Building professionals recently gathered in Los Angeles, CA (Elsegundo) for a Passive House Boot Camp, an intensive course that prepares participants to become PHI Certified Passive House Tradesperson (CPHT). The program is designed for builders, and contractors who care about the details that make high-performance buildings work: moisture control, air sealing, thermal bridging, healthy indoor air, durability, resiliency and affordability.
From the Classroom to the Jobsite
The week combined building science in classroom instruction with full-scale, hands-on construction. Participant Marcos Santa Ana, AIA, CPHD principal of Alloi Architecture + Construction described how he experienced the course:
“The week moved from advanced building science lectures into the Passive Pod Workshop, where participants built full scale mockups: taping and air sealing wall assemblies, detailing smart vapor retarders at window openings, comparing wood fiber and mineral wool exterior insulation, and studying thermal breaks under structural steel columns.”
For Susie Harris, principal at Susan Diana Harris Interior Design and Community Coordinator or PHN, the strength of the course was its emphasis on learning by doing:
“The bootcamp offers a week-long space for an introductory understanding of how the Passive House standard is accomplished and why. Following an introduction to the five key Passive House principles, Emu’s agnostic approach encourages students to experiment through the physical construction of mock-ups. See for yourself how assemblies, sequencing, materials, and application affect the success of a design and build… and how testing proves that success very quickly.”
Why Airtightness Matters in California
Several participants left with a new perspective on current building practice. Kevin Holczer, General Contractor put it plainly:
“This course opened my eyes to the inadequacies of Title 24, here in California. All the U and R value in the world won’t help if the building is not airtight. The hands-on portion where we built our pods to be airtight was informative and fun. I highly recommend getting certified.”
Get certified
As California pushes toward decarbonization and more resilient housing, tradespeople who can deliver airtight, thermally efficient, comfortable, durable buildings with exceptional indoor air quality are in growing demand. Passive House Tradesperson Certification (CPHT) gives professionals the knowledge and practical skills to build to the world’s most rigorous energy standard.
Congratulations to all EMU Passive House Boot Camp participants who passed their exams and are now Certified Passive House Tradespeople (CPHT). We’re proud to welcome you to a growing community of professionals building a healthier, more resilient California!
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Images provided by the workshop participants: Susie Harris, Kevin Holczer, Marcos Santa Ana
