Members of the North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) announced they have incorporated as the organization evolves from a small, informal network to a more established group.

In a press release, NAPHN said the incorporators and officers are representatives of four regional Passivhaus advocaty groups — New York Passive House, Passive House California, passivhausMAINE, and the Canadian Passive House Institute.

“NAPHN wants to provide the most support possible toward those working at the regional level where we see the most activity taking place,” said Co-President Bronwyn Barry of Passive House California.

NAPHN was formed in 2011 as interest in Passivhaus construction picked up. Grassroots organizations in New York, California, and the Northwest led the early effort to organize. These groups were later joined by regional groups in New Mexico, Canada, Maine, and western Pennsylvania, NAPHN said.

NAPHN has organized a number of events and speaker tours and is now producing what it says is its most important event to date, the NAPHN14 Conference & Expo in Portland, Maine, on September 22 and 23. Among the participants is Dr. Wolfgang Feist, director of the Passivhaus Institut in Germany, who will deliver the keynote address.

Incorporated in Wisconsin

Co-President Ken Levenson, of NY Passive House, said the organization is now a cooperative corporation registered in in the state of Wisconsin. Other officers are Naomi Beal of passivhausMAINE (treasurer) and Andre Harrmann of the Canadian Passive House Institute (secretary).

According to the Digital Media Law Project, a cooperative corporation is a type of corporation that places control and/or ownership in the hands of its patrons or employees. Like other types of corporations, a co-op provides limited liability to its shareholders, and it also can provide tax advantages.

Levenson said organizations that are part of the network collectively represent more than 500 individual members.