Upping the Ante:Affordable, Multifamily Passive
Housing through Integrated DesignDylan Lamar, Intern Architect, CPHC
Alex Boetzel, Construction Manager, CPHC
7th Annual North American Passive House ConferenceSeptember 27-30, 2012 Denver CO
Session Learning Objectives:• Learn about current progress on affordable, multifamily
Passive House work in Portland, Oregon• Better understand an Integrated Design process in
implementing the Passive House standard to this building type
• Understand key details of implementing the Passive House standard on this project
7th Annual North American Passive House ConferenceSeptember 27-30, 2012 Denver CO
The Location
6.2 acre parcel in Hillboro, OR
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
The Site
General text
master plan
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
The Orchards at Orenco
• Total build out: 150 units in 2‐3 phases.• Phase 1: 57 units. • The total building size is 56,965 sq ft., 40,968 of
that is for the units and the rest is common, circulation, mechanical and electrical.
• The unit breakdown is 41‐ 1 Bedrooms and 16‐ 2 Bedrooms for a total of 57 units.
• Target market: workforce housing
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
Affordable Housing
• Target population: 50% AMI ($32,400 family of 3)• Rents approximately $650‐$775 • $1/sf/month roughly 1/2 of adjacent market rate development• Utility Cost 1/2 of County allowance $23‐29/month
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
PROJECT TEAM
Client: REACH Community DevelopmentProject Manager: Housing Development CenterArchitect: William Wilson ArchitectsPassivhaus Consultant: Green Hammer Design‐BuildMEP Consultants: PAE Consulting EngineersContractor: Walsh Construction
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
INTEGRATED DESIGN PROCESS
• CPHC brought onto project at Conceptual Design phase
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Increased cost‐effective decision‐making
• Allowed collaborative relationships to form before major design decisions were made (i.e. siting/massing)
• Sustainable Goal‐Setting Charrette
• Included project and community stakeholders
• Highlighted key challenges / proposed some solutions through group discussion
INTEGRATED DESIGN PROCESS
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Bi‐weekly meetings held to allow group design process
DESIGNDECISIONS
ENERGY MODELING
COST ESTIMATING
FACILITATEDGROUP
DISCUSSION
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
• Early Decisions: Simplify the Problem
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Elevator, laundry rooms, garbage chutes removed from thermal envelope• Minimize envelope assembly variations & complexity
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Section view of unconditioned spaces
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
• Early Decisions: Simplify the Problem
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Recirculating range hoods + HRV boost in kitchen & bathroom• Plumbing vents & roof drains aggregated in discrete, insulated “cold stacks”
• Early Decisions: Occupant Control
• Thermostat in each unit• Ventilation boost
Schematic Envelope Assembly Investigations
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Fenestration design is uniform since units have single exterior wall• Exterior shading varies by orientation
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Explored climbing vines as a shading element for east/west orientations
• No active cooling: passive night ventilation primary cooling strategy
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Consultant’s biggest challenge: exploring myriad design options and digesting complexity of the PHPP into clear and succinct deliverables
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
DESIGN & ENERGY MODELING
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
• Energy feedback kiosks to help inform residents…
What will it cost?
• Initial estimates (not Passive House): $131/sf• versus $150/sf (built to PH standard)• Working to VE to $144/sf
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
How to pay for it?
• Incentives: Energy Trust of Oregon• incentivizes soft costs and “cost effective” EEMs• Superinsulation is not considered cost effective
• Grants• more access to funds through cutting edge of PH and TOD• It can be replicated
• Higher compensation for Low Income Housing Tax Credit• more interest by investors because of PH
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
How to quantify other financial benefits of PH?
Passive House reduces Vacancy?• Industry standard is 93% occupancy• Will more comfort result in higher occupancy?• An increase by 5% would result in $25,000
additional revenue • Simple payback 30 years
Passive House reduces Maintenance?• If maintenance cost are reduced by 20%• Simple payback will be 20 years
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
Air-Tightness in MultifamilyPassive House Buildings
Built project in the projects in the Pacific Northwest by Walsh Construction:
• Sitka Apartments• Pearl Family Housing• UW Poplar• UW Alder
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
Sitka Apartments
• 1.6 ACHnatural• 2006
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
Pearl Family Housing• 0.22 cfm/sf (1.2 ACH50?)• 2010
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
UW Poplar Hall• 0.29 cfm/sf (1.6 ACH50?)• 2011
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
UW Alder Hall• 0.18 cfm/sf (<1 ACH50?)• 2012
Affordable, Multifamily Passive Housing through Integrated Design
