Passive House 101 - the most complete Passive House Introduction course ever made.

Passive House 101 is an online introductory course about the Passive House Standard. Learn the main principles of designing comfortable, energy-efficient, and cost-optimal buildings.

Every building should be sustainable …

Whether you are working on a single-family house, an office building, or a skyscraper, it should be designed and build in a sustainable way. And following the Passive House principles is the first step to making a sustainable building. Passive House buildings are energy efficient and use 90% less energy for heating and cooling. The remaining low energy demand can easily be fulfilled with renewable energy generated on-site.

… and still provide a healthy and comfortable environment …

Inside the Passive House buildings, the indoor temperatures stay within the comfort levels all year round with minimal energy inputs. The air is always fresh and purified which creates a healthy and extremely comfortable living environment for the residents.

… while being affordable.

Making a sustainable and comfortable building does not have to be expensive. The Passive House Standard gives you the opportunity to find the most cost-optimal design for your project by minimizing the initial investment and having the maximum energy savings.

Course curriculum

1. WHY PASSIVE?

Before learning about the Passive House Standard, you should know what the main problems in the building industry are, what should be improved and why Passive House buildings are the solution.

2. THE PASSIVE HOUSE STANDARD

You will get a clear understanding of what the Passive House Standard is. You will learn the main Passive House design principles, what the certification criteria are, and also into the history of the Passive House Standard.

3: OPAQUE BUILDING ENVELOPE

The opaque building envelope is the first step to making an energy-efficient building. You will learn how to design the opaque building envelope, we will look into suitable materials and of course how the design impacts the energy performance of the building. All of this will be explained based on case study projects.

4: PASSIVE HOUSE WINDOWS

Windows are a critical component of every energy-efficient building. You will learn what suitable windows for Passive House buildings are, their effect on the building’s energy performance but also how to calculate the U-values of windows and more.

5: THERMAL BRIDGES

Thermal bridges have a major influence on comfort and on the energy performance of a building. You will learn what the different types of thermal bridges are and how they can be avoided.

6: AIRTIGHTNESS

The airtightness is crucial for making a Passive House building. That’s why we will look into the main design principles, suitable airtight materials and more.

7: MECHANICAL VENTILATION WITH HEAT RECOVERY

The MVHR ensures high air quality in Passive House buildings. You will learn not only how to design and dimension the air system but also what it’s different components are and how it can be designed more efficiently.

8: HEATING

Choosing the right heating system is crucial for making an energy-efficient and cost-optimal design.

9: COOLING

The Passive House principles can perfectly be applied in hot climates. You will learn different methods for passive cooling and what cooling systems are suitable for Passive House buildings.

10: ECONOMICS

Affordability is a crucial factor in the Passive House Standard. You will learn different ways to optimize your design, to make it more cost-effective and how to make economic calculations.

11: PASSIVE HOUSE SOFTWARE

PHPP and designPH are all the softwares needed to design a Passive House building. There will be an overview of both softwares and a brief overview of how you can use them for the design of any type of energy-efficient buildings.

BONUS 1: 100+ questions

We have made multiple quizzes with more than 100 questions and exercises in total. The quizzes include questions from all topics that are discussed in the course and will help you solidify your learnings.

BONUS 2: Private LinkedIn group access

Join a community of building professionals from all over the world who all share the same passion for sustainable buildings. You will gain exclusive access to a LinkedIn community to discuss coursework and trade ideas with your fellow classmates. Get inspired, ask questions, generate ideas, make friends, and have fun!

BONUS 3: Certificate of completion

Once you finish the full course, you will receive a certificate for successfully completing the Passive House 101 online course.

BONUS 4: Flexible learning program

Passive House 101 is an online course, it starts the moment you enroll. You can complete it in your own time and work through it as fast or slow as you wish. And the best thing is that you get lifetime access.

Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone who wants to learn how to design comfortable, energy-efficient, and cost-optimal buildings.

This course was made for you:

Meet your course instructors

Svetlin Dobrevski

Co-Founder, Passive House Certifier, Certified Passive House Consultant

Svetlin is Passive House Trainer, Consultant, and Certifier globally accredited by the Passive House Institute. He designed, built, and now lives in the first Passive House Classic in Bulgaria. Svetlin has been delivering Passive House Designer courses for over 10 years and he trained 250+ people from over 20 countries. He has 25+ years of experience in the building sector and worked on numerous Passive House projects all over the world. He was also a keynote speaker at the International Passive House Conferences in 2017 and 2018. In his spare time, Svetlin enjoys hiking in nature, fencing, and archery.

