A passive house is a building concept with insulation so effective that no conventional heating system is needed: sunlight, internal heat sources (people and appliances), and ventilation with heat recovery are sufficient to keep heating demand below 15 kWh/m²a. In prefab construction, passive houses are no longer a niche in 2026—timber-frame and timber-panel systems achieve the required U-values with moderate wall thicknesses.
Passive house, GEG, and efficiency-house tiers
In brief: In 2026, the Building Energy Act (GEG) specifies the EH 55 minimum for new buildings and maximum values for primary-energy demand, transmission losses, and the renewable share of heating. A passive house considerably exceeds these requirements and generally corresponds to Efficiency House 40 or better in KfW terms, providing direct access to the highest KfW funding tier. See the tier comparison in our 2026 GEG guide.
Four components of a passive house
- Envelope with U-values ≤ 0.15 W/(m²K) for external walls and roof, and ≤ 0.15 for the floor slab.
- Triple glazing Uw ≤ 0.80 W/(m²K), installed in thermally isolated frames.
- Heat-recovery ventilation with bypass and frost protection, efficiency ≥ 85%.
- Airtight envelope with blower-door n₅₀ ≤ 0.6 1/h, documented before handover.
Planning and energy-efficiency experts
A passive house requires specialist building-physics expertise: thermal bridges must be avoided in every detail, ventilation ducts kept inside the insulated envelope, and summer heat protection actively planned. Energy demand is calculated by a qualified expert from the federal Energy Efficiency Experts List. Listed experts are mandatory for KfW applications and, for passive-house planning, generally also provide the Passive House Institute's supplementary PHPP calculation.
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Selected brands in our comparison supply certified passive houses at a fixed price. We bundle your enquiry and transparently show the concept, added costs, and KfW funding.
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