Passivhaus Austria
Passivhaus Austria is an Innsbruck-based membership association and certification body that promotes the Passive House and EnerPHit energy-efficient building standards, serving architects, planners, HVAC experts, manufacturers, municipalities, and educational institutions through training, certification, events, and the world's largest Passive House project database.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersInnsbruck, Austria
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Passivhaus Austria does
Passivhaus Austria is a membership-based expert network and certification body, headquartered in Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria, that promotes the Passive House energy-efficient building standard for new construction and the EnerPHit standard for retrofits of existing buildings. The organization is registered with the Regional Court Innsbruck and operates through PHI Österreich GmbH alongside the co-located Passivhaus Institut Innsbruck (PHI IBK), which is responsible for planning consultancy, building and component certification, and continuing education. Founded in 2013, the association is anchored in more than three decades of Passive House activity in Austria (the country's first Passive House was built in 1996), and Innsbruck has the highest density of Passive House buildings in Europe. Austria accounts for more than 1,000 of approximately 6,000 voluntarily registered Passive House projects worldwide.
The core technology and service portfolio centers on the PHPP (Passivhaus Projektierungspaket) planning and energy modeling package, the MEET lifecycle ecological assessment tool, the easyPH certification tool, and the EnerPHit Unit certification standard, alongside the world's largest Passive House project database (6,000+ documented projects, 47,000+ certified residential units, 4.3+ million m² of certified area as of January 2025). The Passivhaus Institut's network of certified course providers trains over 10,000 planners, craftsmen, and experts annually, and seminars, workshops, "Passivhaus on Tour" tours, and the annual International Passive House Conference drive member engagement and standards dissemination. Differential moats include 35 years of accumulated research, depth of certified professional training, and integration with the EU Nearly Zero Energy Buildings directive and the klimaaktiv climate initiative.
The business model rests on three revenue streams: (i) recurring membership fees from architects, planners, building physicists, HVAC experts, construction firms, manufacturers, energy advisors, educational institutions, and municipalities; (ii) paid seminars, workshops, and the annual International Passive House Conference delivering scientific continuing education (PHI points) and networking; and (iii) professional services revenue at PHI IBK from planning consultancy and certification of Passive House and EnerPHit buildings and components. Pricing for membership and certification services is not publicly disclosed, with fees set on a contact/quote basis. Pricing public visibility is limited. The organization is structured as a research and quality assurance entity led by Geschäftsführer Dipl.-Ing. Laszlo Lepp with Prokurist Dr. Jürgen Schnieders.
Passivhaus Austria firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Passivhaus Austria
- Legal name
- PHI Österreich GmbH
- Website
- https://passivhaus-austria.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Passivhaus Austria is an Innsbruck-based membership association and certification body that promotes the Passive House and EnerPHit energy-efficient building standards, serving architects, planners, HVAC experts, manufacturers, municipalities, and educational institutions through training, certification, events, and the world's largest Passive House project database.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Passivhaus Austria industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Building Certification
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- Non-Operating Establishments (9995)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Whole-Home Interior Renovation (Non-Structural) (HSAPAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Luxury Whole-Home Renovation (High-End Finishes & Custom Build) (HSAPAEAI)
Keywords
Where Passivhaus Austria is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Innsbruck
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Passivhaus Austria business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership fees: Passivhaus Austria operates as a membership-based association (Verein/NGO). Architects, planners, building physicists, HVAC experts, construction companies, manufacturers, energy advisors, educational institutions, universities, and municipalities pay membership fees to access the expert network, knowledge base, continuing education, and project entry services.
- Seminars and events: The organization hosts seminars (one to two times per year), online webinars, and workshops including Passivhaus on Tour events. Events deliver scientific continuing education and networking. Passivhaus Institut continuing education points (e.g., 6 points per workshop) are awarded.
- Planning support and certification: The Passivhaus Institut Innsbruck (PHI IBK) provides planning consultancy, certification of Passive House projects and building components, and continuing education for Passive House planners, craftsmen and experts. Certification fees support quality assurance for the Passive House standard.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels11 records
Passivhaus Austria product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Passivhaus Austria is a non-profit association founded in 2013 in Innsbruck that promotes the Passive House building standard in Austria. It offers building and renovation (EnerPHit) certification for designers and developers, building component certification, professional training for planners, craftsmen and experts, planning consultancy, and operates the central Passive House project database. The organization also hosts the International Passive House Conference, regional workshops, and publishes specialist materials.
