The lower level of the house contains a bedroom for the couple’s daughter, Lucia, along with a separate restroom and a study. These rooms sit at the core of the building, adjacent to the bulk of the mechanical systems, yet one would never know it because the ventilation system registers little sound. During our visit, the architects demonstrated how amazingly quiet their PassiveHaus ventilation system is. Sam turned on the Mitsubishi Mini Split Heat Pump ducted indoor ventilation unit at maximum power, daring us to perceive any noise.
We stood in the house in near dead silence, as only a faint hum could be heard by approaching the air diffusers in each room. This house’s mechanical system is “passive” beyond its energy consumption; at key locations, the system is barely perceptible, only revealing itself via small wall registers and minimal sound. Loadingdock5 utilizes the ventilation system’s minimal requirements to their advantage: exposed ducts and pipes add minimal focus points to otherwise blank concrete masonry walls, and a silent system can be easily hidden behind walls to preserve visual and audial privacy.
Through their ability to emphasize or hide the inner workings of this building based on the functional needs of each space, and by working as a designer-client team to conceive an ideal living space, Loadingdock5 has created an beautiful and very livable prototype for Passiv Haus construction in New York City.
+ Sneak Peek at the Williamsburg Passive House
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the construction costs were $650k
not millions
Ok great. But this looks mighty expensive. Who can afford to have a house like this? Only the wealthy who live in Williamsburg. I find that ironic and irritating. As beautiful and passive this House is. I don’t see it really thinking in a all inclusive reality that people don’t have millions of dollars to blow on a new house. Maybe this can kickstart something for current building guidelines to steer to more sustainable, passive energy construction. There is natural building that uses less new technology and still remain passive and affordable.
It was a treat to watch this house. Was the construction costs more than ordinary houses?
What an amazing house. Whoever lives there is so lucky!