23 December 2021
It’s good for the climate! And for us!
The topic of energy efficiency is often woefully neglected in discussions on climate protection. However, buildings-related emissions can only be significantly reduced by consuming less energy for heating and cooling. The Passive House Institute presents its proposed solutions for a climate-friendly building stock in three “building blocks”: A substantially higher level of energy efficiency of buildings; on-site generation of renewable energy; and a change in the political framework conditions. This also means that mediocre quality of energy efficiency measures should no longer receive funding. In Germany, for example, the government has just decided to discontinue the subsidy for new builds of mediocre quality of energy efficiency.
Press Release
15 December 2021
outPHit makes retrofits easier!
A deep energy retrofit need not be complicated. Rather, the building project requires planning and patience. A wave of retrofits at scale is indispensable for the building sector to effectively contribute to climate protection. This is precisely what the European Union is focusing on: the outPHit project aims to simplify retrofits and to reliably implement highly energy efficient buildings. 17 model projects throughout Europe are ready to be retrofitted.
Press Release
1 November 2021
Center stage for Passive House at COP26
Buildings are significant contributors to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. The UN’s climate conference COP26 in Glasgow is an important occasion to present available solutions and enable climate action. The Passive House standard is taking centre stage in Glasgow, featuring in several events and participating in the Global Alliance for Building and Construction's programme. The International Passive House Association (iPHA) is organising a free tour on November 8, visiting highly energy efficient buildings across the city. Additionally, attendees have the opportunity to take part in a Passive House workshop. Many events at COP26 are live streamed.
Press Release
29 October 2021
British Columbia, Bradford and Bavaria!
A high level of energy efficiency is the key to better buildings: climate protection in the building sector will only be successful if buildings use significantly less energy for heating and cooling. Residents of Passive House buildings around the world are inviting visitors into their homes from 5 till 7 November 2021. Numerous opportunities for visiting have been entered into the Passive House Institute's project database, ranging from British Columbia in Canada to Bradford in the UK and the German state of Bavaria. Visitors can experience the climate-friendly buildings that provide comfortable and healthy living at the same time. Opportunities for visiting will be possible both in person and virtually. The world's first Passive House in Darmstadt, Germany, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and takes part with an online presentation.
Press Release
05 October 2021
30 years old - more relevant than ever!
Passive House is celebrating its 30th birthday – and is more relevant than ever before. The 25th International Passive House Conference demonstrated how important it is to implement climate protection in buildings on a large scale. The Passive House Institute emphasised the key role that energy efficiency plays for climate-compatible building stock. The atmosphere became celebratory during the triple jubilee and the presentation of the Passive House Award 2021. Towards the end, the Passive House Institute announced that the 26th International Passive House Conference would take place in Spring 2023.
Press Release
16 September 2021
That's what (efficient) winners look like!
The ceremony for the 2021 Passive House Award was held online this time, but was equally exciting. During the 25th International Passive House Conference in the Historic Town Hall of the city of Wuppertal, the Passive House Institute presented the Passive House Award to 14 awardees from nine countries. Most of them participated in the ceremony via video stream and celebrated online.
Press Release
27 August 2021
Clear the stage for better building
The 25th International Passive House Conference is confirmed to take place. The flexible concept allows to invite to the anniversary conference even under changing conditions. The conference starts 10 September 2021, both in-person in Wuppertal (Germany) and online. In-person meetings are currently permitted in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Should the authorities decide different at short notice, the first part of the conference will be offered as an online event exclusively. Tickets can be changed easily. Festivities are planned for this year: all participants are invited to celebrate a triple anniversary, as well as the presentation of the Passive House Award.
Press Release
17 August 2021
Energy efficiency: clear winner
The staggering result of the Glasgow Ice Box Challenge was visible just by looking inside the two boxes: There was no ice left in the box built to the Scottish building standard for five days prior to the final weigh in, while two big blocks remained in the Passive House box. Two weeks before, each of the boxes had been filled with 917 kg of ice to demonstrate the benefits of better building. The result: While all the ice had melted in the Scottish code box after eleven days, 121 kilograms of ice remained in the Passive House box.
Press Release
04 August 2021
Who will win the Ice Box Challenge Glasgow?
