Potential Approach to Comparatively Evaluate Whole-building Energy Use and Indoor Environmental Quality in Passive House and Conventional Buildings

A review of scholarly research indicates that the savings from utility bills and improved Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in Passive House buildings relative to conventional construction are not guaranteed. This paper proposes a potential approach for creating calibrated energy models to reduce the gap between measured and simulated energy use and validating the energy reduction of Passive House over conventional buildings. A case study approach is followed wherein IEQ indicators are modeled in multifamily residential buildings. The two buildings - one following conventional and the other following Passive House construction standards - have similar layouts and identical orientations in climate zone 5A. A whole building calibrated simulation approach is presented in the comparison of the performance of the two buildings. Compliance with ASHRAE guidelines, and data-driven energy models, based on data collection using ECMs and utility bills of the buildings are used as the basis of performance characterization. This paper introduces a comparative approach to investigating IEQ such as thermal comfort and indoor particle concentration in Passive House buildings compared to conventional buildings.