PassivSystems
PassivSystems designs and sells a smart thermostat purpose-built for heat pumps, sold through UK plumbers' merchants and renewable distributors to professional installers and directly to homeowners, with a free installer monitoring portal backing the trade channel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersNewbury, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What PassivSystems does
PassivSystems (legal entity Passiv UK Limited), founded in 2008 and headquartered in Newbury, United Kingdom, designs and sells a smart thermostat purpose-built for heat pump heating systems. The Passiv Smart Thermostat dynamically adjusts flow temperature based on local weather forecasts and integrates with time-of-use energy tariffs and rooftop solar PV to optimize heat pump Coefficient of Performance (COP). The company claims up to 30% heating bill reduction and a 17% COP improvement verified by the Energy Saving Trust. The system is paired with the Passiv Programmer (featuring a built-in push-fit wiring centre enabling two-minute commissioning without a smartphone or internet connection), the Passiv App for homeowner control of heating, hot water, scheduling, and tariff/solar optimization, and the Passiv Portal, a free web-based dashboard that lets installers remotely monitor all heat pump installations from a single location.
Passiv operates a hybrid B2B/B2C go-to-market: the thermostat is distributed through UK plumbers' merchants and renewable energy distributors for installer purchase, while homeowners can buy directly via a Buy Now page on the company's website. The free Passiv Portal is offered as a channel-development tool to installers, creating an installer-side adoption flywheel intended to pull through hardware sales. The Passiv App is distributed globally via the Apple App Store and Google Play. The company is owned or controlled by Brookfield Asset Management / BUUK Group, evidenced by corporate-footer references to Brookfield's ethics hotline and links to BUUK's career and policy pages. Named customers are SMB installers (Boxt, Humphrey and Crockett, ECS Plumbing, Fornax) plus heat pump OEM Clivet, which recommends the thermostat to its installer network.
Passiv generates revenue primarily through hardware sales of the thermostat/programmer bundle via trade channels and direct website sales, with the installer portal offered free of charge and the homeowner app free at the core feature level. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled quote-based through merchants and distributors. The company employs 51-100 people and operates solely in the United Kingdom, with no disclosed international expansion, no public revenue figures, and only one historical funding round (a 2010 round backed by Alpina Partners).
PassivSystems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PassivSystems
- Legal name
- Passiv UK Limited
- Website
- https://passivsystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- PassivSystems designs and sells a smart thermostat purpose-built for heat pumps, sold through UK plumbers' merchants and renewable distributors to professional installers and directly to homeowners, with a free installer monitoring portal backing the trade channel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PassivSystems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Smart Thermostats and Heat Pump Control Systems
- NAICS
- Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414), Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers (423720)
- SIC
- Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Heat Pump & Smart HVAC Controller Integration (HSAOANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Heat Pumps (Air/Water/Ground Source) (IMAHAKAF), Demand Response, Load Flexibility & Smart Thermostat Aggregation (EUADAPAM), Heat Pump Repair & Maintenance (HSAOAHAD)
Keywords
Where PassivSystems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newbury
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
PassivSystems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Smart Thermostat Hardware Sales: The Passiv Smart Thermostat is sold as a physical product through plumbers' merchants and renewable distributors. The product includes both the thermostat hardware and the programmer with built-in wiring centre.
- Passiv App Services: The Passiv app provides tariff selection, usage tracking, and optimization features. While core app features appear free, premium features like ecoHeat are mentioned as unlockable savings features.
- Passiv Portal (Free for Installers): The installer-facing Passiv Portal is provided free of charge to support the B2B channel and drive installer adoption, creating indirect revenue through hardware sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Passiv Smart Thermostat - Standard Model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
PassivSystems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PassivSystems designs, manufactures, and sells a heat-pump-specific smart thermostat system that combines a wall-mounted thermostat and programmer with a built-in push-fit wiring centre, a homeowner mobile app, and a free web-based installer monitoring portal. The system dynamically adjusts heat pump flow temperature using local weather forecasts, time-of-use tariffs, and solar PV data to reduce heating bills by up to 30% and improve heat pump Coefficient of Performance by a verified 17%. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales distributed via UK plumbers' merchants, renewable energy distributors, and a direct-to-consumer online Buy Now page.
Product overview
PassivSystems offers a unified smart heating control system for heat pumps consisting of the Passiv Smart Thermostat (the main controller device), the Passiv Programmer (with built-in wiring centre for quick installation), the Passiv App (mobile application for homeowner control), and the Passiv Portal (web-based installer dashboard for remote monitoring). The system is designed as an integrated solution where the thermostat and programmer work together with the companion app and portal to provide end-to-end heat pump optimization, monitoring, and control.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Passiv Portal: Free web-based dashboard for installers to remotely monitor heat pump installations with live and historic data.
- Passiv App
Products and services
- Passiv Smart Thermostat A smart thermostat designed specifically for residential heat pump systems. It dynamically adjusts flow temperature using local weather forecasts, time-of-use tariffs, and solar PV data, claims to reduce heating bills by up to 30%, and improves heat pump Coefficient of Performance by a verified 17% (Energy Saving Trust). Sold to installers via UK trade distributors and to homeowners via the direct Buy Now page.
- Passiv Programmer A physical device component with a built-in push-fit wiring centre that speeds up heat pump installation and allows the system to be commissioned in under two minutes without requiring a smartphone or internet connection. Sold alongside the Passiv Smart Thermostat as part of the complete heat pump control system.
