The Ojai Post

Wintertime solar gain, summertime solar shading, efficient insulation, and natural ventilation are all elements of the passive-design methodology now being used internationally. German-speaking countries and Scandinavia have been leading the movement, and so far more than 15,000 “passive houses” have been built.

As more and more homeowners are asking for passive design, more and more architects and contractors are learning how to offer it. With passive design, even the need for solar panels and wind turbines is virtually eliminated, because in passive-design houses indoor climate control can be as much as 90 percent self-sustaining. The presentation will show that passive design is today’s single most significant way to reduce energy consumption—in the Ojai Valley and around the world.

The presentation will feature a PowerPoint slideshow that includes photos, and a question and answer period will follow. Presenter Wayne Pendrey, a member of the Green Coalition’s Building and Construction Committee, serves on the board of directors of the Ventura County Contractors Association and is the chair of that association’s Green Building Committee. Pendrey is also chairman of the Strategic Partner Committee for the California Central Coast Chapter of the United States Green Building Council.