CHAPTER 4: SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE IN A CHANGING WORLD


and improving comfort for its inhabitants. Selecting materials made from repurposed or recycled products will reduce the house’s carbon footprint and cut construction costs significantly.


Passive design relies on the climate to maintain a comfortable temperature in a building (Box 22). Such design considerations can play significant roles not only in reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also in lowering household heating- and cooling-related expenses. The energy efficiency of buildings can be improved through passive design considerations. A significant amount of energy can be conserved over the


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lifetime of a building by proper orientation to minimize direct sunlight at the hottest times of the day and through the installation of insulation, double-glazed windows and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.


Passive building solutions need to be adapted to the country and local climate. Aside from designing passive buildings or taking the opportunity to incorporate sustainable design aspects during renovations to existing buildings, monitoring the operational performance is important. One of the easiest ways to do this is to monitor the energy usage through electricity bills and the thermal comfort of the inhabitants.


Box 22: What is a Passive House? The following video provides information on the basic principles of a passive house


https://player.vimeo.com/video/74294955 A video link


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