Anton Dobrevski

Co-Founder, Certified Passive House Consultant & Trainer, Leed Green Associate

Anton became one of the youngest Certified Passive House Consultants in the world at the age of 16. He is also an accredited Passive House Trainer by the PHI and a LEED Green Associate. Anton graduated with a Master’s degree in architecture at the Delft University of Technology. Currently, he is designing and consulting multiple Passive House projects all over the globe. Anton is a passionate advocate of the Passive House Standard and his aim is to make the Passive House Standard accessible to people all over the world. In his spare time, Anton enjoys music, karate, yoga, and traveling.

What our students say about this course

Peter Mancini

Peter Mancini

Cabinetmaker/designer/renovator at Peter James & Co.

I am glad I enrolled in the Passive House 101 course.  It increased my understanding and desire to construct a passive home. I think PH building is the TESLA of the construction industry and everyone needs to adapt... It's not the future of building, it should be the NOW of building.

Ariel Gomez

Ariel Gomez

College Instructor at UAE University

“This is a great course to learn the basic principles of Passive House design.”

Ahmed Atef Elsayed

Ahmed Atef Elsayed

Architectural Engineering Specialist - ENPPI

“Very good course, I totally recommend it. The method of the presentation is very nice and clear. The materials/course is important as fundamental knowledge of Passive House design.”

Ioana Curtali

Ioana Curtali

Home owner

"The course is a comprehensive introduction to what Passive House means, covering all technical aspects of the construction/retrofit. In addition, there is a section dedicated to financial aspects to be considered when using certified materials, which I found extremely useful. The course is packed with great value, excellent value for money ratio, delivered to the expectations."

Muslim Mohammed

Muslim Mohammed

Founder Passive House Iraq

“Passive House School is one of the best academic centers in the world to acquire more knowledge and learn about the Passive House Standard. Sincere thanks to the team for everything they thought me and for all the help.”

Passive House 101

Introduction to the Passive House Standard. Learn the main principles of designing comfortable, energy-efficient, and cost-optimal buildings.

€149 excl. tax

Or 3 monthly payments of €64 per month (excl. tax). Click here to set up your payment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

If your questions aren’t covered below, you can contact us or chat with us.

Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone who wants to learn how to design comfortable, energy-efficient, and cost-optimal buildings – from building professionals to enthusiasts and (future) homeowners.

Is any prior knowledge required?

No prior knowledge is required for this course. It is ideal for anyone willing to learn about the standard and/or to make their first step into the Passive House industry.

Do I need any software or tools to take this course?

You don’t need any software or other tools to complete the course.

Am I going to get a certificate?

After completing the whole course, you will get a certificate of completion.

What is the time commitment and schedule for the class?

The course includes more than 7 hours of video lectures. To complete the whole course with all exercises and quizzes, you will need around 10 hours. 

Does it matter which time zone I’m in?

No, it doesn’t matter which timezone you are in. You can take this class from anywhere in the world. Also, the material at the course covers design and construction strategies for all climate zones.

Are classes live? Do I have to log in at a specific time?

Passive House 101 is a self-paced course and all lectures are pre-recorded. You can complete it in your own time and work through it as fast or slow as you wish.

You will still have the opportunity to ask any questions you have in the online community.

Do I take this class from home?

Yes, the class is taught completely online, allowing you to take it from anywhere.

Do I get a discount as a student or an iPHA Member?

Students and iPHA members get a 10% discount.


If you are an iPHA Member, please send an email to team@passivehouseschool.com with a link to your iPHA membership to provide you with a discount code.


If you are a student, please send your proof of enrollment to team@passivehouseschool.com from your student email address.

Can I get an invoice for my purchase?

You will receive a receipt for your purchase which is tax compliant and can be used for claiming business expenses. For this, you have to enter your business details and VAT number (if applicable) on the checkout and you will receive your receipt via email after enrolling in the course.

If you live in a country where an invoice is required by law, the platform we use for our courses (teachable) will issue an invoice in PDF format for your purchase. If an invoice is not required by law, you will receive a receipt for your purchase.

When does the course start and finish?

Passive House 101 is a self-paced online course and starts the moment you enroll. You can complete it in your own time and work through it as fast or slow as you wish. And the best thing is that you will have unlimited, lifetime access to this course.

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