The Ice Box Challenge Results:
Cool Under Pressure
Over the course of nearly three weeks, members of Passive House Minnesota put two blocks of more than 1500 pounds of ice into two boxes in a race to see which block would melt first. The first box was built to the standard building code, while the second box was built to rigorous Passive House building standards. Other than four walls, a floor, and a roof, nothing else was protecting the ice from the hot summer sun.
On September 2nd, on the last day of the fair, Passive House Minnesota lifted the tops off of the boxes and revealed a whopping 660lbs of ice left in the Passive House box. The ice in the standard box had completely melted the day before, highlighting how much better Passive House standards are at keeping cool air inside during a hot summer day, and how much energy each Passive House building can save. Passive House is the climate solution that keeps you comfortable while reducing your energy bills.
The reveal was a fun day filled with great conversations about the role that Passive House can play in climate mitigation and adaptation. The event’s featured speaker, J. Drake Hamilton from Fresh Energy, spoke on her work to advocate for climate-minded policy and clean energy laws in the state of Minnesota. Hamilton reminded attendees that, as Minnesota looks to reduce 50% of all emissions by 2030 and 100% of all emissions by 2050, the state should be looking for bold and innovative solutions like Passive House. You can listen to her speech and experience the reveal in the video below.
The Ice Box Challenge couldn’t have happened without our sponsor, Xcel Energy, and the support MRES, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and a team of fantastic volunteers.
Do you want to learn more about how to bring Passive House building standards to your community? We encourage you to talk to your local Passive House practitioners, learn more about the principles of Passive House building standards, and connect with your local Passive House community by attending your local Chapter Meetings. Better yet, become a Certified Passive House Designer yourself with our flexible online training. Our next training cohort kicks off on October 10th.
Are you in the Minnesota area and curious to learn more about our State Fair Display? Join Passive House Minnesota for their next chapter meeting on September 24th for a Passive House 101. This will be a great time to find out more about Passive House with an overview of our Chapter goals, strategies, and ways to help. Join us!
