Mission and values
In the face of climate change, the need to curb greenhouse gas emissions is becoming ever more apparent. A key contributor to total greenhouse gas emissions, energy use in buildings can be reduced through increases in energy efficiency while ensuring the highest levels of comfort. In this respect, the Passive House Standard, developed by the Passive House Institute, offers the sustainable and cost effective answer for efficient energy use in buildings. In order to advance the Passive House Standard as well as the quality for which it stands worldwide, the Passive House Institute founded iPHA, the International Passive House Association (iPHA).
iPHA's mission
The Passive House Association (iPHA) and its international affiliates recognise that promoting comfortable, high quality, and highly efficient buildings is key to reducing energy use in the building sector and thereby curbing climate change. The Association is an integral part of the Passive House Standard’s custodian, the Passive House Institute, and thus acts as a bridge between the global Passive House community and the Institute’s cutting edge research and quality assurance work. We connect a growing global network of stakeholders and see ourselves as a platform of exchange, facilitating international collaboration on energy efficiency in construction. Through awareness raising and networking as well as educational and communication activities, iPHA aims to drive uptake of the Passive House Standard worldwide.
iPHA is committed to a set of key principles
Ethical principles
- Upholding human rights including but not limited to prohibiting child labour, unjust working conditions and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, lifestyle, etc.
- Continually working for the greater good
- Working in line with the principles of sustainable development and social responsibility, striving to ensure a better environment for generations to come and acting to continuously improve upon already high standards
- Acting with tolerance and in an unbiased manner, independent from special religious, political, economic or other interests
Scientific principles
- Avoiding claims that are not scientifically defendable and evidence-based; operating with integrity and transparency, maintaining quality and taking responsibility for work and actions
- Fostering the advancement of Passive House and related knowledge through capacity building and best practice, learning from others’ experiences and sharing relevant insights with others
- Publishing Passive House relevant work and scientific findings in the public arena for peer review and critique, in particular on Passipedia so as to promote the advancement of the Passive House knowledge
- Clearly and correctly citing and respecting others’ original work; denouncing plagiarism
Principles relating to the Passive House concept
- Adopting the definition of the Passive House Standard as per the Passive House criteria and principles set out by the Passive House Institute
- Appropriately referring to Passive Houses and the components suitable for their construction as such as per the Passive House criteria set out by the Passive House Institute
- Continuously striving to deepen and broaden awareness of and the body of knowledge surrounding the Passive House concept as well as its implementation.
- Keeping abreast of the latest developments and knowledge in the Passive House field, as, for example, documented in Passipedia
- Working to motivate the uptake of energy efficient products and methods in line with the Passive House Standard
- Upholding the quality of the Passive House Standard worldwide through our work and communication
- Ensuring the general availability of information regarding the Passive House concept
Organisational principles
- Recognising, accepting and working constructively with other Passive House organisations that commit to the principles outlined above
- Working to build and help others build increasing numbers of Passive House projects, adding to the body of Passive House knowledge through experiences and findings to be shared on Passipedia and constantly striving to grow, thereby accruing a broader member base
- Shunning and avoiding any and all patents that would hinder the uptake of the Passive House Standard
- Accepting and fully supporting entry into the Association (membership) of all interested parties whose actions are in line with the principles outlined above
