Read PHI documents according to their purpose: building criteria, calculation tools and component certification are different things.
PHI’s role
The Passive House Institute develops criteria and tools for its system. Referencing PHI in a project description does not establish certification.
Criteria and classes
Assess Classic, Plus and Premium against the agreed criteria edition. An unofficial table or collection of component ratings is not a substitute.
PHPP and EnerPHit
PHPP supports energy planning. EnerPHit addresses existing-building retrofit through a separate assessment route, including staged work.
Buildings, professionals and components
A professional qualification is not a building certificate; a certified component does not certify the entire system. Verify the subject, holder and validity of each claim.
Official sources and versions
Start from PHI’s current pages and follow the relevant criteria or component database. Older PDFs may describe another edition or redirect to a general page.
Claims not made
ZeroHouse makes no building, professional or completed-project certification claim without separate evidence. This guide explains documents rather than assigning status.
| Item | Parameter | Check / result |
|---|---|---|
| PHPP | Model | Inputs |
| Component | Specific product | Database entry |
| Building | Project | Separate certificate |
What this means for your project
State whether certification is required, who will review it and what evidence will be produced. Without this, Passive House remains an incomplete brief.
Sources and scope of review
- Passive House Institute — Building certification
- PHI — Planning tools
- Passive House Institute — Window frames and component assessment
Related reading
- What Is a Passive House? Principles Without Marketing Myths
- Passive House Classic, Plus and Premium: What Changes
- PHPP: What the Passive House Planning Package Actually Calculates