As mentioned previously, high performance builders are a rare breed in this era of cheap energy and sharing information on new techniques is most sought after and appreciated. So it was last week, that Graham Fisher and I, payed a visit to Ed Marion‘s near Passive House.
Ed is constantly aiming to minimise mechanical systems and ultimately to keep things quiet. In super insulated houses, there’s no pressing need for a typical furnace and because these homes tend to be an oasis of quiet, the mechanical equipment that does get installed needs to be very quiet. Check the poor-quality video below to hear Ed’s mother’s tongue and the landscape crews’ background noise.
The “Furnaceless Room” has lots of potential storage space. Though in floor radiant tubes were installed, the system wasn’t connected. On the ceiling top left corner is the ERV and mid picture on ceiling, is the pre-heater for the incoming air. Note the two lines that circulate a glycol filled earth loop to temper the incoming air.