Passivhaus passing the 1% mark for new homes offers a beacon to the industry. But how can we achieve the same for retrofit and then get Passivhaus from 1% to 10% of all new homes in the UK and get at least 50% of the industry to understand the principles behind Passivhaus? It’s a massive challenge. We need to really accelerate delivery.

Impact

Passivhaus is having a huge impact on the construction industry and policymakers already.  Clients across the UK, from small one-off self-builders to large swimming pool operators, are recognising the benefits that Passivhaus brings in terms of ongoing energy bill savings, high comfort, good indoor air quality, and quality assurance.

Scotland: Scotland is leading the charge, with policymakers currently developing a Scottish Passivhaus equivalent policy for newbuild housing, which could include, as a minimum, a requirement that homes to the Passivhaus standard be considered ‘deemed to satisfy’ current building standards. The policy has been developed in response to a Private Members’ Bill introduced by Alex Rowley MSP, which came out of the Scottish Climate Assembly’s 2021 Recommendations for Action. An incredible 97% of the Assembly voted in favour of the Passivhaus or Scottish equivalent standard for new build projects in Scotland.

Social housing: Over 1500 UK homes have been built by social housing providers to the Passivhaus standard to date, with thousands more in the pipeline. Local authorities have been developing local plans that call on developers to go beyond building regulations, often drawing on the Passivhaus methodology. The Greater London Authority is one boom area for Passivhaus, thanks to higher building standards required by the London Plan. Social housing schemes in Wales also have the option of adopting a ‘fabric first’ alternative to EPC A. The new ‘Tai ar y Cyd’ Pattern Book, recently launched by 23 Welsh social housing providers, includes Passivhaus as its suggested ‘enhanced’ standard.

Schools: Around 60% of new schools in Scotland are aiming for the Passivhaus standard, thanks to an innovative funding mechanism developed by the Scottish Futures Trust that encourages local authorities to adopt building standards that can guarantee good building performance. Passivhaus schools and educational buildings are springing up across the rest of the UK as well, from Wolverhampton to Welshpool.

Connect

Passivhaus is, by its nature, a very collaborative design approach, bringing the project teams together early on in the design stage to work for a positive Passivhaus certified outcome. It is also part of an international community, sharing best practice and learning. To deliver a tenfold expansion of Passivhaus uptake in the UK, the Passivhaus Trust is developing a strategy with connection and collaboration at its core.

Training: To increase uptake, the Passsivhaus Trust  is offering expanded training in universities and colleges and a new Passivhaus Learning Hub to help create a skilled and experienced supply chain of certified designers/ consultants  and contractors. We will be expanding training availability with more courses in multiple formats for different audiences.  

Mentoring:  We are supporting clients via our latest initiative, Passivhaus Client Clubs, to assist social housing providers successfully deliver Passivhaus at scale. The idea is to offer a safe space for clients to discuss and iron out any challenges or obstacles, sharing best practice design approaches to simplify the process and keep costs down, reducing the learning curve for Passivhaus clients.

People & projects: The Passivhaus Trust is trying to facilitate connections and make it easy to find help. Our members’ directory platforms a range of services and suppliers, helping clients find the right teams to deliver their projects. Shining a light on Passivhaus exemplar projects –  through case studies, a projects map, awards, and Passivhaus Open Days – is also helping to further the Passivhaus ‘multiplier effect’.

Government policy: Policy and regulation changes would vastly increase the uptake of Passivhaus. The Trust is campaigning for the Passivhaus standard to be considered ‘deemed to satisfy’ the UK’s building regulations and standards, including the upcoming Future Homes Standard. The Trust is also working hard to ensure current developments in Scotland and Wales will help embed the Passivhaus standard further into policy.

Passivhaus is growing exponentially in the UK – join us!