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Solar Air Heating


Flagship projects show versatility of solar air heating

By Bärbel Epp

Canada is the global leader in solar air heating. The market is driven by a strong network of experienced system suppliers, optimized technologies, and some funding programs which are presenting cost-effective, façade-integrated systems as a practical solution for reducing onsite natural gas consumption.

Solar air heating is among the most cost-effective applications of solar thermal energy. The systems contribute to space heating and preheating fresh air for ventilation, typically using glazed or unglazed perforated solar collectors. The collectors draw in outside air, heat it using solar energy, and then distribute it through ductwork to meet building heating and fresh air needs.

For the past seven years, Canada has led the world in solar air heating adoption. The four key suppliers – Trigo Energies, Conserval Engineering, Matrix Energy, and Aéronergie – reported a combined 26,203 m2 (282,046 ft2) of collector area sold last year. Several of these providers are optimistic about the growing demand. These findings come from the newly released Canadian Solar Thermal Market Survey 2024, commissioned by Natural Resources Canada.

Despite its cold climate, Canada benefits from strong solar potential with solar irradiance rivaling or even exceeding that of parts of Europe. This makes solar air heating not only viable, but especially valuable in buildings with high fresh air requirements including schools, hospitals, and offices.

A retrofit for improved energy performance

Most Trigo Energies installations are in Quebec where funding programs are offered by Hydro Quebec, the gas utility Energir and the Ministry of Natural Resources EcoPerformance program. Trigo Energies works with partner contractors to install mostly retrofit projects where knowledge of HVAC engineering is as important as experience with solar thermal and architecture.

One recent Trigo installation is at the FAB3R factory in Trois-Rivières which specializes in manufacturing, repairing, and refurbishing large industrial equipment. Its air heating and ventilation system needed urgent renovation because of leakages and discomfort for the workers.

The majority of the new 2,750 m2 (29,600 ft2) solar façade at FAB3R covers approximately 13 % of the factory’s annual heating demand, which is otherwise met by natural gas. Trigo Energies equipped the façade with its high-performance Calento SL collectors, featuring a notable innovation: a selective, low-emissivity coating that withstands outdoor conditions.

Introduced by Trigo in 2019 and manufactured by Almeco Group from Italy, this advanced coating is engineered to maximize solar absorption while minimizing heat loss via infrared emission, enhancing the overall efficiency of the system.

The high efficiency coating is now standard in Trigo’s air heating systems and delivers a 25 to 35 % increase in yield over the former generation of solar air collectors with black paint. Testing conducted at Queen’s University confirms this performance advantage. Researchers measured the performance of transpired solar air collectors both with and without a selective coating, mounted side-by-side on a south-facing vertical wall. 

The results showed that the collectors with the selective coating produced 1.3 to 1.5 times more energy than those without it. In 2024, the monitoring results were jointly published by Queen’s University and Canmet Energy in a paper titled, “Performance Comparison of a Transpired Air Solar Collector with Low-E Surface Coating”.

Selective coating, also used on other solar thermal technologies including glazed flat plate or vacuum tube collectors, has a distinctive blue colour. Trigo customers can, however, choose between blue and black finishes. Going from the normal blue selective coating to black selective coating loses about 1 % in solar efficiency. 
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interview with

Stephan Moyon, President, VELUX North America on resilient design and circularity

Q1: How do VELUX products contribute to resilient construction and improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ)?

VELUX offers innovative skylight systems that promote healthy ventilation and leverage the natural beauty of daylight to transform interior spaces. We are passionate about making products that perform better and help people to perform better.  Sunlight and fresh air have dramatic effects on IEQ and occupant health, from improved mood to increased productivity.  At the same time, people spend about 90% of their time indoors in the northern hemisphere. These insights inspire our team to deliver solutions that bring the health benefits of fresh air and daylight into our clients' homes, schools, and offices.

Q2: Where do you think the greatest opportunities lie in advancing resilient design and construction as a norm for the building industry?

We see a big opportunity to take advantage of what we already have. Roughly 80% of North American buildings that will be standing in 2050 have already been built. The opportunities, therefore, lie in how we can transform these spaces, adapt them to our current needs, and upgrade their performance to meet our modern energy goals. Virgin materials are diminishing in supply due to overuse, and the built environment accounts for about a third of the world’s waste. Therefore, there is a great need for our industry to take advantage of the materials which already exist, through practices like urban mining and retrofitting. By focusing strategically on circularity, we can put less strain on our diminishing natural resources. 

