Passivhaus Trust
Passivhaus Trust is a UK non-profit and the official UK affiliate of the International Passive House Association (iPHA), promoting the Passivhaus high-performance building standard through certification, training, events, and advocacy for built environment professionals, local authorities, housing associations, and self-builders across the United Kingdom.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersBognor Regis, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Passivhaus Trust does
Passivhaus Trust is a UK non-profit organization that serves as the official UK affiliate of the International Passive House Association (iPHA), promoting the adoption of the Passivhaus building performance standard. Founded in 2010 and registered as a private company limited by guarantee without share capital, the Trust is headquartered in Bognor Regis, United Kingdom, with a small team of 18 employees. Its core mission is to slash energy use in buildings - which account for 35% of global energy consumption - by propagating a rigorously defined standard based on superinsulation, airtight construction, thermal bridge-free design, high-performance windows, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR).
The Trust's product portfolio is centered on certification, training, and advocacy. Core products include the Passivhaus Learning Hub (passivhaus.uk), globally recognized Certified Passivhaus Designer/Consultant and Tradesperson certification programmes (with 8,000+ Designer and 4,500+ Tradesperson certificates delivered worldwide), the EnerPHit retrofit standard, endorsed third-party training courses, and PHPP/DesignPH performance modeling tools. Event-led offerings include the annual UK Passivhaus Conference, Summer Open Days with 25+ projects, Client Clubs for housing providers, and the UK Passivhaus Awards. The Trust also runs sector-specific campaigns targeting educational buildings, social housing, retrofit, and high-rise applications.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid of membership fees (patron and standard tiers), training and certification course fees (typically £85-£725+VAT), event tickets and sponsorships, and publication sales including the Good Practice Guide. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on strategic training partners (Coaction, BE-ST, Passive House School), industry body partnerships (RIBA, AECB, SCOSA), and direct engagement with local authorities, housing associations, developers, universities, and self-builders across the UK. Customer outcomes are anchored by high-profile case studies such as Camden Council's Agar Grove (345 affordable Passivhaus homes), City of York Council's 600-home program, and London School of Economics' Firoz Lalji Global Hub retrofit.
Passivhaus Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Passivhaus Trust
- Legal name
- Passivhaus Trust
- Website
- https://passivhaustrust.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Passivhaus Trust is a UK non-profit and the official UK affiliate of the International Passive House Association (iPHA), promoting the Passivhaus high-performance building standard through certification, training, events, and advocacy for built environment professionals, local authorities, housing associations, and self-builders across the United Kingdom.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Passivhaus Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Building Standards & Certification
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)
Keywords
Where Passivhaus Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bognor Regis
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Passivhaus Trust 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: The Passivhaus Trust generates revenue through membership fees, offering different tiers including patron memberships. Members receive benefits such as event discounts, access to resources, and networking opportunities.
- Training and Certification: Revenue from certified training courses, designer/tradesperson certification exams, and endorsed third-party courses. Course fees range from free introductory sessions to £300-£675 for multi-session contractor courses.
- Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue from the annual UK Passivhaus Conference, training events, and partner events. Sponsorship opportunities are available for major events.
- Publication Sales: Revenue from technical publications including the 'How to Build a Passivhaus: Good Practice Guide' and other guidance documents.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Building to Perform: Introduction - Online intro course by Coaction |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Building to Perform: Passivhaus for Contractors - 4-session course |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bitesize Low Energy Design Passivhaus Course |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | A Clients Guide to Achieving Building Performance |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Passivhaus Practical Training |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | PHPP Advanced Masterclass |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Thermal Bridging Masterclass |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Introduction to THERM |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | AECB Conference 2026 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Residential Client Club Launch Event |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels12 records
Passivhaus Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Passivhaus Trust is an independent, non-profit organisation and the official UK affiliate of the International Passive House Association (iPHA) that promotes adoption of the Passivhaus standard in the UK. Its core offerings are paid certified training programmes (Passivhaus Designer/Consultant, Tradesperson, and Certifier), the online Passivhaus Learning Hub, member and partner events across the UK, the annual UK Passivhaus Conference, Open Days, Awards, and Client Club webinars aimed at architects, contractors, local authorities, and housing providers.
