Passive Building design

What is it?
A Passive Building is a very well-insulated, virtually air-tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, etc. Energy losses are minimized. Any remaining heat demand is provided by an extremely small source. Avoidance of heat gain through shading and window orientation also helps to limit any cooling load, which is similarly minimized. An energy recovery ventilator provides a constant, balanced fresh air supply. The result is an impressive system that not only saves up to 90% of space heating costs, but also provides a uniquely terrific indoor air quality. (1)

Why the need?
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory:

"Buildings have a significant impact on energy use and the environment. Commercial and residential buildings use almost 40% of the primary energy and approximately 70% of the electricity in the United States (EIA 2005). The energy used by the building sector continues to increase, primarily because new buildings are constructed faster than old ones are retired. Electricity consumption in the commercial building sector doubled between 1980 and 2000, and is expected to increase another 50% by 2025 (EIA 2005). Energy consumption in the commercial building sector will continue to increase until buildings can be designed to produce enough energy to offset the growing energy demand of these buildings." (2)

The natural response to this would be to urge the use of renewable energy more aggressively; by installing more solar panels and increasing the capacity of wind farms. 

However, Renewable energy isn't going to solve all our energy woes in the near future. The rate of adoption of renewable energy is excruciatingly slow. Only 3.35% of the 10% of energy that renewables are providing right now comes from “new” renewables, namely solar, wind and liquid biofuels. The majority of renewables are still of the “old” variety: hydroelectric power and wood chips. The two major renewables that receive widespread attention: solar and wind currently only provide 0.16% and 1.19%, respectively of total energy needs in the US. (3)

We need to start considering some options that can go hand in hand with renewable energy. This is where a passive building design comes in. Most buildings today are concrete structures that totally disregard their environmental conditions. A passive building would maximize energy intake from the environment, thereby greatly reducing the amount of energy that needs to be generated.

How does it benefit you?
a) Greatly reduces utility bills (could slash heating costs by an astounding 90%)
b) Minimizes our carbon footprint
c) Decreases dependence on fossil fuels
d) Helps us become energy independent by reducing our dependence on the grid 

What can you do?
Are you building a new house? Check out the Passive House Institute US's (PHIUS) website. You would be able to find passive house consultants and PHIUS certified builders. (note: my intention is only to point you in the right direction. To pursue it further, it would be wise to do your own research)

You could also go to the Passive House Alliance US and The Passive House Institute website which provide valuable information about passive buildings, in addition to providing professional services. 

Do you want to educate yourself on passive buildings? The Passive Solar Design page could be a valuable source. The Wikipedia pages on it are wonderful primers on the topic: Passive House and Passive Solar Building Design