Mar 20, 2024 _ news

Our Newest Passive House Certified Designers

Eight GBBNers recently became Certified Passive House Designers (CPHD). After taking a 10-week training course on Passive House design, each passed an arduous, three-hour exam that tested their ability to apply the principles of Passive House within a design context.

Why are we investing in expertise around Passive House strategies?

Because our clients deserve high-performing, low-energy buildings that are quiet, provide great air quality, and thermal comfort. With excellent insulation and heat recovery systems, Passive House designed buildings can save as much as 75% of the heating and cooling-related energy budget of an average new building.

Passive House standards focus on five main principles:

1. High performance windows and doors
2. Continuous insulation
3. Airtight enclosure
4. Thermal bridge-free detailing
5. Energy recovery ventilation

By designing efficient buildings, like Fifth &  Dinwiddie East and West, Passive House strategies help support the health and well-being of our communities and are helping us  achieve our goal of designing all our projects to be net zero energy by 2030 as part of our AIA 2030 Commitment.

Our newly certified Passive House Designers join Stephen Mrdjenovich, Lynn Belhumeur, and Greg Coni to create a cohort of experts that can help clients in each of our markets—Arts, Higher Education, Mixed-Use, and Healthcare—realize energy savings through good design. Congratulations to: 

• Blaise Durio
• Adam Fosnaugh
• Christopher Guignon
• Crystal McCloyn
• Mary Jo Minerich
• Douglas Richards
• Elizabeth Schmidt
• Christopher Yost

For more on how GBBN envisions Passive House shaping our architectural future, read our Sustainability Action Plan or see here, here, here, or here.