Built Environment Plus successfully leverages significant Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund grants to make a wide variety of Passive House education more accessible. We offer Phius, Passive House Network/Passive House Institute, and Passive House Massachusetts trainings to help architects, engineers, and construction professionals gain in-demand skills in energy-efficient design and construction. In 2025, we supported 45 professionals in earning passive house credentials. With grant funding available for all BE+ trainings, let this be the year that you become that passive house expert at your firm!

Learn about the different passive house learning pathways depending on your profession and experience level.

You can take any of the following trainings for free or for a reduced cost through BE+:

📐 Phius Certified Consultant (CPHC) Training

The CPHC training includes self-paced learning modules and live learning sessions that are delivered either virtually or in-person. The course is designed for architects, engineers and design professionals who already have a basic understanding of building science, an architectural background or hands-on building experience. Topics covered include building science fundamentals, high performance enclosures, cost-optimization, climate-specific design and detailing, high performance MEP systems, ventilation strategies, quality control strategies, Phius Certification requirements, renewable energy systems, and passive building physics. BE+ offers open enrollment every month under the Express Grant.

🛠 Phius Certified Builder (CPHB) Training

The CPHB training includes self-paced learning modules and live learning sessions that are delivered either virtually or in-person. The course is designed for construction professionals who want to understand the application of passive house building techniques. Topics include airtight enclosures, high-performance window installation, passive design strategies, field quality assurance, and site management. BE+ offers open enrollment every month under the Express Grant.

“The Phius courses from Built Environment Plus are both rigorous and practical, helping our team achieve Passive House Builder Certification (CPHB). The strength of their curriculum and instructors inspired us to expand certification across all operational roles—from planners to field superintendents, and even the CEO.

We’ve gained deep, practical fluency in Passive House that is already making a real impact on our jobsites. For us, PHIUS goes beyond environmental responsibility—it’s a model for high-performance execution that aligns with TOCCI’s mission: Building Harmony, Maximizing Results.”

John Tocci, CEO, Tocci Construct, LLC

🏢 Phius WUFI® Passive Advanced Multifamily

This live, online course is intended for multifamily WUFI Passive users who have basic prior experience with the software and want to fully understand WUFI’s capabilities and ensure they are utilizing this tool to the fullest extent. Attendees will learn how WUFI “can enhance, streamline, and optimize the design and certification of passive building projects if integrated into the design process properly.” BE+ offers this course several times a year.

🏚 Phius WUFI Passive Single Family

This live, online course is intended for architects, engineers, and design professionals without WUFI Passive experience or those who have had some exposure through Phius Certified Consultant (CPHC) training, but have not explored application yet. BE+ offers this course several times a year.

📏 Phius Certified Rater Training

This course includes self-paced learning modules and live learning sessions that are delivered either virtually or in-person. The training is intended for RESNET HERS Raters and other testing and commissioning professionals with experience working on single-family homes, townhomes, and low-rise residential buildings.  While this training does not have prerequisites, the credential exam does, including that participants are fully certified as a RESNET HERS Rater (excluding: CA and AK). View Phius Rater exam prerequisites here, as they vary by location. BE+ offers this course several times a year.

📋 Phius Certified Verifier Training

This course includes self-paced learning modules and live, online learning sessions and is intended for testing and commissioning professionals with multifamily and non-residential building experience. Participants will learn how to guarantee quality assurance, including on-site inspections and performance testing throughout all stages of the construction process. Topics include building science, enclosure systems, high-performance mechanical systems, large building air-tightness testing strategies and protocols for Phius certification compliance. BE+ offers this course several times a year.

🖥 Phius Introduction to THERM Workshop

This course is delivered live, either in-person or virtually and is intended for a broad spectrum of building industry professionals. Basic understanding of thermal bridging and thermal bridging modeling is recommended, however there are no previous training requirements. If you are interested but don’t feel confident in these foundational topics, there are supplemental pre-course materials provided to students free of charge. BE+ offers this course several times a year.

