Passivhaus Overlay
The Passivhaus Overlay (February, 2023) was jointly commissioned by the Passivhaus Trust and the RIBA . It sets out key actions and processes needed at each work stage for clients and project teams wishing to deliver Passivhaus certified projects. It outlines key differences between Passivhaus workflows and 'conventional' project approaches, and aims to help clients and project teams avoid risk and make informed, intelligent decisions at the right time to achieve streamlined and cost effective certification.
The guidance draws on the expertise of experienced Passivhaus designers and certifiers and synthesises the lessons learned from delivering projects across scales and typologies to highlight crucial windows of opportunity and workflow interactions. Also highlighted are the synergies afforded by the Passivhaus design process in reducing whole life carbon the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge targets.
To download the Passivhaus Overlay to the RIBA plan of work visit here
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- BIM outline plan of work.
- Comparison of BIM work stages.
- Comparison of work stages.
- Digital plan of work.
- Designing Buildings Wiki project plans.
- Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP).
- OGC gateway review.
- Plan of work
- Project lifecycle for major road projects.
- RIBA Plan of Work for Fire Safety.
- RIBA plan of work v project plans v OGC gateways.
- RIBA.
- RIBA plan of work.
- The construction playbook.
Featured articles and news
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.