The report also notes that third-party verification via the Passive House Institute in Germany or Phius, which is based in the United States, narrows any gap in modeled performance versus real-world performance. In other words, the performance boost is not theoretical when Passive House building methodologies are combined with third-party verification.
“Based on these findings, Passive House should be accepted as an alternative compliance pathway for energy efficiency policies, incentive programs, and performance-based building requirements where the objective is to achieve predictable, high-performance energy outcomes,” wrote report author Marine Sanchez, Principal & Passive House Specialist at RDH Building Science Inc. “Passive House certification also includes an important quality-assurance dimension that is not fully captured by desk-based modeling comparisons.”
“In highlighting the superior performance of the Passive House standard, this study holds incredible promise for the future of our built environment,” said Bronwyn Barry, Policy Director of the Passive House Network. “Passive House produces incredibly efficient buildings in every climate in the continental U.S. At a time when much of our grid infrastructure is aging or in disrepair, policymakers need to take note.”
