Why is the AEC industry still mostly ignoring hempcrete? There are a host of good reasons to use this renewable and low environmental impact material in homes and buildings - including indoor air quality, acoustics, thermal comfort, and  energy performance - yet the mainstream market is still largely uninformed and continues to deliver today’s houses with yesterday's material palettes. With industrial hemp coming online fueled by new legislation, favorable economics and strong market potential - amid a conventional building material supply supply chain beset by disruptions and price increases - deciding to use hempcrete for your build may be just a matter of time.  Join us in this episode as we unpack the basics and benefits of hempcrete and beyond. Aside from hemp as an amazing multi-use crop, and hempcrete as a product, there are the unsung innovators and pathfinders in the AEC world who rarely get the attention and appreciation they deserve. In this episode we keep true to our tagline and bring the human factor to architecture design* in the form of the incomparable heart and mind of Tim White. Tim has long been a man with a passion for healthy sustainable homes. A passion that over time  has become a mission to build with hempcrete. *Quiz question: Where have you heard that phrase before? ______ Tim is the president and owner of Texas Healthy Homes. He is an experienced builder and product designer, with a passion for sustainability and human health.  He has built over 50 natural homes in the last 20 years across the United States and the Caribbean. As a clay and lime expert, Tim has developed proprietary technology for both plaster and masonry blocks independently and as a product designer for American Clay. He loves to educate and has led workshops on historic masonry, lime plasters, clay plasters, straw bale construction and LSC.  Prior to becoming a natural builder, Tim played college football, served in the Marine Corps and guided Class 5 river rafting trips in southern Colorado.______ Team Hosted by Kristof IrwinEdited by Nico MignardiProduced by M. Walker

Why is the AEC industry still mostly ignoring hempcrete? There are a host of good reasons to use this renewable and low environmental impact material in homes and buildings - including indoor air quality, acoustics, thermal comfort, and  energy performance - yet the mainstream market is still largely uninformed and continues to deliver today’s houses with yesterday's material palettes. With industrial hemp coming online fueled by new legislation, favorable economics and strong market potential - amid a conventional building material supply supply chain beset by disruptions and price increases - deciding to use hempcrete for your build may be just a matter of time.  Join us in this episode as we unpack the basics and benefits of hempcrete and beyond. Aside from hemp as an amazing multi-use crop, and hempcrete as a product, there are the unsung innovators and pathfinders in the AEC world who rarely get the attention and appreciation they deserve. In this episode we keep true to our tagline and bring the human factor to architecture design* in the form of the incomparable heart and mind of Tim White. Tim has long been a man with a passion for healthy sustainable homes. A passion that over time  has become a mission to build with hempcrete. *Quiz question: Where have you heard that phrase before? ______ Tim is the president and owner of <a href="https://www.texashealthyhomes.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Texas Healthy Homes</a>. He is an experienced builder and product designer, with a passion for sustainability and human health. He has built over 50 natural homes in the last 20 years across the United States and the Caribbean. As a clay and lime expert, Tim has developed proprietary technology for both plaster and masonry blocks independently and as a product designer for American Clay. He loves to educate and has led workshops on historic masonry, lime plasters, clay plasters, straw bale construction and LSC. Prior to becoming a natural builder, Tim played college football, served in the Marine Corps and guided Class 5 river rafting trips in southern Colorado. ______ Team Hosted by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/kristof" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristof Irwin</a> Edited by Nico Mignardi Produced by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/miguel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