Q3: How can circular design make cities more resilient, affordable, and livable while also lowering carbon emissions?

Circular design allows us to transform spaces and buildings to keep up with our modern needs and uses, without imposing the high environmental and economic costs of new builds. Updating these spaces to our modern standards is not just desirable, but necessary. Data, such as the statistics pulled from the VELUX Group’s Healthy Building Barometer, shows that the values of resiliency, affordability, and livability are intertwined. For example, by improving the resilience of the built environment, less energy is required to maintain and operate these spaces. There are also clear benefits to sourcing recycled materials for lower carbon emissions as well as resource independence. We inherently become more flexible during periods of international instability by drawing from the resources and materials that are available to us now.

Q4: How does VELUX incorporate circularity into its business model?

We aim to integrate circularity throughout our value chain. We start by working to source materials with higher recycled content and embedding circularity principles into the product design process. At the same time, we are reducing waste in our own operations and beginning to transition our packaging in North America to recyclable, paper-based solutions. We’re expanding these efforts with some great pilot programs in Europe, such as a take-back service for older windows. We also conduct demonstration projects that highlight our circularity approach. For example, we recently renovated one of the buildings at our production facility in Denmark to convert it into what we call the LKR Innovation House. Our team was able to reuse more than 50% of the original materials associated with the building. For our team, circularity isn't just a mantra, it’s the foundation of all our business and product decisions.

Q5: What do you think the building industry needs to do to advance its circularity goals?

I think the building industry is a sector with many challenges and even more opportunities. There are barriers to our progress, though, in our culture and mindset. The tendency has been to ask, “what’s the next project?” or “where can we develop next?” But have we stopped to assess what we already have and how we can repurpose it to serve our evolving needs? Or when we build new—how can we do so with decreased impact. Considering not just the immediate future, but also longer-term, including changes in weather, usage of space, and other factors? Industry leaders have the opportunity to benefit from the value of what we already have by recycling materials and retrofitting spaces to align with the new reality and selecting products where circularity is taken into account. We have the technologies and the knowledge at our disposal—now it’s time to put them into action.
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(S) EFFICIENT HOUSE

Compact design a rethink on housing and retirement

By Maegan Murrins and Rayleen Hill

Sitting on a small lot of a tight urban street on the outskirts of downtown Halifax, the (s)efficient house overlooks a south-facing garden while keeping the east views of the industrial lands to a minimum.

The retired homeowners wanted to downsize in retirement. With 960 sq. ft. of living space on one level, the house has minimal upkeep and future accessibility potential. An additional 300 sq ft of garage space allows for the storage of cars and other items. The living space has the opposite “gull wing” roof shape allowing the main living spaces to have high, vaulted ceilings which make the compact interior feel voluminous.

The house is efficient, but the (S) in the name of the house stands for sufficient. It is not a large house, and the clients wanted a house that was just enough, no extras. It is about having not only less to heat and cool, but less to maintain. We think it is a great precedent because our culture always sells the idea of the “dream home” which tends to have lots of extras and be very expensive. It was a delight to have a client looking for elevated living that was not about excess.

The foyer area between the separate garage and living space creates the entry point to the house. The small footprint was purposely designed with a “divider” closet/dining servery creating a threshold between the front entry hall and the mudroom before meandering and opening into the main public areas of the house.

An important factor for wellness is occupant comfort related to natural daylighting and a comfortable room temperature. The large, south-facing feature window ensures adequate solar gain and natural light in winter. The home’s heat pump is set at 18c and stays at 19c to 23c depending on where it’s measured and the time of day. With windows in every room, oftentimes with dual aspects, the house requires little lighting, except at night.

Water strategies needed only simple measures involving water-conserving fixtures, thus saving the budget for more pressing issues of envelope design and the photovoltaic array. The water use in the first nine months of operating has been 14 CM for three months, or roughly 140l/day.

MAEGAN MURRINS AND RAYLEEN HILL ARE WITH RHAD ARCHITECTS.

PROJECT CREDITS

  • ARCHITECT  RHAD Architects
  • STRUCTURAL ENGINEER  SANI Engineering
  • MECHANICAL ENGINEER  Tate Engineering
  • CONSTRUCTION  Kildare Construction
  • PHOTOS  Julian Parkinson, jp@formatfilms.ca

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FANSHAWE COLLEGE INNOVATION VILLAGE – London ON

Institutional (Large) Award

Jury Comment

Creating a central focus for the campus with a project that combines retention and new building was a strategic decision to support both environmental and social sustainability. The daylight and energy challenges posed by intensification were elegantly met with a day-lit atrium, clerestory windows and an innovative BIPV cladding system using active and passive solar panels.

