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James P. S. Ortega, RA
Certification Program Director
Phius Technical Committee
The recommendations from the Phius Technical Committee are crucial in the formation and advancement of many of Phius' programs.
Technical Commitee Members
Technical Committee Overview
The Phius Technical Committee comprises building science and passive building experts from architecture, construction, government and academia. The Committee's expert technical input is critical to the Phius programs listed below.
Project Certification
The Phius Project Certification program is the leading passive building certification program in the United States. The Committee is charged with regular review of certification protocols as well as with addressing new building science issues as they arise.
Project Certification Overview
Window Certification Program
The Committee has developed climate-specific evaluation and recommendation criteria for windows used in passive buildings.
Phius Window Certification Program
Prefabricated Panel Certification Program
The Committee has developed climate-specific evaluation and recommendation criteria for panels used in passive buildings. The program verifies that the system design addresses the four critical control functions of a building enclosure: water control, air control, water vapor control, and thermal control.
Prefabricated Panel Certification Program
PhiusCon (formerly North American Passive House Conference)
The Committee serves as a peer review board for abstract submissions for the annual PhiusCon passive house conference, ensuring relevance and technical quality and integrity of program presentations.
Conferences
CPHC® Training Curriculum
The Committee works with Phius program staff and instructors to continually funnel the latest knowledge and best practices into the Phius Certified Consultant (CPHC®) training curriculum and certification exam content.
Phius Certified Consultant (CPHC®) Program Overview
Climate-Specific Passive Building Standards
In 2014, Phius partnered with Building Science Corporation to adapt the European passive house metric to North American climate zones. The goal was to optimize energy efficiency and cost effectiveness to accelerate the adoption of passive building principles. The preliminary result of these efforts was presented at the 2014 North American Passive House Conference in San Francisco. The standards were released in late 2014 for review, and implemented in March of 2015 as part of the Phius+ project certification program. Further advances have been made as part of the 2018 and 2021 Phius standards updates. The Committee will continue to monitor data from projects and adapt the standard over time based on materials advances, market conditions, and other variables.
Phius Standards
Technical Publications
The Committee regularly examines specific topics relevant to the passive building community and publishes papers on these subjects. Topics include but are not limited to: ground contact modeling, shading, thermal bridge calculations, internal heat gains, daylighting, subsoil heat exchangers, exhaust air appliances, domestic hot water, on-site renewables, and process loads in commercial buildings.
Tech Corner