Press Release
July 31, 2023
Passive House Massachusetts signs letter of intent
to join the Buildings Action Coalition
to support United Nations’ Initiative on
High Performance Buildings
Passive House Massachusetts (PHMASS) has signed a letter of intent to join the Buildings Action Coalition (BAC) in partnership with the Enniscorthy Forum, other coalition members, and the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction to support and advance the principles of high performance in buildings and the built environment. Hank Keating, President of the Board of PHMASS, and Barbara-Anne Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of the Enniscorthy Forum, signed the letter of intent in a signing ceremony organized at the Enniscorthy Castle on the occasion of the first ministerial summit of the Enniscorthy Forum.
A non-profit organisation, the Enniscorthy Forum in its role as secretariat for the BAC inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to collaborate on a worldwide mission to improve buildings to reduce carbon emissions while keeping them affordable as well as healthy and comfortable.
The Enniscorthy Forum and its partners will work in collaboration with UNEP to promote and demonstrate the transformative benefits of high-performance buildings and to ensure take-up of best practice methods in planning, design and construction across the world.
Hank Keating noted “Passive House Massachusetts is working to make passive house building standards the foundation of resilient buildings that fight climate change The memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Environment Programme that has just been signed is unleashing a powerful set of projects and activities to deliver tangible results and raise the performance of buildings and the built environment at global scale quickly. The program involves a strong emphasis on training at all levels, and the high-performance buildings principles that the BAC is disseminating and deploying are anchored in passive house principles. We are pleased to sign this Letter of Intent to undertake the required due diligence prior to joining forces with the BAC to offer our help in spreading educational tools and training approaches at all those levels across the globe and to learn from experiences and examples elsewhere.”
Barbara-Anne Murphy observed that “We look forward to welcoming Passive House Massachusetts to the Buildings Action Coalition. We have a significant programme underway including outreach, research, academic studies, construction projects, and education and training schemes. We also plan to mobilise resources and disseminate knowledge, experience and best practices to transition towards high performance buildings. Given their track record in both training and advocacy, Passive House Massachusetts will have important role to play in this initiative.”
Passive House Massachusetts (PHMASS) is a member-based, non-profit organization that focuses on education, training, outreach and advocacy to accomplish it goals. PHMASS hosts meetings, trainings, tours, and other events related to Passive House design and construction and serves as a hub of knowledge for high-performance design in the state and region. PHMA members include designers, builders, engineers, policy makers, students, community leaders, and all those interested in high-performance, energy efficient buildings.
The Enniscorthy Forum, located in County Wexford, Ireland, was established to support the United Nations’ sustainable development agenda, focusing on Buildings and the Built Environment, Energy, Diplomacy, Health, and Education.
Please email aaron@passivehousema.org for questions.