Empowerhouse = Passive House = Energy efficient, environmentally sustainable, affordable housing

In December 2012, students, faculty, leadership and alumni from Parsons The New School for Design (http://www.newschool.edu/parsons), the Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy (http://www.newschool.edu/milano) at The New School for Public Engagement (http://www.newschool.edu/public-engagement), local government agencies, and the community came to celebrate the dedication of Empowerhouse (http://parsit.parsons.edu).

This highly energy efficient, environmentally sustainable, affordable housing for DC Habitat was developed over several years by over 200 students at Parsons, Milano, and Stevens. The house was designed as an entry in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, a sustainable building competition. The first house in Washington, D.C. to meet Passive House standards for energy use, Empowerhouse took first place in the competition’s Affordability category, and now is a new model for Habitat for Humanity moving forward.

Read more about the event in our New School News blog – http://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2012/12/empowerhouse-d-c-s-most-energy-efficient-house