In early April, I attended the 27th International Passive House Conference in Innsbruck, Austria.
Jürgen Schnieders, Senior Scientist at the Passivhaus Institut, focused on guidelines involved in reaching a post fossil fuel economy, which included “It’s the existing buildings that matter”. We can’t build ourselves out of the climate crisis that the building industry played such a large part in getting us in.
Lloyd Alter was also inspiring in reminding everyone that the design community often doesn’t need to build, but that if we do, we must do less, more cleverly, more efficiently, and with less waste. In other words, we must do everything we can to retrofit what we currently have, and that Passive House is the best resource towards this end.
Also, I was able to walk to the edge of Innsbruck one day in only 15 minutes, and then up into the surrounding hills to go hiking, because there was no urban sprawl. A great trip.
–Matthew Radune. Associate at Henson Architecture
