Hello Reader,

Something extraordinary is happening in the building design world, and it’s about to change everything you think you know about energy efficiency.

While most designers are still designing buildings that waste 90% of their heating and cooling energy, a small group of visionaries has quietly mastered a German-engineered standard that eliminates this waste almost entirely. These aren’t experimental concepts or theoretical frameworks – they’re proven systems already transforming how we build in Boston, throughout New England, and across the globe.

The Passive House Advantage: Why Boston’s Top Architects Are Leading the Charge

RODE Architects has just completed Boston’s first internationally certified Passive House single-family homes – the Brucewood Homes project that’s already winning prestigious awards and selling before completion. Their achievement isn’t just about energy savings; it’s about positioning their practice at the forefront of a building revolution that’s reshaping the entire industry.

Kevin Deabler, principal and co-founder of RODE Architects, recently stated:

Now, for the first time, you can learn directly from the team that made this breakthrough possible.

The AIBD Design & Build Asheville Opportunity

From July 31 through August 2, 2025, AIBD’s Diamond Jubilee conference in Asheville, North Carolina, will feature the complete RODE Architects leadership team sharing their Passive House expertise. Kevin Deabler and Eric Robinson, both principals and co-founders with nearly 20 years of collaborative experience, will present alongside Studio Director Mike DelleFave, the project manager who led the award-winning Brucewood Homes to completion.

This isn’t another theoretical presentation about sustainable building. These are the architects who proved Passive House works in the challenging New England climate, who navigated the complex certification process, and who created market demand for ultra-efficient homes that sold before construction finished.

What Passive House Mastery Means for Your Practice

The numbers are compelling: Passive Houses reduce space heating and cooling energy use by up to 90% compared to typical buildings and over 75% compared to average new builds. But the real opportunity lies in what this means for your competitive positioning.

While your competitors are still designing buildings that require conventional heating and cooling systems, Passive House-certified designers are creating structures that maintain consistent indoor temperatures between 68°F (20°C) and 77°F (25°C) year-round with minimal mechanical intervention. They’re achieving airtightness standards of no more than 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 pascals pressure – metrics that demonstrate measurable, certifiable performance.

These aren’t just energy savings; they’re client advantages that translate directly into market differentiation and premium pricing opportunities.

Three Choices Face Every Architect Today

1. Choice One: Continue designing conventional buildings while watching energy codes tighten and clients demand more efficient solutions. Massachusetts has already implemented building codes that align closer to the Passive House standard. Other states are following.
2. Choice Two: Try to learn Passive House principles on your own, risking costly mistakes and failed certifications while your competitors gain market advantage.
3. Choice Three: Learn directly from the architects who’ve already mastered the system, who’ve navigated the certification process, and who’ve proven market demand for these premium buildings.

The RODE Architects team will share their complete methodology at AIBD’s Asheville conference – from initial design principles through construction details to final certification.

The Exclusive Conference Package

Only 29 copies of “Sketch Like an Architect” by David Drazil remain for the first 50 conference ticket purchasers at $499. This isn’t just a book – it’s the foundation skill set that enables architects to communicate complex building concepts effectively, written by an educator who has trained over 15,000 design professionals.

Additionally, 40% of the hotel room block remains available for the villa upgrade raffle. Conference ticket purchasers who reserve three nights at the conference hotel on or before June 30th are eligible for the drawing to win an upgrade to a two-bedroom, one-bath villa – providing space to process the intensive technical content you’ll receive from the RODE Architects presentations.

Your Next Steps

1. Visit AIBD.org/Design-Build-Asheville to secure your conference ticket at $499.
2. Then immediately book your three-night hotel stay to qualify for the villa upgrade raffle with the June 30th deadline.
3. Relax knowing that you just secured access to the best education and networking you'll get this year.

The Passive House revolution is already underway in Boston, throughout New England, and across the country. The question isn’t whether ultra-efficient building will become standard – it’s whether you’ll be among the first to master these techniques or among the last to catch up.

Don’t let this opportunity pass. AIBD’s 75th anniversary conference represents the premier gathering for residential design professionals, and the Passive House sessions with RODE Architects may be the most valuable technical education available to designers today.

​Register now while conference tickets and hotel rooms remain available.

Sincerely,
The A-Team

P.S. Remember: Only 29 copies of “Sketch Like an Architect” remain for the first 50 conference registrants, and the villa upgrade raffle registration closes June 30th. Both deadlines are approaching quickly as AIBD’s Diamond Jubilee conference generates unprecedented interest among design professionals.

Visit AIBD.org/Design-Build-Asheville to secure your conference ticket at $499.

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