Innovation village includes the substantial renovation of existing facilities, minimizing new construction, demolition, and the carbon impact of the project as a whole. Additional floors of shell space increase  density and the use of shared resources at the campus core. This contrasts with previous campus development, which spread horizontally across undeveloped land.

Student and Indigenous engagement informed the building’s design, visually and spatially, establishing a dynamic learning environment that supports diverse programming.

Glulam canopies at the main east entrance and south courtyard are warm and welcoming. Their seven columns reference the seven Indigenous teachings and the seven job skills of the future outlined by the College.

A new Library Learning Commons reflects Fanshawe’s commitment to inclusivity, and support for its more than 400 Indigenous students. It is home to the Kalihwíy̲o̲ Circle (Oneida for ‘good message’) – the Indigenous Spirit Assembly. Its circular form creates a feeling of safety and trust, encouraging the sharing of culture.

The 11,800m2 Innovation Village project brings together previously disconnected interior spaces and courtyards to create a new heart for Fanshawe College. The design reflects Fanshawe’s focus on experiential learning.

Catering to the various ways people learn and collaborate, Innovation Village offers a variety of adaptable spaces that range from silent study zones to open work/study areas, homework labs to multi-use event and presentation spaces. It is a place where all students have access to innovative technology, including maker spaces, an augmented reality and virtual reality lab, multimedia labs, and Leap Junction – a centre for all things entrepreneurship – teaching both students and alumni  the soft skills required to succeed in the changing workforce.

Built by D. Grant Construction Limited, the Innovation Village project brings together previously disconnected interior spaces and courtyards with the entrance designated by glulam canopies. Tempeff dual core high efficiency enthalpy recovery units contribute to the energy efficiency of the building.

PROJECT CREDITS

  • Owner/Developer Fanshawe College
  • Architect  Diamond Schmitt in joint venture with Philip Agar Architect Inc.
  • General Contractor  D. Grant Construction Limited
  • Landscape Architect  Ron Koudys Landscape Architects
  • Civil Engineer  Development Engineering (London) Limited
  • Electrical/Mechanical engineer  Smith + Andersen
  • Structural Engineer  VanBoxmeer & Stranges
  • Commissioning Agent  WSP Canada Inc.
  • Photos  Tom Arban Photography

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FOREST EXPLORERS OUTDOOR EARLY LEARNING CENTRE – Ottawa ON

Institutional (Small) Award

Jury Comment

A beautifully detailed example of a sustainable building that is treating its site carefully and lightly, providing an opportunity for future generations to learn through direct experience of nature. The milling of wood harvested from the site to create exterior siding offers children a visual and tactile message about sustainability.

This project redefines early childhood education by immersing 73 children, from infants to preschoolers, in a nature-filled environment. Located within Ottawa’s Greenbelt, this full-time daycare centre offers a year-round outdoor learning experience where children spend at least half their time exploring nature, rain or shine. The design embraces the principle of “learning through play,” fostering sensory awareness, resilience, and life skills through hands-on activities in a forested setting.

The Centre doubles as a research hub for Outdoor Play Canada, advocating for equitable access to unstructured outdoor learning. The facility, inspired by a “cabin in the wood”, integrates seamlessly with its environment.

Sustainability was a key consideration in the design, with a super-insulated, airtight envelope, high-performance triple-glazed windows, and bird-friendly glass. Regionally sourced, non-toxic materials were also used throughout.

This environmentally conscious approach makes the Centre a model of low-impact design while creating a lasting educational facility that instills a lifelong love for nature in young learners.

Careful site planning maintains the existing topography and vegetation. The existing trees that were cleared for construction were locally kiln-dried and milled for use as building siding and custom furniture, while some logs were retained on-site to serve as seating and wildlife habitat.

Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada supplied the AC units.

