Passive House

The highest level of energy efficiency that a building can achieve

Higher than LEED platinum and much higher than Energy Star, the Passive House Institute U.S. is an independent, not-for-profit third party organization that oversees the rigorous certification process.  

"From the first time I got to see a Brach house in the real world, I was hooked. I loved his clean lines, open plans and modern fresh take on what a house should be. When we built the first passive house, in the Mountain West, together I came to really enjoy his attention to detail and deep thirst for doing the right thing. We couldn't be happier with what we have, a modern, eye-stunning, top notch ecological home, that keeps us warm and comfortable year around."
— Joe Turner

Passive Houses are the best houses

• Drastically lower energy consumption
• Superior indoor air quality (a great benefit in Salt Lake County)
• Improved occupant comfort regardless of outside temperature
• Vastly lower operating costs over the lifetime of the building

When combined with our attention to aesthetic and detail, the resulting building can be a truly spectacular place to live and work. We have more than 10 years experience (primarily practicing in the Salt Lake Valley and Park City area) and are sensitive to your budget concerns. Achieving the Passive House standard does not necessarily mean spending more. We can help you reach your goal within budget.

We model your project in 3D, providing clients with a complete understanding of their building during the design phase. Learn more about 3D Modeling.

Lower Demand

At Brach Design Architecture, we use smart design to create buildings that capture and store energy in the winter, and block out heat energy in the summer. We accomplish this by employing passive design strategies to the greatest extent possible. These solutions utilize very low-tech building elements to keep the inside of a building comfortable—warm in winter and cool in summer. This allows us to help clients drastically reduce the energy demand to a point where a relatively small renewable energy system can be added to bring energy consumption effectively to zero.

That's Great, But Why Do I Need It?

• You care about the air you breathe 
• You want to save money on utility bills
• You want to do your part to help the environment
• You want a well-built and well-designed house
• You want to be smart

Breathe Clean Air

We know the air quality that we breathe is critical to good health. Unfortunately, Salt Lake County and surrounding areas have a real problem with particulate build-up during inversions. Plus, the population here is exploding. Passive House design can help on this front. By building an air tight home and filtering particulates from the incoming air, you guarantee that all the air you and your loved ones breathe at home will be clean and healthy—inversion or not.