20th International Passive House Conference Back in Darmstadt for its Anniversary

International Passive House Conference Program Now Available Online

(Press Release, Passive House Institute, 6 January 2016)


20th International Passive House Conference
April 22-23, 2016 in Darmstadt, Germany

Discounted Early Bird Registration Open Now – Reserve Your Spot Today!

Darmstadt, Germany. The Passive House is now 25 years old; to celebrate this, the International Passive House Conference is returning to Darmstadt – the city in Germany, in which this success story began. On 22 and 23 April 2016, over a hundred speakers from all over the world will report on the latest projects relating to highly energy efficient construction and retrofits. But the anniversary will also serve as an occasion for a review, with the presentation of results relating to the durability of the individual building components of the first Passive House. The complete Conference Program is now available online. In addition, registration at the early booking rate is now possible at www.passivehouseconference.org.

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The Word’s 2nd Certified Passive House Premium, Located in Ochsenhausen, Southwest Germany. Photo Credit: eza / Energie- und Umweltzentrum Allgäu

When the first Passive House was built in Darmstadt 25 years ago, this was an experimental project. Today, the resulting standard for energy efficiency has become an integral part of construction activity; the reliable heating energy savings of up to 90 percent have confirmed themselves for tens of thousands of residents. This Standard is also regarded as the ultimate benchmark for public buildings in a growing number of towns and cities – whether in Frankfurt, Brussels or New York. At the same time, Passive House is already meeting EU requirements for future climate-neutral construction.

In addition to the long-term results, the program of the International Passive House Conference 2016 also covers many other topics. Among other things, buildings combining efficiency and renewable energy and thus meeting the criteria for the Passive House Plus or Passive House Premium classes will be presented. As for building components, home ventilation will be one of the focal points. This year’s “Component Award 2016” will also be presented in this context. The main regional focus this time will be on North America, China and warm climate zones.

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The Word’s 2nd Certified Passive House Premium, Located in Ochsenhausen, Southwest Germany. Photo Credit: eza / Energie- und Umweltzentrum Allgäu

The lecture program at the 2016 Conference will be supplemented with a series of workshops and excursions to Passive House buildings in Darmstadt and its surroundings – including the world’s first Passive House, built in the Kranichstein district 25 years ago. Leading manufacturers of Passive House components will demonstrate their newest products at the accompanying specialists’ exhibition.

The International Passive House Conference has been held by the Passive House Institute annually at different venues since 1996. The event will be taking place in Darmstadt again for the first time since the premiere 20 years ago. This year’s Conference will be organised in cooperation with the City of Darmstadt, the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and the University of Innsbruck. The Conference will be held under the auspices of the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport and Regional Development of the German State of Hessen. Some of the lectures will also be embedded into the EU-funded project EuroPHit (step-by-step energy-efficient retrofitting).

20th International Passive House Conference 2016  
Conference and Specialists’ Exhibition: Friday and Saturday, 22 and 23 April
Workshops: Wednesday, 20 April and Thursday, 21 April
Excursions to Passive House buildings in the region: Sunday, 24 April
Venue: Congress Centre “darmstadtium”, Schlossgraben 1, 64283 Darmstadt
Further information and registration at: www.passivehouseconference.org