Component Award

The Building Component Award recognizes innovation, performance, and sustainability in building components. It highlights products and technologies that enhance living comfort, improve energy efficiency, and durability in buildings. Organized by the Passive House Institute as part of a European Union–funded project and the winners will be honored during the International Passive House Conference.

Retrofitting plays a central role in climate protection and energy efficiency strategies, yet it remains a challenge when it comes to technical feasibility and cost. This is particularly true for window replacements in existing buildings, which often face barriers in planning, logistics, and execution. With this award, the Passive House Institute invites manufacturers, system providers, craftsmen, and interdisciplinary teams to rethink how Passive House windows can be integrated into existing façades with minimal disruption, high energy performance, and smart prefabrication strategies. The aim: practical solutions that simplify the retrofit process and demonstrate that step-by-step renovation using high-performance components is not only possible – but scalable.

The registration period for the 2026 Component Award has ended and we will publish the result soon!

Award ceremony
The winners will be honored at the International Passive House Conference 2026 in Essen, where the best solutions will be presented and added to the Passive House component database. Participants who use certified products can also qualify for the EnerPHit component seal.

In recent years, excellent progress has been made with reference to the thermal quality of windows.In order to make a significant contribution to climate protection, these further improved windows must enter the global mainstream. To create an impetus and contribute to accelerate the uptake of windows that represent the cutting edge in terms of thermal efficiency, the Passive House Institute has conducted this award as part of the AZEB-Project, supported by the European Union. Window manufacturers from all over the world took part in the award: 3 companies from 12 countries took part in the competition with 31 products and variants. The jury awarded 10 regular prizes and 4 special prizes.

2019 Component Award Documentation

Article: Conference proceeding article - 2019 Component Award
Article: Economic efficiency of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy for space heating - separately and in combination

• Ludwig Rongen, ROA
• Harald Krause, b-tec
• Dawid Michilec, Neubau best energ
• Sichen Sheng, Passive House Institut
• Edward Lowes, Passive House Institute
• Benjamin Krick, Passive House Institute
• Soraya Lopez, Passive House Institute

Windows in Cold climate

• 1st Prize: PAZEN120, Harbin Sayyas Windows
• 2nd Prize: smartwin solar, Advantage Architectural Woodworks and i2 factory
• 3rd Prize: PURISTA ALPINE from OPTIWIN: Stich Consulting

Windows in cool temperature climate

• 1st Prize: ENERsign primus, ENERsign GmbH
• 2nd Prize: TIMM C87 I –A / -H / -M + W87 –A / -H - / - M, Timm Fensterbau, Blaugelb Triotherm+
• 3rd Prize: smartwin compact hpl triple by PARK Byoungyoeol, Architecture Studio Time, Human and Space

Aluminium in cool temperate climate

• 1st Prize: Moser 115 Aluminium System Passive Window, Hebei Orient Sundar Window Co. Ltd
• 2nd Prize: Pural eco90, Beijing Wuddy Building Technology
• Special Prize Aesthetic and Innovation: GRP window Universal Series, Cascadia Windows Ltd.

Timber Aluminium in warm, temperate climate

• smartwin compact, Daimaru Kogyo, Blumer Lehman, SEDA
• ZEN, Eurofinestra s.a.s.

Special Prize

• Thermal protection in artic climate - ENERsign arctis, ENERsign GmbH
• Economy in warm, temperate climate - NatureLine90 passive, ThermaDura
• Shading & Installation – warm, temperate climate -Rocky 110is, Qingdao Rocky Window Co., Ltd.

In 2018 for the second time running the Component Award was awarded for ventilation solutions for residential buildings. The housing sector is once again experiencing steady growth after years of stagnation. The current Component Award was concentrated on cost-effective ventilation solutions for new residential constructions. A multi-storey building consisting of differently sized apartments with living areas between 50 and 100 m² was to be equipped with an overall ventilation system. We were looking for solutions with both low investment costs and a high level of energy efficiency.

