Fund your high-performance, low carbon, and green building training with incentives for Passive building science.
Funding and Incentives for Passive House Training
Attending a training in Passive House building science is a key step that enables construction professionals to design and build high-performance, low-carbon buildings, regardless of green building certification goals.
Because of the importance of these professional education programs, local entities provide incentives for Passive House training in the form of scholarships, rebates, and reimbursements. The funding available for this type of building science training in the US varies from state to state and from city to city.
Sources of Funding for High-Performance Building Training
The scholarships and reimbursement programs listed here come from different entities. Massachusetts, New Jersey, and other states have statewide incentives tied to professional certification, including Passive House (e.g. CPHT certification).
The Massachusetts Mass Save reimbursement program is an example of a statewide program where the funding provider reimburses a significant amount of the training expenses for local professionals who become Passive House-certified.
Individual cities (e.g., the cities of Denver and Fort Collins, in Colorado) have scholarship and rebate programs to incentivize Passive building training of professionals operating in their territory.
Similarly, some counties have incentive programs to develop the local workforce and advance their education on building science best practices. For example, in California, 3C-REN fully covers the Emu training fees for professionals operating in their territory.
Local green building associations such as Passive House California and the Colorado Green Building Guild have scholarship programs to support green building training within their territories.
Furthermore, local utility companies provide reimbursements for construction professionals who become Passive House-certified. An example of this is the Xcel reimbursement program for Emu’s Passive House training in Colorado.
Who Can Access These Green Building Education Incentives
Most of the incentives for Passive building and high-performance construction training programs are designed for construction professionals. Typical recipients of these green building scholarships include builders, general contractors, architects, designers, and other construction professionals.
Sometimes the construction workforce training scholarship programs are designed to fund the training of new employees, as in the case of the IWT program in Montana and similar programs in New England (e.g., in Maine).
The requirements to access these green building training funds vary depending on the entity that curates the program. For more information, please review the program details and contact the specific incentive provider.
Passive House Training: Incentive Amounts and Methodologies
The amount of funding available for individual Passive building scholarships varies significantly depending on the incentive program—from a few hundred dollars to covering the full tuition of the training.
The funding method for the building science education program also varies. A common funding approach for subsidizing these high-performance building programs is the reimbursement of the training fees once the training is complete.
In other cases, the funding entity may provide pre-paid coupon codes to prospective training participants for a partial or full amount of the training fees. A third type of funding for Passive House education is where the funding entity organizes and pays in full for an Emu Boot Camp and enrolls eligible participants according to their program requirements.
Example of a Passive House Incentive Application and Reimbursement Process
The application process and the eligibility requirements vary depending on the specific program.
Example A - Fully Funded Passive House Boot Camp Training
This is a typical process for fully funded Passive building education programs, such as the 3C-REN Boot Camps (details may vary):
- You apply to participate in the Boot Camp
- The funding entity verifies your eligibility (depending on their specific requirements)
- Once approved, you’re automatically enrolled in the Boot Camp
Example B - Passive House Boot Camp Training With Partial or Full Reimbursement of the Registration Fees
This is a typical incentive process for building science education programs with a partial or full reimbursement of the training fees. For example, the MassSave program in Massachusetts and the Xcel program in Colorado follow this reimbursement process to fund Passive House Boot Camp training.
- You apply for the reimbursement program
- The funding entity verifies your eligibility
- You purchase the training ticket from Emu’s website (pay in full upfront)
- You attend the Boot Camp
- Once the training is over, Emu issues you a certificate of attendance
- The funding entity reimburses the training fees partially or in full (depending on the program and your eligibility)
Green Building Training Incentives and Education Funding
The funding available for Emu’s training can support your career development in the green building space.
High-Performance, Low-Carbon Building Training Incentives and Funding
The building science curriculum of the subsidized training is applicable to a wide range of projects, beyond Passive House. These scholarships can help you expand your education on high-performance, low-carbon construction.
Furthermore, through this Passive House training, the funding will help you become an expert in topics that are just as important as embodied carbon and energy performance. Your professional tools will include, among others, knowledge on indoor air quality, durability, and resilience.
Net Zero, All-Electric Building and Homes Training Incentives and Scholarships
The extreme operational energy efficiency of Passive building makes Passive the most streamlined and sustainable pathway for buildings to meet Net Zero energy. As a result, the incentives for Passive House training will fund your professional development in the realm of building electrification, Net Zero energy efficiency, and all-electric buildings.
Other Options
If you represent a utility company looking to scale your decarbonization impact on local workforce, please review this page.
If you represent a public entity or green building organization looking for better fit options to support local workforce training, please review this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find funding for Passive House training?
Funding for Passive House and building science training comes from local entities—states, cities, counties, utilities, and green building associations—and it varies by location. If you’re unsure what’s available in your area, reach out to Emu Passive and we’ll help point you toward the programs you may qualify for.
Who qualifies for Passive House training incentives?
Most incentives are designed for construction professionals—builders, general contractors, architects, designers, and other trades. Some programs, like Montana’s IWT program and similar efforts in New England (for example, Maine), specifically fund training for new employees. Eligibility requirements vary by program and funder, so always review the program details and confirm with the incentive provider before applying.
What types of funding are available?
Funding generally comes in three forms:
- Full or partial scholarships — a set amount toward your tuition
- Reimbursements — you pay upfront and get repaid after completing training
- Pre-paid coupon codes — applied to partial or full training fees
In some cases, a funder organizes and fully pays for an entire Emu Boot Camp, then enrolls eligible participants directly.
Which organizations offer Passive House training funding?
Many types of entities support this training. A few examples include:
- Mass Save (Massachusetts) — statewide reimbursement program
- Xcel Energy (Colorado) — utility reimbursement for certified professionals
- 3C-REN (California) — fully covers Emu training fees in its territory
- City of Denver and City of Fort Collins (Colorado) — local scholarships and rebates
- Passive House California and Colorado Green Building Guild — association scholarships
Availability depends on where you operate.
How much funding is available?
Funding amounts vary significantly by program—from a few hundred dollars toward tuition up to the full cost of training. Some programs reimburse a portion of your fees, while others cover 100% of the Boot Camp. The exact amount depends on the funder and your eligibility, so review each program’s details to understand what you can receive.
What projects does the training apply to?
The building science curriculum applies well beyond Passive House certification. Your training prepares you for high-performance, low-carbon, Net Zero, and all-electric buildings, whether or not a project pursues a green building certification. You’ll also build expertise in indoor air quality, durability, and resilience—skills that strengthen nearly any construction project you take on.
Do I need to pursue a certification to benefit?
No. While many incentives are tied to earning a credential like CPHT certification, the skills you gain apply to any high-performance project. The curriculum supports Passive House, Net Zero, all-electric, and low-carbon construction, so your training remains valuable regardless of whether a specific project seeks certification.
How do I apply for funding?
Start by reviewing the funding options on this page to see which programs fit your location and profession. Then contact the specific incentive provider to confirm eligibility and application steps, since requirements differ from one program to the next. You can also fill out the funding form on this page to see which options you may qualify for, and our team will help guide you from there.