With the onset of the summer heat, our casual reliance on air conditioners returns along with the quiet acceptance of the cost to run them. This begs the question of how we can better prepare ourselves for hotter longer summers?

Since 2020, the city has require all private buildings over 25,000 SF (or city owned buildings that are over 10,000 SF) to post their energy grade as calculated by Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager. Building Energy Grades will use letter grades A-F, just like schools, to make them easily understood by the public and offer transparency.

At ZH Architects, we are always on the lookout for inspiration in the Passive House design community. We are excited that architects are beginning to synthesize the demands of Passive House construction with high design. Here are three designs that have inspired us lately.