100+ Free Certified Passive House Designer / Consultant Practice Questions

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Sample Certified Passive House Designer / Consultant Practice Questions

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1What is the maximum annual space heating demand criterion for certification as a Passive House (Classic) under the Passive House Institute standard?

A.15 kWh/(m²a)

B.30 kWh/(m²a)

C.50 kWh/(m²a)

D.120 kWh/(m²a)

Explanation: The PHI criterion limits annual space heating demand to a maximum of 15 kWh/(m²a) of treated floor area. As an alternative, a project may instead satisfy the heating load criterion of 10 W/m². These limits are evaluated in PHPP.

2A Passive House may satisfy the heating requirement EITHER by limiting the annual heating demand to 15 kWh/(m²a) OR by limiting which alternative quantity?

A.The cooling demand to 10 kWh/(m²a)

B.The peak heating load to 10 W/m²

C.The airtightness to 1.0 ACH50

D.The primary energy to 120 kWh/(m²a)

Explanation: PHI allows the heating criterion to be met by either the annual heating demand (≤15 kWh/(m²a)) or the peak heating load (≤10 W/m²). The load route is useful where supply air heating alone is intended, since 10 W/m² roughly corresponds to the heat deliverable by the ventilation supply air.

3What is the maximum permissible airtightness result for Passive House certification, measured as the air change rate at 50 Pa pressure difference (n50)?

A.1.5 air changes per hour

B.3.0 air changes per hour

C.0.6 air changes per hour

D.5.0 air changes per hour

Explanation: The Passive House airtightness criterion is n50 ≤ 0.6 ACH, verified by an on-site blower-door pressurisation and depressurisation test. This very low leakage protects against draughts, condensation in assemblies, and heat-recovery bypass.

4Under the renewable-based (PER) assessment, what is the maximum Primary Energy Renewable demand for a Passive House certified in the Classic class?

A.45 kWh/(m²a)

B.30 kWh/(m²a)

C.120 kWh/(m²a)

D.60 kWh/(m²a)

Explanation: The PER demand limits are 60 kWh/(m²a) for Classic, 45 for Plus and 30 for Premium. PER covers all uses (heating, hot water, auxiliary electricity, household electricity) assessed with a fully renewable energy supply system.

5For the Passive House Plus class, in addition to a PER demand of ≤45 kWh/(m²a), what minimum renewable energy generation is required, referenced to the building footprint area?

A.60 kWh/(m²a)

B.30 kWh/(m²a)

C.90 kWh/(m²a)

D.120 kWh/(m²a)

Explanation: The Plus class requires PER demand ≤45 kWh/(m²a) AND renewable energy generation of at least 60 kWh/(m²a) (referenced to the projected building footprint area). Premium requires generation of at least 120 kWh/(m²a).

6The Passive House Designer and Passive House Consultant credentials are distinguished by which factor?

A.The number of exam questions answered

B.The candidate's prior qualification (a recognised architecture/engineering degree vs. without), not the exam taken

C.Whether the exam is open-book or closed-book

D.The PHPP version used during the exam

Explanation: Both titles are awarded for passing the same examination. The 'Designer' title is granted to candidates holding a recognised architecture or engineering degree, while 'Consultant' is granted to those without such a degree. The exam itself is identical.

7Which software tool is the official energy balance and verification engine used to design and certify Passive House buildings, and a license for which is required to register for the exam?

A.EnergyPlus

B.IES-VE

C.PHPP (Passive House Planning Package)

D.RETScreen

Explanation: PHPP, the Passive House Planning Package, is the spreadsheet-based steady-state energy balance tool published by PHI and used for design verification and certification. A valid PHPP license is required to register for the Designer/Consultant exam.

8A 1.2 m × 1.5 m window has a glazing U-value (Ug) of 0.70 W/(m²K) over a glazed area of 1.40 m², a frame contributing 0.40 m² at Uf = 1.00 W/(m²K), a total glazing-edge spacer length of 5.0 m with Ψg = 0.040 W/(mK), and an installation length of 5.4 m with Ψinstall = 0.030 W/(mK). Which formula correctly gives the installed window U-value?

A.Uw,installed = (Ag·Ug + Af·Uf) − lg·Ψg

B.Uw,installed = (Ug + Uf) / 2

C.Uw,installed = Ag·Ug + Af·Uf + lg·Ψg

D.Uw,installed = (Ag·Ug + Af·Uf + lg·Ψg + linstall·Ψinstall) / (Ag + Af)

Explanation: The installed window U-value sums the area-weighted conductances of glazing and frame plus the linear losses of the glazing edge (Ψg) and the installation thermal bridge (Ψinstall), all divided by the total window area (Ag + Af). The installation Ψ is what distinguishes the installed Uw from the bare Uw.

9In cool, heating-dominated climates, the comfort criterion for Passive House windows is most directly intended to prevent which problem near large glazed areas?

