Passivhaus Designer

This accredited course requires approximately 100 hours of dedication and is taught using updated teaching materials adapted for warm climates.

It provides the student with all the necessary knowledge to start developing buildings according to the criteria of the Passivhaus standard, a world leader in energy efficiency in both new construction and renovation.

Benefits

Why take this course?
with Zepassiv

  • Profile

    Aimed at construction professionals, architects and engineers interested in high energy efficiency projects and nearly zero energy buildings who are looking for advanced technical specialization.

  • Professional Development

    Specialize in the field of extreme energy efficiency under the European Directive. There is a high demand for technicians committed to the environment and energy.

  • Formative dynamics

    This course is taught by Zero Energy, an accredited entity since 2015. It includes 1,500 pages of original and updated material, allowing students to study with complete flexibility from anywhere.

  • Prior knowledge

    No prior experience with the Passivhaus standard is required. The program allows you to progress at your own pace, with introductory sessions and unlimited reviews to ensure progressive learning.

  • Official exam

    It includes preparation sessions and reinforcement exercises for the exam. Upon passing, you will obtain the official title of Certified Passivhaus Designer with a success rate of 92%.

  • PHPP Energy Modeling

    The course teaches how to use the PHPP 10 modeling tool. The official license is included free of charge when you purchase the complete training program for the specialty.

Modules

Teaching
units

Select a drive to view its contents.

  • Welcome message
  • Familiarize yourself with the platform
  • Student Application Form
  • Technical Support

  • Course presentation
  • Course notes (PDF)
  • Course agenda
  • Link to access live classes

  • Introduction to Passivhaus
  • Additional material | Kranichstein case study (in English)
  • Additional material | Kronsberg case study (in English)
  • Additional material | Monitoring study (in English)
  • Self-assessment test

  • Physical fundamentals of construction - Part 1
  • Physical fundamentals of construction - Part 2
  • Additional material | Carpentry tape certification (English)
  • Additional material | Watertight board certification (English)
  • Additional material | Ductwork certification (English)

  • Passive House Envelopes
  • Additional material – Notes B1 Volume I
  • Additional material | Brief catalogue of thermal bridges (in English)
  • Additional material | Demonstration of static condensation and transmittance calculations – UBAKUS PRO
  • Additional material | SOUDATIGHT liquid membrane application
  • OFFER | UBAKUS-PRO annual license with 30% discount

  • High-performance carpentry
  • Additional material | Inspection of certified carpentry workshops
  • Additional material | Optiwin carpentry cost study (English)
  • Missing text on slides ES C1+C12 | 12 and 13
  • Additional material | Carpentry installation demonstration

  • Ventilation system in a Passive House
  • Individual work – Ventilation exercise
  • Solved ventilation exercise
  • Additional material | Ventilation installation design
  • Additional material | Demonstration video of ventilation network installation
  • Additional material | Bypass operating principle
  • Additional material | Residential unit certificate

  • Heating and DHW generation
  • Additional material | Passivhaus certified compact unit

  • Cooling in Passive Houses
  • Additional material | Passive-On climate project in Andalusia
  • Additional material | Ventilation with cold air conditioning
  • Additional material | Compact unit with cooling

  • Quality assurance and control for Passivhaus certification
  • Additional Material | Project Checklist
  • Additional material | Blower Door practical test
  • Additional material | Certification criteria for Passivhaus
  • Additional material | Certification guide

  • EnerPHit Rehabilitation
  • Additional material – Rehabilitation case study

  • Economic profitability of Passivhaus projects

  • Introduction to PHPP
  • PHPP and DesignPH Workshop Session
  • Ubakus and Therm workshop session
  • Basic PHPP exercise: Mountain refuge

Certificate

Designer exam
Passivhaus certified

This optional online exam for certified Passive House designers/consultants and the self-paced preparation module are specifically designed to thoroughly prepare you to pass the exam.

The exam lasts 3 hours and consists of multiple-choice questions, calculation exercises, table entries similar to those in PHPP, and a design exercise. The exam is based on the learning objectives covered in the course.

