Architect AKNW (registered in Germany) | PHI Certified Passive House Designer | PHI Certified Passive House Tradesperson  | Certified Joiner + Furniture Maker (GER)

Sandra’s very unique and diverse skill set has developed from her journey that started by growing up on a farm in Germany to becoming a certified furniture maker through a 3-year craftsman apprenticeship, to becoming a registered Architect in Germany, to becoming a certified Passive House Designer by PHI then moving to Vancouver, Canada in 2005. Somewhere along the way she became a certified Passive House Tradesperson and LEED©AP.

Holding an architectural degree from Peter Behrens School of Architecture, Germany and a degree in carpentry/furniture making and window manufacturing, Sandra worked on the design and construction of numerous low-energy and passive house certified buildings in Germany before relocating to Vancouver, BC in 2005 where she worked in architectural offices for 6 years.

Long before LEED certification was on the horizon Sandra’s expertise and interest have been in sustainable design and sustainable generation & usage of energy where she has always pushed the boundaries. Located in Vancouver she also worked on the development for a 20.000 sqm photovoltaic plant providing power for 300 households and on the mechanical design of a 6-storey Passive House bank extension in Germany.

Rohlerpassivehousedesign, founded in 2010, Sandra is dedicated to “use less” and to create healthy, pure and serene environments. Being the first PHI certified Passive House Designer and PHI Passive House Tradesperson in Canada she has been pioneering the PH standard transferring European knowhow and German engineering to North America for the past 9 years.
With her PHI certifications and project experience in Canada and Germany, she brings to the project team her knowledge and expertise in PH design, build and certifying process for residential, institutional and commercial buildings. As an Architect and tradesperson from Germany she applies the unique rigors of design theory and construction methods to her projects.

Based in Vancouver, besides her project work Sandra is educating and promoting the Passive House standard as guest lecturer at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC) administered courses. As an instructor for BCIT and Passive House Canada she teaches the Passive House Tradesperson course.

Sandra is also a co-founding director of Passive House Canada and served on the board of directors until winter 2014.