IceBox Challenge, Part 2 on High Performance Build

Audree Grubesic. May 25, 2023. 2 min read.

Overview

This article covers the second part of the Ice Box Challenge with High Performance Build on Offsite Dirt. Shaun St Amour and Mark Wille explain the design of the Passive House and standard building code versions shown at the event in Seattle, WA, in September 2017.

Key findings

• The interior size was the same in both builds.
• The exterior was different because the Passive House design used a stronger barrier for air tightness and more insulation.
• After 20 days, the Passive House design had more ice remaining.
• This showed higher resilience and better performance.

Passive House benefits

The review of these displays highlighted these benefits of Passive House design:

• Comfort
• Air quality
• Sound and daylight
• Simplicity and beauty

Quantitative principles

• Air tightness
• High insulation
• High performance windows
• Low thermal bridging
• Balanced ventilation

Other Ice Box Challenge locations

• Seattle, WA, September 2017
• Oakland, CA, 2017
• New York City, April 2018
• Washington DC, July 2018
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Australia
• West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver, CA
• Glasgow, Scotland

New York City attendance

The article says over 250,000 people attended the New York City experience. It describes the Passive House ice box as the success story there.

Sources linked in the post

• https://youtu.be/kZZM17L-uVc
• https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/news/detail/?nId=997
• https://iceboxchallenge.org/
• https://passivehousenetwork.org/ice-box-challenge/
• https://www.passivehousecanada.com/ice-box-challenge-moves-seattle/
• https://be-exchange.org/insight/winner-of-the-ice-box-challenge-in-new-york-city-announced-2/
• https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/penn-state-navy-yard-hosts-ice-box-challenge/
• https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2018/ice-box-challenge-artistic-ploy-encourage-better-buildings/12031