After two weeks of baking in the sun at St Enoch Square, the winner of Ice Box Challenge Glasgow, a public demonstration and battle against the elements, will be declared this coming Friday, August 6, at the Closing Ceremony. There is still time to take the Ice Box Challenge and go into the running to win a weekend getaway for two at Malvern Passive House B&B in the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty. The ‘Guess the remaining ice level’ contest, available on the Ice Box Challenge website: www.iceboxchallenge.org, will run until midday on Friday, August 6, when the Closing Ceremony begins.
23 July 2021
Ice Box Challenge Glasgow: Official Launch at St Enoch Square
The Ice Box Challenge opening ceremony will take place today, July 23, 2021 in St Enoch Square, Glasgow from 12:30 to 2pm. Speakers include Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Convener of the Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm Committee at Glasgow City Council; Ann-Marie Fallon from Architype and Barbara Lantschner of John Gilbert Architects, two of the UK’s leading Passive House architectural firms and Dr Julio Bros-Williamson and the winning student team to talk about taking their design from concept to reality. The ceremony will provide an opportunity to learn more about the Ice Box Challenge, tackling the UK Climate Emergency through Passive House implementation and also mark the opening of the ‘Guess the remaining ice level’ contest; where entrants can win a weekend getaway for two at Malvern Passive House B&B in the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty.
16 July 2021
Keeping cool in Glasgow this summer
The Scottish city of Glasgow is preparing for the United Nations’ climate summit at the end of this year. This summer, the city will host the Ice Box Challenge to demonstrate the advantages of highly energy efficient buildings like Passive Houses: they save substantial amounts of energy and offer a high level of living comfort in summer and winter. The event offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about energy efficient buildings and to take part in a contest.
Press Release
8 July 2021
Passive House meets social goals
The United Nations set 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be reached by 2030. Envisioned as a ‘‘blueprint to achieve a better and a more sustainable future for all’’, the goals cover a wide array of fields and topics. With a new article and accompanying infographic, the International Passive House Association illustrates how highly energy efficient buildings built to the Passive House standard play a direct role in achieving these global aims.
Press Release
23 June 2021
We can do it - with efficiency!
Registration is now open for the 25th International Passive House Conference. The main theme of this year’s anniversary version of the conference is "Passive House - the key to sustainable construction". Highly energy efficient buildings are the basis for a climate-compatible building stock. The conference will begin on 10 September 2021 and will take place simultaneously in Wuppertal and online. Participants can look forward to further celebrations besides the jubilee conference: the 30th anniversary of the world's first Passive House building, the 25th anniversary of the Passive House Institute, as well as the presentation of the Passive House Award 2021.
Press Release
2 June 2021
Happy Birthday, Passive House!
The Passive House is celebrating its 30th birthday this year! Starting as an experiment, great credit can be given to this pioneering project by Professor Wolfgang Feist: at a time when only very few people thought about climate protection, it paved the way for energy efficiency in buildings. Today, the Passive House Standard has been implemented throughout the world and shines particularly brightly in beacon projects globally. More reasons for celebrating: the 25th anniversary of the Passive House Institute and the jubilee edition of the International Passive House Conference.
Press Release
29 March 2021
Course of action: Passive House
The Passive House Institute has announced the Passive House Award 2021 which highlights pioneering projects of energy efficient construction. Special consideration will be given to the renewable energy supply of the buildings by an international panel of judges. Quality assurance of the building through certification is a prerequisite for participation in the Passive House Award 2021. The award will be presented during the 25th International Passive House Conference in September which will be held in Wuppertal and online.
Press Release
15 February 2021
Efficiency: The first renewable energy
The International Passive House Association and its partner organisations launch the global “Efficiency: The First Renewable Energy” campaign today. Using the hashtag #EfficiencyFirst, the campaign aims to raise awareness for the vital role energy efficiency in buildings plays in meeting our climate goals. The campaign also demon-strates that energy efficient buildings provide a comfortable, healthy and sustainable built environment. The launch includes a competition for social media followers.
Press Release
28 January 2021
The key to a healthy climate
The 25th International Passive House Conference will take place from September 10-11th in Wuppertal, Germany, under the patronage of Andreas Pinkwart, North Rhine Westphalia's State Minister for Economic Affairs. Only buildings with a low energy demand for heating and cooling will put us on the path to efficient climate protection. By reducing the energy demand, we can ensure that our building stock’s energy needs can be fully met by renewable energy sources, long term and at large scale. Encompassing this idea is this year’s International Passive House Conference and complementary exhibition, which bare the motto "Passive House - The key to sustainable buildings!”
Press Release
