The best energy is “less energy.” Good, energy-efficient solutions not only conserve energy but also improve comfort and safety. Energy efficiency is the most important, most affordable, and safest energy option and, at the same time, a basic requirement for a mostly renewable energy supply. It is therefore indispensable on the path to “nearly zero” energy – the path that the EU is taking in its current resolutions.

At the moment, 40 percent of Europe’s entire energy consumption is from building operations. The Passive House Standard is the simplest, most cost-effective, and most environmentally friendly way to reduce emissions in this area.Indeed, many regions have already implemented the standard. Passive House is the energy standard that has undergone the most research and been applied the most; it has been proving itself for some time now. Construction experts agree that Passive House should be the standard for new buildings that receive funding starting as early as 2012.

Even more energy can be saved in old buildings, where, Passive House components have been successfully used for quite a while. Examples in these proceedings demonstrate the enormous potential in this area – to the benefit of owners, users, the workforce, and the environment. Especially for the large number of post-war buildings the Passive House Standard can be used to economically reasonable reduce the energy consumption by 80 to 95 percent. Since a renovation cycle is about 40 years long, it is very important for every component to achieve optimal savings.

Conservation solutions interact to a great degree with regional value chains. Passive House is therefore attractive for all regions, since construction provides many jobs – and could provide even more, if the motto “if you’re gonna do it, do it right” is systematically applied to renovations. There is no question that forward-looking regions are doing all they can to support capacity-building for the Passive House Standard. The recently introduced qualification processes make it even easier to meet that need. Every region should be offered an opportunity, which in why the International Passive House Conference takes place at a different location every year. Visitors from around the world should be able to see the proceedings being made in a variety of regions.

The problems are global, but the solutions need to be implemented at the regional level, as this conference, once again, clearly shows. On behalf of the organizer, I would like to thank the many contributors, the scientific advisory board, the chairmen, the presenters and poster authors, the exhibitors, and the numerous helpers.

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Feist; University of Innsbruck and scientific director at the Passive House Institute, organizer of the International Passive House Conferences.

Innsbruck 2011