Passive Houses Coming to Prospect Heights

A new, four-unit apartment complex on St. Marks Ave. near Bergen St. could signify a new trend in green housing throughout the borough. 

According to the US Passive House Institute, more than 15,000 buildings have been designed or remodeled to the Passive House standard, but the concept is still relatively new in the United States.

Developers Brendan Aguayo and Martin Handler have taken a renovated brownstone in Prospect Heights and also built it in this fashion with the belief that passive houses are the way of the future.

"I believe that in the next five years, 50 percent or more of the units in Brooklyn will be built to the Passive House standard," said Handler. "As more people begin to do it, the cost will become cheaper."

A Passive House is a highly insulated, air-tight structure that uses a mechanical ventilation system to bring in a fresh air supply. Heat comes through passive solar gain and by internal gains from people or electrical equipment, while shading and window orientation helps to keep the apartments cool.

The end result is a reduction in energy use and carbon emissions, which can create an impressive amount in savings for residents.

"You're ultimately saving about 90 percent on your energy bills while also living in a building that is environmentally friendly," said Aguayo.

In addition to the savings on energy bills, Aguayo said that there also other benefits to potential buyers of Passive Houses.

“The indoor air quality of a Passive House is probably the best you’ll find anywhere in the city because there’s a constant, balanced supply of fresh air coming through the ventilators,” said Aguayo. 

However, the specialty units also come at a higher cost to build.

Factors such as installing energy recovery ventilators to insulate the building and importing specialty windows from Austria have led to the units being 20-25 percent more expensive than they would be without meeting the Passive House standard.

"We're hoping that this becomes less expensive in the future," said Handler. "As more people express interest in these types of units, the windows might be built in the US instead of having to be imported from Austria and then other elements of building will become cheaper as well."

All four units in the brownstone are two-bedroom apartments and will go on the market sometime in October or November. Aguayo said that while a price tag has yet to be confirmed, all of the units will go over the $600,000 mark.