My mother used to describe our piecemeal dinners as “quer durch die Küche”, or ‘straight through the kitchen’. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. (Victor Borge said it better, but I am dating myself now.) In any case, the phrase fits this month’s column perfectly. Not leftovers, just a few important pieces worth putting on the table.
Build Canada Homes RFI: A moment worth noticing
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured with Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson on Sept. 14, announcing Build Canada Homes. / TWITTER PHOTO
Many in the Passive House community should be aware that Build Canada Homes (BCH) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) with a very short response window, it closes March 5, 2026. If your work touches modular housing anywhere in Canada, this is likely of interest.
You can find more information, including potential partners (several active in Passive House design), here: https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/ws5517225696-doc5518223996.
The national challenge is clear: We need to build more homes, faster, and keep them affordable. What remains far less clear, at least in policy and procurement conversations, is that this new housing stock must also meet higher building performance standards.
Too many stakeholders still operate under the mistaken assumption that building better means higher costs, higher prices, and/or slower delivery. Those working in the Passive House modular space know this simply isn’t true.
Here’s the irony: in the rush to build faster, affordability itself is often sidelined. Over just the past few days, headlines have highlighted rising mortgage stress, increasing defaults, and buyers attempting to walk away from pre-construction agreements as values fall and financing gaps widen. One Toronto Star headline captured it bluntly: “Preconstruction condo owners willing to pay from $50,000 to $500,000 to get out of purchase agreements.”
And beyond purchase price, the cost to heat and cool these homes continues to rise.
These are precisely the risks that high-performance buildings, built to Passive House standards, help mitigate. Lower energy demand, predictable operating costs, improved durability, and occupant comfort all contribute to preserving property value and reducing energy poverty. Passive House buildings are not only better places to live; they are better long-term investment assets.
2026 Passive House Canada Conference
Registration is open for the 2026 Passive House Canada Conference, and the program is now live. This will be a must-attend event for anyone looking to connect with peers, challenge assumptions, and learn from real-world case studies.
Thriving Communities. Lasting Value.
Through this year’s theme we’ll explore how resilient design means cleaner air, safer homes, and stronger neighborhoods. From innovative solutions like prefab and mass timber, to values-driven approaches that put people and communities first, we’ll showcase how building smarter and faster can also mean building better.
Come Curious. Leave Confident.
Over three days, you’ll hear directly from the people designing, building, and owning high-performance projects across Canada, what worked, what didn’t, and what they would do differently next time. This is where insight turns into direction, and direction into better decisions. Come join us in Vancouver May 25-27, 2026.
Welcoming our first Corporate Partner
We are delighted to welcome Systemair as Passive House Canada’s first corporate sponsor. Systemair continues to demonstrate leadership in supporting our mission and advancing Passive House adoption nationwide.
Corporate sponsorship strengthens our advocacy and education efforts while creating meaningful alignment with companies committed to better building outcomes. Please join me in welcoming and thanking Systemair – and help us spread the word!
You can learn more about Systemair here: https://www.systemair.com/en-ca.
Manufacturers’ Committee: Accelerating Market Readiness
Through Passive House Canada’s NRCan-supported Codes Acceleration Fund (CAF) work, we are collaborating directly with Canadian manufacturers to accelerate the availability of high-performance building components for large-scale social and community housing projects.
This work is focused on three critical product categories: building envelope components, complete window systems, and ventilation systems (HRVs and mechanical systems). Through targeted interviews and workshops, we are identifying practical barriers to adoption – whether technical, procurement-related, certification-based, or supply-chain driven – and pairing that insight with free technical studies and design assistance, including high-level thermal modelling.
In parallel, PHC is also developing a Social Housing Provider report, in partnership with four community housing providers, examining how Passive House design impacts building envelopes, windows, and ventilation systems in real-world projects. The findings, and a companion presentation, will be shared in the coming months. Together, this work is helping manufacturers better understand both the technical requirements and the market opportunity emerging in social and community housing across Canada.
Canadian manufacturers interested in participating or learning more are encouraged to connect with us via our Manufacturers Program webpage: https://www.passivehousecanada.com/nrcan-manufacturers-program/
2026 Harold Orr Award: Nominations Now Open
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Harold Orr Award, and we encourage you to put forward a friend, colleague, or peer whose work has meaningfully advanced high-performance building in Canada.
Named in honour of Dr. Harold Orr, the award recognizes an individual whose leadership has increased awareness and adoption of Passive House and net-zero building standards within government, industry, and the broader building community. Dr. Orr was central to the design and construction of the Saskatchewan Conservation House – an early, groundbreaking project that incorporated many of the principles later embedded in the modern Passive House standard, including high levels of insulation, quality windows, airtight construction, heat-recovery ventilation, and thoughtful solar orientation. That work helped inform researchers in Europe, including Dr. Wolfgang Feist, and ultimately contributed to the development of the Passive House standard as we know it today.
The Harold Orr Award celebrates the kind of sustained, behind-the-scenes leadership that moves markets and mindsets, often without much fanfare. If someone in your network has been quietly (or loudly) championing better building outcomes, this is your chance to recognize them.
The nomination form and more information can be found here.
There you have it. This month’s column really is a bit of this and a bit of that. Taken together, these pieces point in the same direction: better buildings, better outcomes, and steady progress. Not a single dish, just a few important ingredients. We’ll keep cooking!
