Passive House Massachusetts

What Passive House Massachusetts does

Passive House Massachusetts (PHMass) is a member-based non-profit organization headquartered in Boston that promotes the Passive House building performance standard across the Commonwealth. Its core function is to serve as the regional knowledge hub, training provider, and advocacy body for high-performance building practitioners — including developers, architects, engineers, consultants, verifiers, and contractors — as well as for policymakers, students, and community members interested in energy-efficient construction. The underlying technology PHMass disseminates is the Passive House standard itself: a building-performance methodology that uses well-insulated and air-sealed envelopes, natural-light and solar-gain optimization, and high-efficiency HVAC with continuous filtered ventilation to deliver 75–90% less energy for space conditioning and 40–60% less overall energy versus conventional construction.

PHMass monetizes through three primary revenue streams: annual membership dues structured in tiered corporate packages (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Sustainer, Sole Proprietor) plus individual professional and student memberships; training and education programs (notably the free PH101 introductory course, which is funded by Mass Save sponsorship, plus paid professional certification support and Continuing Education Units); and events revenue from the Annual Passive House Symposium, monthly meetings, and building tours. Distribution is primarily direct via the phmass.org website, in-person events at venues such as BSA Space in Boston, and regional forums such as the Western Mass Passive House Forum. The organization is lean, with two staff (an Executive Director and an Education Programs Director) supported by a volunteer Board, and its programmatic scale is anchored by partnerships with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Mass Save, and the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), alongside its membership in the Buildings Action Coalition.

Name

Passive House Massachusetts

Legal name

Passive House Massachusetts

Website

https://phmass.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Passive House Massachusetts is a Boston-based member non-profit that educates, trains, and advocates for Passive House building standards among Massachusetts developers, architects, engineers, contractors, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Building Education and Advocacy

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Passive house building standard
• High-performance building education
• Energy efficient construction training
• Building decarbonization advocacy
• Green building professional certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: PHMass operates as a membership-based nonprofit with corporate and individual membership tiers. Professional membership provides networking, directory listing, event discounts, and eligibility for Board service. Student membership offers complimentary or discounted event admission and access to member resources.
2. Training and Education Programs: PHMass offers free PH101 introductory training for teams, funded by Mass Save sponsors and member contributions. Additional professional certification training and CEU programs are available through the organization's education offerings.
3. Events and Symposiums: The organization hosts annual symposiums, monthly meetings, building tours, and special events that generate revenue through registration fees and sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Passive House Massachusetts is a member-based nonprofit that promotes the Passive House building standard through education, training, advocacy, and community events. It sells membership subscriptions (corporate and individual tiers), delivers training programs such as PH101 and certification support, hosts an annual symposium and monthly meetings, and maintains member resources including a project database and professional directory. The organization is funded by membership dues, corporate sponsorships, and grants including a $1 million award from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

