Philippines can learn from Thailand’s first certified Passive House, experts say at packed webinar

MANILA, Philippines — October 2025 — What does it take to build a house that stays cool in sweltering tropical heat—without guzzling electricity? That was the question explored at the second public webinar hosted by Passivhaus Philippines (PassivhausPH), which spotlighted lessons from Thailand’s very first certified Passive House.

The event drew architects, engineers, educators, suppliers, homebuilders and homeowners eager to see how the Philippines might adapt one of the world’s most ambitious building standards to its own hot and humid climate.

Learning from Bangkok

The featured speaker was Shih-Chieh (Jay) Yeh, lead architect at BWK Green Architecture of Taiwan, who helped design and deliver Thailand’s prototype Passive House in Bangkok. The project, a modest two-storey family home built in 2019, proved that world-class efficiency can be achieved even in the sticky heat of Southeast Asia.

“All of our design strategies are built around one simple idea: keeping heat out, and keeping the inside cool,” Yeh explained.

Unlike traditional designs, the Bangkok house uses thick layers of insulation not just on the roof, but also on the walls and even under the floor slab—important in a city where ground temperatures can reach 29 °C. High-performance double glazing keeps indoor glass surfaces from radiating heat, while careful shading and orientation help block the tropical sun. A compact ventilation unit with built-in cooling keeps fresh, dehumidified air flowing.

The result? The house consumes so little energy that its entire cooling demand can be met with a modest 3.5-kilowatt system—less than what many Filipino households already use for a couple of air-conditioning units.

Comfort before efficiency

The discussion also highlighted a key distinction: Passive House isn’t just about using less energy, but about creating healthy, comfortable spaces. Yeh listed comfort targets that go beyond temperature: stable humidity, low noise, and constant fresh air. “It’s very difficult – almost impossible—to consistently meet all these with passive design alone in our climate,” he said.

That’s why, in Bangkok as in the Philippines, mechanical ventilation with humidity control is considered essential. At the same time, cultural habits matter. Many households in Asia still prefer cooling only the rooms they occupy. Yeh acknowledged this and suggested hybrid approaches, like combining a ventilation backbone with familiar mini-split air-conditioners for individual rooms.

Why this matters for Filipinos

For Norman Garcia, Executive Director of PassivhausPH, the conversation is about more than technology. It’s about public health and fairness.

He pointed to recent heat waves that forced the Department of Education to suspend classes nationwide. “Our buildings are not built for the climate we live in,” Garcia said. “Families without air conditioning face impossible choices – do they spend on cooling, or put food on the table?”

He stressed that the Passive House approach offers a way forward: first reduce heat loads through smart design, then right-size efficient cooling systems, and finally add renewable energy. “That’s the real climate action,” Garcia said.

Building momentum

The webinar also underlined that making Passive House mainstream in the Philippines will require more than just enthusiastic designers. Suppliers need to bring in certified windows, insulation, and ventilation systems at affordable prices. Builders and contractors need training. And everyday homeowners need to see and experience the comfort benefits firsthand.

“Once the learning curve flattens out, special concepts like Passive House should become the norm,” Garcia said.

PassivhausPH is already laying the groundwork. It announced its Trailblazer Challenge, calling on early adopters to deliver the Philippines’ first certified Passive House. The organization promises lifetime membership, a decade of recognition as Diamond sponsor, and permanent listing as a “Trailblazer” in its history.

Training events are also set to continue through 2026, including sessions on airtightness, ventilation, and tropical-specific cooling strategies. And Garcia encouraged Filipinos to connect with the global Passive House community at the International Passive House Conference in Essen, Germany in April 2026.

“The foundation has been laid,” he said. “With partners across Germany, Austria, Taiwan — and with Filipino talent and industry — we can build Passive Houses here that are comfortable, affordable, and climate-ready.”

About the Passive House Standard

The Passive House Standard is an internationally recognized benchmark for energy-efficient buildings. It emphasizes insulation, airtight construction, optimized ventilation with heat recovery, and careful design to minimize heating and cooling demand. Passive House buildings use far less energy than conventional ones while ensuring comfort, making them a practical solution to cut emissions and adapt to climate change.

About Passivhaus Philippines

Passivhaus Philippines is a national non-profit association of volunteer stakeholders, including architects, engineers, contractors, planners, policymakers, suppliers, academe, and the public. The organization promotes the Passive House Standard and raises awareness of low-carbon, climate-resilient buildings.

It also advocates for ethical design and construction practices, ensuring sustainability efforts are pursued with integrity. Passivhaus Philippines envisions that by 2050, all Filipinos will live and work in healthy, low-energy, resilient buildings. Its mission is to make the Passive House Standard understood, achievable, and adopted across the country through education, advocacy, and technical support.

Support the mission by becoming a founding member or joining upcoming events.

Media & Membership Inquiries:

Norman Garcia

Executive Director

Passivhaus Philippines

info@passivhausph.org