Art & Science of the High-Performance Passive House reception and panel discussion attendees examine Passive House wall sections that were part of the November Architecture Centre Gallery exhibit.
Passive design and building experts packed the Architecture Centre Gallery for an engaging, “sold out” panel discussion on the evening of November 10. The Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) Practice Advisor Maura Gatensby Architect AIBC MRAIC CP moderated the discussion, which could have gone for hours—based on the appetite for discussion displayed by audience members during the Q&A.
The panel brought leading B.C. designers, planners and builders together to share insights on the importance of the sustainable built environment outcomes made possible by the Passive House standard or the principles embedded in it.
Panelists included representatives from the City of Vancouver’s Green Building Programs, Passive House Canada, One SEED Architecture + Design Inc., DLP Architecture Inc. and Kingdom Builders.
Sean Pander of the City of Vancouver’s Green Building Programs drew the audience in, stating that it’s hard to “unsee” the power of the Passive House concept once you’ve seen the outcomes it can generate. Pander also shared his assessment that the Passive House standard’s strength lies in its outcome-focus. Think: less prescriptive.
Panelist Scott Kennedy of Passive House Canada, described the Passive House standard as the basis for net zero building and called upon architects to lead the way with client education and efficient design. Kennedy also conveyed that Passive House is a standard that is attracting global interest, and one we will see more of in the years to come as countries around the world work to achieve sustainable development goals.
Allison Holden-Pope Architect AIBC of One SEED Architecture + Design spoke of passive house design as something not only the rich can afford, directing the audience’s attention to the fact that it depends on intelligent use of simple materials, rather than complex and expensive components. Holden-Pope also honed in on how energy savings can offset any increased costs associated with passive house design and construction.
Panelist Lucio Picciano Architect AIBC of DLP Architecture lives in a Passive House home and says he laughs when opening his electricity bill, as it is so minimal. He also spoke to the fact that passive house design can and should be pursued with attention to beauty, form, morphology and topology, as with other standards.
Paul Lilley of Kingdom Builders was able to provide further insight into what it takes to build a Passive House building, emphasizing the importance of careful planning. According to Lilley, this is essential as some components may need to be imported at this moment in time.
The Art & Science of the High-Performance Passive House reception and panel discussion was certainly a memorable event for the AIBC. We thank our event sponsor, Cascadia Windows, as well as all who participated and helped organize.
To learn more about upcoming events in the Architecture Centre Gallery, please visit aibc.ca.