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Subjects · Leaving Cert Construction Studies

Leaving Cert Construction Studies: Passive House & EnerPHit

How often Passive House & EnerPHit comes up on the Construction Studies papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 8 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Construction Studies course. These come from the 2016–2025 papers, so read them as a guide.

Passive House & EnerPHit, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Passive House & EnerPHit.

(a)Passive House maximum space heating demand?
  1. 50 kWh/m² per year
  2. 15 kWh/m² per year
  3. 125 kWh/m² per year
(b)Passive House airtightness limit (n50)?
  1. 10 air changes per hour at 50 Pa
  2. 3 air changes per hour at 50 Pa
  3. 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pa
(c)What is EnerPHit?
  1. The Passive House standard for retrofits
  2. An Irish grant scheme for heat pumps
  3. The nZEB standard for new-build Irish homes
Show the answers

(a) 15 kWh/m² per year

(b) 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pa

(c) The Passive House standard for retrofits

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Passive House & EnerPHit.

Higher Level

Asked on 8 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q10a
2024Q10a
2023Q10a
2022Q10a
2021Not asked
2019Q10a
2018Q10a
2017Q10a
2016Q10a

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Passive House & EnerPHit questions

Passive House & EnerPHit, 3 marks

Is every A-rated nZEB house a Passive House?

  1. Yes, because the two standards are exactly the same
  2. Yes, as long as it has a heat pump fitted
  3. No: Passive House has its own stricter criteria
Show the answer

No: Passive House has its own stricter criteria

nZEB is the Building Regulations minimum and the BER is a rating; Passive House is a separate certified standard with fixed limits on heat demand and airtightness.

Passive House & EnerPHit, 2 marks

Software used to design and verify a Passive House?

  1. The BER certificate
  2. PHPP
  3. DEAP
Show the answer

PHPP

The Passive House Planning Package is a detailed model of heat losses and gains. DEAP is the Irish BER tool, and a building can be assessed in both.

Passive House & EnerPHit, 2 marks

Passive House principles: insulation, no thermal bridges, airtightness, MVHR and?

  1. High-performance windows
  2. A heat pump for space heating
  3. Solar PV panels on the roof
Show the answer

High-performance windows

Triple glazing in insulated, well-installed frames completes the five. Heat pumps and PV are common in Passive Houses but are not among the principles.

Other Construction Studies topics

All of Leaving Cert Construction Studies