For
over
twenty-four
years
Michael
Shilale
Architects,
LLP
have
been
leaders
in
sustainable
design,
delivering
integrated
energy
saving
solutions
for
educational,
commercial,
municipal
and
residential
clients.
Michael Shilale
has
been
a
LEED
accredited
design
professional
since
2004
and
this
new
certification
demonstrates
his
expertise
and
commitment
to
sustainable
design.
"The
passive
house
movement
have
been
able
to
demonstrate
that
you
can
make
buildings
that
use
80-90
percent
less
energy
for
heating
and
cooling
even
in
the
most
challenging
environments,
"
Michael
continues,
"
While
energy
conservation
is
only
one
part
of
the
sustainability
tree,
it
is
an
important
one.
We
need
similar
initiatives
to
help
conserve
water,
reduce
solid
waste,
improve
transportation
and
manage
our
site
resources
so
that
we
can
truly
create
environments
that
are
not
only
sustainable
but
help
restore
the
natural
balance
of
our
climate
and
our
world."
Michael
claims
that
the
Passive
House
training
and
testing
was
pretty
rigorous.
He
stated,
"The
concept
of
building
a
zero
or
low
energy
building
is
not
new.
We
were
designing
passive
solar
buildings
in
the
70's.
The
Building
Science
hasn't
changed,
what
has
changed
is
our
ability
to
design
and
build
structures
that
are
so
well
insulated
and
air
tight
that
the
energy
required
to
keep
these
buildings
comfortable
is
minimal
in
even
the
most
challenging
climates."
Passive
House
buildings
are
different
from
most
other
buildings.
They
have
walls
and
roofs
that
are
sometimes
a
foot
thick
with
insulation
reaching
an
r-value
of
60
instead
of
20.
They
are
air
tight
with
minimal
air
leakage
and
have
continuous
mechanical
ventilation
that
controls
and
cleans
the
fresh
air
entering
buildings.
Passive
House
buildings
are
also
characterized
by
thermal
bridge
free
construction.
While
we
may
insulate
our
walls
and
roofs
well,
the
parts
where
the
walls
meet
the
roofs
and
where
doors
and
windows
meet
the
walls
are
notorious
for
their
energy
and
air
leaks.
If
our
plumbing
systems
were
as
leaky
as
our
building
envelopes
we
would
be
pretty
wet
and
unhappy.
One
counterintuitive
aspect
of
Passive
House
buildings
is
that
the
mechanical
systems
are
so
small
that
using
programmable
thermostats
with
night
setbacks
are
not
recommended.
The
mechanical
system
is
allowed
to
be
so
small,
it
is
not
designed
to
heat
or
cool
the
building
quickly.
Passive
House
Buildings
are
meant
to
maintain
a
comfortable
temperature
24/7
while
still
reducing
energy
use
80-90%.
An
exciting
part
of
the
training
was
learning
how
to
use
the
latest
Hygrothermal
modeling
tools.
Never
before
have
we
been
able
to
analyze
moisture
and
heat
transfer
through
a
building
so
accurately
and
throughout
several
years
of
exposure
to a
specific
climate.
We
can
now
determine
if a
building
wall
will
accumulate
moisture
over
a
period
of
years
by
computer
modeling
to
determine
the
long
term
impacts
of
the
moisture,
materials
and
climate
on a
structure.
Michael
Shilale
has
an
Architectural
Degree
and
a
Building
Science
Degree
from
Rensselaer
Polytechnic
Institute
and
will
be
celebrating
25
years
of
practice
in
2016.
Clients
have
entrusted
Michael
Shilale
Architects,
LLP
(MSA)
to
solve
their
building
problems,
protect
their
assets
and
investments,
build
under
budget
and
realize
their
vision.
Providing
integrated
solutions
for
new
construction,
renovation,
and
energy
savings,
since
1991
MSA
has
completed
over
2,000
projects,
each
personally
managed
by
principals
Michael
Shilale
AIA,
LEED
or
John
Cirilli
AIA,
LEED.
For
more
information
about
the
firm
go
to http://www.shilale.com.
Contact
Michael
Shilale
directly
by
calling
845-708-9200.