PROJECT CREDITS

  • Architect  CSV Architects
  • Owner/Developer  Andrew Fleck Children's Services
  • General Contractor  Thomas Fuller Construction Co. Limited
  • Landscape Architect  Lashley + Associates Corporation
  • Civil Engineering  Novatech
  • Electrical/mechanical Engineer  Goodkey Weedmark + Associates
  • Structural engineer  WSP Canada
  • Photos  Kevin Belanger

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PERKINS + WILL STUDIO –  Vancouver BC 

Interior Design Award

 

Jury Comment

This systematic  approach to the reuse, reassembly and reimagining of existing furniture from a previous office is highly commendable; the more so because this facilitated the creation of a flexible and collaborative workspace to  support  employee wellness. The educational materials this process has generated are exemplary, as is the reduction in embodied carbon compared to new furniture. This project sets an example future clients will be encouraged to emulate.

After more than 20 years at its previous location, the Vancouver studio of Perkins+Will sought a new space that would allow it to embrace evolving workplace trends, and create an environment that would foster collaboration, flexibility, and employee wellness. To meet its goal of minimizing the embodied and operational carbon of the project, the team chose to rehabilitate space within and existing building.

An ideal solution was found in the iconic 26-storey Arthur Erickson Place tower, whose owners had recently retrofitted the building to CAGBC Zero Carbon Building Performance Standard™ and LEED Platinum certifications, consistent with P+W’s own green operations plan.

The challenge was to reorganize the program in a space that was 40% smaller than the previous studio; and only a single floor rather than multiple levels. Within these constraints, the aim was to maximize functionality, promote social interaction, collaboration and creativity. 

The interior layout reinforces Erickson’s concept of ’two towers joined by a core,’ with the studio divided into two zones. The floor plan respects the 10-foot structural rhythm, giving the space an organizational rigour while allowing for areas of expression.

The social heart of the studio is the “living room”, a large open space that serves as café and kitchen, as well as a venue for casual meetings, lunch and learn sessions or weekly all staff seminars.  The space also functions as a dynamic venue for events, gatherings, and meetings with community groups, industry organizations, and others.

The social heart of the studio is the “living room” which serves as café, kitchen and meeting venue. Wrapped acoustic wall panels by Decoustics reduce sound transmission.

PROJECT CREDITS

  • Architect  Perkins+Will
  • General Contractor Turner Construction
  • Mechanical/Electrical Engineer  Smith + Andersen
  • Structural engineer  RJC Ltd
  • Fire Protection  MFPE
  • Photos (Interiors)  Ema Peter Photography
  • Photos (Exterior View)  Michael Elkan

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CANADIAN CENTRE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION – University of Prince Edward Island, St. Peters Bay PEI

Institutional (Large) Award

Jury Comment

In terms of performance, this project was exemplary for its use of local materials including PH certified windows, which resulted in very low levels of embodied carbon. The program Is very progressive, integrating local Indigenous, Western, and global research communities within a collaborative, immersive 24-hour living lab environment.

Located in the village of St. Peters Bay this project is a living laboratory and educational destination, enabling  world-class sustainability focused research and experiential learning for UPEI and its collaborating organizations.

The facility serves as a hub and activator for local community engagement. With its living-learning concept providing an immersive environment that includes active spaces for teaching, research, experimentation, socialization, and quiet spaces for personal contemplation and rest.  The Centre also incorporates a multi-purpose community room with commanding views of Saint Peters Bay and Village.

The building extends east-west along the ridge of the hillside, accommodating parking to the north, enabling the creation of a wind protected south-facing courtyard, solar harvesting opportunities, while minimizing site disturbance. Existing vegetated hedge rows flanking the site were retained and reinforced.

The Centre’s ‘think globally, act locally’ sustainability approach is rooted in local supplier and trade capabilities wherever feasible and available. Examples include the use of all-wood, carbon sequestering construction using locally sourced stick-frame construction, glue-laminated columns/beams in fire/exposed locations (and the selective use of steel where dictated by economy/maintenance and durability considerations), locally assembled/ prefabricated wood wall panels, regionally harvested wood cladding and locally manufactured Passive House Certified windows which are manufactured within the LEED V4.1 ‘local’ radius of 160km from the site. 

PROJECT CREDITS

  • Owner/Developer  University of PEI,
  • Province of PEI; Government of Canada
  • Architect  Baird Samson Neuert Architects
  • Associate Architect Sable ARC
  • General Contractor  Bird Construction
  • Landscape Architect  Vollick McKee Petersmann & Associates Ltd.
  • Civil Engineer  SCL Engineering
  • Electrical Engineer  Richardson Associates Ltd
  • Mechanical engineer  MCA Consultants
  • Structural Engineer  SCL Engineering
  • Photos Brady McCloskey Photography

Main cladding types consist of Trespa Meteon panels from Formica and wood siding by Marwood Cape Cod Siding . Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada supplied fan coils and many of the interior walls are finished with Olympia Tile .