📐 Certified Passive House Designer (PHI) Training

This course is delivered live, either in-person or virtually and is intended for a broad spectrum of building industry professionals. This course is specifically designed to teach the international Passive House Standard (PHI) to design and construction professionals in the U.S. and is required prior to taking the CPHD/C professional certification exam. BE+ offers this course several times a year.

🏚 Passive House 101: An Introduction To Passive Buildings

This course is delivered live, either in-person or virtually and is intended for a broad spectrum of building industry professionals. This training introduces a performance-first design and construction model that optimizes buildings for durability, health, comfort, and low operational costs while minimizing energy demand. We explore the core principles of Passive House delivery—from airtight construction and thermal bridge-free design to balanced ventilation—and demonstrate how an integrated process makes these goals both achievable and financially viable.

📐 PH 120: The Architect’s Role in Passive Building

This course is delivered live, either in-person or virtually and is designed for architects and design professionals looking to expand their expertise into passive building. The focus of this course is the foundational knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of Passive House delivery, including the mindset and technical awareness to effectively support a collaborative Passive House team. Participants will gain a high-level roadmap to help identify and avoid common design pitfalls while gaining a clear understanding of the attention to detail necessary to successfully deliver passive buildings.

👷 Phius Certified Trades Professional

This course includes self-paced learning modules paired with 3 days of in-person instruction and live virtual class sessions. The training is intended for construction professionals with foundational carpentry skills and a desire to learn about advancing their understanding of building science and related construction techniques. Attendees will learn the fundamentals of passive building and how to implement passive house designs into projects. Certified Trades Professionals may go on to earn specializations to become Enclosure, MEP or Master Trades specialists.

“The Workforce Training Grant has supported Payette staff in learning new tools and skills that enables us to continue to push our designs in order to create better buildings.”

Andrea Love, Principal and Director of Building Science, Payette

💲Securing Funding:

If you are interested in taking advantage of available funding opportunities, follow the process below to learn more about available opportunities and the application process.

Funding Opportunities:

Express Grant
Nearly all BE+ training is Express Grant eligible for companies with 100 or less Massachusetts employees. Confirm your eligibility and submit an Express application now to receive up to 100% reimbursement for applicable BE+ courses

Step 1: Submit Express Grant Application
All you need to complete the application are 20 minutes of your time, a few documents, and the course information listed on our website. You’ll have one full year from grant approval to take your course(s).

Step 2: Register for Training
If you’re looking for a different passive house course, check our course catalog and complete the training interest form. Learn more about the registration process from our Phius Roadmap.

MassSave Incentives
Those who are ineligible for the Express Program may be eligible for 50% reimbursement via Mass Save’s Passive House & All-Electric Homes Training incentives.

General Grant
If you’re not eligible for the Express Grant, consider pursuing the General Grant program. Learn more.

Questions about these trainings, the grant application process, or your eligibility to participate? Contact us at education@builtenvironmentplus.org or schedule time with our Education Director here.

View our trainings page to see upcoming BE+ courses. If there are other sustainable design, construction or operations courses that you are interested in, but do not see listed, reach out to our education team.

NESEA’s 2026 BuildingEnergy Boston conference, themed “Don’t Stop Us Now”, is set to hone in on the challenges and barriers building professionals are facing while reinforcing that we are not alone in solving them. That’s especially true for existing buildings where technical, financial, and operational challenges can stall projects or deter it from success.

Existing buildings account for 35% of Massachusetts emissions, making retrofits an essential step towards decarbonization. With new building performance standards in effect in Cambridge, Boston, and Newton, building owners are under pressure to reduce their emissions and energy use while improving health, resiliency, and comfort.

BE+ has launched the Building Performance Exchange to bridge the gap between owners and practitioners with the primary goal of connecting stakeholders with helpful resources, tools, and expertise to make retrofits easier and more successful.