Hempcrete Homes: A Growing Industry

The best place to generate electrical power is where it’s used. We all know that solar PV adds value for both owners and society by improving resilience, reducing energy costs and decreasing carbon emissions and climate impact. Yet traditional design practices and compressed schedules make it challenging for project teams to include integrated solar on their designs. The solution is Architectural Solar and the Architectural Solar Association knows that the key moves are early engagement and integration of architectural, structural and cladding systems. The time is now to consider solar as being architecturally significant and to realize that it does not always have to be relegated to the roof. The days of the Mr Potato HeadTM approach, where panels are stuck onto a home or building after they’re built, are over. Join us for forward-looking discussion with two industry experts in best practices for solar integration and design._____ Stan Pipkin Since 2007, Stan has co-managed and owned Lighthouse Solar in Austin, TX. He has been involved in the shaping of local and state policy to foster the growth of solar energy.  In addition, Stan runs an architectural design practice, Pipkinc., focusing on residential, commercial and civic projects. He has found considerable overlap between integrated solar design and holistic architectural design services.  In 2000 he co-founded a research and design collective, Spurse, which has engaged in community design projects, material research and process consulting for institutions and organizations ranging from the Guggenheim Museum to The Land Institute. Their work has included exhibitions, workshops, lectures, participatory community design projects, product development and architectural design.  Lecture and workshop venues have included MIT, Rhode Island School of Design, Maine College of Art and the Guggenheim While managing and growing all aspects of Lighthouse Solar, Stan worked closely with a number of industry innovators, including Lumos Solar on the development of its architectural solar product suite. Stan holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Texas, his skill-set sits at the nexus of solar energy and architecture._____ Christopher Klinga Chris is a licensed, professional structural engineer, with 10-years of hands-on experience in the architectural solar industry. He has an extensive background in solar installation design and operations and architectural solar product development. In addition to his efforts with ASA, Chris operates his own solar product development firm SolMotiv Design, which consults directly with the full value chain of both PV and curtain wall industries. Chris is also a co-inventor on 3 solar technology patents and 3 pending patents. Chris holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder. _____ Team Hosted by Kristof IrwinEdited by Nico MignardiProduced by M. Walker

The best place to generate electrical power is where it’s used. We all know that solar PV adds value for both owners and society by improving resilience, reducing energy costs and decreasing carbon emissions and climate impact. Yet traditional design practices and compressed schedules make it challenging for project teams to include integrated solar on their designs.  The solution is Architectural Solar and the<a href="https://www.archsolar.org/architectural-solar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Architectural Solar Association</a> knows that the key moves are early engagement and integration of architectural, structural and cladding systems. The time is now to consider solar as being architecturally significant and to realize that it does not always have to be relegated to the roof. The days of the Mr Potato HeadTM approach, where panels are stuck onto a home or building after they’re built, are over. Join us for forward-looking discussion with two industry experts in best practices for solar integration and design. _____ Stan Pipkin Since 2007, Stan has co-managed and owned Lighthouse Solar in Austin, TX. He has been involved in the shaping of local and state policy to foster the growth of solar energy.  In addition, Stan runs an architectural design practice, Pipkinc., focusing on residential, commercial and civic projects. He has found considerable overlap between integrated solar design and holistic architectural design services.  In 2000 he co-founded a research and design collective,<a href="http://www.spurse.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Spurse</a>, which has engaged in community design projects, material research and process consulting for institutions and organizations ranging from the Guggenheim Museum to The Land Institute. Their work has included exhibitions, workshops, lectures, participatory community design projects, product development and architectural design.  Lecture and workshop venues have included MIT, Rhode Island School of Design, Maine College of Art and the Guggenheim While managing and growing all aspects of Lighthouse Solar, Stan worked closely with a number of industry innovators, including Lumos Solar on the development of its architectural solar product suite. Stan holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Texas, his skill-set sits at the nexus of solar energy and architecture. _____ Christopher Klinga Chris is a licensed, professional structural engineer, with 10-years of hands-on experience in the architectural solar industry. He has an extensive background in solar installation design and operations and architectural solar product development. In addition to his efforts with ASA, Chris operates his own solar product development firm SolMotiv Design, which consults directly with the full value chain of both PV and curtain wall industries. Chris is also a co-inventor on 3 solar technology patents and 3 pending patents. Chris holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder. _____ Team Hosted by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/kristof" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristof Irwin</a> Edited by Nico Mignardi Produced by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/miguel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

Architectural Solar: A New Normal

There has never been a better time or opportunity to completely rethink the way we approach the practice of architecture and construction. With climate change looming over us, becoming more visible by the day, a critical look at the materials we use and their impacts on emissions is needed. Enter natural building materials. Which ones are legit? How can we use them? Join Kristof as he interviews architect and builder, Greg Esparza, with a sweeping introduction to mass timber construction, as well as other natural building materials like cork insulation, hemp insulation, wood fiber board insulation, etc.  ———- Greg Esparza Greg is a co-founder of Moontower Design &amp; Build ​and the founder of Cross Cabin Build &amp; Supply.  He received his Bachelors of Science in Architecture, University of Texas at Austin and has been in the design and construction industry for over  15 years. Greg prides himself on developing deep relationships with his many interesting clients and delivering fantastic outcomes on their projects. Greg is a fierce advocate for natural building materials and has spoken at building science conferences across the country, including The Humid Climate Conference.  ———— Cross Cabin Build &amp; Supply Cross Cabin Build + Supply promotes climate-friendly homebuilding in and around their hometown of Austin, Texas. They do this through distributing low carbon, renewable, plant-based building products and providing technical support during design and construction of climate-friendly homes. Cross Cabin specializes in mass timber projects and foam-free, vapor-open homes that prioritize a safe work environment for craftspeople, a healthy home for families, and a careful consideration of the climate impact of how building materials are made and how these materials can be recycled, reused, or naturally biodegraded in the future. ______ Team Hosted &amp; Produced by Kristof IrwinEdited by Nico MignardiEngineered &amp; Produced by M. Walker

