Passive homes are quickly becoming some of the most popular house models in the US. These buildings optimize thermal insulation while improving ambient air quality and reducing monthly energy bills.
However, passive building certifications are pretty rare, so how can you find a passive builder for your house?
This post will dive into the details of the 17 best passive home builders in the US. We’ll also explain how you can find a certified passive home builder near you. We hope you enjoy it!
The Best Passive Home Builders In the US
The best passive home builders in the US include PassivWorks in California, EcoCor in Maine, Artisan’s Group in Washington, and Terra Southeast in Tennessee.
However, these are just a few of our top selections.
Other reputable Passive Home manufacturers in the US rounding out our list include:
- PassivWorks
- G. Christianson Construction
- Hammer & Hand
- McCall Design & Planning
- EcoCor
- EcoCraft Homes
- BPC Green Builders
- Terra Southeast
- Artisan’s Group
- Anchorage Building Corporation
- Hammersmith Structures
- The Valle Group
- Oak Tree Homes
- Maine Passive House
- Calfayan
- Gambrick
- Montpelier Construction
Now that you’ve seen the rundown let’s discuss each of these esteemed builders in greater detail.
PassivWorks
PassivWorks takes passive home construction to the next level by ensuring all building materials are locally sourced. The firm is located near Napa’s world-famous wine country.
The builder also uses non-toxic construction supplies, high-quality craftsmanship, and passive building standards to prepare your home for any weather pattern.
Another reason Californians should consider PassivWorks is its reliance on solar energy. Solar power is one of the staples of net-zero living. While there are many differences between passive and net-zero homes, you can combine most of their aspects to create an eco-friendly building.
This company also offers remodeling to convert your home into a passive structure. So whether you want to renovate your house to save energy or build a brand-new home with passive construction standards, PassivWorks should be high on your list of considerations.
G. Christianson Construction
Those living in and around Oregon should consider G. Christianson Construction for passive home building.
This company uses cork insulation, one of the market’s most energy-efficient and eco-friendly materials. Furthermore, their buildings only create up to 20% of the carbon footprint of traditional homes (as explained by the company).
With numerous awards, G. Christianson Construction has remodeled existing homes and created new structures with strict passive home-building standards. These airtight buildings will save a lot of wasted energy while reducing your need to use various HVAC systems during extreme temperature fluctuations.
Each structure designed and built by G. Christianson Construction can be combined with carbon-neutral living standards and net-zero certifications. This builder also uses modern designs to ensure your home always looks as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
Hammer & Hand
Hammer & Hand is one of the best passive home builders in the Portland area. Many clients prefer Hammer & Hand because it has in-field experience.
Rather than contracting out work to various companies, it handles the whole process. In addition, this company prioritizes health, comfort, and eco-friendly standards.
Another reason you should consider Hammer & Hand is because it optimizes the little things around your home. For example, this company enhances all windows, doors, and vents to ensure they’re sealed when closed. This consideration means that you won’t have to worry about passive heat loss, random cold fronts, or stale, stagnant air quality.
Hammer & Hand has over 20 awards and certifications for green living, solar energy, and passive home construction. It’s also recommended by Energy Star, one of the world’s leading energy standard companies.
McCall Design & Planning
McCall Design & Planning is Idaho’s go-to passive construction company.
This business brings the fresh outdoor air into your home without changing the temperature. Thus, you can enjoy large windows and wide doors without sacrificing your home’s energy and temperature efficiency. It has the most updated passive construction certifications, too.
McCall Design & Planning also works on apartments, commercial buildings, pre-existing homes, and more. You can build a brand-new passive home or update your current house to fit the passive living standards and certifications. It’s been certified since 2016, making the firm one of the state’s oldest passive construction companies.
Idaho is a perfect candidate for passive living, which is why McCall D & P thrives. It helps your home use the sun’s rising and setting patterns to maintain comfortable interior temperatures throughout the year.
EcoCraft Homes
If you live in or around Pennsylvania, consider EcoCraft Homes for passive home building. This company uses mechanical ventilation, which prevents homes from consuming too much gas and electricity. It also uses high-quality doors and windows to insulate the building, whereas other companies fail to limit unwanted thermal bridges.
Much like McCall Design & Planning, EcoCraft Homes specializes in building orientation. As a result, your home will stay shaded during the summer months and heated during the winter. You’ll also have the best views of the sun because of its natural positioning through the triple-glazed windows.
Unparalleled thermal insulation is combined with airtightness to help your home’s temperature regulate itself. This company creates buildings so airtight that your body heat and electrical devices are enough to warm the room without using HVAC systems.
