TRUMANSBURG — A Trumansburg housing development that HOLT Architects designed for Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS) earned a Passive House certification. Village Grove’s certification — which Ithaca–based HOLT Architects announced March 4 — represents a “significant step forward in the movement toward more sustainable, equitable housing solutions in New York State,” the firm said. Passive […]
TRUMANSBURG — A Trumansburg housing development that HOLT Architects designed for Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS) earned a Passive House certification.
Village Grove’s certification — which Ithaca–based HOLT Architects announced March 4 — represents a “significant step forward in the movement toward more sustainable, equitable housing solutions in New York State,” the firm said.
Passive House certification is recognized as the world’s leading standard for energy efficiency in buildings, HOLT Architects said. By utilizing high-performance insulation, airtight construction, energy-recovery ventilation, and optimized solar gain, Village Grove reduces heating and cooling energy use by up to 80 percent compared to conventional buildings.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this achievement with INHS and our project partners including New York State [Division of Housing and Community Renewal],” Steve Hugo, a principal of HOLT Architects, said in the announcement. “Achieving Passive House Certification reflects our team’s dedication to sustainability and the creation of resilient, healthy communities.”
Village Grove is the first multi-family housing development in Tompkins County to attain Passive House certification, the firm noted. In 2019, the project design received an award from NYSERDA’s Buildings of Excellence competition.
The project demonstrates a high-performance, low-carbon operation with building construction that helps bring efficient green building to scale in New York. The project also utilizes ground source heat pumps and plans to achieve NetZero through the purchase of off-site community solar.
Village Grove was developed by INHS with funding from New York State and other housing partners. The project team included Taitem Engineering and TG Miller, both of Ithaca, and Fisher Associates, a design-services firm headquartered in Rochester.
The team also included Sustainable Comfort, a company specializing in energy efficiency consulting, construction, and property management. The firm is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts and operates an office in Syracuse.
“Village Grove showcases the advancement of green, sustainable building at INHS, marking the nonprofit’s inaugural Passive House design,” Kate De la Garza, INHS executive director, said in the HOLT Architects announcement. “This groundbreaking project was made possible thanks to the support from our trusted community, funders, and partners.”
