Passive House in the Woods

The Client’s Vision

My vision is to build a house that is:

• Efficient in the use of energy, space and water
• Healthy in air and water quality
• In harmony and an enhancement for nature outside while inviting nature inside
• Sustainably built
• Easy to maintain
• Fun to live in

I believe Passive House design is the best tool to achieve my vision.

I never envisioned building a house.  I anticipated the process as too stressful in addition to the negative environmental impact of another piece of land being removed from it’s natural state to be developed.

My wife’s cancer journey, resulted in the selling of our home of 19 years and our planning on building a very healthy and energy efficient new house.  Although many we met believe that they design and build “green”; we did not find their definition sufficient.

A Minneapolis Star Tribune article in December 2008, referencing an earlier New York Time article, introduced me to Passive House.  I ordered the Passive House Institute’s book (Homes for a Changing Climate); after reading it I knew I found my house.  Resource listings in the book led me to Certified Passive House™ consultant and professional building designer, Tim Eian, located in Minneapolis.  Tim and his assistant, J Chestnut, have a passion for their work, particularly Passive House and sustainable living.

Tim’s passion for Passive House is infectious.  He has helped me assemble a team to build my house that has similarly become infected with this passion.  Being surrounded by such enthusiasm has resulted in a “fun” planning and building environment that has greatly reduced the stress of this process.  The people of Morr Construction have continued this “destressing” with their competency, honesty and experience.  I’d particularly like to mention Sean Morrissey, Josh Crenshaw and Steve Swanson; the latter two are the producers and stars of the construction videos on this web site.  Christine Frisk and her assistant, Erin Heikkinen of InUnison Design have been invaluable with suggestions about colors, styles and design in the interior and exterior.  Carol Chaffee of Chaffee Lighting, has been helpful with lighting both inside and outside, but lighting that will do the task creatively without using energy excessively.  Laurie McRostie of McRostie Landscape Architect, has been very helpful with integrating the outside of the building with the nature scape and providing a plan of restoration when the building is completed.

Passive House is a concept that has not been applied in my cold climate in reproducible, residential housing.  We are confident we will attain this goal and continue the process with the Appleseed project of North Minneapolis.

Unfortunately, my wife will not see the results of this effort as her illness overtook her last year.  But the initiative she started has led to a building that will be very efficient, very healthy and fun to live in.  I build with the hope others will learn from this building project about how they can enhance their housing options also.

Gary Konkol

Posted in Vision | 3 Comments