Houzz Tour: Passive House Principles, Active Benefits in Portland
Architect Jeff Stern has spent much of his career designing ecominded houses and buildings, so when he decided to build his own home three years ago, he naturally chose an energy-efficient approach. Instead of striving for LEED or other points-based ratings, he turned to Passive House design, a perhaps simpler but no less rigorous certification. “At the time I didn’t know much about it,” says Stern, but the holistic approach to overall energy efficiency appealed to him. “The criteria is exactly the same no matter where you are in the world,” he says, although each home is uniquely suited to its site.
By the time he finished the home’s design, Stern was a certified Passive House consultant. He has made Passive House design a core feature of his Portland, Oregon–based firm, In Situ Architecture and is currently working on several single-family dwellings and some multifamily housing designed to meet Passive House standards. His house is where it started.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jeff Stern, wife Karen Thurman, their 2 cats and dog Bee
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,965 square feet (183 square meters)
Year completed: 2013
Stern worked with certified Passive House designers in Seattle, who were able to test the overall energy efficiency of the house on digital models. They deduced that simpler, more compact forms performed better and would be more cost effective. Overhangs were minimized, footprints simplified and square footage reduced.
From the street the house doesn’t dominate the Portland neighborhood, and rough-sawn cedar with a semitransparent ebony stain suits the Pacific Northwest aesthetic. “There are no heroic gestures,” says Stern. People seem to like the look.
Inside he employed simple finishes. In the kitchen and for all the custom cabinets throughout the house, AC-grade flat-grain Douglas fir plywood was used. The cabinetmakers finished the wood with a clear water-based seal.
Green plastic laminate counters from Laminati give this room color — a simple and cost-effective way to bring accents into the house, Stern says. The rear countertop is stainless steel with an integrated sink and backsplash.
“We always wanted our house to feel bright and sunny,” says Stern. His wife, Karen Thurman, a felt artist, suggested painting color accents. They studied Le Corbusier color palettes for inspiration, then selected a limited number for the house. They had fun with the color, intending for it not to be taken too seriously.
Houzz Tour: Passive House Principles, Active Benefits in Portland
Houzz Tour: Passive House Principles, Active Benefits in Portland