2018 Component Award Brochure: Ventilation concepts for residentail building

Article: Overall cost analysis with full finance plan and comparison of life cycle costs

• Oliver Kah, Passivhaus Institut
• Burkhard Schulze Darup, Schulze Darup & Partner
• Rolf Strauß, Hochschule Bremen
• Matthias Laidig, ebök Planung und Entwicklung GmbH
• Peter Schwerdtfeger ,Frankfurter Aufbau AG
• Wolfgang Feist,Universität Innsbruck
• Rainer Pfluger, Universität Innsbruck

• 1st Prize: Pluggplan, Pluggit GmbH
• 1st Prize: Fresh-r, Vaventis BV
• 2nd Prize: freeAir 100, BluMartin
• 3rd Prize: LG 2500, J. Pichler GmbH

Ventilation with heat recovery is indispensable for energy efficient construction and retrofitting. In existing buildings, this becomes necessary either before or by the time the windows are replaced, with the associated improvement of airtightness. A well thought-out overall concept is essential in the process, with a compact duct network, low-cost devices and flexible installation solutions. All these aspects were diligently examined during the assessment of the submitted entries for the Component Award, in each case with a critical eye on the life cycle costs.

2016 Component Award Brochure - Ventilation concepts for energy retrofits

Article: Component Award 2016: Affordable ventilation solutions for retrofits
Article: Overall cost analysis with full finance plan and comparison of life cycle costs

• André Zaman, BASF Wohnen+Bauen GmbH
• Oliver Kah, Passivhaus Institut
• Bjørn Kierulf, Architekt CREATERRA
• Markus Münzfeld, IKZ - Haustechnik / IKZ Fachplaner
• Rainer Pfluger,Universität Innsbruck
• Rolf Strauß,Hochschule Bremen
• Peter Schwerdtfeger,FAAG Frankfurt
• Wolfgang Feist, Passivhaus Institut und Universität Innsbruck

• 1st Prize: VAV-Box, J. Pichler GmbH
• 2nd Prize: fresh-r, Vaventis BV
• 2nd Prize: Sky 150, Michael Tribus Architecture

The main challenge in the Component Award 2015 for Passive House windows was that the product had to show a degree of flexibility since refurbishments are often carried out in a step-by-step manner. Ideal windows had to deliver excellent results during the transitional period as well as after the completion of all refurbishment measures. The cost effectiveness of the windows was assessed first and foremost, with a comparison of purchase costs with potential savings. The award is presented on 17 April at the International Passive House Conference 2015 in Leipzig.

Flyer Component Award 2015

• Reinhold Kober, Editor-in-Chief, Glas, Fenster, Fassade
• Benjamin Krick, Passive House Institute
• Daniel Mund, Editor-in-Chief, Glaswelt
• Adrian Muskatewitz, Passive House Institute
• Francesco Nesi, Physicist, CEPHIR, EuroPHit
• Peter Schober, M.Eng., Holzforschung Austria
• Jakob Schoof, Editor, Detail
• Burkard Schulze-Darup, Architect
• Klaus Siegele, Editor, Gebäude-Energieberater
• Rainer Vallentin, Architect

• 1st Prize: Smartwin Compact S, Lorber / Pro Passivhausfenster
• 1st Prize: System Connecta, Optiwin
• 2nd Prize: Energeto 8000 view, Aluplast
• 2nd Prize: Pural Eco 90, Pural GmbH
• Special acknowledgements: DWplus Integral, Wiegand
• Special acknowledgements: Null-Fenster, Fanzola

The winners of the first ever Passive House Component Award have been selected and a total of eleven Passive House windows received a recognition. The real winners, however, are the building owners, for the results of this international competition demonstrate that it is possible to save money with highly efficient building components. Manufacturers offered their products at retail prices including installation for an example building. For each of the four categories, “PVC,” “Wood,” “Wood/Aluminium,” and “Aluminium,” the overall investment and energy costs saved in comparison with standard windows were the decisive factor. The Award was presented at the International Passive House Conference from 25 to 26 April 2014 in Aachen, Germany.

Awardees in the category Wood

• 1st Priz: Natura Optimo XLT by M Sora
• 1st Priz: Pfeffer RPS by Pfeffer
• 2nd Priz: Holz-2-Holz by Freisinger-Optiwin (certificate )

Awardees in the category Wood/Aluminium

• 1st Priz: Smartwin Compact by Lorber / pro Passivhausfenster
• 1st Priz: Futura by Bieber-Optiwin
• 2nd Priz: Alu-2-Holz by Freisinger-Optiwin

Awardees in the category Aluminium

• 1st Priz: Pural eco 90 by Pural GmbH
• 1st Priz: Frame 90 WI by Raico Bautechnik GmbH

Awardee in the category PVC

• VADB-Plus 550 by Hilzinger FBS GmbH

Special prizes

• Innovative Glazing: System DW-plus by Wiegand Fensterbau
• Lowest Heat Losses: ENERsign arctis by Pazen Fenster+Technik GmbH

Windows

Certified Passive House Components

Ventilation

International cooperations