Home Innovation Research Labs and Passive House Institute US Announce MOU

Home Innovation Research Labs is excited to announce a recently executed MOU with Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). Working collaboratively under this MOU, both parties expect to provide significant benefits to those participating in their respective green certification programs, as well as to the jurisdictions throughout the country that encourage sustainable home building and development.

The agreement specifies three primary goals:

1. To streamline the process for residential projects to attain both NGBS Green and PHIUS+2015 certification.
2. To harmonize onsite verification requirements and identify verifiers/raters who are accredited by both organizations.
3. To collaboratively promote to the construction industry and policy makers the benefits of harmonized protocols, reduced cost, and market value of dual certification (NGBS Green and PHIUS+2015).

Ultimately, Home Innovation and Passive House hope to work toward the creation of an NGBS Green – PHIUS+2015 dual certification program. This will maximize the value of certification for every level of stakeholder – builders and developers will enjoy increased consumer marketability of their products; local jurisdictions who encourage, incentivize, or mandate green building will be able to provide more choice without compromising programmatic rigor; and consumers will be the biggest winners of all with the increased quality, efficiency, and cost savings they can enjoy from a comprehensively green home.

For more information about Home Innovation’s NGBS Green certification program, visit HomeInnovation.com/Green or NGBS.com, or contact Home Innovation via HomeInnovation.com/NGBSGreenContact. For information about Passive House certification, visit PHIUS.org.

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ABOUT: Home Innovation Research Labs, located in Upper Marlboro, Md., is a full-service research, testing, and consulting firm determined to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of single- and multifamily homes and home building products – in short, we aim to perfect the home. Founded in 1964 as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), our team has been integral in solving many of our client’s most difficult product and technology issues, and helping to introduce some of the most groundbreaking innovations in construction. Through an interdisciplinary research approach – including market research, building science analysis, laboratory testing, and standards development – we help to find a home for innovation in the construction industry.

NOTE TO EDITORS ON STYLE USAGE: To identify this company and its work correctly, first reference should be "Home Innovation Research Labs." In subsequent mentions, “Home Innovation” should be used; we are not identified by an acronym. Prior to February 12, 2013, the company was known as the NAHB Research Center.