Greeting from Craig Stevenson, incoming Board Chair

On February 4, 2022, Craig Stevenson, long-time PHN Board Member will become Board Chair.  

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Dear Community,

As Bronwyn mentioned in her farewell note, the foundation for PHN has been solidly set; it’s up to us now to expand the impact of PHN.

When I reflect on the past few years together, I keep going back to something Ken says; that “our hidden superpower is in the generosity of the Passive House community”.  These words should be our guide.  In as much as we are all prolific learners of our crafts and the Passive House approach to buildings as our guiding principles, we must also become teachers.  Teachers are selfless in their willingness to share their knowledge to the benefit of others.  Despite our rapid growth as a body of Passive House practitioners, we are still, in terms of the industry, a relatively young organization, which requires that we punch above our weight.  The pace at which we resolve the global challenges of fuel poverty, equitable indoor air quality, and carbon neutrality depends on our collective commitment to teach.  How quickly can we convince others of the merit and reliability of Passive House strategies?  How expertly can we prove that Passive House certification is achievable without paying premiums in the cost of construction?  How creatively can we pass on our learnings, so others start their journeys more advanced in their knowledge than we were?  The answers to those questions are a function of our passion; our bold thinking; and our fundamental nature, as a community.  We must outlast the ignorance we routinely find.

I co-founded AUROS Group on the principal that we need to do better, as practitioners, to prove to building owners and developers they achieved the building performance they invested in and Passive House became foundational to everything we do on the building science side of our company.  We often say, “once you see the magic of Passive House, you can’t un-see it”.  I couldn’t simply sit on the sidelines.  I co-founded the Western Pennsylvania Passive House organization and joined PHN (formerly NAPHN) to drive national awareness of all things Passive House.  I am a true believer that Passive House is the most productive and cost-effective path to zero carbon because I have seen it work.  The world needs to continue to hear our stories.

I’m really excited about where we are today as an aligned community of practitioners, but we need to do more.  We need more certified passive house designers and consultants.  We need more certified tradespeople.  We need more vocal owners, developers and design teams who can no longer “un-see what they’ve seen” that they shout Passive House from the mountaintops.  And, we need more sponsors to expand our reach.  If you look at our current PHN sponsors, they are literally a “who’s who” of leaders in their fields.  As is the case with most disruptive innovations, there is something for everyone to contribute whether it be their time, their talent or their treasure.

I look forward to serving you as Board Chair of PHN.

Finally, to Bronwyn; thanks again for everything … it’s been an awesome ride!

– Craig Stevenson