Passipedia

Passipedia is a comprehensive, scientifically grounded platform dedicated to Passive House concepts, research, and best practices. It serves as the central hub for accessing the latest findings, resources, and expert knowledge in the field of energy-efficient building.

Below, you can explore all outPHit-related articles available on Passipedia. By clicking on the title, you will be redirected to Passipedia. For an overview of all outPHit-related content, you can also refer to this PDF document .

outPHit related articles on Passipedia:

• PASSIVE COOLING
  Passive cooling in buildings is achieved by limiting internal and solar heat gains through shading, insulation, efficient equipment, and well-planned natural or mechanical ventilation, especially at night. Additional measures such as thermal mass, reflective or light-coloured surfaces, and greenery further stabilise indoor temperatures and reduce heat absorption, supporting a low-energy approach to summer comfort.
  Article in German

• RISK ANALYSIS: ROBUST PLANNING FOR HIGH SUMMER COMFORT
  In buildings without active cooling, overheating is managed through careful planning, stress-testing user behaviour and climate scenarios in PHPP, and adjusting design elements like window size, shading, and ventilation to stay below the 10% overheating threshold. PHPP’s climate adjustments and clear occupant guidance further enhance resilience, though active cooling may still be necessary in high-risk situations.
  Article in German

• THERMAL IMAGING IS ESSENTIAL FOR CONSUMERS, BUSINESSES, AND MUNICIPALITIES
  Europe’s building stock must be rapidly and cost-effectively retrofitted to reach climate neutrality by 2050, with outPHit advancing this goal through prefabricated solutions, streamlined processes, and digital tools that accelerate renovations and raise awareness among building owners. Large-scale thermal imaging, supported by platforms like InfraredPlatform.com, effectively highlights energy losses in thousands of homes, boosting public engagement and motivating insulation and efficiency upgrades aligned with broader climate goals.

• PV ECONOMY EVALUATION
  The PV Economy Evaluation tool, supported by the PHPP add-on PVecon, assesses the economic viability of residential PV systems by analysing monthly energy demand, PV yield, self-consumption, and optimal storage sizing to reduce grid dependence and improve financial returns. While currently limited to residential buildings without cooling or EV storage, it enables informed decisions on cost-effective PV installations and encourages investment in sustainable energy solutions.

• MEET - MANUFACTURING ENERGY EVALUATION TOOL
  The article examines energy demand and CO₂ emissions of building materials and retrofitting within the outPHit framework, highlighting the role of life cycle assessments that follow standards like ISO 14025 and EN 15978 to evaluate impacts from production to disposal. By comparing insulation materials such as EPS, cellulose, and straw, it shows that although some require higher upfront energy, their long-term operational savings can offer substantial overall benefits.

• DESICION MAKING SUPPORT TOOL
  The DeSuTO tool supports energy-efficient building renovations by guiding users toward prefabricated façade solutions, reducing installation time and long-term energy costs through a structured, data-driven assessment of existing buildings. Built in Python and powered by databases like TABULA, it offers flexible modelling but currently remains single-user and lacks social and sustainability criteria, leaving these aspects for future development.
  Link to tool

• GROUND TUBES
  The article describes how ground tubes and district heating support sustainable energy use in outPHit by storing surplus renewable energy and efficiently distributing heat to buildings through well-insulated, optimally designed networks. Comparing conventional and cold district heating systems, the article highlights how lower feed temperatures, decentralised heat pumps, and improved insulation enhance efficiency while requiring careful economic consideration to balance performance and investment costs.

• AIRTHIGHTNESS APPROACHES FOR DEEP RENOVATION
  The article stresses that airtight building envelopes are crucial for energy-efficient renovations under EnerPHit standards, as poor airtightness greatly increases energy demand and can cause structural and comfort issues. It shows that required n50 values are achievable in practice and presents a decision matrix outlining suitable airtightness strategies—from interior or exterior reinforcement to modular pre-wall systems—based on renovation scope and building conditions.
  Article in German

• QUALITY ASSURANCE DURING (SERIAL) RENOVATION
  The article highlights that rigorous quality assurance in serial renovations is essential for achieving durable, energy-efficient results, stressing thorough planning of airtight and thermal envelopes, careful execution, and comprehensive factory and on-site checks for prefabricated elements. By piloting QA processes, addressing installation challenges, and verifying façade accuracy, projects can reduce heat loss, improve performance, and enhance the reliability of large-scale retrofits.

• VENTILATION DUCTS WITHIN THE INSULATION LAYER
  The article explains that ventilation ducts placed outside the living space and within the insulation layer can simplify retrofits in occupied buildings but introduce additional heat losses that affect heat recovery performance. By analysing temperature interactions and integrating detailed heat-flow calculations into a spreadsheet tool, designers can quantify these losses and optimise duct placement to maintain high thermal efficiency.

• FAÇADE INTEGRATED VENTILATION
  The outPHit project investigated exterior integration of ventilation units to save interior space, simplify maintenance, and enable efficient installation, using approaches like façade-mounted units near windows or core-drilled holes for retrofits. Prototypes and planning tools support quality assurance, with each method chosen based on site conditions, cost, and structural constraints.

• ENERPHIT RENOVATIONS: HIGHLY EFFICIENT RENOVATION AS A SOCIAL NO-REGRET MEASURE
  Achieving a climate-neutral building stock is crucial for Germany’s 2045 greenhouse gas targets, energy security, and economic resilience, with Passive House and EnerPHit standards dramatically reducing heating demand and fossil fuel dependence. Aligning renovations with natural cycles improves efficiency and cost-effectiveness, lessens grid strain, and minimises reliance on imported or additional renewable energy infrastructure.
  Article in German

• PASSIVE HOUSE AND ENERPHIT IN THE EUROPEAN TAXONOMY
  The article highlights how Passive House and EnerPHit standards align with the EU taxonomy to promote energy-efficient, low-carbon buildings and support the EU’s climate and energy targets. By incorporating these standards, the taxonomy encourages widespread adoption of best practices for new builds and deep retrofits, advancing sustainable building performance across Europe.
  Article in German

• LIVING QUALITY MONITORING
  The article emphasises that monitoring living quality indicators (LQI) is vital for evaluating renovations, addressing thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency through multi-parameter, sensor-based systems. Using before-and-after measurements, microbiological assessments, and continuous data collection, LQI monitoring ensures renovations meet health, comfort, and efficiency standards while guiding long-term building performance improvements.
  

• HOUSING COMPANIES: SUCCESSFUL COST-EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION
  The article highlights Neue Heimat Tirol (NHT), a non-profit housing organisation managing over 20,000 apartments in Tyrol, with a strong focus on social and energy-efficient housing. Since its first passive house project in 2009, NHT has progressively adopted Passive House and Passive House PLUS standards, achieving high tenant satisfaction and low energy costs. The organisation integrates renewable energy production, rigorous design evaluation using tools like PHPP and designPH, and sustainable construction practices to deliver affordable, low-energy housing while promoting long-term climate and energy resilience.