Associação Passivhaus Portugal

Associação Passivhaus Portugal, known as PHPT, promotes the Passivhaus standard in Portugal. The association is based in Ílhavo, in the Aveiro district. The standard was developed in Germany by the Passive House Institute. It sets strict limits for energy use, airtightness and thermal comfort. Buildings reach them mainly through insulation, orientation and passive solar design, rather than active heating or cooling. The association's strategy for Portugal had three steps: build the first certified Passive House, monitor how it performs, and then found the association itself. The founding members are Rafael Ribas, João Marcelino and João Gavião. João Marcelino is the current president. PHPT's work is split by audience. Its website has separate sections for designers, builders and installers, and homeowners. It offers training for Certified Passive House Designers and Certified Passive House Tradespeople, and holds Passive House seminars. A seminar in Porto is scheduled for 25 September 2026. The Passive House Center was set up as a space devoted to the Passive House sector. It targets the main weak points of Portuguese construction: airtightness, window installation, thermal bridges, and building systems and equipment. The Center has held open days with workshops. The website also lists certified Passive Houses built in Portugal, among them Casa Amor, Casa Mozelos, Casa Qualia, Casa da Palmeira and Casa Mindelo. It names strategic, institutional and media partners, ambassadors, and municipalities that support the standard. PHPT is a membership association rather than a commercial company. It brings together construction professionals around one technical standard, with the aim of making nearly zero-energy buildings more common in Portugal.