San Rafael, United States (IBwire.com - July 02, 2009) BauTechnologies is now providing services in a collaborative effort between Weir/Andrewson Associates, Inc. and Nabih Tahan, AIA to offer energy reduction technology to the design and construction industry. BauTechnologies brings its extensive European experience in single and multi-family housing to America by developing designs according to the Passive House Standard and introducing advancements in off-site construction technology which have improved the performance of buildings while making them more affordable.  Weir/Andrewson Associates has been providing engineering and architectural design services to the public and private sectors for the past fifteen years.   Nabih Tahan, AIA, a licensed architect in California, has been designing and developing projects in Austria and Ireland since 1992.

The Passive House Standard focuses on dramatically reducing the energy needed to heat and cool homes, without relying on solar or wind energy.  So effective is the application of this technology that homes in Europe have been able to reduce heating demand by 80%. The impact such a reduction can have on energy costs and the carbon footprint of a building is impressive, considering that building construction and operation use about 40% of all energy consumed in America. Widespread use of Passive House technology can make a major contribution to America’s energy savings and enable consumers to meet the requirements of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, AB32 as well as energy targets in the Climate Bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. In fact, this concept is catching on in the USA; see the New York Times article: The Energy Challenge, No Furnaces but heat aplenty in Passive Houses, which is accessible through www.bautechnologies.com.

Approximately 15,000 Passive Houses have been built in the cold climates of Central Europe, proving that this strategy is effective and economical.  Passive House certification is based on limits for yearly energy consumption for heating and cooling, as well as total energy use.  It is based on the strategy of reducing consumption by recycling “free heat” which is generated from gas and electric appliances and lighting.  A quiet heat recovery ventilation system that runs 24/7 brings fresh air inside the home while extracting heat from stale air before it is released.  The building method utilizes top-to-bottom insulation and airtight construction to trap and recycle heat and make 80% reduction in energy consumption possible.

However, it is not enough to design energy efficient homes, it is equally important to build them so that they perform as designed.  European home manufacturing companies fabricate closed wall, floor and roof panels in a controlled factory environment and then assemble them on site with their own trained crews.  This method of component manufacturing is not only affordable, but also improves energy efficiency, comfort and durability. 

BauTechnologies and Weir Andrewson Associates invite design professionals, developers, residential construction companies and homeowners to contact them at their office in San Rafael, California for additional information.

Press and media contact:

Nabih Tahan, AIA

Tel: 415-526-1777

Website: www.bautechnologies.com

Email: nabih@bautechnologies.com

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