ABSTRACT
Passive house design standards have brought significant changes to the foundation and ground floor. Developed landscape systems immediately outside the building put further demands on the foundation design, particularly those in close alignment with the interior floor level. Buildings constructed with flat slabs on grade or slabs that are thickened and turned down at the edges also lend themselves to the fully isolated approach. There are numerous hybrid strategies through which the concrete foundation is left on the cold side of the insulation jacket or somewhere in between the warm and the cold. The Fineline House, Oregon, is a LEED-H Platinum-certified home with exceptional green design and construction features. The Specht Residence in Thaxton combines an open floor plan with traditional architectural features for a gracious, modern home experience. The Pumpkin Ridge Passive House, Oregon, embraces the simplicity of passive house design concepts to deliver superb comfort and efficiency at minimal added cost.
