Natural Venting:
In the design process, we provided cross ventilation in main living spaces for natural air flow.  By placing opening windows in appropriate places, fresh air is circulated throughout the house.  Clerestory windows provide natural venting through convection. Cool air is drawn through the basement, circulating through the house while replacing the warm air that escapes through the clerestory windows.

Heat Recovery Ventilation:
By installing a heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system, we will achieve higher indoor air quality while minimizing energy loss.  The system exhausts the warm stale air while pre-heating the cooler fresh air from outside.  Typically, an HRV is able to recover 70 to 80 percent of the heat from the exhaust air and transfer it to the incoming air. This dramatically reduces the energy needed to heat outdoor air to a comfortable temperature.

Air Lock:
We have an entrance breezeway which traps the on rush of cool air (air lock) from outside which occurs when the front door is open. This air can then be heated gradually in an area that is kept at a lower temperature then the main house.  The entrance has a lowered floor which also helps to hold the cool air, with the added benefit of trapping dirt and toxins from entering the main living environment.