Wanting to make the Passive House real and more com- mon, Durfeld and his wife bought a lot and constructed the first Canadian residential passive house as their own home. After third-party verification proved the PH stan- dards had been met and achieved with mainly Canadian products, sales to other interested home owners began. “There were three take-aways from our early projects: That prefabricated wood created an amazing efficiency; that this kind of construction is suitable for use across Canada; and that the best things are not invented but copied.” Durfeld says building science from both Canada and Europe contributes to the success of PH construction. Durfeld began to grow his business with a small start- up operation in the interior of BC, later constructing the award-winning Passive House Plant as demand grew. “Some people come to us for PH standards, some come just looking for a low energy home and others come sim- ply for the concept of prefab and getting a project con- structed and closed in from the elements faster.” Noting he has always been a custom builder, Durfeld says that has not changed. Despite the pre-fabrication el- ement, each project the Passive House Plant creates is de- signed to meet the individual homeowner’s specifications and interest. While prefabrication presents opportunities on site, Dur- feld says the process is somewhat more rigid because de- cisions have to be made and finalized before work begins. Part of the process then is working with engineers and ar- chitects to ensure all details are finalized, because they cannot be changed or adjusted along the way. The closed, structurally insulated panels also present a change for building officials who must be able to buy into the science and be prepared to approve a project based on engineering reports that the work has been properly done. “Some of our work involves educating and speaking with building inspectors to make sure they understand and acknowledge the process.” Durfeld says as this understanding grows, he sees PH as the wave of the future. “The science behind PH creates not only an energy efficient home but a home that is more soundproof and more comfortable. There is a great supply of fresh air, the living spaces are more equally conditioned; it is what a home should be.” For more information, visit www.bcpassivehouse.ca. The Canadian Design and Construction Report — July-August 2015 – 17