The first annual competition hosted by The Passive House Network will recognize climate-specific innovation in project design and detailing to address the particular needs of the site, local climate, and bioregion.

Submissions are due September 4, 2023, with No Fee.

Introduction

From its inception in the 1980’s the Passive House standard has been influenced by building sciences and climate vernaculars developed throughout the centuries and from around the globe. Drawing from the many lessons of regional building design the Passive House Institute (PHI) has provided a robust climate adaptive and versatile building process. Based on the meticulous calculations of the site and local climate, the standard promises a universal level of low environmental impact, occupant well-being, and resiliency. These responsive buildings are uniquely prepared for a rapidly changing world, anywhere in the world.

Categories

Entries shall be clustered and compared using the 7 PHI climate zones. This means that size and building type do not matter, but location and climate regions do. Projects will be assessed based on how they respond to local climate conditions or have used the flexibility of the Passive House standard to creatively deliver a climate-specific response. Entries shall be additionally judged using these sub-categories:

Completed New Passive House Buildings

Completed EnerPHit retrofits.

Unbuilt or incomplete new build or EnerPHit

Passive House Assembly or Installation Detail (must be part of a submitted project.)

Prizes

Two nights stay in MARTaK Passive House, Colorado’s first Certified Passive House. A mountain getaway.

Two nights stay in Hotel Marcel, CT. Passive House retrofit conversion of a classic Marcel Breuer building.

Featured on PHN website.

Limited Edition Passive House Buildings Book Collection.

Publication in Passive House Accelerator Magazine.

Judges

Lloyd Alter has been an architect, real estate developer, and writer. He teaches Sustainable Design at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Lindsay Schack, AIA, is a Co-Founder of Love|Schack Architecture, a regional design firm that specializes in low-energy design using natural materials and has sponsored Certified Passive House Tradesperson training in Montana and Wyoming.

Brad Tomecek, AIA, The founder of Tomecek Studio Architecture, Brad graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Design and a Master of Architecture.

Jessica Grove-Smith is a senior scientist and joint managing director of the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, Germany.

Samantha Josaphat-Medina is an Architect and the founder of Studio 397 Architecture.

Luis Medina is a Principal at Studio 397 Architecture with experience in both the financial and construction management industries.

Marine Sanchez leads RDH’s Passive House services. She focuses on the design of large-scale institutional and mixed-use projects, channeling her passion and expertise to drive climate action within our industry.

For more information and to register via the website.