Product overview

Passive House Massachusetts is a member-based non-profit organization that promotes high-performance, energy-efficient buildings through the Passive House standard. The organization offers a portfolio of educational programs including the PH101 introductory course, Passive House Video Library, professional certification support, and Continuing Education Units. It conducts research and publishes reports such as the Cost-Efficient Passive House Delivery report. The organization hosts regular events including an Annual Passive House Symposium and monthly meetings. Additional resources include a Project Database tracking Passive House developments across Massachusetts and a Professional Directory connecting members with certified practitioners. The organization serves as an advocacy hub and knowledge center for high-performance design in the state and region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PH101 Training Course A free 2-hour introductory training course introducing teams to the Passive House standard, its benefits, and how Passive House projects are delivered, taught live by the Education Program Director with a minimum of 12-15 in-person participants.
• Passive House Video Library An online library of recorded trainings and presentations related to Passive House design and construction, available to members and the public.
• Professional Certification Support Programs and guidance supporting professionals in obtaining Passive House certifications, including connections to Phius certification training.
• Continuing Education Units (CEU) Professional development credits available through PHMass events and programs for architects, engineers, and building professionals.
• Annual Passive House Symposium Annual professional conference bringing together Passive House practitioners, designers, and builders for education, networking, and industry updates.
• Monthly Meetings Regular monthly meetings featuring presentations on Passive House projects, research, and industry topics, held both in-person and virtually.
• Project Database A database tracking Passive House projects across Massachusetts, including both completed units and projects in development.
• Professional Directory A listing of Passive House professionals including designers, builders, engineers, and consultants operating in Massachusetts.
• Cost-Efficient Passive House Delivery Report A comprehensive research report compiling insights from over 40 Passive House practitioners who shared lessons learned from 136 projects across Massachusetts on cost-efficient delivery strategies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Passive House buildings use 75-90% less energy for space conditioning and 40-60% less energy overall compared to conventional buildings
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Mass SavecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 November 2024Mass Save sponsors PHMass events and enables free PH101 training through their sponsorship. Mass Save's Passive House Incentive Program offers $3,000 per unit for construction costs and covers feasibility studies up to $5,000 for qualifying projects. PHMass events are made possible by Sponsors of Mass Save.
• Buildings Action Coalition (BAC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2023PHMass signed a letter of intent to join the Buildings Action Coalition (BAC) in partnership with the Enniscorthy Forum and other coalition members to support the United Nations' Initiative on High Performance Buildings. This strategic partnership aligns PHMass with global efforts to advance high-performance building standards.
• Department of Energy Resources (DOER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHMass engages with DOER on energy code advocacy and policy. DOER has incorporated Passive House requirements into Massachusetts' Specialized Opt-In Stretch Code for large multi-family buildings, and PHMass provides input on code user experiences through focus groups.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority): NYSERDA is New York's state energy efficiency and clean energy funding body, analogous in role to Massachusetts's MassCEC (PHMass's primary funder). While governmental rather than nonprofit, NYSERDA funds comparable Passive House/high-performance building training programs and incentives in a different state, serving as a regional parallel to PHMass's MassCEC-backed model.

Broad incumbents

• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute): RMI is a major clean energy transformation nonprofit that works on building electrification, energy efficiency policy, and high-performance building programs globally. While much larger and broader than PHMass, RMI shares the decarbonization advocacy mission and engages with state energy offices and code adoption processes comparable to Massachusetts's Specialized code work.
• Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP): NEEP is a regional nonprofit that coordinates energy efficiency policy and program best practices across the Northeast US, including high-performance building codes. It operates at a broader regional scale than PHMass but overlaps in stakeholder ecosystem (state energy offices, utility programs like Mass Save, and code advocacy work).

Direct peers

• Urban Green Council: Urban Green Council is the New York-based nonprofit focused on sustainable building advocacy, education, and policy influence, including the 97point3 Local Law compliance work. It is the closest geographic analogue to PHMass as a regional green building advocacy and education nonprofit, with similar member-based training and event programming.
• International Living Future Institute (ILFI): ILFI operates the Living Building Challenge, Zero Energy and Zero Carbon certifications, and associated practitioner education programs. It is comparable to PHMass as a mission-driven nonprofit advancing high-performance building standards through certification, training, and advocacy, though focused on a different (more stringent) certification regime.
• Phius (Passive House Institute US): Phius is the primary US-based Passive House certification body and educator, offering CPHC training and certifications that PHMass's training programs reference and support. Both organizations operate in the same Passive House ecosystem with overlapping practitioner audiences, but Phius is the national certifier while PHMass is the Massachusetts-specific advocacy and education hub.
• Passive House Institute (PHI, Germany): Passive House Institute is the originator of the Passive House standard and the international certifying/education body based in Germany. PHI sets the underlying technical standards PHMass promotes and trains against, making it the global anchor peer for PHMass's core technology and methodology.
• New Buildings Institute (NBI): New Buildings Institute is a national nonprofit advancing building decarbonization and high-performance new construction through policy, technical resources, and practitioner engagement. It shares PHMass's focus on Passive House/zero-energy codes and works with state energy offices on stretch codes comparable to Massachusetts's Specialized Opt-In framework.

Others

• Mass Save: Mass Save is the Massachusetts statewide energy efficiency utility program sponsor and a core PHMass partner, providing the funding that enables free PH101 training and per-unit Passive House incentives. It is not a peer in the competitive sense but is a key ecosystem enabler and comparable to similar utility-sponsored energy efficiency programs in other states.
• Environment America: Environment America is a federation of state-level environmental advocacy organizations, including Environment Massachusetts, that runs public-facing campaigns and policy advocacy on clean energy, climate, and pollution issues. It is a thematically adjacent nonprofit advocacy peer, sharing PHMass's policy-influence operating model though operating at a broader environmental scope rather than building-specific focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/passivehousema
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phmass

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Passive House Massachusetts