Darmstadt, Germany. The Passive House Institute in Darmstadt has announced the Passive House Award 2020 to reward pioneering projects in the field of energy efficient construction. A special focus of the competition will be on integrated renewable energy supply. An international jury panel will select the award winners. The award ceremony will take place during the 24th International Passive House Conference in Berlin.

Darmstadt, Germany. Low operational costs for heating and electricity and a high standard of living comfort are possible at the same time: the latest session of the Research Group for cost-effective Passive Houses addressed the issue of social housing and how it can be implemented in a cost-effective and energy efficient manner. During an associated excursion, many parti-cipants visited the PassivhausSozial-Plus in Darmstadt which is a nationwide model project for social housing.

Darmstadt, Germany. Whether just browsing or to find a specific product – a new online database provides a detailed overview of components for Passive House construction. All
of the products, which have been independently tested and certified with reference to their energy-relevant qualities, are listed together with relevant technical information; triple-glazed windows and ventilation systems with heat recovery as well as insulation systems and balcony connections, to name a few. Details about the new database and possibilities of its use in practice will be presented at the International Passive House Conference 2016 in Darmstadt.