Energy: Passive Houses

Passive houses aggressively reduce energy

Feb 17, 2011 - Heat your home by throwing a dinner party?

This concept may sound bizarre, but it's feasible in cutting-edge green homes that are so well-insulated, they don't need a furnace or boiler. They'll stay warm simply with body heat. A hairdryer might also suffice.

"It's like living in a glass thermos," says John Eckfeldt, a physician who built one of these "passive" homes in frigid Isabella, Minn. He says the inside temperature is so even that if he sees snow falling, he's surprised to realize it must be cold outside.

The windows never feel cold, nor do the concrete floors, even though they don't have in-floor heating, says Joe Turner of his "passive" home in Salt Lake City. "The house is also super quiet." {continued}