Ok! Poll time.

This project is being built on Capitol Hill. Do you like it?

(poll in reply active until 5pm PT)

#Seattle #housing

Building Poll:

Alright! So the poll has shown that people *decidedly* like this project.
What if I told you that this new bit of housing looks like it does because it is a Passive House project? Do you know what a Passive House project is?

If not, this thread is for you! 3/
#Seattle #housing

First off, I always love sharing this video, Passive House in 90 Seconds, because it is the fastest way to explain what this sustainable type of building is.



4/

But if you want it to be hand fed, it's essentially this:

1. High Insulation
2. Ventilation With Heat Recovery
3. Air Tight Enclosure
4. Correct Solar Orientation
5. Exterior Shading
6. High-Performance Windows

I will also make a note that #2 means EVERY UNIT HAS AN A/C.

So what happens when you combine all these things?

Well for starters, you make a super TIGHT building, so no air or heat gets out. You then are using the body heat of people along with electric appliances to heat the space.

Yes, you read that correctly. 6/

And when you combine that with triple-pane windows you are also ensuring a super comfortable space that is never too hot nor too cold. It's also super quiet so you won't hear the highway, or cars going by, or police putting on their sirens after midnight. And the best...

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...super low energy bills! (and also creating a building that is super close to using no energy at all)

To explain a bit more about the design of the building above (done by Weber Thompson) the building is white b/c it absorbs less heat than other colors.

...
8/

...the building has patios on the south side to cover some of the shade the windows will get from direct sun. The windows are also set into the wall so that they are exactly where the temperature changes in the wall from hot to cool, meaning it's not super flat.

So...
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Seeing as people really like the design of Passive House buildings, why don't we see more of them in Design Review?

Well, because there's no (true) incentive to do Passive House or any other type of sustainable building.

I'll explain.

#Seattle
10/

So what programs does Seattle have? Well there's essentially two:

The first one is Priority Green Expedited. This type of program ensures that you have a dedicated staff team who is has the knowledge to understand your type of building.

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http://www.seattle.gov/sdci/permits/green-building/priority-green-expedited

It does not exempt design review.

Then we have the Living Building Challenge and the 2030 Challenge Pilots. These give you additional height and FAR in exchange for either create a net-zero energy building (Living) or reusing an existing bldg (2030)

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http://www.seattle.gov/sdci/permits/green-building/living-building-and-2030-challenge-pilots

For both of these challenges you are actually *required* to go through Design Review?

Now you are asking, "Ace, why do you hate Design Review?"

Well, there are two problems that I will get into:

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The first is time. Even when building the most sustainable building possible, a Living Building, you still are subject to a process that is both subjective and also time consuming. The building permits may be expedited, but Design Review is not.

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Solis (my example) took 14 months from the time it submitted its first land use application to the time that the building permit was issued (2017). For 45 units.

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Going through Design Rev you are also subject to wealthy, mostly white homeowners who will do anything to stop a project from happening.

The Bulitt Center, for example, was thrown a SEPA appeal because the project lacked parking.

It is the most sustainable bldg in the city.
16/

The second issue is: design!

Many of the things that we prioritize in design review (lots of windows, use of brick, ALL THE MODULATION) actually make a building use even more energy. This makes things like a Living Building or Passive House, extremely difficult to achieve.

17/

So! What is the solution if we want more Passive House projects to be built?

Well, you provide actual incentives!

Ideally every project in the city should be at or near Passive House standards, but it's still a new building type for the US and we are in a housing crisis...
18/

...so I would say either allowing all Passive House / Living Building projects to go through Administrative Design Review (which they are not allowed) OR be completely exempt from Design Review would be a major incentive for developers to choose this option.

In addition...
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...the City should use its authority under our local Green New Deal to invest in training the architects, engineers, and builders need to be able to build these kinds of projects. Not everyone in town has the experience needed to do it, but given the climate crisis...

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...we're going to need it soon.

In the mean time, if you know anyone who is looking for a Passive House Certified Architect, you can send them my way!

and with that, I cede the floor.
/End http://www.housecosmopolitan.com 

and for a bonus I'm going to tag the chairs and vice chairs of Seattle's Finance & Housing, Land Use & Neighborhoods, and Sustainability & Renter's Rights Committees

@CMTMosqueda
@Lisa_Herbold
@CMDanStrauss
@cmkshama
@CMTammyMorales

#Seattle #housing #sustainability #GND