Jacob Staub with Ripcord Engineering and Active House USA, gives us more insight on High Performance builds. He started at the Naval Academy flying planes and then started to test them. He figured out how to make things more energy efficient. He was always intrigued with energy savings. After that experience he acquired a degree in engineering and started consulting on Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical using modern building practices.
Active House USA, is a national organization that fits the standard of national practice from east and west coast partners. The three founders, David Knight of Monterey Energy Group, Jacob Staub of Ripcord Engineering and Francesco Marchesi of Messana Hydronic Technologies supported the passive house standards focused on energy consumption but also on holistic design. Active House is a movement or human-centric as Jake explains and that they are concerned with the views and healthy buildings for people and planet.
An Active House is a building that offers a healthy and comfortable indoor climate without a negative impact on the environment– measured in terms of energy, freshwater consumption, and the use of sustainable materials. This is a holistic approach to building design that has been adopted in the construction industry and amongst planners and designers. The principles have been tested, and current specifications are based on real data, not just estimates. Putting the occupants at the center means focusing on the parameters which matter most to humans, with a minimal carbon-footprint.