Peter Henry of Peter Henry Architecture and Rick Dobson of Dobson Building and Remodeling have built Fairfax County’s first passive house in the Falls Church area of the county. Passive houses use 90 percent less energy than conventionally constructed homes.

Dobson’s crew broke ground on the house on Leonard Drive in Falls Church in May. The home has now passed its first energy audit, a blower-door air test, conducted by Energy Masters of Manassas on its first attempt. In an average house tested by Energy Masters, the home has 10-12 air changes per house. This house has half of one air exchange per hour.