Certified Passive House Designer / Consultant
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Certified Passive House Designer/Consultant credential is issued by the Passive House Institute (PHI) and signals that you can plan and verify buildings to the Passive House standard. Designers typically come from architecture or engineering backgrounds and take the full design exam; consultants often work on component specification, quality assurance and certification support. The exam is closed-book multiple choice with a single correct answer per question, and it tests applied judgement rather than recall alone: envelope U-values and thermal bridges, window and frame performance, airtightness details, ventilation with heat recovery, heating and DHW loads, and the PHPP energy balance including summertime and primary energy. Expect quantitative items where you must read a value, spot an implausible input, or choose the detail that actually closes a thermal bridge. Preparation usually combines the PHI course materials with hands-on PHPP work on a real project: build the model, run variants, and learn which inputs drive heating demand. Practise reading construction details and identifying weak points. The official body publishes current exam logistics, so confirm dates, fees and format on its site rather than relying on second-hand figures.
What you'll study
About Certified Passive House Designer / Consultant preparation
How is the exam delivered?
It is a closed-book, multiple-choice exam with one correct answer per question, taken under supervision. The official body publishes the current delivery method, language options and scheduling on its website, so check there before booking.
How difficult is it in practice?
Most candidates find the building-physics items manageable and the PHPP-based and detail-reading items harder. Questions often give a plausible but wrong input and ask you to spot it. If you have built and debugged a real PHPP model, difficulty drops sharply.
What happens if I fail - can I retake it?
Retake rules, waiting periods and any fees are set by the Passive House Institute and can change. There is no fixed figure to quote here; confirm the current retake policy directly with the official body before you register.
How long should I study, and in what order?
Work through the domains in dependency order: principles and PHPP first, then envelope and thermal bridges, windows, ventilation, and systems. Leave energy balance and quality assurance for last, since they assume the earlier material. Most people need several weeks of part-time study plus real PHPP practice.
Do I need to know PHPP in detail?
Yes. Expect questions on which inputs move heating demand, how U-values and thermal bridges enter the model, and how primary energy and summertime checks are read. You do not need to memorise the spreadsheet, but you should understand what each key input does.
What are the most common failure modes?
Candidates lose marks by confusing U-value and psi-value units, forgetting that thermal bridges can be negative, mishandling window installation and shading, and treating ventilation as a bolt-on. Careless reading of quantitative items also costs points; check units before answering.
Is the exam mostly calculation or mostly concepts?
Both, but calculations are usually simple arithmetic applied to the right formula. The real test is conceptual: knowing which mechanism dominates, which detail is buildable, and which input is unrealistic. Practise short numerical items until the unit handling is automatic.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Fees, exam duration and question counts are published by the official body and vary by region and language. Do not rely on forum figures. Check the Passive House Institute website for the current schedule and pricing before you plan your booking.
Does passing make me a certified designer or consultant?
Passing the exam is the basis for certification, but the official body sets the full requirements, including any course attendance or documentation. Confirm the current certification route and any renewal conditions directly with the Passive House Institute.