Passive Building a Key Element of Innovation in Solar Decathlon Winning Projects

The Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2023 Build Challenge winners included a duplex that addressed gentrification pressure and embodied Phius principles

CHICAGO, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, Phius, celebrated the annual Solar Decathlon Build Challenge winners who serve as visionaries for reshaping and creating more equitable, healthy communities. Phius is the smartest path to a zero-carbon environment, maintaining a locally tailored, globally applicable passive building standard that accounts for certifying the vast majority of all passive projects in North America. Finalists and winning projects in the Solar Decathlon often incorporate Phius certification principles to reduce energy demand and consumption and optimize for adaptability and resilience. This year's Build Challenge Overall 1st Place Winner featured a project from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, named The Alley House, which used Phius principles for passive building. Led by Cardinal Studio, The Alley House addresses gentrification pressure, promotes neighborhood revitalization, and facilitates lifestyle growth for local families. The finished building infills a vacant lot with an affordable two-family, net-positive energy home that activates public alleys, and integrates sustainable landscape design criteria and Phius passive house principles. This prototype building design showcases energy efficiency, offers community engagement opportunities, and creates a desirable, safe, functional, and healthy home to sustain two families while supporting sustainability and affordable living. A previous Design Challenge winner, SunBlock, in Tucson, Arizona, turns saved energy into stored energy, combining Phius passive building standards, solar PV, heat pumps, and thermal energy storage to provide affordable, fail-safe cooling to a low-income community. SunBlock understands that different buildings have different energy needs at different times. Schools need air conditioning during the day, but schools are out in the summer, meaning cooling equipment sits unused — exactly when homes most need cooling in the afternoon and evening. SunBlock generates carbon-neutral thermal energy and shares it with the neighborhood for an affordable cooling solution - helping the environment and delivering savings on energy bills to those who need it most.

Phius is actively involved in the Solar Decathlon, driving impact with innovative designs and supporting the educational experience for students who participate. As the leading standard for high-performance buildings, Phius has long been closely associated with the Solar Decathlon. Phius staff members, board members, and certified professionals have all participated in various capacities. A non-profit organization, Phius is quickly growing in adoption, nearly doubling the square footage of certified projects over the previous year, signifying a booming industry shift. As 2023 brings more climate-related issues, increased strain on power grids, and the need for zero-energy innovation grows, mainstreaming passive building will provide a foundation for equitable, healthy buildings.

"We are proud to once again see Phius projects leading the way in the Solar Decathlon – a fantastic event that fosters innovation and strengthens the future of passive building," said Katrin Klingenberg, executive director and co-founder of Phius. Phius' mission is to create a built environment that supports the health of people and the planet – innovators like those involved in the Solar Decathlon are the future leaders of this vital endeavor. Simply put: zero is the goal, and Phius is the means. With membership growing 30% in 2022, North America's largest passive building certification program is leading the country toward a more sustainable, resilient future in 2023 and beyond.

Images of the projects mentioned above are available HERE. Visit http://www.Phius.org for more information.

About Phius
Phius is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to decarbonizing the built environment by making high-performance passive building the mainstream market standard. We train and certify professionals, maintain and update the Phius climate-specific passive building standard, certify and quality assure passive buildings, certify high-performance building products and conduct research to advance high-performance building. ###

Media Contact

Jennifer Ritchie, Phius, 1 206-354-8049, phius@revolutionpr.com

SOURCE Phius