Exam: Online, date to be confirmed (provisional)

*The course will be confirmed at least two weeks before the scheduled start date.

Streaming

In-person
presence

Time zone: GMT+1 (Spain)

Session

Date & Time

Content

Format

Online 1

Free

Presentation and introduction to the Passivhaus standard

e-learning

Online 2

Free

Principles of the physics of construction

e-learning

August 4

15:00 - 18:30 h

The thermal envelope: insulation and airtightness

live online

August 5

15:00 - 18:30 h

High-performance carpentry and its installation

live online

August 6

15:00 - 18:30 h

Mechanical ventilation systems with energy recovery

live online

August 7

15:00 - 18:30 h

Energy generation: heating and domestic hot water

live online

August 11

15:00 - 18:30 h

Cooling in warm climates

live online

August 12

15:00 - 18:30 h

Quality control Certification process

live online

August 13

15:00 - 18:30 h

The EnerPHit standard for rehabilitation

live online

August 14

15:00 - 18:30 h

The economic profitability of Passivhaus projects

live online

Online 3

Free

Introduction to energy simulation with PHPP 10

e-learning

Online 4

Free

3D simulation tools with DesignPH

e-learning

Online 5

Free

Energy simulation tools with Ubakus and Flixo

e-learning

August 25

15:00 - 18:30 h

Review and preparation class

live online

August 28

15:00 - 18:30 h

Online exam

live online

In-person

In-person
intensive

One-week intensive course

Place

Dates

Content

Burgos

November 24-28

Official Passivhaus Designer Course. Includes a technical visit to a Passivhaus Premium certified building.

Madrid

Dates to be confirmed (December 2025)

Official Passivhaus Designer Course. Includes a visit to a home in the certification process.

Registration

Course
registration

Official online Passivhaus Designer course. Registration period available until July 31st.

(VAT exempt)

  • Online edition

    Passive House Designer

    Official Passivhaus Designer Course - Online Edition. Optional in-person practical workshop session.

    Order Now

    995,00€

  • Online edition

    Complete Designer Itinerary

    Perpetual license for PHPP 10 software. Optional in-person practical workshops. Review and preparation class. Official exam (online or in-person).

    Order Now

    1.595,00€

  • In-person edition

    Passive House Designer

    Perpetual license for PHPP 10 software. Visit to a certified Passivhaus Premium construction site. Review and preparation class. Official exam (online or in person).

    Order Now

    1,795,00€

Are you a company? We offer tailor-made training for your employees

Are you looking for the best training adapted to your needs?

We offer courses for construction companies, carpentry firms, architectural and engineering firms, real estate companies and similar companies, given in their own facilities and subsidised by FUNDAE.

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FAQs

Frequent
questions

Once you register and pay for the course, you will have access to the platform. According to the schedule provided, you will have access to the live class in each module. You will also be able to view additional materials at any time within each module.

By paying for this course, you will have full access to all the features and content related to the Passivhaus Designer/Consultant certification exam. Regardless of whether you take the exam or not, you will receive a certificate of completion upon successful completion of the course. You will also receive an encrypted digital copy of all the course materials, or if you prefer, we can send you a high-quality, full-color printed book to your home. Please inquire about handling and shipping costs.

The training platform will be open until the exam date. If, for any justified reason, more time is needed, you must request an extension by emailing our support team.

The training content includes a Q&A section where you can ask questions about anything you don't understand. These questions or comments will be answered promptly and shared with the rest of the students.

Once you have paid for the course using the PHPP option, we will send the physical program manual to your home address (shipping and handling included within the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands). Delivery time is between 5-7 business days. The PHPP software, with its corresponding license code, is required to take the official exam.

The exam can be taken online from home or at any of our alternating in-person locations. Please inquire about availability at info@passiv.org. The PHPP software, with its corresponding license code, is required to take the official exam.

No, this course does not have free or demo licenses. However, you will be able to access some of the open-access content.

You can request a full refund free of charge within 48 hours of making your payment. To do so, simply send a notification to info@passiv.org. No further explanation is required.

You may be eligible for training credits. Contact us for more information at support@passiv.org