Gregory Duncan
@duncanarchitect.bsky.social
Designing comfortable, healthy, energy-efficient buildings
Certified Passive House Designer
Registered Architect in NY and NJ
Certified Passive House Designer
Registered Architect in NY and NJ
PrePoMo church in Bonn
#208: Stefan Leuer, St. Mary the Queen, Bonn-Vilich (1961-62)
February 11, 2026 at 5:36 PM
PrePoMo church in Bonn
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
"Poo was never a pollutant. When we defecate, we emit poo. Plants need poo to survive and grow. They thrive with more poo."
Burgum: "CO2 was never a pollutant. When we breathe, we emit CO2. Plants need CO2 to survive and grow. They thrive with more CO2. So the whole endangerment thing opens up an opportunity for the revival of clean, beautiful, American coal."
February 11, 2026 at 3:58 PM
"Poo was never a pollutant. When we defecate, we emit poo. Plants need poo to survive and grow. They thrive with more poo."
Nice progress on plug-in (balcony) solar bills in Vermont and Virginia. Would make it easy for renters and homeowners to install PV.
American nonprofit @brightsaver.bsky.social reports that the #Vermont Senate and the #Virginia Virginia House of Delegates have voted for #pluginpv bills. The other chambers have to agree as well.
Virginia HB395: lis.virginia.gov/bill-details...
We cannot access the Vermont website.
Virginia HB395: lis.virginia.gov/bill-details...
We cannot access the Vermont website.
February 11, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Nice progress on plug-in (balcony) solar bills in Vermont and Virginia. Would make it easy for renters and homeowners to install PV.
New York doesn’t have design review, but we do have Landmarks, which provides a similar function
375 Lafayette, In NoHo, might see more housing!
@samd.bsky.social thanks for your service!
It's easy to focus on process and forget about common sense.
Current (first image) and proposed (second image). Which one is better? Which one destroys the neighborhood?
@samd.bsky.social thanks for your service!
It's easy to focus on process and forget about common sense.
Current (first image) and proposed (second image). Which one is better? Which one destroys the neighborhood?
February 10, 2026 at 5:33 PM
New York doesn’t have design review, but we do have Landmarks, which provides a similar function
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
Historic parking lots in NYC? Let's take a tour!
(the NoHo one is unlikely to win here)
Winner, so far: 39-14 215th St in Flushing, built 1892. No alteration noted, and no big changes since 1940.
(the NoHo one is unlikely to win here)
Winner, so far: 39-14 215th St in Flushing, built 1892. No alteration noted, and no big changes since 1940.
February 10, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Historic parking lots in NYC? Let's take a tour!
(the NoHo one is unlikely to win here)
Winner, so far: 39-14 215th St in Flushing, built 1892. No alteration noted, and no big changes since 1940.
(the NoHo one is unlikely to win here)
Winner, so far: 39-14 215th St in Flushing, built 1892. No alteration noted, and no big changes since 1940.
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
New York City's curbside outdoor dining will return to being year-round, Council Speaker Julie Menin announced on Wednesday.
City Council to Bring Back Year-Round Outdoor Dining After Adams-Era Decimation - Streetsblog New York City
New York City's curbside outdoor dining will return to being year-round, Council Speaker Julie Menin announced on Wednesday.
buff.ly
February 8, 2026 at 11:08 PM
New York City's curbside outdoor dining will return to being year-round, Council Speaker Julie Menin announced on Wednesday.
Cold enough here in New York for the ERV preheater to kick in.
ERV: energy recovery ventilator provides continuous filtered fresh air and exhausts stale air without losing a lot of heat
ERV: energy recovery ventilator provides continuous filtered fresh air and exhausts stale air without losing a lot of heat
February 7, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Cold enough here in New York for the ERV preheater to kick in.
ERV: energy recovery ventilator provides continuous filtered fresh air and exhausts stale air without losing a lot of heat
ERV: energy recovery ventilator provides continuous filtered fresh air and exhausts stale air without losing a lot of heat
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
We’re dismantling a stone pencheck stair right now and so it seems a good time to revisit a short 🧵 on the subject.
How pencheck stairs work (resist torsion), and how they don’t (cantilever):
How pencheck stairs work (resist torsion), and how they don’t (cantilever):
February 7, 2026 at 3:33 PM
We’re dismantling a stone pencheck stair right now and so it seems a good time to revisit a short 🧵 on the subject.
How pencheck stairs work (resist torsion), and how they don’t (cantilever):
How pencheck stairs work (resist torsion), and how they don’t (cantilever):
Map should include Trader Joe’s, which is owned by Aldi Nord
February 7, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Map should include Trader Joe’s, which is owned by Aldi Nord
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
Reminder ahead of this weekend's frigid temperatures...
