Pok Oi Residences Certified Passive House by PHIUS

We’re proud to share that Pok Oi Residences has officially achieved PHIUS+ 2018 CORE Certification, recognizing it as a certified passive house building!

Located in Boston’s Chinatown, the six-story, 85-unit affordable housing community shows how sustainable design and social responsibility can work together. Working with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England and Beacon Communities, Pok Oi sets a new benchmark for energy-efficient multifamily housing in the Northeast. The project meets rigorous performance standards set by the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), ensuring exceptional comfort, air quality, and energy performance.

Key design features include:

  • High-performance envelope: R-28 walls, R-50 roof, and triple-pane windows.

  • Efficient systems: Central energy-recovery ventilation (80% efficiency) and Mitsubishi VRF heating and cooling.

  • Renewable energy: A 32.8 kW rooftop solar array offsets building energy use.

Together, these strategies reduce energy use by more than 70% compared to typical multifamily housing, cutting operational costs while enhancing resident comfort and health.

Learn more about the certification on the PHIUS Certified Project Database →

New Staff Certifications

Congratulations to Shaun Dempsey and Christopher Nielson on becoming PHIUS Certified Passive House Consultants!

Certified Passive House Consultants (CPHCs) are well-versed in designing to the PHIUS+ climate-specific building standard and are leading the adoption passive building from coast to coast.

Shaun and Christopher both completed several phases of online and in-person trainings and exams focused on the principles of passive building design, including heat transfer, air-tightness, thermal bridge free detailing, super-insulation high-efficiency ventilation, and moisture control.

We are excited to implement these high performance building science principles into our ongoing and future residential, commercial, and renovation projects like the 288 Harrison Avenue Residences project in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood.

We are extremely proud of Shaun and Christopher for their hard work and commitment to designing a sustainable future!