- Passiv Portal A free web-based dashboard for professional heat pump installers providing live and historic data on temperatures, energy use, flow temperatures, error codes, and settings across all installations. Enables remote monitoring and management of multiple heat pump systems from a single location without juggling different manufacturer portals.
- Passiv App A mobile application for iOS and Android that lets homeowners control their heat pump heating and hot water, set up to six daily heating schedules per zone, boost hot water, choose energy tariffs, track energy usage, enable ecoHeat mode for additional savings, and configure solar PV optimization.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% heating bill reduction
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PassivSystems
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
PassivSystems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
PassivSystems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PassivSystems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tado°: Tado° is a European smart thermostat company that explicitly supports heat pump control with weather-based optimization and multi-zone scheduling. It is the most direct functional competitor to Passiv in the European residential heat pump controller market, with similar positioning around flow temperature optimization and tariff awareness.
- Drayton (Schneider Electric): Drayton is a long-standing UK heating controls brand (now part of Schneider Electric) supplying programmable thermostats, programmers, and wiring centres to the same plumbers' merchants channel Passiv uses. Its Wiser range targets the smart/connected thermostat segment with heat pump compatibility, making it the closest incumbent UK competitor.
- Netatmo (Legrand): Netatmo, owned by Legrand, offers a smart thermostat designed for boiler and heat pump control with Apple HomeKit integration and energy usage analytics. It is comparable in targeting the connected, design-conscious homeowner segment with multi-fuel heating system compatibility.
- Salus Controls: Salus Controls manufactures smart heating controls including the Quantum range of wired and wireless thermostats, often specified for heat pump and underfloor heating installations in the UK and European trade channel. It competes in the same installer/specifier market with comparable wiring-centre integration.
Broad incumbents
- Hive (British Gas / Centrica): Hive is British Gas/Centrica's connected home brand offering smart thermostats and heating controls across the UK. While not heat-pump-specialized, Hive has massive UK household reach, energy supplier integration, and brand recognition that directly competes with Passiv for the homeowner segment and increasingly supports heat pump control.
- Google Nest: Google's Nest Learning Thermostat is the dominant premium smart thermostat in the UK with HVAC control capabilities and growing heat pump compatibility. Nest competes broadly with Passiv for installer recommendation, retailer shelf space, and homeowner mindshare, but lacks Passiv's heat-pump-specific commissioning and flow temperature optimization.
- Honeywell Home (Resideo): Resideo's Honeywell Home brand offers a full range of programmable and connected thermostats (T6, T10, Evohome) widely used by UK heating installers, including multi-zone and underfloor heating control. As a broad HVAC controls incumbent with strong installer channel relationships, Honeywell competes directly for the same wall plate and wiring centre slot.
- Worcester Bosch (Bosch Thermotechnology): Worcester Bosch is one of the UK's leading boiler and heat pump manufacturers, supplying integrated control systems alongside its heat pumps. While primarily a heat pump OEM rather than a controls specialist, Worcester Bosch competes indirectly by offering bundled controls that reduce the need for third-party controllers like Passiv.
- Daikin UK: Daikin is a global heat pump leader with strong UK presence (Altherma range) and its own Madoka/Onecta smart controller ecosystem. As an OEM with proprietary controls already integrated into its heat pumps, Daikin represents both a potential partner and a competitor to Passiv's third-party controller positioning.
Emerging players
- Mixergy: Mixergy is a UK-based smart hot water tank manufacturer integrating with heat pump systems and time-of-use tariffs, with comparable focus on optimization and installer relationships. While primarily a hot water cylinder rather than a thermostat company, Mixergy overlaps with Passiv in the heat pump optimization, tariff scheduling, and installer channel domains.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PassivSystems social profiles
Digital presencePassivSystems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PassivSystems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
PassivSystems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PassivSystems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PassivSystems
What does PassivSystems do?
PassivSystems designs, manufactures, and sells a heat-pump-specific smart thermostat system that combines a wall-mounted thermostat and programmer with a built-in push-fit wiring centre, a homeowner mobile app, and a free web-based installer monitoring portal. The system dynamically adjusts heat pump flow temperature using local weather forecasts, time-of-use tariffs, and solar PV data to reduce heating bills by up to 30% and improve heat pump Coefficient of Performance by a verified 17%. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales distributed via UK plumbers' merchants, renewable energy distributors, and a direct-to-consumer online Buy Now page.
Is PassivSystems a public or private company?
PassivSystems is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was PassivSystems founded?
PassivSystems was founded in 2008. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PassivSystems based?
PassivSystems is headquartered in Newbury, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does PassivSystems make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Smart Thermostat Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are passiv App Services and passiv Portal (Free for Installers).
Who are PassivSystems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tado°, Drayton (Schneider Electric), Netatmo (Legrand) and Salus Controls. Broad incumbents are Hive (British Gas / Centrica), Google Nest, Honeywell Home (Resideo), Worcester Bosch (Bosch Thermotechnology) and Daikin UK. Mixergy is listed as an emerging player.
Does PassivSystems have an API?
No public API is recorded for PassivSystems.
What industry is PassivSystems in?
PassivSystems's product category is Smart Thermostats and Heat Pump Control Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAOANAD, Heat Pump & Smart HVAC Controller Integration, with a secondary code of IMAHAKAF, Heat Pumps (Air/Water/Ground Source). Its NAICS code is 33341 and its SIC code is 3585.