Building performance in practice.
Articles on Passivhaus, policy, retrofit, and the science of buildings that actually work. From the team that designs and certifies them.
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How Much Does Passive House Certification Cost?
There is no single price: certification fees depend on size, complexity, unit types and the state of your PHPP. The cost drivers and timeline, explained.
Read article →PHPP vs DEAP and SAP: Prediction or Compliance?
PHPP predicts real energy use; DEAP and SAP demonstrate regulatory compliance. Why a building can pass and still underperform, and when you need both.
Read article →Passive House Grants in Ireland: What Actually Applies
What SEAI grants cover in 2026, why none of it applies to new builds, and how an EnerPHit deep retrofit can draw the same supports as any upgrade.
Read article →7 Passivhaus Certification Pitfalls to Avoid
The seven mistakes that most often derail Passivhaus certification, when each one bites on a project, and the cheap moment to fix it.
Read article →Form Factor: Why Building Shape Drives Heat Loss
The heat loss form factor compares envelope area to floor area. Why compact forms need less insulation, and why shape is free at feasibility stage.
Read article →What Is EnerPHit? Passivhaus for Retrofit
EnerPHit is the Passive House Institute's certified retrofit standard: 25 kWh/m²a heating demand or a component route, built around moisture-safe design.
Read article →The Ice Box Challenge Arrives in Ireland, and Mosart Is Designing the Boxes
Mosart is designing the boxes for the Ice Box Challenge as it arrives in Ireland, demonstrating Passivhaus envelope performance in a public, hands-on format at Trinity College Dublin and the ZEB Summit 2026.
Read article →What Ireland’s new A0 BER rating actually measures (and what it doesn’t)
From 24th May 2026, Ireland’s BER system moves to an eight-band scale with A0 as the new top tier for Zero Emission Buildings. This piece examines what the rating measures, where it falls short, and what it means for design teams.
Read article →What It Costs to Build a Passive House in Ireland
Irish benchmarks from the SCSI, UK research on the Passivhaus premium, the cost drivers that matter and why the gap closes on bigger schemes.
Read article →Why Councils Choose Passivhaus for Social Housing
Lower tenant bills, fewer voids and a verified asset: the public-sector case for certified Passivhaus, with evidence from Irish and UK schemes.
Read article →Passive House Windows Explained
Why a Passivhaus window needs Uw of 0.80 W/m²K, how glazing, frame, spacer and installation psi add up, and how the right glass becomes a heat source.
Read article →Do Passive Houses Overheat? The Honest Answer
Passivhaus caps overheating at 10% of hours above 25°C. Why summer comfort is a design risk in any insulated building, and what controls it.
Read article →When Passive House Went Mainstream in Ireland
Professor Wolfgang Feist opens three large-scale Passive House schemes in Dublin in a single day: Whitehaven, Pipers Square, and Cooper Square. Over 850 homes. A look at what the moment means for social housing and the Irish industry.
Read article →Passive House Certification, Step by Step
The full route from feasibility to PHI certificate: who does what, how long each review takes, the documents required and what certifiers reject.
Read article →Is a Passive House Worth It?
An honest cost-benefit of building a passive house: UK premium research, Irish energy prices, comfort evidence, and the cases where it does not pay.
Read article →Thermal Bridges and Psi-Values Explained
What thermal bridges are, how psi-values are calculated to BS EN ISO 10211, why default assumptions wreck PHPP results and when you need 3D modelling.
Read article →Airtightness: What 0.6 ACH Actually Means
0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pa is the Passivhaus airtightness limit. What n50 measures, how it differs from q50, and how to build to it.
Read article →How to Become a Certified Passive House Designer
What the CPHD course covers, what it costs, how the PHI exam works, and what the credential actually does for your career in Ireland and the UK.
Read article →What Is a Passive House?
What a passive house actually is: the five design principles, the certification criteria, the history since Darmstadt 1991 and the myths worth retiring.
Read article →What Is MVHR and Do You Need One?
MVHR supplies fresh filtered air and recovers heat from the extract. How it works, the 75% efficiency rule, filters, commissioning and open windows.
Read article →Passive House vs NZEB: What's the Difference?
NZEB is a regulatory minimum shown by calculation. Passive House is a voluntary standard verified by testing and independent certification. Compared here.
Read article →What Is PHPP? The Model Behind Every Passivhaus
PHPP is the Passive House Institute's energy model and the tool of record for certification. What it checks, why it predicts real use, when to start.
Read article →What Is a U-Value? A Plain Guide for Designers
A U-value measures how fast heat flows through a building element, in W/m²K. Lower is better. Here is the maths, the targets, and why lambda matters.
Read article →Awaab’s Law and What It Means for Social Housing
Awaab’s Law introduces legally binding timeframes for social landlords to investigate and remediate damp and mould hazards. This piece explains the legislation, what it requires, and what providers should do now.
Read article →Pipers Square and the Future of Zero-Emission Housing in Ireland
Pipers Square, 598 Passivhaus apartments in Charlestown, Dublin, demonstrates how zero-emission housing can be delivered at scale today, ahead of the EPBD’s 2028 and 2030 mandates. A look at the compliance and ESG case.
Read article →A Milestone for Passivhaus in Ireland as Whitehaven Officially Opens
Whitehaven, 255 social and cost-rental Passivhaus homes in Santry, Dublin, officially opens. Mosart reflects on delivering the project as Passivhaus Designer and installing 1,100 sensors for post-occupancy evaluation.
Read article →Niven Oaks, Santry: Passive House Delivered at Scale
Niven Oaks, 268 Passive House apartments in Santry by Cairn Homes, with Mosart as Passive House consultant. A look at delivering the standard across a large residential scheme, where early data suggests heating costs up to 40% lower than a typical new build.
Read article →Passive House Momentum Rises Across UK and Ireland
The UK and Ireland Passivhaus Conference in Belfast signals a turning point: 600+ delegates, government commitment, and major housebuilders scaling up. An overview of the pipeline, the policy drivers, and what it means for the standard’s future.
Read article →How Henry McKinney Turned His Mosart Training into Real-World Impact
Henry McKinney completed Mosart’s Certified Passive House Designer course and applied the skills on the Moville Passive House, a finalist at the Irish Construction Excellence Awards 2025. His experience shows what the training delivers in practice.
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