EcoCor
EcoCor is one of Maine’s top passive home builders. Like PassivWorks, EcoCor strives to combine net-zero living conditions with passive building standards. The result is a high-quality, energy-efficient home that saves plenty of money and energy down the road. Furthermore, it uses local builders to ensure you save as much time as possible.
One of the primary reasons people choose EcoCor is that they prefer modular homes. Modular houses are known for being built much faster than traditional homes. Furthermore, homeowners can move them to different locations if they decide to live elsewhere.
EcoCor optimizes airtightness and reduced energy reliance, which are some of the many pros of passive homes. Additionally, it ensures that everyone, from the architects to the builders, is knowledgeable of passive home requirements. As a result, your home will be as energy-efficient and comfortable as it can be.
BPC Green Builders
BPC Green Builders in Connecticut works to combine passive living environments with net-zero construction.
While passive homes are undeniably good for the ecosystem, net-zero living hosts many unique benefits. For example, you can achieve optimal position, renewable energy sources, and top-notch insulation by choosing BPC Green Builders.
Whether you’re in it for money savings or a reduced carbon footprint, hiring BPC Green Builders to design and construct your home will prevent unwanted energy losses. For example, it creates incredibly efficient ventilation systems that don’t require massive heaters, air conditioners, and other HVAC appliances used in traditional homes.
Since the passive homes built by BPC Green Builders only cost a fractional amount more than traditional homes, you’ll save more money in the long run—your energy consumption can be reduced by over 60%, which results in hundreds of dollars in annual savings.
Terra Southeast
Terra Southeast is Tennessee’s top passive home builder. This company was the state’s first certified passive builder, but it also assists in many passive building projects nationwide. It has built multiple-family homes, single-family homes, and commercial properties.
Terra Southeast also relies on optimal positioning to ensure your home reaps the benefits of passive energy savings. Everything from the triple-glazed windows to high-quality insulation keeps the house at a comfortable living temperature without employing too many gas-guzzling heating and cooling appliances.
The structures made by Terra Southeast save a lot of time, money, and energy, and they also last much longer than old-school buildings. In addition, they’re designed to prevent mold, mildew, and wood rot caused by excess humidity. These undeniable benefits ensure your home stays intact without losing hot or cold air.
Artisan’s Group
Artisan’s Group is known for building passive homes that look luxurious and stylish. Located in Washington, this company excels at bringing the origins of passive houses to the forefront of modern construction standards. So not only will your home look and feel great, but it’ll also save you a lot of money on heating and cooling bills.
Thanks to the triple-glazed windows and passive solar heating, you can enjoy low-sitting windows and stunning views. The builder also positions new buildings to work with the sunlight, ensuring your home is cool during the summer and warm during the winter.
Every step is checked and adjusted to ensure it’s considered a passive design. Once the construction process is finished, Artisan’s Group will present you with an official Passive Home certificate. This certification lets you know your home is incredibly energy efficient, but it also boosts the resale value if you ever intend to sell it.
Anchorage Building Corporation
Anchorage Building Corporation in North Carolina prides itself on longevity. These energy-efficient passive homes are designed to last for multiple generations.
The company claims it can be the last home your family buys for many decades without costing too much more than a traditional house. In addition, this business constructed the first three passive homes throughout the state, making it a reliable source.
Every client who’s purchased a passive home or had passive construction renovation through this company has saved on energy expenses. Unlike many other passive home builders, this company relies on traditional home appearances with “forward-thinking energy strategies.”
Anchorage Building Corporation gets most of its materials from within the state, saving you time and shipping costs. It also uses local labor to start and finish the project as quickly as possible. The tried-and-true formula has created many passive and semi-passive homes over the years.
Hammersmith Structures
Hammersmith Structures is one of Colorado’s most reputable passive home builders.
It claims to use as little as 10% of the energy consumed by heating and cooling a building, helping you save thousands of dollars down the road. In addition, their ideal insulation and airtightness make them perfect for winter, summer, spring, and fall.
Another example of Hammersmith Structures’ impressive modern designs is high-end vapor control. As a result, you won’t have to deal with mold from vapor seeping through the insulation, windows, walls, or doors. Instead, these structures use mechanical ventilation to keep the desired temperature in the house without encouraging temperature fluctuations.
You can choose Hammersmith Structures to upgrade your home to a certified passive house or to build a new home.
The Valle Group
The Valle Group in Massachusetts takes a unique approach to passive home construction. While it offers new designs, this company can incorporate your architectural preferences into a passive house. You can hire an architect to create the ideal home, then bring the plans to The Valle Group to make minor changes for massive results.