Product overview
Passivhaus Austria is an association and network organization headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria, focused on advancing the Passivhaus energy-efficient building standard. Its primary offerings are certification services (for buildings to Passivhaus and EnerPHit standards), professional training and continuing education for planners and craftsmen, project databases (Passivehouse Database for buildings and components), event organization (International Passivhaustagung, Passivhaus on Tour, seminars), and publications. It does not offer a software product platform. Key named offerings include: Passivhaus certification and EnerPHit certification (via the Passivehouse Institute Innsbruck), PHPP (Passivhaus Projektierungspaket — planning software by the Passivehouse Institute, Germany), MEET Online tools (life-cycle building ecobalance and component comparison tools), Passivhaus courses (certified planner, consultant, craftsman, and expert training), the Passivhaus Database (world's largest collection of documented Passivhaus projects), the Components Database (certified Passivhaus components), and the Passive House Open Days (annual open-door event). The organization also facilitates networking among architects, planners, building physicists, HVAC experts, manufacturers, energy consultants, and municipalities across Austria.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Passive House Certification
Quantifiable outcome
- Heating energy reduction of over 95% (e.g., 280 kWh/m²a reduced to 12.9 kWh/m²a in EnerPHit retrofits)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Passivhaus Austria
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Passivhaus Austria technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Passivhaus Austria partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Passivhaus Institut (PHI) InnsbruckcoreThe Passivhaus Institut Innsbruck (PHI IBK) is the competent partner for planning consultancy, certification of Passive House projects and components, and continuing education for Passive House planners, craftsmen, and experts. PHI IBK operates the Passive House database and develops tools including PHPP, MEET, and easyPH. It is co-located with Passivhaus Austria at Anichstraße 29/54 in Innsbruck.
- IG Passivhaus DeutschlandcoreJoint organization of the Passivhaus-Abende (Passive House Evenings) lecture series, providing current information on energy-efficient building and professional exchange. Both organizations share the Passive House Institute as a common anchor.
- OeAD student housingcoreOeAD student housing is a Passive House Austria member and a leading implementer of Passive House student residences in Austria. They have built the world's first Passive House student residence (2005) and first Passive House Plus student residence (GreenHouse Aspern, 2014). They organize the Green Building Solutions (GBS) Summer Universities and host the international delegation visits. Currently operates 8 Passive House student residences with 2 more under construction in Innsbruck and Dornbirn.
- International Passive House Association (iPHA)coreiPHA is the global network of Passive House organizations. Passivhaus Austria participates in iPHA Council Meetings at the International Passive House Conference, sharing country experiences and promoting practitioner-focused training for craftsmen.
- University of InnsbruckcoreThe University of Innsbruck is a key research and education partner. Assoc. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Pfluger represents the university in Passive House research, teaching, and EU projects. The university has hosted the 27th International Passive House Conference (2024) and serves as a case study for EnerPHit renovation (Faculty of Technical Sciences, first EnerPHit-certified office building worldwide, 2014).
- EU SINFONIA Project ConsortiumflagshipSINFONIA was an EU-funded project for energy-efficient building renovation in which Innsbruck was a pilot city. Numerous buildings were renovated step-by-step to EnerPHit standard. 13 EnerPHit certificates were awarded in November 2022 to Neue Heimat Tirol (NHT) and Innsbrucker Immobiliengesellschaft (IIG). The project established Innsbruck as a Passive House hotspot in Europe.
- EU BEEN Project (Building Energy Efficiency in Nepal)minorEU-funded project led by the University of Innsbruck that aims to promote climate-friendly building construction and renovation in Nepal. A delegation from India and Nepal visited Innsbruck to inspect Passive House projects and participated in a workshop at the University of Innsbruck.
- EU AchieVE-ZEB ProjectcoreEU-funded project focused on advancing zero-emission buildings through innovative professional training. Passivhaus Austria participates through educational outreach, including lectures at HTL Imst and Semriach, to disseminate Passive House knowledge to the next generation of building professionals.
- klimaaktiv (Austrian Climate Protection Initiative)corePassivhaus Austria is a long-standing klimaaktiv partner. The Passive House standard is recognized as climate protection measure No. 1 in the building sector. PHPP can generate klimaaktiv declarations. Passivhaus Austria participated in the klimaaktiv 20th anniversary annual conference in 2024.
- Austrian World Summit / Schwarzenegger Climate InitiativeminorPassivhaus Austria participates in the annual Austrian World Summit (Arnold Schwarzenegger's climate conference). Laszlo Lepp presented at the 2024 summit alongside EU Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič and other international climate leaders, promoting the Passive House standard as a proven solution for climate-neutral buildings.
