Dialogue between Marius Șoflete and Vlad Liteanu at the House by the Lake

On a late December evening at the "House by the lake", Ion Iosif's house built on timberframe structure and certified as the second premium passive house in Romania - the first on timberframe - Marius Șoflete and Vlad Liteanu had an interesting dialogue about the construction of passive houses in Romania. The meeting was part of a series of house presentations I organised with Ion in late 2023.

Marius Șoflete (Creative Engineering, soflete.ro) and Vlad Liteanu, Litarh SRL, the builder of the wooden structure of the house, talked about their achievements and challenges in realising such projects. From the discussion and the experiences they had on various projects, it is clear that the construction of passive houses is not only possible but also preferable in Romania, contrary to the scepticism in society.

The dialogue highlighted the importance of teamwork, from the beneficiary to the builder, and the crucial role of the latter in achieving the high quality standards required for passive certification. Vlad highlighted the specific challenges of timberframe construction, including the need for superior airtightness, and how his team has addressed these challenges through innovation and a continuous desire to learn and improve.

During the discussion, both shared their perspectives on the future of passive building in Romania, stressing that it will become the norm, not the exception, in the context of an increasingly regulated European building climate. They also discussed cost reduction strategies to build more affordable passive houses for a wide audience by streamlining processes and using local resources.

The conversation between Marius and Vlad is a source of inspiration for all those interested in sustainability and energy efficiency. We, by documenting and presenting these projects on drumulsprecasa.ro and on Wood Magazine YouTube channel, we hope to stimulate interest and encourage the adoption of greener and more responsible building practices across the country.

We are dedicated to promoting excellence in timber construction with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency. Through our materials, whether written or filmed, we aim to educate and inspire, contributing to a greener and more responsible world.

Below, the dialogue between Marius and Vlad