Our buildings are a significant culprit of carbon emissions – accountable for 35% of total global energy consumption. Design is the most powerful tool we have to improve their in-use and upfront energy. This course will empower architecture students with the knowledge and skills to design high-performance buildings, using lessons learned from the Passivhaus approach as a proven and quality-assured route to achieving good building performance. The concepts covered can be applied to ALL buildings, not just those with a sustainability brief.

Developed by a specialist team of low-energy experts and educators from Coaction Training CIC and the PASSIVHAUS TRUST, alongside RIBA and the Standing Conference of Schools of Architecture (SCOSA) the course critically examines the Passivhaus standard, exploring its strengths and limitations and provides practical design advice for improving any building's sustainability.

• Understand how architectural design impacts on energy performance and comfort
• Explore how early-stage design choices around shape and form factor, insulation, and glazing affect energy in use.
• Recognise why airtightness is important and how to consider the right construction choices to achieve this.
• Explore the role of effective ventilation and the best strategies for efficient heating and cooling

There are 4 self-study online modules, each takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Every module contains short videos, quizzes and links to additional resources:

Module 1: Introduction to Design Performance

Unpack the challenges and opportunities we face in building design and the tools we have at hand. Get acquainted with the basic principles of Passivhaus and other energy standards.

Module 2: Climate Responsible Architecture

Explore how early stage architectural design choices influence energy performance and how to apply these principles to your projects.

Module 3: Climate Responsible Construction

Gain understanding of construction and material strategies that ensure energy efficiency, comfort and sustainability.

Module 4: Climate Responsible Building Services

Learn how to successfully integrate building services in high performance buildings, focusing on heating, cooling, hot water and ventilation.

There is a final graded test and a downloadable Design Studio Practice Note to help you apply your knowledge in studio projects.

This course has been designed as a free resource to support existing architecture training in the UK, addressing priority areas in the emerging RIBA Climate Knowledge Literacy schedule and the ARB Competencies that form the backbone of the curriculum.

If you are a student or tutor at one of the UK's RIBA-accredited Schools of Architecture you can access this course for free.

If you are not eligible, you can still access the same content, plus additional learning, through our paid-for course Bitesize Low Energy Design Course.

We are looking for supporters to help us widen this programme further and empower the next generation of climate responsible construction professionals in other disciplines to deliver a low-carbon future. If you're interested in being part of the change please get in touch.