Phius Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) study plan
Phius Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Passive Building Principles
Explain the passive building principles: solar gain, internal gains, thermal bridging, airtightness, and balanced ventilation.
Calculate heating and cooling loads for a simple single-zone building using the Phius peak load method.
Identify the differences between passive house, net-zero, and low-energy buildings.
List the five key envelope metrics: U-values, thermal bridges, airtightness, windows, and ventilation.
Your checkpoint
A one-page summary sheet with the five principles, a sample load calculation, and a comparison table of building standards.
Passive Building Principles & Building Enclosure Design
Apply the Phius limit curves for opaque envelope U-values based on climate zone.
Evaluate thermal bridge penalties using the Phius thermal bridge methodology.
Select appropriate window specifications (U-value, SHGC) for a given climate.
Design an airtightness strategy including membrane placement and penetration sealing.
Your checkpoint
A case-study envelope design for a 150 m² single-family home in a cold climate, including assembly U-values, window schedule, and airtightness details.
Building Enclosure Design
Analyze moisture risks in wall and roof assemblies using WUFI 1D or equivalent.
Design a vented vs. unvented roof assembly for a cold climate.
Specify foundation insulation and slab-edge details to minimize thermal bridging.
Compare three window frame types for thermal performance and cost.
Your checkpoint
A moisture analysis report for a double-stud wall and a roof assembly, with graphs of moisture content over two years and recommendations.
Building Enclosure Design & Whole-Building Energy Modeling (WUFI Passive)
Set up a whole-building energy model in WUFI Passive for a simple rectangular building.
Input envelope assemblies, windows, and thermal bridges accurately into the model.
Run a baseline simulation and extract annual heating demand, cooling demand, and peak loads.
Identify the top three contributors to heating demand in the model.
Your checkpoint
A complete WUFI Passive model file and a summary report of baseline energy metrics with a sensitivity analysis of envelope parameters.
Whole-Building Energy Modeling (WUFI Passive)
Model mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, including duct layout and fan power.
Incorporate internal gains and solar gains with correct schedules.
Calibrate the model against a provided benchmark building or utility data.
Use WUFI Passive to evaluate the impact of window shading and orientation.
Your checkpoint
A revised model incorporating HVAC and gains, with a comparison table of energy demand before and after optimization.
Whole-Building Energy Modeling (WUFI Passive) & Mechanical Systems and Ventilation
Size a balanced ventilation system with heat recovery for a passive house.
Select ductwork and design a layout to minimize pressure drops.
Model a mini-split heat pump and domestic hot water system in WUFI Passive.
Verify compliance with Phius ventilation requirements (e.g., 0.3 ACH50).
Your checkpoint
A mechanical system design package including ventilation schematic, equipment selection, and WUFI Passive simulation results showing compliance with Phius limits.
Mechanical Systems and Ventilation & Phius Standards, Certification, and Quality Assurance
Explain the Phius certification process from pre-certification to final certification.
Identify the roles of the rater, verifier, and consultant in quality assurance.
List the documentation required for Phius certification and common pitfalls.
Describe the on-site verification tests: blower door, duct blaster, and commissioning.
Your checkpoint
A certification roadmap for a project, including a checklist of required documents and a timeline with QA milestones.
Phius Standards, Certification, and Quality Assurance & Passive Building Principles & Building Enclosure Design & Whole-Building Energy Modeling (WUFI Passive) & Mechanical Systems and Ventilation
Review all domains using practice questions and identify weak areas.
Complete a full-length practice exam under timed conditions.
Revisit key calculations: peak load, U-value, thermal bridge, and energy demand.
Summarize the Phius standards and limits in a quick-reference sheet.
Your checkpoint
A practice exam score report with a study plan for remaining gaps, plus a one-page quick-reference sheet of all key formulas and standards.
Milestones
Week 4: Complete a baseline WUFI Passive model and achieve a heating demand within 20% of the Phius limit for a cold climate.
Week 6: Design a ventilation system that meets Phius requirements and simulate it in WUFI Passive with results within 10% of the target.
Week 8: Score at least 80% on a timed practice exam covering all domains.