Event spotlights Passive House strategies for sustainable design in the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Passivhaus Philippines, a new national non-profit dedicated to advancing the Passive House Standard, was officially launched during a webinar on energy-efficient and low-carbon building solutions for the very hot climate.
The online event gathered architects, engineers, and academics, reflecting growing interest in resilient, climate-conscious construction in the Philippines.
Jessica Grove-Smith, Senior Researcher and Joint Managing Director of the Passive House Institute in Germany, opened with an overview of Passive House principles in hot climates. She stressed that insulation, ventilation and shading are key to reducing energy use while ensuring comfort in tropical conditions.
Jordan Parnass, principal architect at New York-based Circular, presented Sri Lanka’s first certified Passive House, showing how retrofits can succeed in hot regions despite higher upfront costs. He noted that energy savings can deliver payback within six years.
Dylan Martello, Senior Building Systems Consultant at Steven Winter Associates, discussed multi-unit and commercial projects, underscoring the role of third-party certification to guarantee energy performance and long-term savings.
Norman Garcia, Executive Director of Passivhaus Philippines, addressed practical adoption in the local context and highlighted both opportunities and challenges in applying Passive House in new construction and retrofits in the Philippines, where high temperatures and humidity must be tackled.
The event underscored the organization’s educational and advocacy mission. Garcia emphasized building awareness, training local professionals, and including students in events to grow expertise. While only a few certified Passive House professionals exist in the Philippines today, efforts are underway to expand training and certification opportunities.
The launch drew support from the Philippine green building community, including Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance, the Green Architecture Advocacy Philippines, the Philippine Green Building Council and United Architects of the Philippines Makati Greenbelt Chapter.
Participants were invited to join Passivhaus Philippines as members to support education, advocacy and technical support, and to register for future events.
About the Passive House Standard
The Passive House Standard is a globally recognized benchmark for energy-efficient building design. It emphasizes high levels of building envelope and optimized ventilation to minimize heating and cooling needs.
About Passivhaus Philippines
Passivhaus Philippines is a national non-profit association of professionals and stakeholders promoting highly energy-efficient, low-carbon buildings. Its mission is to make the Passive House Standard understood, achievable and adopted across the Philippines through education, advocacy, and technical support.
Contact:
Norman Garcia
Executive Director
Passivhaus Philippines
info@passivhausph.org
