A passive design consultation is most valuable before a floor plan exists — and nearly valueless after construction begins. This is the fundamental fact of passive architecture: the decisions that determine thermal performance are the earliest decisions, not the latest. Orientation, massing, and window placement are set in the first week of design; they cannot be corrected in the last week before permits.
In MÉTODO, we work across both the Denver and Mexico City contexts. The climates are different enough that each requires its own analysis. The process is the same.
What the Two Climates Actually Require
Denver and Mexico City represent two distinct passive design problems.
Denver at 39 degrees north latitude, 1,609 meters elevation:
- Cold winters require significant south-facing solar gain for heating
- Hot, dry summers require precise shading to prevent overheating
- High solar radiation at elevation increases both the benefit of winter solar gain and the risk of summer overheating
- Building code follows IECC climate zone 5B — specific minimum insulation and window performance requirements apply
Mexico City at 19 degrees north latitude, 2,240 meters elevation:
- Mild year-round temperatures mean heating and cooling loads are both low
- The design problem is primarily light quality, not thermal performance
- Summer rainy season (May through October) creates high humidity that affects material performance
- Dense urban context means solar access is constrained by neighboring structures — the passive design problem becomes vertical, not horizontal
An architect consulting on passive design must know both climates specifically. Generic passive design principles apply everywhere; the calculations do not.
What a Consultation Covers
A passive design consultation in MÉTODO follows this structure:
First session — site analysis:
- Cardinal orientation of the lot, with site photographs and survey data
- Neighboring structure heights and distances (shadow study inputs)
- Prevailing wind direction by season
- Specific climate data for the site: heating degree days, cooling degree days, solar radiation by month
Second session — design response matrix:
- This is the matriz de opciones — we present the options side by side. South glazing at 40% of floor area versus 55%: what does each produce in terms of winter gain and summer risk? A 1.2 m overhang versus 0.9 m: what hours of sun penetration does each allow in each month?
- Thermal mass options: slab-on-grade concrete versus stone floor versus ceramic tile — each has different conductivity and heat capacity behavior
- Ventilation strategy: cross-ventilation through the floor plan versus stack effect through a central atrium versus mechanical ventilation with heat recovery
Third session — design integration:
- The options selected in session two are integrated into the floor plan concept
- Section drawings produced with sun angles for both solstices
- Window schedule with areas by orientation and room type
- Shading device specifications
The Border Region Context
When a client operates in both the Denver and Mexico City contexts — a second home in each location, or a practice that spans both — the consultation becomes a comparison exercise. The same design decision produces different results in each climate. This is instructive.
A 45-degree north overhang that correctly shades a Denver south window at summer solstice noon will drastically overshade the same window at Mexico City's latitude, where the summer sun is almost overhead and the overhang is irrelevant. The Denver calculation does not transfer south.
Working across both contexts means running the climate calculations independently for each site, then comparing results to identify where design principles overlap and where they diverge. This comparison is useful for clients who want to understand why their buildings look different in each location despite coming from the same design practice.
Remote Consultation and Physical Presence
Design development, sun path analysis, energy modeling, and client consultation can be conducted effectively with remote tools. We use section drawings, solar simulation software, and shared documentation platforms to work across time zones.
Physical site visits are required for:
- Site survey and cardinal orientation confirmation
- Neighboring structure shadow documentation
- Material specification visits (stone quarry, wood mill)
- Permit application support in the local jurisdiction
We coordinate physical presence in Denver and Mexico City at project milestones. Continuous remote design work connects the milestones.
Próximos pasos
If you are beginning a project in Denver or Mexico City and want passive design to be a technical discipline embedded in the first design decisions, the consultation begins with site analysis — before the floor plan, before the budget, before the permit.
Conoce el método de MÉTODO to understand our full design process across both contexts.