Passive House PHPP Verification with VitruAI
The Passive House PHPP Verification workflow reads Revit or IFC geometry, fabric build-ups, and MEP loads, then pre-checks the Passive House Planning Package thresholds for heating demand, primary energy, airtightness, and comfort. PHPP 10 (2024) remains the Passivhaus Institut standard; this is available as a bespoke Labs engagement under MSA + Appendix.
- Pre-validates PHPP threshold compliance for heating demand, cooling demand, primary energy, airtightness, and frequency of overheating directly from the BIM model.
- Generates a certifier-ready data sheet so the PHPP file is populated from model geometry instead of manual re-keying from drawings and schedules.
- Available as a bespoke Labs engagement under MSA + Appendix, scoped alongside the Passive House PHPP Verification use case and your existing sustainability workflows.
PHPP is a paid tool from the Passivhaus Institut. VitruAI agents pre-validate; certification sign-off remains the Passivhaus Institut's accredited certifier's.
PHPP threshold criteria this Labs engagement targets
The Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) defines several threshold criteria that sit upstream of Passivhaus and EnerPHit certification. In this Labs engagement we configure VitruAI agents, including the Sustainability Agent, to read your Revit or IFC model and pre-validate the key PHPP metrics before the certifier runs the official spreadsheet.
- Heating demand. For Passivhaus Classic, the annual heating demand threshold is ≤ 15 kWh/m²/yr, with variants for Plus and Premium classes. The engagement maps your envelope assemblies and U-values so the agent can flag models that exceed this limit by zone or by façade.
- Cooling demand. PHPP sets a climate-zone-dependent cooling demand threshold. The workflow pulls the correct climate dataset from the Passivhaus Institut library and checks your glazing ratios, shading devices, and internal gains against that threshold.
- Primary energy demand. The agent estimates total primary energy renewable demand based on your MEP systems, occupancy, and schedules. It highlights spaces or uses that push the project close to the PHPP primary energy renewable limit so you can adjust systems before formal submission.
- Airtightness. PHPP requires ≤ 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pa. The engagement focuses on junction types, penetrations, and envelope details that typically drive blower-door test failures, and links each flagged condition back to the relevant Revit or IFC element IDs.
- Frequency of overheating. PHPP limits hours above 25°C to ≤ 10% of occupied time. The workflow cross-references glazing orientation, shading, and internal gains to identify rooms at risk of overheating before detailed dynamic simulation.
- Thermal bridge analysis. Linear and point thermal bridges must be documented. The Labs engagement defines repeatable checks for balcony slabs, window installations, and structural penetrations, then exports a list of junctions that require ψ-value calculations.
- EnerPHit retrofit standard. For EnerPHit, thresholds and documentation differ from new-build Passivhaus. The engagement configures separate rule sets for retrofit projects so existing fabric, phasing, and partial-envelope interventions are treated correctly.
How this sits alongside other compliance frameworks
Many firms run PHPP in parallel with frameworks such as LEED v4.1 and WELL or UK Part L and Part O under UK Building Regulations Approved Documents. The Labs engagement scopes how PHPP pre-checks align with your other rating systems so the same model geometry, schedules, and thermal properties can feed multiple compliance workflows without duplicate modelling effort.
Known limitations and certification boundary
The final PHPP workbook remains a Passivhaus Institut deliverable, completed either by your in-house team or an accredited consultant. VitruAI agents pre-populate and validate inputs but do not replace the certifier’s PHPP review, blower-door testing, or site inspections. Climate-zone data must be sourced from the Passivhaus Institut’s climate dataset or an equivalent source accepted by your chosen certifier.
PHPP verification — common questions from sustainability leads
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Does this replace PHPP?
No. This Labs engagement pre-validates and pre-populates PHPP inputs from your BIM model, but the official PHPP workbook still sits in Excel as published by the Passivhaus Institut. Your certifier or in-house specialist still runs the final PHPP 10 file, signs the declarations, and submits for Passivhaus or EnerPHit certification.
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Does this cover Passivhaus Classic, Plus, and Premium?
Yes. During scoping we configure threshold variants for Passivhaus Classic, Plus, and Premium, as well as EnerPHit retrofit projects. The engagement documents which rule set applies to each project so your team can see, for example, when a design meets Classic but misses Plus due to primary energy or renewable generation.
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Does this require a paid PHPP licence?
Yes. PHPP is a paid tool from the Passivhaus Institut, and you still need a valid licence for each user who edits or submits PHPP workbooks. VitruAI agents pre-validate geometry, U-values, and loads before data is entered into PHPP, but they do not replace the licensed software or the certifier’s own checks.
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Is this Live?
This is a Labs engagement, not a packaged product. We scope it project-by-project under MSA + Appendix, co-designing the checks with your sustainability lead and BIM manager. If you already run frameworks like LEED v4.1 and WELL or UK Building Regulations Approved Documents alongside PHPP, we align the configuration so your team sees one consistent verification workflow.