As we step deeper into the climate decade, it is clear that the built environment has a defining role to play. Buildings account for nearly 40% of global emissions, and dramatically improving their efficiency is critical for achieving net-zero goals. Enter the Passive House (PH) standard, one of the most rigorous and proven paths toward ultra-low-energy, climate-resilient buildings.
But here’s the catch: while policy is accelerating toward Passivhaus and equivalent performance targets, the global workforce is not ready. The skills gap is not just wide…it is an industry-defining challenge.
A Shortage Too Big to Ignore
The numbers tell a concerning story. Worldwide, only around 5,000 professionals are currently Certified as a Passive House Designer or Consultant. That is a tiny figure compared with the 1.3 million energy-efficiency jobs the International Energy Agency projects the buildings sector will need globally by 2030.
In 2023 alone, 83% of U.S. energy-efficiency employers reported hiring difficulties. Across the EU, nearly 3 million workers need upskilling in energy-efficient building techniques to meet the bloc’s climate, Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) and Zero Emission Building (ZEB) targets.
Even frontrunner regions are feeling the pinch. Germany, with its strong PH tradition, and Canada, which has been expanding training grants, are both facing shortages of qualified Passive House tradespeople and professionals. The message is consistent: as Passive House adoption grows, the qualified workforce is falling behind.
The UK: Progress Meets Pressure
The UK is a vivid case study in ambition outpacing capacity. As of late 2024, there were just 647 certified Passive House designers and 111 certified tradespeople nationwide. That is a drop in the ocean compared to what is required for widescale implementation, especially with Scotland mandating Passive House-equivalent standards for all new homes starting in 2024.
According to the Passivhaus Trust, the current talent pool is “nowhere near enough to meet demand.” The UK construction sector urgently needs not just designers and engineers, but also on-site workers, certifiers, and retrofit specialists trained to PH standards. Without them, new policies risk becoming paper standards without practical delivery on the ground.
Ireland: A Leading Example with Limits
Ireland has led the way in Passive House adoption relative to its size. The country has over 300 certified designers and the most certified Passive House tradespeople per capita in the world. Many Irish firms now export their PH expertise internationally.
But success brings new challenges. A 2023 study found that to meet its housing and climate targets, Ireland must recruit 120,000 construction workers and reskill another 164,000 by 2030. Many of these roles will directly support NZEB and Passive House projects. Even with early adoption, the scale of need continues to grow.
Who’s Missing from the Workforce?
The skills gap is not limited to one role; it spans the entire project lifecycle:
- Certified Designers and Consultants: Experts in energy modelling using PHPP who ensure that building designs meet the PH standard. These professionals are globally scarce and increasingly in demand.
- Tradespeople: Builders, carpenters, HVAC installers, and window fitters trained in Passive House construction methods. The UK has only 111 certified tradespeople.
- Certifiers: Independent experts who verify and certify Passive House buildings. These are especially rare and time-consuming to train.
- Mechanical Ventilation Specialists: Skilled designers and installers of MVHR systems are in short supply.
- Retrofit Designers and Coordinators: As retrofitting gains focus, expertise in EnerPHit standard retrofits is urgently needed.
Every role involved in Passive House delivery is underfilled, and the gap is widening.
The Road to 2030: Training Must Triple
The 2020s are witnessing a revolution in building policy. Scotland, Brussels, New York City, and several German states are rolling out Passive House or equivalent mandates. The EU Renovation Wave aims to retrofit 35 million buildings by 2030, potentially creating 160,000 new construction jobs if there are enough trained professionals to fill them.
To meet demand:
- Workforce training output must double or triple annually over the next five years.
- Countries like the UK and Ireland will need to train hundreds of thousands of new or existing workers in energy-efficient techniques.
Governments and industry are responding. Scotland’s “Passivhaus in Practice” programme has trained over 3,000 individuals since 2021. The UK Passivhaus Trust has begun offering free PH curriculum modules to university students. Ireland is rolling out a National Upskilling Roadmap to 2030, and North American programmes are increasingly tying rebates and incentives to Passive House training.
These are promising signs, but scaling from thousands to tens of thousands remains a herculean task.
Why This Matters for Industry Leaders
If you are a developer, architect, contractor, or policymaker, the message is clear: the Passivhaus standard is rapidly becoming a baseline expectation, not an innovation at the margins.
In many markets, government incentives and performance mandates now favour PH-level builds, particularly in the public sector and affordable housing. Hiring trained Passive House professionals not only helps meet these requirements, but it also future-proofs your projects against tightening regulations.
Moreover, the skills gap represents an economic opportunity. Countries that invest early in training programmes can become exporters of expertise and innovation. Ireland is already demonstrating this.
Closing the Gap: How CPHD On Demand Is Training the Workforce of the Future
As demand for Passivhaus buildings accelerates, one of the most pressing questions is: how do we train the thousands of professionals needed to deliver them at scale, with confidence, and without pulling them off the job?
That is where mosart’s Certified Passive House Designer (CPHD) On Demand programme comes in.
Built by one of Europe’s leading Passivhaus consultancies, this course is designed for working architects, engineers, and building professionals who need flexible, expert-led training that fits around real-life schedules. With 12 months of unlimited access, the course can be completed at your own pace; nights, weekends, or between site visits.
But it is more than just a certificate. CPHD On Demand:
- Teaches with real buildings, not just theory, featuring on-site footage, case studies, and lessons from mosart’s own Passive House projects.
- Includes PHPP software and full training, with an interactive UI that helps learners see how design changes impact performance in real time.
- Offers monthly live Q and A sessions with Mosart trainers, so students get personal support and can apply concepts to their current work.
- Delivers international certification from the Passive House Institute (PHI), plus up to 30 CPD points.
Perhaps most importantly, CPHD On Demand helps learners build practical confidence. In a sector where many feel intimidated by the complexity of Passivhaus or unsure how to apply it on real projects, this course bridges that gap. It shows exactly how to go from concept to compliance, step by step.
The Passivhaus skills shortage will not be solved by traditional training alone. It requires scalable, self-paced education delivered by practitioners, not just lecturers.
CPHD On Demand is part of the solution. It is already helping professionals across Ireland, the UK, and beyond lead the transition to high-performance, climate-ready buildings. And as more clients demand Passivhaus outcomes, those who upskill now will be first in line for the opportunities ahead.
Learn more or enrol at:
https://learn.mosartgroup.com/courses/CPHD-Course
What Needs to Happen Next?
To close the skills gap and prepare for a Passive House-driven future, several actions are urgent:
- Integrate PH into mainstream education: From architecture degrees to apprenticeships, Passive House concepts need to be embedded in national curricula.
- Accelerate funding for short-term training: Upskilling existing tradespeople quickly through certifications, micro-credentials, and on-the-job training is critical.
- Expand incentives tied to PH certification: Governments should continue linking financial support (grants, loans, tax credits) to Passive House credentials, pushing market demand.
- Foster industry-academic partnerships: The private sector must collaborate with universities and training institutes to co-create relevant, applied training programmes.
- Communicate the value of skilled trades: A cultural shift is needed to recognise the importance and growing economic security of roles like insulation installers and HVAC technicians in the green economy.
Final Thoughts
The Passive House standard represents more than energy savings. It is a blueprint for climate-ready construction that is affordable, scalable, and measurable. But no building builds itself. If we want to hit our 2030 goals, the world must now turn its attention to people: the architects, engineers, tradespeople, and certifiers who will get us there.
The Passive House skills gap is no longer a future problem is today’s bottleneck. Let us invest in the training and education required to bridge it. The buildings of the future will not just be passive; they will be powered by a workforce ready to deliver.
