HeatingandcoolingequipmentmaybethebiggestusersofenergyinAmericanhomes.Andhomesareresponsibleforaboutonefourthofthenation'stotalenergyuse.Buttherearesurprisinglysimplewaystodeeplycutenergyuse,itseffectontheenvironmentanditscost.
DavidPeabodyandhisteamatPeabodyArchitectsdesignpassivehomes.Hesaysthedesignofapassivehouseaimstoreduceenergydemandtoitslowestpossiblelevel.Passivehousesusenosolar,geothermalorwindenergyequipment.Buttheyareextremelyenergyefficient.
MrPeabodysayspassivehousescutheatingandcoolingcostsbyaboutninetypercent.Butwhatsetshisdesignapartfromother“greenhomes”isthatitlookslikeanyotherhome.
PeabodyArchitectssaysitisbuildingthefirstpassivehomeintheWashingtonDCarea.Butitwillnotbethelast.InArlington,Virginia,RogerLinandhisbrotherEricarealsobuildingone.RogerLinofSouthernExposureHomesexplainsthatwindowsaresealedagainstleaksandhavethreelayersofglass.
Thewindowsareairtight.Onacoldwinterday,thetemperatureinsidetheunfinishedhomeisacomfortabletwelvedegrees,orfiftydegreesFahrenheit.
DavidPeabodysaysyoucanfindpassivehomesallovertheworld.“NorthAfrica,forexample,hasapassivehousecommunitydesigningforveryhotdryclimates.”ThefirstpassivedesignwasanapartmentbuildinginDarmstadt,Germany.Twophysicistshelpeddevelopitabouttwentyyearsago.
Passivehousesusesomespecializedmaterials.Theseincludeprecastconcretepanelsandinsulation.Theyalsoneedtohavespecialairtreatmentsystems.Supporterssaytheycostonlyaboutfivetoeightpercentmorethantraditionalhomes.
Buttheyusetenpercentoftheenergyforheatingandcooling.
1.Whichofthefollowingistheadvantageofpassivehouses?
A.Theycostmuchlessthantraditionalhouses.
B.Theylookmuchliketheotherhouses.
C.Theyareextremelyenergyefficient.
D.Theyaremorecomfortablethanotherhouses.
2.Whatcanbeimpliedinthepassage?
A.Passivehomescanbefoundeverywhereintheworld.
B.Passivehomesarespeciallybuiltforwinteruse.
C.Theconstructionofpa