Landlords in NYC are legally required to provide:
* Heat-- At least 68 degrees during day (6am-10pm) and 62 degrees at night (10pm-6am)
* Hot water-- At least 120 degrees
(1/2)
Landlords in NYC are legally required to provide:
* Heat-- At least 68 degrees during day (6am-10pm) and 62 degrees at night (10pm-6am)
* Hot water-- At least 120 degrees
(1/2)
February 7, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Reminder ahead of this weekend's frigid temperatures...
Landlords in NYC are legally required to provide:
* Heat-- At least 68 degrees during day (6am-10pm) and 62 degrees at night (10pm-6am)
* Hot water-- At least 120 degrees
(1/2)
Landlords in NYC are legally required to provide:
* Heat-- At least 68 degrees during day (6am-10pm) and 62 degrees at night (10pm-6am)
* Hot water-- At least 120 degrees
(1/2)
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
Great turnout for The Good Building Book launch in Hereford with the authors @ecominimalnick.bsky.social and Jon Broome
Good to catch up with folk, hope the book sells like hot cakes
Good to catch up with folk, hope the book sells like hot cakes
February 6, 2026 at 9:12 AM
Great turnout for The Good Building Book launch in Hereford with the authors @ecominimalnick.bsky.social and Jon Broome
Good to catch up with folk, hope the book sells like hot cakes
Good to catch up with folk, hope the book sells like hot cakes
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
📣 Call for Presentations: The Passive House Network Conference 2026
Have insights, lessons, or projects to share? Submit your presentation proposal and help advance the conversation on how #PassiveHouse transforms building delivery.
🗓Deadline: FEB 13
🔗Learn more & submit: https://ow.ly/E5QS50Y1fQx
Have insights, lessons, or projects to share? Submit your presentation proposal and help advance the conversation on how #PassiveHouse transforms building delivery.
🗓Deadline: FEB 13
🔗Learn more & submit: https://ow.ly/E5QS50Y1fQx
February 5, 2026 at 6:02 PM
📣 Call for Presentations: The Passive House Network Conference 2026
Have insights, lessons, or projects to share? Submit your presentation proposal and help advance the conversation on how #PassiveHouse transforms building delivery.
🗓Deadline: FEB 13
🔗Learn more & submit: https://ow.ly/E5QS50Y1fQx
Have insights, lessons, or projects to share? Submit your presentation proposal and help advance the conversation on how #PassiveHouse transforms building delivery.
🗓Deadline: FEB 13
🔗Learn more & submit: https://ow.ly/E5QS50Y1fQx
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
Hopkins designs Europe’s largest Passivhaus university building for Oxford
Hopkins designs Europe’s largest Passivhaus university building for Oxford
www.architectsjournal.co.uk
February 4, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Hopkins designs Europe’s largest Passivhaus university building for Oxford
This car battery could power 100% of the heat pump needed in a home built to the Passive House standard for about ten days in the middle of winter.
Quick reality check:
My car's got a ~75 kWh battery. If that battery put out 1 kW of power, it could run for three days.
Get a thousand of those and you have a megawatt of power for three days.
Get a million of those and you have a gigawatt of power for three days.
Hyundai has sold 250,000
My car's got a ~75 kWh battery. If that battery put out 1 kW of power, it could run for three days.
Get a thousand of those and you have a megawatt of power for three days.
Get a million of those and you have a gigawatt of power for three days.
Hyundai has sold 250,000
February 3, 2026 at 8:53 PM
This car battery could power 100% of the heat pump needed in a home built to the Passive House standard for about ten days in the middle of winter.
So many reasons to NOT build housing with shipping containers
In case you have never read my famous anti shipping container piece here you go-
Opinion: What’s Wrong With Shipping Container Housing? Everything. | ArchDaily share.google/MpbZj6tmeCXC...
Opinion: What’s Wrong With Shipping Container Housing? Everything. | ArchDaily share.google/MpbZj6tmeCXC...
February 3, 2026 at 5:52 PM
So many reasons to NOT build housing with shipping containers
Historic preservation and the Passive House standards can work well together. We’re doing it in New York and there are examples from around the world. The international Passive House conference will have a presentation on this building in Madrid.
See you there!
See you there!
Passivhaus und Denkmalschutz!
Das geht! Sehr gut!
Das Beispiel aus Madrid ist eines von vielen Themen bei der
#28intPHC im April in #Essen!
