One of the hallmarks of the passive house standard is durability. The design and construction details ensure that assemblies stay dry. Wood that stays dry is healthier for occupants and can last for hundreds of years.
In addition to this premium way of building, we wanted to make the house more resistant to high winds using aspects of the Fortified standard. We didn’t find an independent rater early enough to officially certify, but we did incorporate the Fortified principle of continuous load path from foundation to roof deck in order to significantly improve uplift resistance. We used earth anchors, conventional fasteners and bracing, and took the additional step of adding Climate Adhesive to all critical connections.
Climate is a new West Michigan company with an innovative product that can significantly strengthen buildings. We were happy to discover their zero-VOC and super-tough product, be an early adopter, and partner with their team on a case study of how we used it on our first house, MiNet0-1. Their product applies just like conventional construction adhesive but more than doubles the strength of connections. Using Passive House’s superior envelope design principles, Fortified’s continuous load path requirement, and Climate’s superior ability to absorb high wind energy, MiNet0-1 is built to last!
Read the full case study here.
