Subject

Policy and codes

Passive House is an open, performance-based standard: its criteria are published, it sets outcomes rather than methods, and it can be verified independently. That makes it straightforward for codes and programs to reference. Energy codes usually set targets relative to a reference building and say little about comfort; Passive House sets fixed targets for both comfort and energy.

PHI standards are already written into building codes, incentive programs, affordable-housing tax-credit scoring, and lending in the US and Canada. These programs rely on the verification: a modeled design, documented construction, a blower-door test, and commissioned ventilation.

PHN supports a stepwise path: accept Passive House models for code compliance, so teams don't model twice; offer incentives; offer optional stretch codes; then move baseline codes toward Passive House outcomes as the market is ready. Housing policy should also carry health and resilience requirements, such as heat-recovery ventilation in every apartment, tested airtightness, and checks for overheating. Programs should name the PHI standards, Passive House, EnerPHit, and the PHI Low Energy Building, and define what counts as equal.

Related subjects: Energy modeling and tools · Resilience · Practice and business · Climate and carbon

Training on this subject

Filters (1)

I am A designer or consultant 21 A builder or tradesperson 8 An owner or developer 13 A policymaker or advocate 21

Kind Certification courses 0 Specialized courses 2 Paid sessions 4 Free sessions 16

Building type Single-family 1 Multifamily 4 Non-residential 0

Format On-demand 20 Live online 2 In person 0

Credit AIA LU 6 PHI credit 6 Counts toward CPHD/C renewal 6 Counts toward CPHT renewal 6

Clear all

22 courses and sessions

Specialized courses 2

Paid sessions 4

Free sessions 16

Writing on Policy and codes 27

Articles · September 3, 2026
US Building Policy in the Age of Passive House
The Passive House Networkhas been actively seeding big policy moves across the nation since 2015, and the fruits of that labor are now ripening.…
Press · August 31, 2026
New Research Highlights Passive House as up to 4.5 Times More Efficient than Standard Codes
New York, N.Y. – The Passive House Network (PHN) will release new research on September 8th showing how Passive House compares to standard energy…
Articles · October 7, 2025
Passive House Makes Waves in California with AB 368
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 368, titled "Energy: building standards: passive house standards," into law on October 1st. The law directs the…
Articles · August 26, 2025
New Building Code Provisions Ease Path to Passive House in Washington State
Last month, HB 1183 was passed in Washington. It’s a first-of-its-kind bill that makes it easier to build new and retrofit Passive House buildings…
Articles · January 9, 2025
Are Smoke-Tight Buildings Coming to California?
On January 8th, 2025, as a ring of wildfires devastated sections of Los Angeles, California’s Codes and Standards presented their first update of proposed…
Articles · October 22, 2024
The Next Four Years of Passive House
The United States has been weathering a housing affordability crisis for some time now. High interest rates, low inventory, and high demand has created…

All 27 posts on Policy and codes →