Product overview
The Passivhaus Trust (PHT) operates as a not-for-profit organisation promoting Passivhaus standards in the UK, functioning as the official UK affiliate of the International Passive House Association (iPHA). The organisation offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services: the Passivhaus Learning Hub as the central platform for training and resources; Certified Passivhaus Training programmes for Designer/Consultant, Tradesperson, and Certifier qualifications; Partner & Member Events delivering technical sessions; and campaign initiatives covering educational buildings, retrofit (EnerPHit), social housing, and high-rise sectors. Additional offerings include the annual UK Passivhaus Awards, the UK Passivhaus Conference, Passivhaus Open Days, training endorsement programme, and educational resources for children. Membership provides access to the member directory, discounted events, and exclusive resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Passivhaus Learning Hub Online platform aggregating Passivhaus training, guidance documents, technical resources, and on-demand learning content for professionals and individuals seeking to understand or implement Passivhaus standards.
- Certified Passivhaus Training Globally recognised certification programmes for individuals including Certified Passivhaus Designer/Consultant, Certified Passivhaus Tradesperson, and Certified Passivhaus Certifier qualifications, with 8,000+ Designer/Consultant and 4,500+ Tradesperson certificates delivered worldwide.
- Partner & Member Training Events Training and networking events ranging from introductory seminars to advanced technical sessions, including courses on Passivhaus design, retrofit delivery, PHPP software, thermal bridging calculations, and building performance.
- Passivhaus Training Endorsement Programme Endorsement programme that allows third-party Passivhaus courses to receive PHT stamp of approval after assessment confirming the course meets correct and suitable Passivhaus calibre.
- UK Passivhaus Conference The UK's largest Passivhaus conference, held annually and bringing together designers, researchers, manufacturers, and policy leaders, with sponsorship opportunities for partner organisations.
- Passivhaus Open Days Annual summer event with 25+ certified Passivhaus projects opening their doors to the public, allowing visitors to experience high-performance buildings firsthand.
- UK Passivhaus Awards Annual awards programme recognising excellence in Passivhaus design and construction across sectors including educational buildings, retrofit, self-build, and social housing.
- Residential Passivhaus Client Clubs Webinar series launched in 2026 for clients, developers, and housing providers committed to delivering resilient, high-performance Passivhaus buildings, expanding the existing Social Housing Client Clubs to include private housing projects.
- Passivhaus Trust Membership Membership programme with multiple tiers including patron memberships, providing members with event discounts, access to resources, networking opportunities, and visibility through the member directory.
- How to Build a Passivhaus: Good Practice Guide (Second Edition) Second edition (released June 2023) of the Passivhaus Trust's flagship technical guide covering essential topics for delivering Passivhaus and EnerPHit projects, with updated exemplar case studies and latest developments on grid decarbonisation, energy prices, embodied carbon, renewables, and retrofit.
- Curious Kids Educational Resources Passivhaus learning resources for children and young people, including videos, lesson plans, and activities developed during the Coronavirus lockdown period and maintained for ongoing education.
- Passivhaus Retrofit Programme (EnerPHit) Performance-based retrofit programme that upgrades existing buildings to deliver higher comfort, healthier indoor environments, and lower energy demand through EnerPHit certification, with guidance for homeowners, professionals, and housing providers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Buildings account for 35% of total global energy consumption - Passivhaus addresses this by slashing energy use from buildings
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Passivhaus Trust
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Passivhaus Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Passivhaus Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- International Passive House Association (iPHA)coreThe Passivhaus Trust is the official UK affiliate of iPHA, the global governing body for the Passivhaus standard. This partnership positions PHT as the recognized authority for Passivhaus in the UK, enabling access to international certification frameworks, resources, and the global Passivhaus network.
- Coaction Training CICcorePHT Patron Coaction (formerly Carbonlite) is the primary strategic training partner, offering certified Passivhaus training at multiple levels. The partnership enables PHT to reach more practitioners and engage in ongoing knowledge sharing and best practice promotion. Coaction offers Designer, Tradesperson, and Building to Perform courses.
- BE-ST (Built Environment - Smarter Transformation)coreStrategic partnership since June 2022 in Scotland. Collaboration includes activities at COP26, site visits, Passivhaus practical training, and a Passivhaus steel rig. BE-ST, in conjunction with Coaction, offers PHT-endorsed courses. The partnership leverages capability to further educational goals in Scotland.
- RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)coreDesign Performance for Climate Action program partners with RIBA to integrate Passivhaus training into architecture schools at universities. The program aims to ensure next-generation architects understand high-performance building before entering practice. RIBA CPD programme for both new build and retrofit is also ongoing.
- SCOSAminorPartner in the Design Performance for Climate Action initiative alongside RIBA and Coaction, contributing to student education and awareness of Passivhaus in higher education.
- National Self Build & Renovation Centre (NSBRC)minorPartnership to deliver biannual Passivhaus Workshops aimed at self-builders and designers in Swindon. The NSBRC venue allows participants to see models of windows, wall build-ups, and service installations while speaking to PHT member practitioners.
