Across the United States, aging baby boomers find themselves living in houses that once accommodated growing families but now feel oversized, difficult to maintain, and environmentally inefficient. Dick and Lavinia Benner, once in this exact situation, now reside in Ankeny Row—a Passive House (PH) cohousing community in Portland, Oregon, featuring five townhouses, one loft apartment, a community hall, and a shared courtyard garden. Their journey from concept to completion involved years of planning, countless meetings, and strategic collaboration.

Finding the Right Location and Partners

Ankeny Row is situated in a historic Portland neighborhood originally developed around streetcar transportation. Though the area experienced decline in the mid-20th century as automobiles became dominant, recent decades have seen revitalization, blending larger residential developments with high-end retail. In 2011, the Benners and another couple discovered the 12,600 ft² (1,170 m²) site that would eventually become Ankeny Row.

The founding residents approached their project methodically:

• Interviewed nine architectural or design/build firms
• Asked three finalists to participate in a design charrette
• Selected Green Hammer Design-Build for their understanding of the project's core objectives and previous Passive House experience

These objectives went beyond typical construction goals, focusing on:

1. Minimizing environmental impact
2. Creating residences suitable for "aging in place"
3. Establishing a social gathering place for a like-minded community

Ukuklama Okuphendulayo Kwezulu Emvelweni Yamanzi ePortland

Izulu lePortland—lithokozisa, libanda ezinsukwini ezibandayo futhi linokukhanya, libanda ezinsukwini ezishisayo—linobudlelwano obufana neCentral Europe, okwenza ukuthi umthetho wePassive House ube lula ukuwusebenzisa ngempela. Nokho, umehluko ezindleleni zokwakha nasekutholakaleni kwemikhiqizo yokwakha kudale izinselelo zokufaka ezancipha njengoba ulwazi lweGreen Hammer lukhula.

Kubaklami uDaryl Rantis noDylan Lamar, ukukhetha kwamakhasimende kwejardini elikhulu elisemaphakathi kwaba yisisekelo sokuhlela isizinda sonke:

• Izakhiwo ezintathu ezihlelwe emarounda ejardini elisemaphakathi
• Ukubekwa kwezindlu okuhlelekile ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukufaka ukukhanya kwelanga
• Isakhiwo esisodwa esinezakhiwo ezimbili ezinezigaba ezimbili ngemuva
• Isakhiwo sesibili esinezakhiwo ezimbili phambili
• Isakhiwo sesithathu esinendawo ezivamile emhlabeni ophakathi nendawo enezindlu eziphakeme phezulu
• Izingxenye zokuhlala ezivela ku-865 kuya ngaphansi kwe-1,500 ft² (80–140 m²)

Umqondo "Aha": Ukufeza i-Net-Zero nge-Passive House

Umqondo obalulekile wavela ekuqaleni kwenqubo yokwakha. Ngokubeka phambili izinga le-Passive House nokunciphisa kakhulu izidingo zamandla zomphakathi, umgomo ophakeme wezokuhlala ongenamandla (NZE) wabahlali waba nokwenzeka ngehlelo le-photovoltaic elihlanganisa ingxenye engaphansi kwengxenye yesroof esebheke eningizimu endaweni yangemuva. Umthamo ophelele wesistimu ye-PV ngu-29 kW.

Le ndlela ehlakaniphile imele ukuhlanganiswa kwemigomo ye-Passive House nokukhiqizwa kwamandla avuselelekayo—ukusebenzisa ukuklama izakhiwo okuphumelelayo kakhulu ukuze kwenziwe izinhlelo zamandla avuselelekayo zibe lula futhi zibe nezezimali.