Here are 11 sessions at BuildingEnergy Boston this year that highlight crucial aspects of retrofitting existing buildings, from planning to implementation.

Building Science Best Practices
Two crucial components of retrofitting are holistic system-wide planning and granular component-specific upgrades. Building science practitioners with diverse backgrounds and expertise in these areas gather at BuildingEnergy to present their latest discovery or demonstrate tested and viable strategies.

These two sessions focus on the difficulties found among existing buildings and the best practices for a better solution.

• • Retrocommissioning For Existing Buildings
  • More Good through Less Bad

Misalignment between an energy model and reality can be frustrating when budgets are built around projected savings. This is why investigating potential causes is a valuable first step. Retrocommissioning can reveal why systems are not living up to their expectations, often providing straightforward solutions, such as educating staff on proper use of a building management system or fixing imbalances and leaks in a distribution system. Reducing the building’s operational and embodied carbon impact within the existing building shell may be challenging, but it’s achievable with guidance from the experts.

Making the Budget Work
Financing remains one of the biggest barriers in retrofit projects, especially with sudden program cuts and expensive electric rates. These sessions dedicate their time to navigating the complexities of capital and the art of financing in finer detail.

• • Decarbonizing Non-Profit Buildings via No-Cost Planning and Financing Resources
  • Who Pays and Who Saves? How Electric Rates Shape Equitable Multifamily Electrification
  • Deep Energy Retrofits, Round 3: A Holistic Cost Analysis

Learning the functions both behind and in front of a utility meter empowers owners to make the best financial decisions for their buildings. Moreover, finding the right electricity rate structure and dodging peak demand charges with smarter equipment use can help balance operational expenses. Analyzing the hidden health and societal costs of these financial decisions is vital to thoughtful and equitable improvement of the built environment.

Learning by Example
Case studies demonstrate project experiences, shortcomings and barriers, but also shed light on replicable strategies that are proven to work. These sessions showcase case studies of commercial and large portfolio decarbonization projects—sharing both positive and negative experiences.

• • Onward to 2050! Two Existing Commercial Building Decarbonization Case Studies
  • From Building Decarbonization to Campus Decarbonization: Lessons, Pitfalls, Results

Show us the Data!
In an industry of performance-based policy, data is essential. These presenters dig deep into energy, emissions, and cost data, finding trends, and paving the way for others to learn from both success and failure.

• • Proof over Promises: Cold Climate Multifamily Retrofit Results
  • From Model to Meter: What Can We Learn from the Massachusetts LBER Data?
  • Building Better with What We Have: Balancing Carbon, Cost, and Housing

Tracking past and modeling future data is the best strategy to monitor building performance. There are more efforts than ever to prove that energy conservation measures and building upgrades are on the right path. Building Performance Standards illuminate the fruits of our labor, as a policy-driven approach to measuring building performance.To identify opportunities for improvement, data-driven decisions support wider and more effective technology use.

BuildingEnergy Boston marks its 51st year with a robust selection of sessions, highlighting the innovation in existing buildings. Out of the 45+ sessions, these 11 sessions offer insight into the important pieces of the puzzle of retrofitting existing buildings. Join us at MassCEC’s sponsored session, “Scope vs. Carbon: Stories of Decarbonizing Multi-Family Buildings,” to hear from project teams as they share insight on scope, timeline, and key decisions. Explore our other sessions and find us tabling just outside the trade show floor!

Welcome 2026 Spring Intern Xander Orth! We’re excited to have him on board supporting Built Environment Connects and advancing our mission forward to bring a more sustainable and regenerative design, construction, and operations across the built environment. With his passions for the environment and sustainability, we’re excited to see the impact he’ll make with the Connects team this spring.

