Hammer & Hand's Construction Methods and Approach to the Glasswood Commercial Passive House Retrofit

INTRODUCTION. As the first commercial Passive House retrofit in the United States, the Glasswood project demonstrates the potential for high performance, low-load buildings to transform the energy efficiency, occupant experience, and marketability of existing commercial spaces, all at an affordable cost. The owners of this historic building set out to create a restaurant on the ground floor and office space on the second floor that would offer super-efficient energy performance and superior comfort while preserving the structure's historic character. Embedded in a walkable, transit-rich neighborhood, the project revolutionized the performance of the building while contributing to the vitality of its urban surroundings. Passive House design and construction was by Hammer & Hand, with architectural design by Scott | Edwards Architecture.