Ukukhetha Izinto: Ukubeka Phambili Impilo Nokuhlala

I-palette yezinto ye-Green Hammer ye-Ankeny Row igxile ezinketho ezingelapheki, ezihlala zihlala:

• Cishe u-90% wezinto zokwakha zenziwe ng wood noma i-cellulose
• I-Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-iqinisekisiwe umthi nezinkuni eziqediwe
• Ukuvulwa kwezinsiza zensimbi eziqinile
• Ukusetshenziswa okulinganiselwe kwemikhiqizo ye-foam, ikakhulukazi ezisekelweni

Uhlelo lwezisekelo lukhombisa ukwehluka okusebenzayo—lusebenzisa isisekelo esifakwe insulation esifana ne-"bathtub" ye-styrofoam egcwele ikhonkrithi, enezinguquko ezicacile zokuqina emaphethelweni, ezindaweni zangaphakathi, nasezindaweni zomhlaba phakathi kwezisekelo.

Ukuhlanganiswa Kwezindonga: Ukusebenza Okuphezulu Nokuvuleka KweVapor

Ukuhlanganiswa kwezindonga ze-Ankeny Row kufinyelela inani le-R elihloniphekile elingama-50 ngokusebenzisa uhlelo olwakhiwe kahle:

• 2 × 6 inches (8 × 24 mm) ukwakhiwa kwesakhiwo (ezinye izindonga zisebenzisa ukwakhiwa kwe-2 × 4)
• I-plywood yesakhiwo yokumboza ngaphandle kokwakhiwa (ngakolunye uhlangothi lokushisa lokuvikela)
• I-9.5-inch (240 mm) wood I-joists efakwe ngaphandle kokumboza
• I-cellulose insulation egcwalisa izikhala ze-I-joist
• I-fiberglass mat gypsum sheathing ngaphandle
• I-diffusion-open membrane enezinhlangothi ezihlanganisiwe ezakha izithiyo ezivumelana nomoya nezimo zezulu

Le nhlanganisela ivumela ukuhamba kwe-vapor kokubili ngaphakathi nangaphandle, igwema ukuhlanganiswa kokunetha ngenkathi igcina ukusebenza kokushisa okuhle kakhulu.

Ukuqhubeka Kwe-Air Barrier Nokwakhiwa Kophahla

Uhlelo lwe-air barrier lukhombisa ukunakwa okukhulu emikhiqizweni:

• I-membrane ehlanganisiwe ibopha ngokuqhubekayo ukusuka emathafeni iye ophahleni
• Ukuxhumana okuqondile emaphethelweni e-concrete yesisekelo (i-air barrier ezingeni lomhlaba)
• I-monosloped wood trusses (28 inches/700 mm ubukhulu) egcwalisiwe nge-cellulose insulation
• I-ventilation channel phakathi kwe-trusses ne-metal roofing edala ukuhlanganiswa okuvuleka kwe-vapor

Ukuklanywa Kwe-Solar Okungasebenzi Nokunethezeka Kwezikhathi

Ukuklanywa kuthola inzuzo yokuhlelwa kwe-solar ngenkathi kuvinjwa ukushisa ngokweqile:

• Iwindi elikhulu ezindaweni ezibheke eningizimu likhulu kakhulu ekutholeni ukushisa kwe-solar ehlobo
• Izikhumbuzo ezijulile zihlala zikhanyisela amawindi aphezulu ebhange eningizimu ehlobo
• Ama-awning avikela amawindi aphansi kanye namawindi aphansi
• Ukucaciswa ngokucophelela kwezinto eziphakanyisiwe (ama-awning, amabhalkoni) ukuze kuncishiswe ukuhamba kokushisa
• Amawindi abekwe ngendlela ehlakaniphile avumela ukuhamba komoya okuhlangene nokuhamba komoya okuphambene ukuze kube nokupholisa ebusuku
• Amafanisi ophahleni kwezinye izindawo akhulisa ukunethezeka ngokusetshenziswa kwamandla okuncane

Izinhlelo Zokusebenza: Zincane kodwa Zisebenza

Iyunithi ngayinye iqukethe isethi ekhethiwe kahle yezinhlelo zokusebenza:

• Umshini ophumayo wokubuyisela ukushisa onikeza umoya omusha oqhubekayo
• Ama-mini-split heat pumps ukuze kube nokushisa okwengeziwe nokupholisa okwesikhashana
• Ama-heat pump water heaters afakwe ezindaweni zokugcina zangaphandle ukuze kugwenywe umsindo ngenkathi kukhishwa ukushisa emoyeni ojwayelekile
• Izinsiza eziphezulu ezibhalwe i-Energy Star
• Ukukhanya okuphelele kwe-fluorescent noma kwe-LED

Kulindeleke ukuthi ukushisa kwe-solar kanye nokushisa kwangaphakathi kuzohlinzeka ngama-67% wezidingo zokushisa zonyaka, kanti ama-mini-splits azobhekana nezinye.

Ukumodela Izinselelo Nokusetshenziswa Kwamandla Eqinile

Ukusebenzisa i-Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) ukuze kumodelwe izakhiwo ezintathu ezihlanganisiwe kwaveza izinselelo. U-Dylan Lamar's ulwazi ngephrojekthi ze-Passive House ePacific Northwest wamvumela ukuba akhethe izakhiwo ezizohlangabezana nezidingo zokushisa zonyaka kanye nezidingo zamandla aphambili.

Nokho, lapho ehlola usayizi wesistimu ye-PV, u-Lamar wadinga ukuphuma ezimisweni ze-PHPP zokusebenzisa amandla nezinsiza. Ukuhlola kwakhe kuhlinzeka ngokuqonda okujabulisayo kwezamasiko:

• Ngisho nabasebenzisi bamandla abaziqhenyayo eMelika ngokuvamile basebenzisa amandla amaningi kunezimo ezijwayelekile ze-PHPP
• Abahlali bePassive House baseYurophu ngokuvamile baphila ngaphakathi kwezimo ezijwayelekile ze-PHPP
• Ukuze kumodelwe kahle, u-Lamar ufaka izinkokhelo zamakhasimende zakudala ukuze ahlaziye ukusetshenziswa kwamandla okungashisi/okupholisa esikhathini esizayo

Ukucatshangelwa Kwezindleko: Okuhlangenwe Nakho Kwehlisa Iphremiyamu

Ngokwe-Lamar, iphremiyamu yezindleko zokwakha ngezindinganiso ze-Passive House imele ingxenye encane yephrojekthi yonke. Njengoba i-Green Hammer ithole ulwazi futhi yakha ubudlelwano nabaphakeli abaziqhenyayo ngezindlela zokwakha ze-Passive House, ezinye izinto—njengokukhetha ukuphela nezinketho zezingxenye—zinefuthe elikhulu ezindlekweni zokugcina kunezikhwama ezisebenza kahle kakhulu.

Passive House Metrics

Iphrojekthi eqediwe ifinyelele izibalo ezithakazelisayo zokusebenza:

• Ukushisa amandla: 1.37–2.09 kWh/ft²/year (14.76–22.46 kWh/m²/a)
• Ukupholisa amandla: 0.07–0.21 kWh/ft²/year (0.73–2.27 kWh/m²/a)
• Amandla aphelele: 12.07–14.83 kWh/ft²/year (130–160 kWh/m²/a)
• Indawo yephansi ethathwe: 1,312–3,965 ft² (122–368 m²)
• Ukuvuza komoya: 0.5–1.0 ACH50

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I-Ankeny Row ibonisa ukuthi izimiso zePassive House zingakwazi ukubhekana nezidingo eziningi ngasikhathi sinye—zihlinzeka ngamahholo anokuthula, anokusebenza kahle kwamandla lapho abahlali bengakwazi ukuhlala endaweni yabo ngesikhathi sokuguga, kuyilapho kukhuthazwa uxhumano lomphakathi nokunciphisa umthelela wemvelo. Njengoba abanye abakhulile befuna izinketho zokunciphisa ezisimeme, le phrojekthi yasePortland ihlinzeka ngezifundo eziwusizo zokuhlanganisa ukusebenza kwezobuchwepheshe nezinhloso zomphakathi.