Posted on September 11, 2026 by passivehouseprojects -
Designed by PARAVANT Architects, this new single-family residence, a two-bedroom, 1.5-bath home on 950 square feet with its own private garden, was developed under SB9, California’s legislation enabling lot splits and additional housing on existing single-family parcels. The design was modeled using DesignPH and the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to optimize envelope performance, system efficiency, and long-term operational carbon reduction from the earliest stages of design. Built on rigorous application of the five Passive House principles, the home has earned Passive House Classic certification from the Passive House Institute (PHI).
For more information CLICK HERE.
Posted on September 11, 2026 by Christian -
Designed by PARAVANT Architects, this project replaces an existing garage with a new, free-standing Accessory Dwelling Unit: a two-bedroom, 1.5-bath home on 950 square feet, complete with its own private garden. Passive House principles were integrated from day one, with the design modeled using DesignPH and the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to optimize envelope performance, system efficiency, and long-term operational carbon reduction from the earliest design stages through construction.
The building is all-electric, fitted with wood-aluminum clad windows and doors, and powered by a dedicated 2.9 kW photovoltaic system. Pairing high-performance construction with on-site renewable generation to move toward true energy independence.
Rigorous application of the five Passive House principles gives the building exceptional energy efficiency, certified to the Passive House Construction Standard for maximum comfort, healthy indoor air quality, and dramatically reduced energy use. An unexpected benefit of an airtight, well-insulated envelope is acoustic performance: the result is an efficient, remarkably quiet home in the heart of urban Los Angeles.
Driven by a commitment to long-term resilience, occupant health, and energy independence, this project shows how PARAVANT Architects‘ Passive House design can redefine sustainable urban infill, one garage conversion at a time.
Posted on September 9, 2026 by passivehouseprojects -
Passive House Los Angeles (PHLA+) is located in Culver City, California a bustling independent city in West Los Angeles near the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Marina Del Rey, the beach cities of Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu, and close to Beverly Hills. PHLA+ is the first newly built certified Passive House Plus in Los Angeles and among the first Passive Houses built in Southern California. The home has received awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and USGBC Los Angeles since completion.
PHLA+ is a project designed by PARAVANT Architects strategically planned to showcase the international passive house construction standard. This includes demonstrating the back-end technologies, comfort, indoor air quality, high energy efficiency, and sustainable building practices.
A small photovoltaic system combined with a storage battery keeps the house electrically self-performing even during a black-out. Passive House LA is a Zero Net Energy (ZNE) home and it turns out after the first year of operation of this all electric building it is producing more energy than it uses being a Plus Energy Home.
PHLA+ is located on a duplex lot, infill site, and is comprised of 1,750 sq.ft. of living area with an additional large deck area over the carport. Large windows provide sufficient natural light and a connection between indoor and outdoor living even with this home’s limited views. Exterior fully automated venetian blinds reduce heat gain, glare, effectively keeping the house cooler and comfortable. The entire building envelope including airtightness, windows, exterior wall systems and insulation are combined to produce significant energy cost savings not possible with conventional building practices.
Superior indoor air quality is provided around the clock via a fresh air system with air filters and heat-recovery ventilation (HRV).
More detailed information about this project by PARAVANT Architects, Christian Kienapfel can be found at Passive House LA
Posted on August 25, 2023 by passivehouseprojects -
New two-story single-family residence with roof deck located in the City of Los Angeles in close proximity to the Santa Monica Airport, California. The passive house is designed by PARAVANT Architects and is currently under construction.
The residential building is constructed entirely with structural steel and metal decking topped with concrete. Continuous insulation is applied on the exterior walls covered with a curtain wall system. Insulation is applied on the roof deck. All penetrations on the roof deck and the cantilever balcony connection feature a thermal insulation material made by Fabreeka.
More information can be found on project website or at PARAVANT Architects or PASSIVE HOUSE LA
Team: Marco Bacaloni, Frank Maldonado, Siavosh Sepanta, Halil Dolan