Xander Orth

My name is Xander, and I am delighted to intern at BE+ this spring! I am a senior at Tufts University where I study Political Science and Environmental Studies. In my spare time, I’m an avid hiker and photographer, and I’m passionate about creating urban spaces which are both functional and sustainable. I’m grateful for this opportunity to work with BE+, and I’m particularly excited to assist in strengthening Built Environment Connects through researching Massachusetts green building projects, setting up company profiles, and contacting green building professionals and companies.

Connect with Xander Orth on LinkedIn

In the past year, the BE+ Education program has supported workforce development in Massachusetts by securing more than $250,000 worth of funding for organizations to use towards free and deeply discounted BE+ courses. With 1,100 total professionals trained across 292 organizations, BE+ provided over 400 AIA continuing education credits to support our community with their career development and upskilling. 

As a result, one company reported a 30% increase of in-house energy and daylight modeling and sustainable material assessments and another reported 50% more energy modelers on staff. Strong repeat engagement remained a hallmark of the program, with over 20% of participants returning for multiple courses and companies averaging three trainings each. 

With our roster of 40+ expert instructors and 12 new partnerships added this year alone, we are well-positioned to help practitioners meet the industry’s evolving standards.

BE+ as a Workforce Funding Pathway for Upskilling

Through the Workforce Training Fund Program, we supported low-cost advanced credentialing, with 21 new LEED accredited trainees and 45 professionals earning Passive House accreditation. Together, these outcomes reflect BE+’s continued commitment to workforce development as a critical lever for climate action and industry transformation.

Learn about Workforce Funding Grants here for BE+ and partner courses.
Explore funding opportunities to become a Phius Certified Professional, explore WUFI and THERM. Check out our Phius Registration Roadmap to determine how & when to apply for funding grants!

Quality and relevance remained central to our approach. Courses earned an average satisfaction rating of 90%, reinforcing the program’s reputation for excellence. Top-performing offerings—including LEED v5: An Early Look, Massachusetts energy code trainings, Phius Certified Passive House Consultant trainings and our new Tech to Transformation: Building Better webinar series—reflect growing demand for technical rigor to meet evolving building standards.

BE+ plays a crucial role in expanding access and building foundational capacity across the AEC industry. In partnership with the DOER and the sponsors of Mass Save, BE+ subsidized over 250 seats in 2025 for the MA Stretch Energy Code Training Series – building on a strong 2024 cohort totaling over 379 unique participants trained across the two series covering the base, stretch, and specialized energy code.

Pre-training surveys showed most attendees were not confident designing or building to code. After completing the training, more than half reported they could do so confidently.

Looking forward to 2026, BE+ is currently in the process of scheduling our education offerings for 2026. We want to hear from learners and educators. Please complete the 2026 BE+ Education Offerings Survey to let us know what topics you are interested in learning about or propose educational content to teach.

Get in touch with the Education team here. 

As we enter 2026, the BE+ community came together at a pivotal time to celebrate the people transforming the built environment. Together, we reflected on a year of meaningful impact, collaboration, and progress. During the Annual Meeting & Volunteer Celebration, we celebrated the achievements of 2025, honored outstanding members and organizations, and officially welcomed new and returning leaders to the BE+ Board of Directors.

We would like to congratulate and give a warm welcome to Elsa Mullin (Skanska) and Elijah Ercolino (Boston University). We would also like to congratulate the re-elected board members Chad Laurent, Neetu Siddarth, N Jonathan Unaka, and Rebecca Rahmlow.

We also extend our sincere thanks to our departing Board Member Brad Mahoney for his commitment, leadership, and valuable contributions to the BE+ community. In recognition of his contributions, a tree will be planted in honor of him, alongside additional trees in honor of the award recipients.

We’re thrilled to recognize the following individuals and companies for their leadership and commitment:

Company of the Year: Thornton Tomasetti
Net Zero Hero: John Dalzell
Living Future Champion: Jacob Bloom
BE+ Member of the Year: Tammy Ngo
Health & Wellness Champion: Carrie Havey
BE+ Community Leader: Kena David
Emerging Professional of the Year: Cameron Burkacki
Women in Green Warrior: Joytika Bhargo
Education Company of the Year: BH+A

We want to shout out the incredible volunteers that also dedicated their time in making the past year a success! These volunteers showed up with passion and generosity—supporting our events and iniatives that impact the built environment. Check out our volunteers shout outs and see how amazing this community is!

