The first passivhaus project was the Kranichstein Passivhaus which was constructed in Darmstadt in 1990, and which was designed by a team of architects (Bott, Ridder & Westermyer) who had been commissioned by a group of 4 private clients who joined together to form the 'Passive House Development Society'. The terraced housing block was designed using specially made components (based on previous research) and has been monitored ever since, with the data published.

It has been shown to out-perform the design expectations over the last 14+ years since it has been occupied. More information on this project is available on the Passipedia website. Today over 6000 buildings are estimated to have been built to the standard worldwide.

The Passivhaus Institut

The passivhaus standard is regulated by the Passive House Institute, which is a multidisciplinary independent research institute based in Darmstadt, Germany, and is led by Dr. Wolfgang Feist. They are responsible for overseeing the standard, research and development into construction concepts and certified components, building monitoring, and the certification process, amongst other things.  

In the UK the Passivhaus Trust are the main body who are involved in the application of the standard. They are an independent, non-profit organisation that provide guidance and leadership in the UK for the adoption of the passivhaus standard and methodology.