Passive Houses Enable Sustainability

When a Kansas City couple, Sush and Morgen, decided to build a new home, they looked for a builder whose high standards would create a home that synced with one of their family’s most significant core values. “Learning about passive homes helped us understand what the value of sustainability is,” Sush said. “We wanted to show the people in our life what sustainable living can look like and also show our kids that it’s not just a word – it’s important that we try to live this way.” 

The combination of continuous insulation, an airtight building envelope, and high-performance windows and doors helps the family’s house stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. They’ve hardly had to adjust the thermostat in the 3+ years they have lived in their Kala home.

“Once we made the decision, it was really important to us that it was energy efficient,” Morgen said. “We didn't feel right about building something from scratch and not having it be sustainable. We built this house because we care about the environment, and we want a home that's healthy for our family and their future. We feel good about what we ended up investing in.” 

Facilitating Community & Hospitality

The careful collaboration between a homebuyer, Passive House builder, and sustainability conscious architect creates a home that is also conducive to community, hospitality, and a full family life. Carefully planned outdoor and indoor environments and intentional transitions between the two enable guests to enjoy all that the house has to offer. Features like thoughtfully placed, high-performance windows allow family members, friends, and visitors to enjoy the view without getting too hot or cold even when the weather prevents them from venturing outside. 

“We wanted to build community and hospitality, so we talked to David and Keith about different hosting areas outdoors and inside where people could feel like they're part of something, but also have their own spaces,” Sush said. “We had to do this with the environment in mind, like natural light coming in through higher efficiency windows, so we’re not having energy leak in and out. These concepts came together well in this house.” 



The same features that reduce the homeowners at our 67th project’s environmental footprint and utility bills keep the inside of their home comfortable throughout every season. “You have houses that you manage, and some you just live in,” Sush said. “Others add to you and help you carry out your values. This home does that, and it has become a part of us.” 

Spend Your Time How You Please

Choosing a Partner Who Understands Your Priorities

A big part of building a durable, healthy, sustainable, and comfortable home is picking a partner that takes pride in their work, puts you first, and listens to what you value, so they can incorporate high-performance features that support this. When craftsmanship is combined with a solid relationship, you’re going to get the kind of home that demonstrates your priorities and exceeds your expectations. 



“We have friends who just finished building a home, and they won’t even speak to their contractor,” a Kala homeowner recently said “Whereas we trusted Kala throughout the entire process and still trust them now. They’re a great group who care about people and what they do. The team really listened to us the whole way through and saw how we live our lives, so the house reflects what we care about and our values.”