Passive House approach
Because buildings and construction are responsible for 40% of all carbon emissions in Canada, it’s time we do our part.
At psb, we are committed to building towards net-zero.
As a traditional general contractor, we've proudly been shifting our building approach to advance home energy efficiency and energy performance overall.
Our in-house team of Certified Passive House Designers and LEED professionals, designers, building engineers, and construction managers thrive to bring the construction industry to the next level.
High-performance building. Why it matters to us.
Consuming up to 90% less heating and cooling energy than conventional building the Passive House building standard is the only internationally recognized and proven energy standard in construction delivering this level of performance.
Combining the PH principles with our LEED building management framework, our team is dedicated to making sustainable buildings more accessible to people and communities who are eager to seek greater impact.
It benefits everyone, everywhere.
Why are Passive House buildings considered the highest energy-efficient building? Well because the building envelope is 100% airtight. There is no air leakage and the air circulation is ongoing and well-controlled.
This can be achieved with the integration of a high-performance HVAC system, a key component in passive or performant buildings used in combination with an airtight envelope as well as attention to construction and assembly details such as window sealing and envelope joints to eliminate thermal bridges.
Air temperature and humidity levels are always constant and regulated and as a result, heating and cooling cost dramatically less than in on-code buildings, providing its inhabitants with a comfortable and healthier living environment.
Five guiding principles we are accountable for. And lead to energy efficiency.
The Passive House building standard focuses exclusively on the performance of the building and is based on a fundamental concept: the energy balance. This energy balance takes into account energy gains and losses.
It's truly energy-efficient, comfortable, affordable, and ecological at the same time. To act on this concept of energy balance, there are 5 factors that directly influence the performance of the building you should know about.
Airtightness
A continuous uninterrupted airtight building envelope that means no interruptions in the envelope that could lead to heat loss.
Superinsulation
A significant reduction of heat loss, and gains are achieved by using much higher levels of insulation and airtightness than a normal code construction.
Thermal-bridge Free
Targets the elimination of any connection points between the indoor and outdoors to prevent leaks by conducting materials.
Heat Recovery Ventilation
Considered as the lung of the building, HRV system continuously brings fresh quality air balancing the indoor temperature and the humidity without letting the heat escape.
High-performance Glazing
Thermally broken, airtight, triple glazed, high-performance windows maximize or minimize heat gains and are an integral part of the high-performance building principle.
Other indicators we are accountable for.
Combining PH building principles with other approaches as Leed, we cover every aspect of building green, locally, and sustainably.
Waste management
Local Supply Chain
Material Selection
Community Impact
Looking to build energy-efficient homes and buildings?