This company also offers pre-made architectural designs if you’re unsure where to start. You can even give a few ideas and use The Valle Group as a passive home consultant on your new project. Check out its helpful booklet to get a better idea of what it offers, including prices, designs, and more.
You can also choose The Valle Group for kitchen modifications, deck upgrades, and many other renovations to bring your old home to new passive house standards.
Oak Tree Homes
Iowa’s Oak Tree Homes takes a lengthy history of architecture and passive building certifications to construct some of the state’s most efficient designs. These buildings utilize ventilation, sunlight, and optimal airflow to bring fresh outdoor air into your home without changing the temperature—no more dealing with stale, muggy indoor air!
This company offers multiple services based on passive building requirements, including remodeling, architectural blueprints, and new home construction. You can also incorporate home additions and single-room renovations to make specific parts of your home more energy-efficient and thermally insulated.
Every Oak Tree Homes team member is rigorously trained in the passive certification process, meaning they can all help you design and construct the perfect passive home wherever you live.
Maine Passive House
Those living in and around Maine can contact Maine Passive House. This company took on the daunting task of passive thermal insulation in one of the country’s coldest states. However, Maine Passive House has managed to create multiple passive homes that don’t require external HVAC systems to stay warm throughout the winter.
Everything from the construction materials to the airtight sealant is designed with the environment and energy consumption in mind. This company’s goal is to ensure you have the home of your dreams without spending too much on your energy bills. Furthermore, it maintains traditional design concepts for a classic home appearance.
Another reason you should consider Maine Passive House is it aims to keep your new home’s cost close to that of a traditional home. You’ll receive a similar price tag with the added benefit of non-stop energy efficiency and financial savings.
Calfayan
Calfayan in Pennsylvania makes the most of the state’s fresh air and sunlight exposure to produce renewable energy, insulation, and reduced allergens.
Many old-school homes don’t offer insulation to prevent pollen and other debris from getting into the house. However, this company’s airtight seals and mechanical ventilation get the job done.
Like a few other companies on the list, Calfayan prioritizes net-zero living standards. This designation means you can use solar panels and other forms of renewable energy to save even more money than traditional passive homes. This combined effort concomitantly reduces your carbon footprint and energy reliance drastically.
Finally, Calfayan is so detailed that it monitors your home’s heat output to choose the best materials. They can determine how much heat comes from the people, pets, and appliances to create a comfortable living environment that’s not too hot or cold.
Gambrick
New Jersey residents can opt for Gambrick, a certified passive home builder. This business states that it builds homes that use up to 90% less electricity on heating and cooling and up to 70% less overall energy.
It also develops and modifies almost any building to fit passive building standards, including villas, apartments, and more.
You’ll also enjoy this company’s detailed blueprint designs and construction processes. The projects are made to last a lifetime, keeping you comfortable at any temperature. Gambrick claims its buildings can use as little as “$350 of energy in an entire year,” making it significantly cheaper than traditional homes when it comes to utility bills.
Montpelier Construction
Montpelier Construction is based on the idea that you can create a functional, efficient home that looks and feels just as wonderful as a stick-built house.
Its buildings use a fraction of energy on heating and cooling bills through modernized ventilation, triple-glazed windows, and so on. It’s also certified by three passive home networks and many other energy companies.
This Vermont-based construction company drastically reduced carbon emissions to create eco-friendly homes throughout the state. You’ll save money, design a green living space, and keep your home’s internal temperature at your desired levels at any time of the year.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still unsure about which builder to choose, you can find numerous passive house contractors by visiting the Naphne Network. The webpage shows the most certified passive builders that aren’t on our list.
However, whichever company you choose, ensure they have a licensed Passive House certification.
Best of luck in your passive home-building endeavors!
Sources
- Passivworks, Inc. | Custom Home Builders & Remodeler in Napa and Sonoma
- G. Christianson Construction: Custom Passive House
- Hammer & Hand: Passive House Builders in Portland and Seattle
- McCall Design & Planning
- Ecocraft Homes: Passive House Certified Builder in Pittsburgh, PA
- Ecocor
- BPC Green Builders: Certified Passive House Custom Homes | CT & NY
- Terra Southeast, LLC.: About
- Artisan Group: Custom Passive Homes – Architecture and Interior Design
- Anchorage Building Corp
- Hammersmith Structures: Passive House Builder
- The Valle Group: new home construction
- Oak Tree Homes
- Maine Passive House
- Calfayan Construction: Custom Home Building in PA
- Gambrick: NJ Passive House Builder – Net Zero Homes
- Mont Pelier Construction: Passive House Construction
- Naph Network: The Passive House Network
We are currently building a passive house dormitory in New Hope, PA! I’m hoping we can make it on to this list one day!