A.Cold downdraughts and radiant asymmetry from cold interior glass surfaces

B.Excessive solar overheating in summer

C.Acoustic transmission from outside

D.Air leakage through the operable sash

Explanation: The Passive House thermal comfort criterion for windows limits how cold the interior glass surface can become, which prevents cold downdraughts and uncomfortable radiant asymmetry. This is why a low installed Uw (≤0.85 W/(m²K) in cool-temperate climates) is required.

10For certification of windows in a cool-temperate climate, PHI sets a maximum installed window U-value (Uw,installed) of approximately which value?

A.1.40 W/(m²K)

B.0.85 W/(m²K)

C.2.00 W/(m²K)

D.0.10 W/(m²K)

Explanation: In a cool-temperate (cool) climate, certified Passive House windows must achieve an installed Uw of about 0.85 W/(m²K) or better. Climate-specific limits exist because the comfort and energy criteria scale with outdoor temperature.

About the Certified Passive House Designer / Consultant Exam

The PHI Certified Passive House Designer/Consultant credential is awarded for passing the Passive House Institute design examination. Both titles come from the same open-book written exam: the Designer title is granted to candidates with a recognised architecture or engineering degree, and the Consultant title to those without. The exam tests applied building physics and Passive House design, including the certification criteria (heating demand 15 kWh/(m2a) or 10 W/m2 load, PER limits, airtightness n50 0.6 ACH at 50 Pa, and comfort criteria), the PHPP energy balance, windows and glazing, thermal-bridge-free detailing, ventilation with heat recovery, moisture control, economics, construction-detail interpretation, and a Passive House design exercise. A valid PHPP license is required to register.

Assessment

Open-book written examination combining multiple-choice questions, calculation tasks, construction-detail interpretation, and a Passive House design exercise. Candidates may bring printed references and a scientific calculator; digital and internet-connected devices are not allowed.

Time Limit

Set by current PHI exam regulations; recent sessions have run approximately 1.5 to 3 hours

Passing Score

See the current PHI examination regulations and accredited examiner for the marking scheme and pass threshold.

Exam Fee

Varies by accredited training/exam provider, course, and region. (Passive House Institute (PHI) and its accredited training/examination providers)

Certified Passive House Designer / Consultant Exam Content Outline

15%-20%

Passive House Fundamentals and Certification Criteria

Five core principles, Classic/Plus/Premium classes, heating demand 15 kWh/(m2a) or 10 W/m2 load, PER limits, airtightness 0.6 ACH50, and thermal comfort criteria.

15%-20%

PHPP Energy Balance and Verification

Steady-state monthly balance, treated floor area, transmission and ventilation losses, solar and internal gains, utilisation factor, climate data, and primary energy.

12%-16%

Windows and Glazing

Installed window U-value, glazing Ug, frame Uf, spacer and installation psi-values, g-value, comfort criterion, orientation, shading, and reveal self-shading.

10%-14%

Opaque Assemblies and Insulation

U-value and resistance calculations, surface resistances, conductivity, repeating framing thermal bridges, insulation continuity, and economic optimum thickness.

8%-12%

Thermal-Bridge-Free Design

Linear thermal transmittance (psi), exterior-dimension convention and negative corners, the negligibility threshold, slab and balcony bridges, and thermal breaks.

8%-12%

Airtightness

Blower-door testing at 50 Pa, the 0.6 ACH50 limit, pressurisation and depressurisation, continuous airtight layer, junction detailing, and service penetrations.

12%-16%

Ventilation with Heat Recovery

Balanced MVHR, heat recovery efficiency, cascade air distribution, specific fan power, frost protection, summer bypass, filtration, balancing, and commissioning.

6%-10%

Comfort, Moisture Control and Overheating

Surface-temperature comfort, the overheating frequency limit, shading strategy, interstitial condensation, vapour control, and the fRsi temperature factor.

6%-10%

Construction Detail Interpretation

Reading sections and facades for insulation and airtight-layer continuity, window installation, junctions, and identifying and correcting detailing errors.

6%-10%

Economics and Design Exercise

Cost-effectiveness, simple payback, life-cycle thinking, diminishing returns of insulation, and the applied Passive House design exercise.

How to Pass the Certified Passive House Designer / Consultant Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: See the current PHI examination regulations and accredited examiner for the marking scheme and pass threshold.
Assessment: Open-book written examination combining multiple-choice questions, calculation tasks, construction-detail interpretation, and a Passive House design exercise. Candidates may bring printed references and a scientific calculator; digital and internet-connected devices are not allowed.
Time limit: Set by current PHI exam regulations; recent sessions have run approximately 1.5 to 3 hours
Exam fee: Varies by accredited training/exam provider, course, and region.

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Passive House Designer and Consultant credentials?

Both come from the same exam. The Designer title is awarded to candidates with a recognised architecture or engineering degree, and the Consultant title to those without such a degree.

Is the Passive House Designer exam open book?

Yes. It is an open-book written exam; candidates may bring printed references and a scientific calculator, but digital and internet-connected devices are not allowed.

Do I need a PHPP license to take the exam?

Yes. A valid PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) license is required to register for the Certified Passive House Designer/Consultant examination.

How many questions are in this practice bank?

This practice bank contains exactly 100 original questions for exam ID phi-certified-ph.