Learn about green and passive building

A plain-language guide to the five fundamentals of a passive house — super-insulation, airtightness, high-performance windows, heat-recovery ventilation, and right-sized systems.

What the major green-home certifications actually mean for a homeowner — the performance ideas behind them, what gets tested, and how certification affects a build.

How home energy ratings and indexes work, what a lower score means for your bills and comfort, and how an energy model guides design before you build.

The questions, certifications, and past-project evidence to look for when hiring a green or passive-house builder — and the red flags that should give you pause.

A friendly glossary of green and passive-house building terms — ACH, U-factor, thermal bridge, HRV, embodied carbon, and more — without the jargon.

How the up-front cost of a greener home compares with the savings over time, plus the kinds of incentives and financing that can lower the premium.

A plain-language guide: What is a passive house. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Passive house vs. net-zero: what's the difference. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What does airtight construction mean. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What is a blower-door test. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What is a thermal bridge, and why it matters. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What is an HRV or ERV, and do I need one. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: How much insulation does a green home need. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What U-factor and SHGC mean on windows. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Are triple-pane windows worth it. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What is embodied carbon in a home. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: How to make a new build solar-ready. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What is an all-electric home. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Does a green home cost more to build. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: How long until a green home pays off. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: How to read a green builder's estimate. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Questions to ask a green builder before you hire. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Green building in hot, humid climates. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Green building in cold climates. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Can you make an existing home passive. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What is a deep energy retrofit. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: How an airtight home stays healthy and fresh. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Avoiding mold and moisture in a tight home. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: How ventilation improves indoor air quality. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: How a heat pump is sized for an efficient home. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What does net-zero-ready mean. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Green building and home resale value. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: A first-timer's custom green-home checklist. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Green building for families new to the US. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: Understanding energy incentives and rebates. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.

A plain-language guide: What the timeline of a passive build looks like. What it means for your home, your comfort, and your bills, and how to talk to a green builder about it.