65+ Vorträge
2 Jubiläumsfeiern (35 Jahre #Passivhaus und 30 Jahre Passivhaus Institut)
3 Workshops
4 Exkursionen
ow.ly/tVfA50XPUPk
#Klimaschutz
Das geht! Sehr gut!
Das Beispiel aus Madrid ist eines von vielen Themen bei der
#28intPHC im April in #Essen!
65+ Vorträge
2 Jubiläumsfeiern (35 Jahre #Passivhaus und 30 Jahre Passivhaus Institut)
3 Workshops
4 Exkursionen
ow.ly/tVfA50XPUPk
#Klimaschutz
February 3, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Historic preservation and the Passive House standards can work well together. We’re doing it in New York and there are examples from around the world. The international Passive House conference will have a presentation on this building in Madrid.
See you there!
See you there!
It was nice to remind myself yesterday evening that I can just get on the subway and see art at the Met
January 31, 2026 at 3:16 PM
It was nice to remind myself yesterday evening that I can just get on the subway and see art at the Met
Still lots of snow in New York
January 31, 2026 at 6:15 AM
Still lots of snow in New York
Literally “water ice”. You make fun of Philly for saying this but then the Germans go and call popsicles and Italian ice Wassereis. Lol
January 30, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Literally “water ice”. You make fun of Philly for saying this but then the Germans go and call popsicles and Italian ice Wassereis. Lol
Reposted by Gregory Duncan
As of today, 25 out of 50 US states have introduced plug-in solar legislation.
January 30, 2026 at 6:42 AM
As of today, 25 out of 50 US states have introduced plug-in solar legislation.
Webinar on senior housing in Spain built to Passive House standards for comfort, health, and energy efficiency. All electric with rooftop solar.
Feb 4 at noon New York time
Feb 4 at noon New York time
🎓 iPHA Webinars are back! Join us on 4 Feb, 6pm CET for a Project Spotlight on Mirador de Gràcia, Catalonia’s first all-electric #PassiveHouse elderly care home. Oliver Style shares how high-performance design delivers comfort and low energy use in 24/7 care buildings.
https://ow.ly/OCKM50Y1fcR
https://ow.ly/OCKM50Y1fcR
January 29, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Webinar on senior housing in Spain built to Passive House standards for comfort, health, and energy efficiency. All electric with rooftop solar.
Feb 4 at noon New York time
Feb 4 at noon New York time
Nuclear fusion from the balcony
January 28, 2026 at 6:11 PM
Nuclear fusion from the balcony
I remember experiencing this for the first time working in an architecture office in Hamburg. I was like why are you opening the windows in the middle of winter!?
Fortunately you don’t need to do this in new buildings that have mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
Fortunately you don’t need to do this in new buildings that have mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
The Science of the Art of Stoßlüften
This deceptively simple practice of opening windows wide for short periods, rather than leaving them cracked open continuously, represents a masterclass in applied building physics.
ggbec.co.uk/the-scie...
First appeared in Passive House Plus
This deceptively simple practice of opening windows wide for short periods, rather than leaving them cracked open continuously, represents a masterclass in applied building physics.
ggbec.co.uk/the-scie...
First appeared in Passive House Plus
The Science of the Art of Stoßlüften - Greengauge
Greengauge Director Toby Cambray explores the science behind a European approach to managing moisture levels in homes While the German language gifts us wonderfully complex compound words, few are as practically valuable in buildings as Stoßlüften – literally "shock ventilation". This deceptively simple practice of opening windows wide for short periods, rather than leaving them cracked open continuously, represents a masterclass in applied building physics.
ggbec.co.uk
January 27, 2026 at 4:20 PM
I remember experiencing this for the first time working in an architecture office in Hamburg. I was like why are you opening the windows in the middle of winter!?
Fortunately you don’t need to do this in new buildings that have mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
Fortunately you don’t need to do this in new buildings that have mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
Had to shovel out the heat pump outdoor unit today. 10.5 kW (3-ton) Mitsubishi servicing 4 zones, one for each floor.
January 26, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Had to shovel out the heat pump outdoor unit today. 10.5 kW (3-ton) Mitsubishi servicing 4 zones, one for each floor.
Nuclear fusion collectors?
Yes, please!
Yes, please!
Da es aktuell Fragen nach unserem #Fernfusion #Patch gibt:
Ja den könnt ihr Bestellen und so den #BalkonSolar Verein unterstützen: balkon.solar/patch
Ja den könnt ihr Bestellen und so den #BalkonSolar Verein unterstützen: balkon.solar/patch
January 26, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Nuclear fusion collectors?
Yes, please!
Yes, please!