COEUR D’ALENE, ID: Andy Smith, principal of Edwards Smith Construction, is pleased to announce the addition of a second Passive House Institute Phius Certified Builder on staff. Edwards Smith Superintendent Mike Ridlehoover attended training in the fall of 2015 and recently received notification that he passed the certification exam. 

Edwards Smith Construction is the first and only builder in North Idaho to achieve the Phius Certified Builder designation. Principal Andy Smith earned his certification in early 2015. He and Ridlehoover are currently overseeing the construction of the company’s first passive home, slated for completion later this year.

Passive House technology was perfected in Germany and the principles can be applied to residential as well as commercial structures. The rigorous building energy standards combine super-insulation with an extremely airtight building envelope to dramatically reduce temperature variation, and prevent condensation and mold issues.

“I enjoyed meeting other builders from all over the country who are interested in pursuing the passive building science. It’s also good to hear different approaches to the same process,” said Ridlehoover. “I think most professional builders would benefit from the training because some of the techniques can be applied to any type of construction.”

For more information on passive homes, contact Edwards Smith Construction at 208.765.8602 or [email protected].