The slide below shows the results of a Passiv Haus (Passive House) Factor 10 Renovation of an affordable housing project in Frankfurt, Germany.  The original building was constructed shortly after World War II, and it was a 3 story multifamily affordable residential structure built with the typical construction details of that time.  This renovation added exterior insulation to the roof and walls, new highly efficient windows and doors as well as new thermal breaks at the foundation and a completely new, highly efficient HRV (heat recovery ventilation) system.  During the renovation a new 4th floor was added, with new apartments reclaiming the space made available when the now unneccessary chimneys were removed and the roof was reskinned.  Amazingly, even with the new apartments added, overall energy consumption for the building dropped by 87%.

The difference in the thermal images is striking.  The image on the left was taken before the renovation and the brighter yellow, orange and red colors clearly show the heat (and money) leaking out of the windows and walls.  The image on the right shows that the added thermal insulation and upgraded windows are doing their job -  providing a much more comfortable living space and minimizing energy losses.

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