- Institute of CarpentersminorStrategic partnership agreement signed in April 2026 to maximize partnering opportunities on knowledge, skills, and capabilities to facilitate mutual goals and objectives in the built environment sector.
- Home by MilestoneminorStrategic partnership agreement signed in March 2026 to maximize partnering opportunities on knowledge, skills, and capabilities to facilitate mutual goals and objectives in the residential sector.
- Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF)coreSDF is PHT's partner and host organization, managing the secure database for member data. Data is visible to SDF and its other partner organisations (Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance, Good Homes Alliance, and Building Performance Network) but used only for PHT purposes.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Passivhaus Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- UK Green Building Council: Industry membership body advocating for sustainable built environment across the UK. Comparable to PHT in membership-driven advocacy, training, and policy engagement model, but with broader sustainability scope beyond Passivhaus-specific high-performance building standards.
- BRE Group (Building Research Establishment): UK-established building science and standards organization operating the BREEAM sustainability rating and broader construction research. It is comparable as an authority that shapes UK building performance standards and certification, but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple building sustainability dimensions.
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC / LEED): Operator of the LEED green building certification system — the most globally scaled building sustainability standard. USGBC parallels PHT's model of certification, training, and member-driven advocacy but at vastly larger commercial scale and broader sustainability framework.
Emerging players
- LETI (London Energy Transformation Initiative): UK volunteer-led climate action network producing energy performance guidance for buildings that overlaps with Passivhaus on operational energy and retrofit. LETI is a partial competitor shaping UK practitioner specifications and policy guidance, particularly in London, but without the certification and training infrastructure PHT operates.
- Architecture 2030: Non-profit driving building sector decarbonization targets and design guidance globally. It is thematically aligned with PHT's mission to slash building energy use, but focuses on carbon-based targets rather than a specific performance standard like Passivhaus.
Others
- Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF): PHT's operational partner organization that manages member data and hosts administrative functions. SDF sits in PHT's ecosystem of UK sustainable building non-profits (alongside Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance, and Good Homes Alliance) and is comparable as a parallel UK sustainable built-environment non-profit.
- International WELL Building Institute: Operator of the WELL building standard focused on occupant health and wellbeing rather than energy. It is comparable as a parallel voluntary building certification scheme with similar training, certification, and professional accreditation models, but addresses a distinct occupant-focused outcome.
Direct peers
- International Passive House Association (iPHA): The global network organization of which PHT is the UK affiliate. iPHA coordinates Passivhaus affiliates worldwide, sharing the same standards-promotion, certification, and community-building mission as PHT but at a global rather than national scope.
- Passivhaus Institute: The global originating body for the Passivhaus standard based in Darmstadt, Germany. It owns the underlying building physics methodology, PHPP software, and international certification framework that PHT promotes in the UK — making it the closest functional peer in terms of mission, certification authority, and training delivery model.
- AECB (Association of Environment Conscious Building): UK membership organization for sustainable building professionals, sharing PHT's target audience of architects, builders, and self-builders. AECB runs the AECB Conference (co-marketed with PHT) and overlapping low-energy building training, making it the most direct UK-side peer in scope and member base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Passivhaus Trust social profiles
Digital presencePassivhaus Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Passivhaus Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Passivhaus Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Passivhaus Trust 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 Trust
What does Passivhaus Trust do?
The Passivhaus Trust is an independent, non-profit organisation and the official UK affiliate of the International Passive House Association (iPHA) that promotes adoption of the Passivhaus standard in the UK. Its core offerings are paid certified training programmes (Passivhaus Designer/Consultant, Tradesperson, and Certifier), the online Passivhaus Learning Hub, member and partner events across the UK, the annual UK Passivhaus Conference, Open Days, Awards, and Client Club webinars aimed at architects, contractors, local authorities, and housing providers.
Is Passivhaus Trust a public or private company?
Passivhaus Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Passivhaus Trust founded?
Passivhaus Trust was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Passivhaus Trust based?
Passivhaus Trust is headquartered in Bognor Regis, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Passivhaus Trust make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are training and Certification, event Tickets and Sponsorships and publication Sales.
Who are Passivhaus Trust's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are UK Green Building Council, BRE Group (Building Research Establishment) and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC / LEED). Emerging players are LETI (London Energy Transformation Initiative) and Architecture 2030. Others are Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) and International WELL Building Institute. Direct peers are International Passive House Association (iPHA), Passivhaus Institute and AECB (Association of Environment Conscious Building).
Does Passivhaus Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Passivhaus Trust.
What industry is Passivhaus Trust in?
Passivhaus Trust's product category is Sustainable Building Standards & Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAANAI, Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 7340.