NCBPA is pleased to announce a new partnership with Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) that provides many new opportunities for the organizations to work together to increase the adoption of residential and commercial Passive House principles and certifications across North Carolina. Through the new partnership, NCBPA and PHIUS will work together to: Educate home and building owners on Passive House design and construction. Educate industry professionals on how to use the PHIUS+ building standard. Host events that provide continuing education and new learning opportunities. Highlight PHIUS+ project certifications, including tours of completed projects. Encourage participation in PHAUS - PHIUS' non-profit membership association. "Whether you seek out full project certification or learn how to incorporate the principles, the PHIUS+ standard is one of the best starting points for designing and constructing high performance homes and buildings in North Carolina," says Ryan Miller, NCBPA's Executive Director. "I'm excited for NCBPA to expand our existing Passive House professional training, policy advocacy and consumer education activities with PHIUS through this new partnership."

INSIGHTS FROM MARKET LEADERS

Steve Schreiner Certified Passive House Consultant with Schreiner Design in Charlotte, NC and NCBPA Board Member "I am excited about the recent partnership between PHIUS and NCBPA. Over the past few years, I have been investigating passive house construction methods, and was so impressed that I secured my Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) designation. The PHIUS building standard is designed to be climate-specific (fitting the conditions of the building location) and is not a one-size fits all program. As an added benefit, the standard’s proposed benchmarks are cost optimized to ensure economically feasible building assemblies and systems. Building owners, designers and contractors will all benefit from dramatic improvements in their buildings’ performance, comfort, and resilience. I look forward to working with our PHIUS partners in spreading the good news to North Carolina!"

Mike Kernagis Co-Founder & Program Director, PHIUS "PHIUS has seen exponential growth in the adoption of passive building principles and the PHIUS+ standard. Much of that growth is owed to the hard work of grass roots organizations like the North Carolina Building Performance Association, and we're delighted to work with NCBPA."

Mike Kapp Certified Sustainable Building Advisor & Passive House Alliance U.S. Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative, NCBPA Member "NCBPA's landmark partnership with PHIUS is a monumental step in the strategic plan to bring North Carolina to the forefront of energy efficiency and carbon neutrality of the built environment. The local Passive House community stands poised and ready to embrace the synergistic benefits of this relationship to further educate North Carolina's construction professionals on cost-optimized high performance building techniques."

Kristina Held Principal and Partner at Insight Architects, Certified Passive House Consultant, NCBPA Member Learn about Kristina's Passive House work i n this recent article from Bauwerk. Her commitment to the craft is evident the first time you meet Kristina Held, principal and partner at Charlotte, NC firm Insight Architects . A leader in Charlotte’s sustainable and environmentally friendly architecture scene, Kristina works with clients across the state to create beautiful and environmentally conscious homes and commercial properties. Kristina is Charlotte’s first and only Passive House-certified architect. In addition to her Passive House certification, Kristina is also LEED AD B+C certified. These internationally recognized energy efficiency standards signal her considered approach to sustainable architecture and design. Born in Germany and trained as an architect in Europe, Kristina also brings a unique perspective to architecture and building in the American Southeast. In this interview, we spoke with Kristina about why she loves architecture, the unique approach to environmentally conscious building in the US, and key things that homeowners and builders should consider when creating a property in relationship to its environment.

LEARN ABOUT PASSIVE HOUSE

NCBPA and PHIUS will soon announce a series of online and in-person educational workshops for architects, builders, contractors and other industry professionals. But, there's no need to wait to learn about Passive House! Here are a few educational opportunities available now:

North American Passive House Conference December 4 - 8: Washington, DC

NAPHC is the leading passive building conference for climate-specific zero energy design, construction, and building science expertise. The PHIUS NAPHC is the oldest, biggest and best way to learn about all things passive house. Attendees get real-world case studies on projects ranging from single family homes to high-rises, the latest on mechanical systems, building science, constructions details, and expo hall full of the latest building components. Not to mention a whole lot of fun!

Online Training and In-Person Events

Need a refresher on your past Passive House education or interested in becoming certified? PHIUS offers a variety of online and in-person training opportunities for: Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) Training PHIUS Certified Builders Training PHIUS+ Quality Assurance/Quality Control Professional Training Software Training Programs Visit PHIUS' website for more information.

NCBPA Passive House Committee and Webinar

NCBPA member professionals are eligible to participate in a monthly Passive House Committee online meeting where professionals from across the state discuss their projects, network with partners and discuss ways to promote Passive House in North Carolina. Contact us to participate in this committee. Back in June, four NCBPA member professionals delivered a webinar on best practices for using Passive House in residential and commercial projects in North Carolina. Click here to view a recording of the webinar. As a reminder, NCBPA members have access to all our webinar recordings through our Member Portal.

Regional Industry Conference Coming in 2020 Fall 2020: Raleigh, NC

NCBPA is working with state and national partners to host a 2020 regional industry conference with several partner organizations. Three days of educational sessions, networking events, planning meetings and a HUGE exhibit hall are included! The Conference will include a Passive House track organized by PHIUS and NCBPA member professionals. Be on the lookout for more information about this conference soon. Contact us for sponsor and exhibitor opportunities!

BECOME A MEMBER PROFESSIONAL

Join NCBPA as a member company for just $300 per year to receive the many benefits of association that include free education and networking opportunities related to Passive House and building performance methods. Contact us with questions at 919-841-6207 or Info@BuildingNC.org . Click here for membership information.

Join PHAUS for as little as $180 per year to take advantage of discounts on Passive House training and support the Alliance's work. Contact PHAUS at Info@PHAUS.org with questions.

Join PHAUS for as little as $180 per year to take advantage of discounts on Passive House training and support the Alliance's work. Contact PHAUS at Info@PHAUS.org with questions.