Lisuzzo Passive House
West Chester, Pennsylvania
The Lisuzzo Passive House is a new, single-family home certified by the Passive House Institute U.S. for design and construction according to rigorous design and construction principles.
Hugh Lofting collaborated with Williams Loustau Architects to provide construction management and timber framing for the 2,140-square-foot residence. With aesthetics inspired by Chester County farmhouses, the home merges comfortable, cottage style architecture with high-tech systems and construction. The house includes two bedrooms and two and a half baths. Features include exposed timber framing, wood floors, and sliding barn doors. Super insulation, minimized thermal breaks, and triple-pane windows contribute to an airtight blower door-tested building envelope. An energy recovery ventilation system (ERV) provides heat and humidity recovery ventilation while supplying 24-7 fresh air.
As evidenced in the photos, the home dispels the myth that Passive Houses cannot enjoy open windows and fresh air; on the contrary, the home offers terrific cross breezes via operable turn-and-tilt windows.
Architect: Williams Loustau
Contractor: Hugh Lofting Timber Framing & High Performance Building
Photographer: Jeffrey Totaro
Completed: 2015
Size: 2,150 square feed
Certification: PHIUS+ Passive House Certified