www.passivehouse-award.org

Competition for the Passive House Award 2014 - International Award for energy-efficient buildings and regions

The race is on for the 2014 Passive House Award, organised within PassREg to showcase leaders in the field of energy-efficient construction from around the world. Competition entries may include single buildings as well as entire districts or regions. An independent jury will evaluate the architectural design and urban planning aspects of the submitted projects with special attention given to the use of renewables in sustainable energy supply concepts. Winning projects will be awarded at the International Passive House Conference next April in Aachen, Germany. ...more

New Passive House hotel at the edge of Lake Garda

Spending holidays in a Passive House is now also possible in the small town of Torbole at the edge of Lake Garda, where just in time for the summer holidays, a family enterprise has opened a hotel built according to the extremely energy efficient Passive House Standard. more

Passive House Conference points to the future of construction and retrofitting

Energy-efficient and cost-effective: this is the future of construction and retrofitting, as demonstrated at the International Passive House Conference in Frankfurt, Germany. Using examples of completed projects, experts from all over the world revealed the potential of intelligent architecture for climate protection and cost savings. Some 1200 Passive House experts from around 50 countries attended the Conference, a long-established event in the energy-efficient construction sector. more

Latest version of the PHPP planning tool to be launched at the 17th International Passive House Conference

The German version of the new Passive House planning software will be available at the International Passive House Conference in Frankfurt, Germany. The PHPP 8 not only offers additional calculation methods and easier data input, but also provides a central list of Certified Passive House Components and incorporates electricity yields from photovoltaic systems. The first German copies of the new Passive House Planning Package will be available for purchase at the Passive House Institute stand on 19 and 20 April 2013. more

Pioneer Award for 1970s Zero-Energy House in Denmark

This year's Passive House Pioneer Award for groundbreaking achievements in the field of energy-efficient construction will go to the Zero-Energy House in Copenhagen, built in the 1970s under the guidance of the late professor Vagn Korsgaard (1921 – 2012). The findings of this project proved decisive for the development of modern energy efficient buildings. Torben Esbensen, an engineer and a driving force behind the project at the Technical University of Denmark, will accept the award at the upcoming International Passive House Conference in Frankfurt, Germany. more

Sicily presents Passive House pilot project

Passive House is synonymous with energy efficiency, even in Mediterranean climates. This has been proven with the latest Passive House project in Sicily. Recent developments on the Italian island are to be presented this week in Catania, where Passive House Institute founder Professor Wolfgang Feist, together with other regional stakeholders, will discuss the vast potential this construction method offers the Mediterranean region. Visits to various model houses are also planned as part of the conference, organised within framework of the EU project PassREg. more

Ravensburg celebrates inauguration of Passive House museum

The new Museum of Arts in Ravensburg, Germany, not only showcases important works of art – the building itself is a masterpiece worth seeing: the first museum in the world built to the Passive House Standard. The inauguration ceremony, held on the second weekend in March 2013, celebrated not just a new meeting point for art lovers in the historical city centre, but also marked a highlight in energy-efficient construction. (Photo: Herz Lang) more

Training opportunities for Passive House craftspeople worldwide

PHI’s "Certified Passive House Tradesperson" qualification is becoming increasingly popular at the international level. Two months before the International Passive House Conference in Frankfurt, Germany, the Passive House Institute has published the English version of the course material with further translations already under progress, thus responding to the increasing international demand for training opportunities in the field of energy efficient construction.more

Royal Institute of British Architects recognises the Passive House

Prestigious recognition for Dr. Wolfgang Feist and the Passive House in London: The German pioneer in energy efficient construction was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The award ceremony took place on 6 February with a gala dinner held at the head office of the renowned architects association. The founder and director of the Passive House Institute and professor of building physics at the University of Innsbruck also took advantage of this trip to visit a selection of innovative building projects and exchange information with major stakeholders involved in the development of the Passive House concept in the UK. more

Passive House planning facilitated by new certified components

With record numbers of new components Passive House Institute certified, Passive House design has never been easier. A total of 134 products received the internationally recognised seal of quality in 2012, and the trend is set to continue. The often specific wishes of clients are becoming ever easier for architects to satisfy while fulfilling the highest demands in energy efficiency, with manufacturers having developed certified components such as sliding doors, dome lights and balcony systems. The Passive House Institute presented the certificates for a range of new products at the BAU 2013 trade fair in Munich. more