Passive House Resource Guide

Resource guide to up your Passive House knowledge – 

Whether you are building your own home, or you are hiring a contractor to help build your Passive House, you’ll want to get knowledgeable. The exciting thing about Passive House is that the designs are constantly evolving and getting better. There are new faces joining the movement everyday, and there’s so much to learn!

Educated Consumer

Many homeowners find that base knowledge is vital to the success of their project, especially when it comes to Passive House construction. The more educated you are, the better you can make sure your home is being constructed in the right way. Because of the lack of general knowledge in the industry, it is sometimes best to participate more or less as a quality control agent of sorts. Knowledge also gives you a base for asking the right questions to your contractor. Even more, when you know the details about your type of construction, you can advocate for specific design choices or construction techniques that you might never have considered otherwise. An educated client is a smart client. Your contractor will appreciate the insights you can bring, and you will be more satisfied with the final product.

Educated Contractor

If you are a contractor considering getting into Passive House construction, this is a no-brainer! Education in a focused niche of construction like Passive House techniques is a huge asset to your scope of work. You’ll  find yourself employing passive house concepts or approaches to any type of construction, even if the project doesn’t require strict Passive House requirements. Additionally, if you are certified, it becomes a huge selling factor for people looking for experts  that can achieve nearly any high performance building objective. You can set yourself above the rest of the pack simply by getting more education. 

If you’re looking to up your Passive House knowledge, where do you start? 

Our team has compiled a great list of resources to help you get started. Some of these resources have specific programs and even certifications, and some are simply helpful resources to stay up on the latest developments. Either way, we hope you find them helpful as you go deeper into Passive Houses.

Passive House Associations to Check-Out:

  • (CPHT): Courses and accreditation exams for building professionals. 
  • Passive House Institute US:  This organization is based in the United States, but offers a ton of education on their website if you’re starting off. If you want to go deeper, they also offer certifications in Passive House construction. They even offer live events and trainings throughout the year. 
  • Passive House Institute:  The Passive House Institute (PHI) is an independent research institute focused on performance-based energy standards in construction. They offer certifications, in-person trainings, and a wealth of information on their website. 
  • North American Passive House Network (NAPHN):  A building industry leader in education for low-energy, high-performance Passive House design and construction. They offer educational resources throughout the year, but also with their big conference each year. Don’t miss how they are rolling out a virtual element this year. 

Top Resources For Trainings/Events:

  • Emu:  Emu is an accredited Training Provider with the International Passive House Institute (PHI). They are authorized to offer Certified Passive House Tradesperson 
  • Local PHIUS Meetup: Look for Passive House Meetups in your local area. If you’re in Colorado, we’d love to see you at an upcoming event with this Meetup.  
  • NAPHN Conference in New York: Join NAPHN for their annual conference. More info HERE. 
  • PHIUS Conference:  Currently set for Fall 2020, the PHIUS conference is always full of great speakers and education! Learn more HERE. 
  • Global Passive House Happy Hour:  The Passive House Accelerator has a weekly virtual happy hour with people from all over the world. You can find out the times and details HERE. They also have a great newsletter you can sign up for as well, full of quality information. 
  • Love | Schack:  Love & Schack are two architects who focus on client-centered design with high performance and natural materials, and made a witty company name when Lindsey and Lindsay joined forces! They offer amazing designs, but also put on webinars and share great resources with their community. 
  • Build Equinox:  Build Equinox is a great source if you love getting into the details of Passive House construction. They regularly put out new articles and updates to help the community stay on the forefront of this industry – especially related to ventilation strategies.. 
  • Certified Passive Home Consultants: If you need someone to weigh in on your project, consider hiring a certified consultant to give you expert insights. See the above sites for certifications to also find certified experts.

To Stay on Top of the Passive House Movement, Consider Following our Favorite Instagram Accounts:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *