Climate change is well-known to all. This is why we need to act now to address the problem and protect life on this planet. However, sustainability on Earth is at risk from many factors. The buildings are one of them. This is why the terms passive houses and ecological houses have become so popular.
The buildings account for about one-third of the carbon dioxide that is released in cities. It seems logical to move towards sustainable architecture.
What brought you to this page is the question of whether ecological and passive houses are synonymous.
First, what is a passive house?
Passive houses are buildings that have low energy consumption to reduce energy costs. This means that heating and cooling costs can be cut by as much as 70%.
According to the panelized homes Oregon specialists, These buildings have low energy consumption and can be used to cover energy needs with renewable or natural energy sources.
This is why passive houses are built on a bioclimatic design. They are now built following five principles. First, thermal insulation is important. Then comes the lack of thermal bridges.
Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery and high-performance windows and doors are important in addition to the hermeticity. These are crucial factors in the construction process.
Now, What Is an Ecological House?
Ecological houses are not passive houses. They have a holistic approach to design and construction, which considers their environmental impact.
These houses prioritize the use of traditional, natural, less processed, recycled, as well as traditional materials like wood, stone, and mud. This type of building also has a unique feature: they try to minimize the carbon footprint.
They also care about the transportation of the materials, and often lean towards local raw materials. They also consider the weather conditions. Also, If you are in Oregon, you may want to know more about Oregon prefab cabins.
To get the best out of the plants, the sun, rain, and wind. This helps reduce energy consumption, and therefore the environmental impact.
What are the similarities between these two buildings?
Passive houses and ecological homes share one thing in common: They value the climate in which they are built. They do this to maximize the use of the environment’s resources, decrease energy consumption, and be more friendly to it.
Another commonality between ecological and passive houses is the possibility of using the same materials for their construction.
They can be made from bricks, stones, wood, or straw. Each one has a positive impact on the planet in any case.
Passive houses and eco-houses can be confused. They do not necessarily mean the same thing, even though they were built using the same bioclimatic criteria.
Passive houses are energy efficient and have virtually zero consumption. Passive houses require good planning and design. You should also take great care when executing the construction process.
Greenhouses, on the other hand, focus on building materials and adapting to the environment. This type of work is committed to sustainability throughout the entire construction process.
Both concepts share the goal of creating sustainable and environmentally friendly dwellings but address different aspects of achieving that goal. It’s possible for a house to be both passive and ecological, incorporating energy-efficient design principles along with environmentally conscious construction practices and materials.