Chris McTaggart, PHIUS+ QA/QC Manager, wants your feedback…
Dear PHIUS/PHAUS community members,
Adoption of Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) PHIUS+ certification is growing rapidly. Of particular interest is the application of PHIUS+ certification for multifamily buildings. With several projects already certified or in the process of construction, and several more projects in the design phase, PHIUS expects certification of multifamily buildings to be one of the leading growth sectors for high performance, low-energy buildings moving forward.
With this in mind, PHIUS has created updated draft standards for certifying multifamily projects. These updated standards are intended to replace previous guidance offered by PHIUS for certifying multifamily projects. PHIUS is seeking review and comment from all vested stakeholders on these draft standards with the intent that a finalized version shall be released in Q2 2015.
The updated PHIUS+ Certification for Multifamily Performance Requirements (v2.0) contain several improvements to language regarding the specific performance modeling and testing expectations for certification of multifamily projects, including:
- Modeled energy performance criteria
- Infiltration testing requirements/protocol
- HVAC testing/balancing requirements
- Sampling protocol for dwelling unit-level testing/inspection
- Additional onsite testing/inspection requirements
To create these draft guidelines, PHIUS solicited feedback from several constituents who are actively involved in the certification of high performance multifamily projects. These comments helped inform the standard development process, and the goal is that the most fundamental areas of need for clarification and formalization have been addressed.
Please take the time to read the attached PHIUS+ Certification for Multifamily Performance Requirements (v2.0) document below and make comments by June 8, 2015. Use the comments section below or email your input to certification@passivehouse.us
Thanks,
Chris McTaggart, PHIUS+ QA/QC Manager