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Fire Hall No. 17

First of its type to achieve LEED Gold, Passive House, and ZCB – Design Certification, and a 99% drop in carbon emissions

By Darryl Condon

Completed in April 2022, the 1800 sq.m Fire Hall No. 17 is the first fire hall in Canada to earn CaGBC Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) – Design certification and Passive House certification. It is also now LEED Gold certified.

The low carbon, all-electric building is situated on Knight Street at 55th Avenue, and is the second-largest training facility for Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (VFRS). It aims to cater to modern firefighting needs and training for the next 80 years, and serves as a post-disaster citywide emergency hub in the event of an information technology network breakdown.

The design enables any firefighter in the building to get to a fire truck in 60 seconds. The new facility has four drive-through apparatus bays, a full-size hose/training tower, a training yard, and accommodation for two full crews. As a post-disaster facility, it is also fitted with IT, radio, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition), and traffic control equipment.

Performance Goals

The building supports the City of Vancouver’s ambitious plan to achieve zero operational greenhouse gas emissions in new buildings by 2030. Metered data shows that the new building has reduced its energy use by an average of 83% compared to the previous Fire Hall 17, despite being twice the size. When comparing energy use intensity (per m2), there is a 91% reduction. The new fire hall has also achieved a 99% reduction in operational carbon emissions compared to its predecessor.

Sustainability Strategies

To achieve the stringent performance metrics required by each sustainability rating system, the project team employed the following strategies:

Efficient massing and form factor: Achieving quick turn-out time is the most critical design criterion in a fire hall. Turn-out time tracks the duration from notification of the call alarm, to disengagement from the task at hand, to physical movement towards the apparatus bays, to donning Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), and ultimately leaving the fire hall to attend the call.

This criterion required careful consideration to balance operational efficiency with building performance and minimize negative impact to the form factor. Despite this challenge, the design optimizes the massing and reduces the amount of thermal bridging as much as possible.

Optimized building orientation and program overlay for passive-solar design: The living areas of the fire hall are located on the south façade of the building so those programs receive the heat from the sun and abundant daylight needed throughout the day. This strategy significantly reduced the heating and lighting loads of the building.

Darryl Condon is Managing Principal at hcma architecture + design.

The building is finished with Vicwest 22Ga AD-300-SR flush seam metal cladding.

Finished with CertainTeed Type X gypsum board, the kitchen, outdoor patio, and dayrooms have south and east exposure to take vantage of natural light. 

A Zehnder Comfoair 160 heat recovery ventilator from Airia Brands provides balanced ventilation with a constant supply of fresh air. 

Project Credits

  • Owner/Developer  City of Vancouver
  • Architect  hcma architecture +design
  • General Contractor DGS Construction
  • Structural Engineer  RJC Engineers
  • Mechanical Engineer  Integral Group
  • Electrical Engineer  Integral Group
  • Civil Engineer  Binnie
  • Landscape Architect  Hapa Collaborative
  • Building envelope  RJC Engineers
  • Energy Modeller Morrison Hershfield
  • Building Code  Jenson Hughes
  • Acoustics  BAP Acoustics
  • Traffic  Bunt & Associates
  • Wayfinding + Signage  hcma architecture + design
  • Photos  Ema Peter Photography
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High-performance windows for high-performance building

An overview of current practice

The Sundance Housing Co-op in Edmonton underwent a Deep Energy Retrofit using an EnergieSprong-inspired model—Dutch for “energy leap”—focused on dramatically improving the efficiency of existing homes. Spearheaded by ReNu Engineering, the retrofit included prefabricated panels, airtight construction, and electrification to approach net-zero performance. The DUXTON Windows & Doors triple-glazed low-E, argon filled fiberglass windows, for a centre-of-glass R-8, were key to the building envelope upgrade, offering exceptional thermal performance in cold climates. Not only does a Deep Energy Retrofit give a huge facelift to your building, but it also boosts comfort, reduces long-term maintenance and energy costs, and shrinks your environmental footprint—making it a smart, future-ready investment. duxtonwindows.com

