Brubaker Architects offers both full passive building design, as well as consulting. Passive building methods emphasize energy efficiency and comfort. This method optimizes gains and minimizes losses based on climate.

We are excited to bring this knowledge and experience to other projects. Passive building principles are best practices that utilize science to prioritize energy efficiency. The benefits of lower energy consumption, comfort, indoor air quality and durability can be applied to all buildings.

View details on our Sonoran Desert House project

What makes a passive house?

Passive Building Principles:

  1. High Performance Insulation

  2. Thermal Bridge Elimination

  3. Optimal Glazing

  4. Shading/Daylighting

  5. Air Tightness

  6. Energy Recovery Ventilation

The Sonoran Desert Passive House project was uniquely designed for the hot. harsh, challenging climate in Tucson, Arizona. The envelope strategy used for the dot dry climate of the Sonoran Desert Passive House was to create a super-insulated “cooler” that is then shaded by an “umbrella.”