A building is listed as being without heating when it has no special mechanism or technology for keeping its interior warm. This applies to many buildings in warm climates, where heating is not normally required; the absence of heating does not mean the building envelope offers no protection against cold.

The no heating label does not apply to buildings with passive heating, which are designed with a high level of technology to absorb and retain sufficient ambient heat, even in cold climates.

The absence concerns a purpose-designed means of maintaining warmth. No active heating is broader because it also includes buildings with deliberate passive heat-retention measures.