PHIUS (Passive House Institute U.S.) is the most rigorous energy performance standard in residential construction.

A PHIUS-certified architect designs homes that use 40–60% less energy than code-built homes — not by adding gadgets, but by engineering the building envelope from the start.

Burkholder Architecture is the only PHIUS-certified firm in Southwest Missouri.

Most residential architects design to code minimum.

We design to a higher standard — one that integrates energy modeling, airtight building envelopes, and thermal bridge-free details into every project.

The result is a home that performs as precisely as it looks.

We're also a full-service firm: architectural design, interior architecture, landscape, cost estimating, and construction administration — one partner, zero handoffs.

It means your home stays comfortable in 100°F summers and hard Missouri winters without your HVAC system working overtime.

It means near-silent interiors, consistently even temperatures room to room, and dramatically lower utility bills.

It means the building itself is doing the work — not just the mechanical systems.

Architectural fees for a full-service custom home typically range from 4–8% of the total construction cost, depending on project complexity.

For a $1M home, that's roughly $40,000–$80,000 — which includes design, structural engineering, mechanical, electrical, plumbing coordination, energy modeling, HVAC load calculations, specification writing, and construction oversight.

The right architect prevents far more in costly mistakes and change orders than their fee represents.

Yes — and this is one of the most underutilized advantages of building to a high-performance standard.

The Inflation Reduction Act extended and expanded federal tax credits for energy-efficient new construction and upgrades. Depending on your project, you may qualify for the 45L Energy Efficient Home Credit, utility rebates through programs like Ameren Missouri's energy efficiency incentives, and equipment-level credits for high-efficiency HVAC, heat pumps, windows, and insulation.

Because we integrate energy modeling into every project, we can design specifically to hit the thresholds that unlock these programs — not as an afterthought, but as part of the original design process.

For a full custom home, the design phase typically takes 6–9 months — from initial consultation through construction documents. Projects with greater complexity, custom structural systems, or significant site challenges may take longer. Construction administration begins once a general contractor is under contract and continues through project completion. We'll give you a realistic timeline at your first consultation.

Yes. We work throughout Southwest Missouri and the greater Ozarks region — including Republic, Nixa, Ozark, Rogersville, Kimberling City, and surrounding areas. For projects beyond our immediate service area, we evaluate travel and coordination requirements on a project-by-project basis.

Passive house design is a building science methodology focused on five principles: superior insulation, thermal-bridge-free construction, high-performance windows, airtight building envelope, and controlled mechanical ventilation. It's not an aesthetic — it's a performance framework. It's right for any client who wants a home that will still be performing at peak efficiency in 30 years.

Yes. We offer a Performance Audit for existing homes — identifying energy inefficiencies and structural opportunities to elevate an older home toward high-performance standards. We also take on additions and full remodels when the scope aligns with our expertise.

Schedule a free consultation. We'll talk through your vision, your site, your timeline, and your budget. If we're a fit, we'll outline exactly how we'd approach your project and what the next steps look like. No pressure. No pitch. Just a real conversation.