- Green Building Solutions (GBS) Summer UniversitiescoreAnnual academic program managed by OeAD student housing with partners including BOKU Wien, TU Wien, University of Wien, Danube University Krems, FH Technikum Wien, AIT, and Architektur Büro Reinberg. Passivhaus Austria delivers lectures on Passive House standards to approximately 60 international students annually.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Passivhaus Austria competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen): DGNB is the German Sustainable Building Council running a multi-attribute certification system for buildings. It is a broad incumbent in the same sustainable-building certification space as Passivhaus Austria, but covers a wider set of criteria beyond energy efficiency and serves a larger market.
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): USGBC administers the LEED green-building rating system, a broader-incumbent peer to Passivhaus Austria in sustainable-building certification. LEED competes for specifier mindshare but bundles energy with broader ESG criteria, making it an adjacent incumbent in the same decision-making conversation.
Direct peers
- Passive House Institute US (PHIUS): PHIUS is the US national organization for Passive House building standards, training, and certification. It is a direct peer with the same mission of promoting Passive House adoption, training professionals, and certifying projects, but operates in the US market with a locally adapted standard.
- International Passive House Association (iPHA): iPHA is the global network linking national Passive House organizations, including Passivhaus Austria. It functions as a peer in member services, conferences, and cross-country knowledge exchange, and is a direct co-participant in the International Passive House Conference.
- Passivhaus Trust: Passivhaus Trust is the UK member organization promoting Passive House construction. It serves as a direct peer in advocacy, training, and member services, and shares Passivhaus Austria's profile of organizing workshops, conferences, and certified-professional programs.
- Passivhaus Institut (PHI): The Darmstadt, Germany-based Passivhaus Institut is the global originator of the Passive House standard and developer of PHPP, MEET, and easyPH. It is Passivhaus Austria's parent standards body, co-located in Innsbruck, making it the most direct comparable — same mission, same certification framework, same membership-and-training revenue model, but with global rather than national scope.
- IG Passivhaus Deutschland: IG Passivhaus Deutschland is the German member-based Passive House association, jointly running the Passivhaus-Abende lecture series with Passivhaus Austria. It is a direct peer — same membership-network model, same event-and-training revenue streams, same standard-setting role, but operating in the larger German market.
Others
- Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE): BPIE is a Brussels-based think tank focused on European building-energy-performance policy and research. It is a thematically related peer — not a direct competitor — but operates in the same policy-and-knowledge ecosystem, shaping EU building-efficiency frameworks that Passive House standards feed into.
Emerging players
- Energieinstitut Vorarlberg: Energieinstitut Vorarlberg is the Austrian energy research institute that introduced the Passive House concept to Austria in 1993 through Arch. Helmut Krapmeier. It is an emerging-player peer that overlaps with Passivhaus Austria on building-energy-efficiency research, training, and policy advocacy in the Austrian market.
- MINERGIE: MINERGIE is the Swiss energy-efficient building standard with a comparable certification-and-labeling model. It is an emerging-player peer serving a similar market need — high-performance building certification — but with its own national standard and Swiss geographic focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Passivhaus Austria social profiles
Digital presencePassivhaus Austria financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Passivhaus Austria leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Passivhaus Austria funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Passivhaus Austria 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 Passivhaus Austria
What does Passivhaus Austria do?
Passivhaus Austria is a non-profit association founded in 2013 in Innsbruck that promotes the Passive House building standard in Austria. It offers building and renovation (EnerPHit) certification for designers and developers, building component certification, professional training for planners, craftsmen and experts, planning consultancy, and operates the central Passive House project database. The organization also hosts the International Passive House Conference, regional workshops, and publishes specialist materials.
Is Passivhaus Austria a public or private company?
Passivhaus Austria is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Passivhaus Austria founded?
Passivhaus Austria was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Passivhaus Austria based?
Passivhaus Austria is headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Passivhaus Austria make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership fees are the primary driver. The others are seminars and events and planning support and certification.
Who are Passivhaus Austria's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Direct peers are Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), International Passive House Association (iPHA), Passivhaus Trust, Passivhaus Institut (PHI) and IG Passivhaus Deutschland. Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) is listed as an others. Emerging players are Energieinstitut Vorarlberg and MINERGIE.
Does Passivhaus Austria have an API?
No public API is recorded for Passivhaus Austria.
What industry is Passivhaus Austria in?
Passivhaus Austria's product category is Sustainable Building Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAPAEAC, Whole-Home Interior Renovation (Non-Structural), with a secondary code of HSAPAEAI, Luxury Whole-Home Renovation (High-End Finishes & Custom Build). Its NAICS code is 54131 and its SIC code is 9995.