Why Passive House standard?

The energy demand for the building sector represents 40 % of the total energy demand of the European Union, whereas the demand for heating and cooling accounts for the highest shares.

Passive House standard helps to achieve 20-20-20 EU-goals

Passive House buildings need 80 % less energy for heating and cooling compared to conventional standards of new buildings and 90 % less energy than the existing building stock. For achieving the EU targets to increase the energy efficiency by 20 % and to reduce the Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 20 % until the year 2020, the Passive House technology will be an essential tool on this road.

Passive House as a basis for Net Zero Energy Buildings

In March 2009 the industry and energy committee of the European Parliament voted on the recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and agreed that all new buildings should be at least Net Zero Energy Buildings by December 2018, at the latest. All public buildings (new and refurbished) shall be Net Zero Energy Buildings by 2015. (See also article on the website of EurActiv)

The Member of the European Parliament MEP defines Zero Energy Buildings as buildings "where, as a result of the very high level of energy efficiency of the building, the overall annual primary energy consumption is equal to or less than the energy production from renewable energy sources on site". (See also article on the website of the European Parliament)

To achieve these targets for the majority of the buildings it will be necessary to fulfil Passive House standard, since the surface usable for solar energy (thermal and PV) on site is limited and bounded to the physical laws.