Congratulations to the award recipients, new and returning board members, and everyone continuing their hard work to create a more sustainable and regenerative built environment. Here’s to a year of even more collective impact and progress within the BE+ community and the built environment.

The high-rise Josiah Quincy Upper School sets new standards for urban public school design rooted in educational excellence, community, sustainability, and occupant wellness. Despite the challenges of designing a full program middle high school on less than an acre of land, inventive design solutions transformed a zero lot line site to an award-winning educational facility that showcases the City of Boston’s commitment to its students, the Chinatown community, and the environment.

“This project does the most with the least. It supports the whole learner, addresses a broad set of sustainability issues, and fully leverages a challenging site and limited budget for maximum impact in an underserved community.”

Jury Comments | Built Environment Plus (BE+)

As one of the first projects to open under the Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools initiative and one of only eight public schools in the nation to achieve LEED v4.1 Platinum certification, JQUS’s holistic approach to sustainability balances strategies for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, educational and health equity, and climate resilience with the financial realities of a publicly funded project.

The Green Building of the Year award recognizes projects that exemplify an integrated approach such as JQUS, which stood out to the jury for its creative and thoughtful design solutions that contributed to notable social and environmental impacts. From leveraging the high-rise school’s verticality to draw fresh air for classrooms from well above the adjacent highways, to maximizing limited open space on this urban site with an accessible green roof, every design element supports the overarching goal of providing BPS students with the best possible educational opportunities in a healthy, welcoming, and resilient facility.

JQUS is HMFH’s third project to earn the BE+ Green Building of the Year award, a testament to our deep commitment to sustainable design. Previous HMFH projects to win Green Building of the Year include the net-positive energy Fales Elementary School in 2023 and Bristol County Agricultural High School in 2022.

Read more about sustainable design features at JQUS here: builtenvironmentplus.org/josiah-quincy-upper-school

The celebration didn’t end at Green Building of the Year for JQUS: the middle high school also took home the 2025 People’s Choice Award, a project recognition selected by the BE+ community each year during the showcase! Attendees were given bright green stickers and asked to vote for their favorite project based on the 68 award submissions on display. Designed to support and uplift not only Boston students but members of the surrounding Chinatown community with venues for community programs, custom graphics inspired by Chinatown, and public pocket parks, we were thrilled that JQUS also resonated with the BE+ community.

Read more about JQUS and other innovative and impactful projects recognized at the BE+ Green Building Showcase: builtenvironmentplus.org/gbs25-winners

“This project demonstrates how a student-first approach makes the most of every opportunity to enhance the learning experience and to enrich shared school culture.”

Jury Comments | American School & University (AS&U)

The annual American School & University Magazine Architectural Portfolio Awards celebrate educational design excellence among public and private schools of all levels, nationwide. The highest award for a K-12 facility, the William W. Caudill citation recognizes school projects that exemplify the same commitment to furthering educational design as the award’s namesake.

For JQUS, creating exceptional and diverse educational opportunities for Boston Public Schools students guided both the process and project. The new middle high school provides a healthy, welcoming, and secure learning environment where students can flourish. A variety of academic spaces range from classrooms and labs to facilities for specialty programs including robotics and food technology. Notable public-facing spaces include a 437-seat auditorium with overhead lighting designed as a starry night sky, a 10,000 sf gymnasium that projects out over the sidewalk to maximize space usage, and a soaring, light-filled dining and gathering area, which features a multi-story mural inspired by the school’s mascot and surrounding neighborhood.

See JQUS and other award-winning schools featured in the magazine’s November 2025 issue: issuu.com