In 2011, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

developed the PNC SmartHome, the energy-efficient

house of the future. The challenge was to build a house

designed to stay warm through a Cleveland winter

without a conventional furnace. It was built in two

months, opened to the public as part of a nationally

touring Climate Change exhibit, and then moved to a

permanent location near the museum and sold.

As a result, thousands of people got a hands-

on demonstration of cutting-edge green building

techniques in a house that dramatically reduces carbon

emissions.

For the energy performance goal, the 2,800 square-foot

SmartHome was designed to achieve Passive House

certification, the world’s most rigorous building energy

standard. Because of their very low energy demand,

passive houses are a major step toward building

carbon-neutral communities.

• Give thousands of people hands-on experience with attractive techniques of green building

• Build local capacity for better building design standards in Cleveland

• Support efforts of community development organizations to help residents save energy

• Broaden awareness of climate change impacts from buildings

• Build a practical house that would be an asset for a Cleveland neighborhood

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Goals of the SmartHome

T R A N S F O R M

PNC SmartHome

SmartHome was a symbol of how a museum of natural history can be a center for innovative thinking about science and sustainability.

The SmartHome followed these design principles which are

common in energy-efficient passive houses:

• Heat-retaining building shape: A simple, rectangular

shape minimizes the ratio of surface area to volume.

• Super insulation: Walls are more than a foot thick, and

packed with insulation to achieve R-50.

• High-performance windows: Triple-pane windows

achieve R-11, and close like a bank vault to stop drafts.

• Air-tight construction: All holes and seams in the building

perimeter were carefully sealed to achieve 0.6 air

changes per hour when measured by a blower door test.

• Thermal-bridge free construction: Design and insulation

eliminated heat conduction through the walls.

• Heat-recovery ventilation: The system for bringing

in fresh air warms incoming cold air with the heat of

exhaust air.

• Efficient HVAC: SmartHome is designed to maintain

temperatures like a Thermos. Heating demand is so low

that, instead of a furnace, a small, ductless air-source

heat pump provides supplementary heating and cooling.

• Passive solar and shading: Designed for a south-facing

lot to allow sunlight to enter and warm the house during

winter, but shaded during the summer.

• EnergyStar appliances and high efficiency LED lighting.

The results

• The project involved more than 100 partners including

contractors, suppliers, neighborhood groups, the city of

Cleveland, local artists and real estate professionals.

• The SmartHome design-build team conducted technical

workshops for local builders, architects, city officials and

home building industry professionals.

• City residents were invited to free tours and workshops

on home energy savings.

• CMNH staff worked with Enterprise Community Partners

on a tour and discussion with Cleveland neighborhood

groups about energy efficiency and affordable housing.

• Inspired by SmartHome, other building projects in

Northeast Ohio are now using passive design principles.

• The SmartHome generated national media attention.

• As an exhibit, the SmartHome was a hit. Nearly 10,000

museum visitors went on guided tours.

• And it is a permanent investment in Cleveland.

What is a Passive House?

More information

David Beach, director of the GreenCityBlueLake Institute, managed the project for the museum.

For more details, see: www.gcbl.org/projects/pnc-smarthome

Triple-pane windows are just starting to catch on in the U.S. but are a mainstay in Europe where passive houses number in the tens of thousands.

Green City Blue Lake INSTITUTE

1 Wade Oval Dr.Cleveland, OH 44106

216 231 4600www.gcbl.org© 2012 The Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Thick walls of insulation and air-tight construction greatly reduce energy demand of the SmartHome.