As the U.S. grapples with rising energy costs and increasing climate concerns, a growing trend in passive house construction offers a glimpse at how homes across the country could be designed to stay comfortable year-round without using traditional heating or air conditioning.
According to The Cool Down, Connecticut is leading the trend, with many homes being built as passive houses. These energy-efficient homes offer up to a 90% reduction in energy consumption compared with traditional homes, and they also help reduce pollution from cooling systems. Despite these advantages, passive homes have been slow to gain popularity due to higher up-front costs. However, some experts argue that the long-term savings make them worth the investment.
Leonard Wyeth, of Wyeth Architects and the president of Connecticut Passive House, told CT Insider that most homeowners he speaks with want to move into a passive home after learning more.
"It's a slow transition — it is painfully slow," Wyeth said. "One thing we've discovered, though, which is kind of hopeful, is every contractor that we have to train — once they've done it, just about every job they do after that is going to be built to the same standard, because they see the benefits."