What is the EnerPHit Passive House Retrofit?

The Passive House Institute (PSI) of Germany recognizes that many older buildings cannot achieve the passive house standard's rigorous demands for new homes. Luckily, the PHI's EnerPHit renovation certification allows renovations of older homes to the exacting passive house standards. The EnerPHit renovation plan, when implemented in its totality, can enable even the oldest and draftiest of homes to achieve energy efficiency and reduce energy demand. Certified homes generally reach reductions between 75 and 90%, and some have even achieved up to 93 percent .

How Much Does an EnerPHit Passive House Retrofit Cost?

The costs will vary with the condition and size of the existing home. An old, uncared-for house will need much more work to achieve maximum thermal performance than a modern home that requires only a few upgrades. Some estimates find that you can expect to pay around thirty percent of your home's value for a complete EnerPHit passive house retrofit. This is especially true for homes over 20 years old. So, for a $250,000 home, you might be looking at upwards of $75,000 in renovations. Now, let's imagine that you were able to reduce your utility bills by 90%. If you were paying around $200 per month on gas and electricity, you could expect yearly savings of almost $2,200. Just looking at that equation alone, it would take about 30 years to pay off the investment - but the payback becomes much quicker in areas with high energy costs and long winters. While this long a payback may sound unappealing from a financial perspective, it is not the whole picture. The analysis also must include two additional factors:

Passive House Retrofits: The EnerPHit Program