Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on feature projects from around the globe that meet the international Passive House (PH) standard developed by the Passivhaus Institut (PHI) and a few projects that meet local PH standards. It demonstrates the practicality of achieving on-site net-zero energy. The book shows that buildings do not have to contribute many, if any, carbon emissions to our overheating planet, and their occupants are not suffering. PH practitioners, their interest in the PH standard developed because of concerns about rising carbon emissions and climate stability. As the use of the PH approach reliably succeeds in delivering highly energy-efficient buildings, making it practical to meet the low remaining energy demand with renewable energy sources, the PH standard is an optimal foundation for creating net zero-energy buildings.