Studio 804 Kansas City House Earns Passive House and LEED Platinum Certification

Studio 804's latest project takes green building to a new level.

By Susan Melgren
January 2011 Web
Prescott Passive House exterior
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Studio 804's latest building project, the Prescott Passive House in Kansas City, Kansas, earned LEED Platinum and Passive House certification.
Photo Courtesy Studio 804, studio804.com
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The University of Kansas School of Architecture and Design’s Studio 804 program focuses on sustainable and affordable design, often in forgotten and blighted urban neighborhoods. The studio’s 2006 project, Modular 3 (featured in the September/October 2008 issue of Natural Home) featured passive solar design, a simple floor plan to maximize efficiency, and recycled, local, natural and sustainably sourced building materials.

Studio 804’s latest project, the Prescott Passive House in Kansas City, Kansas, takes green building to a new level. This home was the second of Studio 804's residences in the Kansas City area to earn LEED Platinum certification and the first home in the state to earn Passive House certification, the up-and-coming building standard in the United States that focuses on super insulation to reduce heating and cooling needs by 90 percent. The home’s 16-inch-thick walls, 22-inch-thick ceiling, triple-pane windows and airtight building envelope help keep heat in, while a four-inch concrete slab floor in the main living area acts as thermal mass, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. An energy recovery ventilator exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outside air, helping the home to maintain a constant temperature. Inside the home, walls around the living spaces are open at the top, promoting better airflow throughout the home.

The home is located at 32 S. 16th St. in Kansas City, Kansas.

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  • Tintbuyer101 4/9/2011 2:58:42 AM

    It is very wonderful to know that Studio 804's latest building project has earned this kind of certification. More and more buildings and houses earns LEED Platinum and Passive House certification. This means that we are getting conscious and aware of which products and construction materials to use. The idea in choosing materials for a green building is that, it must be an energy efficient product. Green products such as window tints would be a great idea in pursuing green buildings or even green homes and green cars. While most window films are for reducing solar heat gain in the summer, low-e films both block summer heat and improve winter heat retention. Green oriented sites such as www.TintBuyer.com discuss how window tints can be labeled as one of the most effective way to conserve energy consumption for less compared to other green related technology. TitntBuyer.com can also help you get LEED points for window film and find a dealer near your area.

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