Beyond A House for Artists and Bahnstadt, some architects are acknowledging that even with the best building insulation and shading, air conditioning may be necessary because of heatwaves. It may seem antithetical to passive design principles. But air conditioning is allowed in a Passive House if it keeps within certain conditions, according to Ben Caine, director of the architecture practice Leanhaus in Perth, Australia. Caine explains that the aim is to reduce overheating beyond 77°F to less than 10% of the time. “This can be as little as 1/10th the cooling demand of a conventional house,” Caine says.

Alternatively, his designs can use small fans with duct work to transfer cool air between parts of a house. “These are very cost effective, quiet and easy to install,” according to Caine.

Architect and Passive House designer Caine believes that air conditioning, powered by solar energy, “is a cost effective and responsible way to augment the comfort” of a Passive House.

Cost-effectiveness is important given the higher upfront costs of many passive designs, even away from high-end extremes like Winthrop Center. “We are always trying to provide the best balance of cost and performance to make Passive House standard homes accessible to more people,” Caine explains. He believes that integrating air conditioning with solar panels can bring down costs compared to “overly thick and expensive wall systems.”