The 52-unit apartment development for Halton Region, by Cynthia Zahoruk Architect Inc. and built by Schilithius Construction, is situated in Kerr Street Village, Oakville. The four-storey building is designed to meet Passive House certification standards and tailored to accommodate seniors, promoting the concept of aging in place. All units are fully barrier-free. INLINE Fiberglass PHI Certified windows, designed and manufactured in Canada, contribute to the  success of the project through superior insulation, high-performance glazing, and exceptional airtightness. inlinefiberglass.com

The Wilson Residence, Port Carling, ON is designed to perform in cold climates with ENERsign’s ultra-efficient windows. Built for Passive House and high-performance buildings, ENERsign’s  triple-pane glazing, airtight construction, and superior insulation provide comfort, durability, and energy savings—especially in cold climate. With cutting-edge technology and sleek aesthetics, the windows strike a balance of sustainability, performance, and design. enersign.com

Timbre & Harmony in Vancouver, BC is a newly completed Passive House affordable housing development. The project features two, six-storey L-shaped buildings that achieved an average airtightness of 0.38 ACH50 resulting in a 56% reduction in thermal demands. Innotech Windows + Doors manufactured and installed 375 Passive House Institute certified windows and doors for the two buildings. Architect: Ryder Architecture, General Contractor: Etro Construction. innotech-windows.com

The only hybrid casement window in Canada with an impressive energy efficiency rating of U 0,79 W/(m2 K), the Passive House Series x by Isothermic Windows & Doors is designed to align with carbon-neutral, LEED, and Passive House projects, and to meet the challenges of the ever-changing environment we live in. PHIUS, PHI and AW certified, the Isothermic system is perfectly tailored to suit the North American style. Available now across Canada.    

Translucent daylighting systems by KALWALL are the most highly insulating in the world, improving indoor environmental quality, reducing a building’s carbon footprint, and bringing measurable energy savings to owners and tenants. The KALWALL® 175CW translucent insulated glazing units (TIGUs) allows mixing and matching with other infill glazings and claddings for various façade design possibilities. KALWALL 175CW TIGUs are nominally 1-3/4” and fully thermally broken. kalwall.com

La Cime: Elevating Passive Design with High-Performance Windows – Perched atop Mont-Sainte-Anne, La Cime is a striking example of sustainable architecture, where NZP Fenestration’s passive windows play a key role. Designed to maximize energy efficiency, NZP high-performance windows ensure superior insulation, harness solar gains, and enhance indoor comfort while offering breathtaking views. Blending elegance with cutting-edge technology, they help La Cime achieve Passive House standards, proving that sustainability and modern design go hand in hand. nzpfenestration.com

This Panorama, BC prefab project was built to Passive House standards with an impressive blower door score of 0.38ACH50! It uses VETTA Windows’ triple glazed, PEFC certified wood windows, slides and doors, custom crafted in Poland for unparalleled home comfort to last a lifetime. The windows, ELITE E92 Tilt & Turn with German steel multi-point locking, are PHIUS certified and PHI validated. Lower-level glazing is laminated with R2 rated security resistance. Project Partners: Justin Sherry Design Studio, Collective Carpentry, thinkBright Homes, and Gergely Cserhati, Owner/Builder. vettawindows.com

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Passive House Component Certification

Assurance for specifiers and building designers

By Melissa Furukawa, Peel Passive House Consulting Ltd.

Why Certify a Component to Passive House?

The demand for Passive House certified components is rapidly increasing as the global shift towards sustainable building practices accelerates amidst the climate crisis. In North America, government policies play a pivotal role, integrating advanced energy efficiency standards into building codes and offering incentives for both new constructions and retrofit projects. These incentives often depend on meeting specific energy performance savings targets, with higher performance increasing the likelihood of achieving those targets, thereby encouraging the wider adoption of Passive House components.

High-performance buildings require high performance components including windows, doors, opaque envelope systems, ventilation systems, and heat pumps, etc. However, building designers often face challenges in acquiring the necessary performance data for Passive House energy modeling. As the retrofit market expands as a crucial strategy for sustainability, the importance of certified components becomes even more pronounced.

By obtaining Passive House Component Certification, manufacturers can assure both specifiers and building designers that their products comply with rigorous standards for quality and performance. This certification provides essential performance values required for the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP), facilitating easy assessment of component suitability for both new and retrofit projects. This streamlined process supports suppliers in efficiently meeting the needs of specifiers and designers, offering manufacturers a direct pathway into these building projects.

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