conference last weekend in Denver. More soon! front--brick just installed living/dining space looking east...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/10/pictures-sept-26.html
There are too many bad jokes to be made about blower doors...I couldn't resist. This is just a very quick post to announce the our PHIUS+ rater, Andy Scott of Energistics, came to the site this...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/09/blower-door-did-not-suck.html
One of the main qualities of a Passive House building is that the mechanical loads are so reduced that you only need a tiny system for heating and cooling. Even for this relatively big house, t...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/09/heating-and-cooling-passive-house.html
One of the qualities of a Passive House is that the construction is nearly airtight., so to allow the house to "breathe" we use an energy-recovery-ventilator (or heat-recovery ventilator). Yes,...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/09/ventilation-for-passive-house.html
We learned a lot about windows...hence this post to pass it on. First, we priced a number of European windows that would work for our demands: we needed glass at about U=.09, frames at about U=....
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/09/passive-house-window-installation-in-icf.html
Here is some eye candy. It's fun to think of these while standing in the house now (with 10 tradesmen working hard all around). You'll see a number of light coves--we're using T5 fluorescent st...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/08/interior-renderings.html
Biltmore continues to move at their good and steady pace. The roof went on a few weeks ago, followed quickly by interior framing. But first, the ceiling air barrier was installed. Every air...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/08/roof-is-raised.html
Biltmore is cruising on the ICFs, floor framing, and had a concrete pour last week--basement and garage slabs are in! Front of house, ICFs to mid-2nd floor level Basement--plenty of light...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/07/construction-moving-apace.html
Biltmore Insulated Concrete is erecting the Logix ICF walls and installing bucks for window openings: view from street airtightness tape at buck corners The first concrete pour is sched...
http://passivehousemidwest.blogspot.com/2012/06/icfs-going-up.html