There has never been a better time or opportunity to completely rethink the way we approach the practice of architecture and construction. With climate change looming over us, becoming more visible by the day, a critical look at the materials we use and their impacts on emissions is needed. Enter natural building materials. Which ones are legit? How can we use them? Join Kristof as he interviews architect and builder, Greg Esparza, with a sweeping introduction to mass timber construction, as well as other natural building materials like cork insulation, hemp insulation, wood fiber board insulation, etc. ———- Greg Esparza Greg is a co-founder of <a href="https://www.moontoweraustin.com/greg-esparza" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moontower Design &amp; Build</a> ​and the founder of <a href="https://www.crosscabinbuild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cross Cabin Build &amp; Supply</a>. He received his Bachelors of Science in Architecture, University of Texas at Austin and has been in the design and construction industry for over 15 years. Greg prides himself on developing deep relationships with his many interesting clients and delivering fantastic outcomes on their projects. Greg is a fierce advocate for natural building materials and has spoken at building science conferences across the country, including <a href="https://humidclimateconference.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Humid Climate Conference</a>. ———— Cross Cabin Build &amp; Supply <a href="https://www.crosscabinbuild.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cross Cabin Build + Supply</a> promotes climate-friendly homebuilding in and around their hometown of Austin, Texas. They do this through distributing low carbon, renewable, plant-based building products and providing technical support during design and construction of climate-friendly homes. Cross Cabin specializes in mass timber projects and foam-free, vapor-open homes that prioritize a safe work environment for craftspeople, a healthy home for families, and a careful consideration of the climate impact of how building materials are made and how these materials can be recycled, reused, or naturally biodegraded in the future. ______ Team Hosted &amp; Produced by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/kristof" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristof Irwin</a> Edited by Nico Mignardi Engineered &amp; Produced by <a href="https://sleepyburrito.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

Build. Not too much. Mostly with plants. 

We live in the information age. The quality of the information we receive determines the quality of our decisions and the effectiveness of our actions. It is also no secret that money holds influence, and the methods through which we obtain information, as well as the economic dynamics of the building science and construction industry, are undergoing constant change.We invite you to join us in exploring the significance of Building Science Journalism in today's world. Our conversation features two accomplished, knowledgeable, and profound authors who have dedicated themselves to this field: Brian Pontililo and Aaron Fagan. Along the way, we will delve into the evolving role of bloggers and social media influencers within the AEC industry. We will also acknowledge the fact that manufacturers now possess multiple avenues to convey their public relations and marketing messages to their target audiences.Throughout our discussion, we will highlight the value of journalism, storytelling, and the adherence to journalistic standards, such as fact-checking. We encourage you to participate in this captivating dialogue and, perhaps, gain a fresh perspective that will enable you to engage more meaningfully with your favorite building science and construction channels.———-Brian PontililoBrian Pontolilo has spent the better part of the last 20 years as a journalist, writer, and editor covering residential design and construction at Fine Homebuilding magazine and GreenBuildingAdvisor.com. Brian has a degree in professional writing, worked for a short time at local newspapers, and has worked in landscape construction, as a painter, and as a carpenter before coming to the Taunton Press, and during the three breaks he has taken from office life. On his current hiatus from full-time employment, Brian is designing and building what he hopes will be a pretty good house in northwest Connecticut.Aaron FaganFormer associate editor for Fine Homebuilding, Aaron has written and edited for a disparate list of publications, including The Economist, Penthouse, and Scientific American. He has also worked as a welder in a window factory, as a screw-machine operator, and as a remodel/repair carpenter. Educated at Hampshire College and Syracuse University, Aaron is the author of three poetry collections: Garage, Echo Train, and A Better Place is Hard to Find.

We live in the information age. The quality of the information we receive determines the quality of our decisions and the effectiveness of our actions. It is also no secret that money holds influence, and the methods through which we obtain information, as well as the economic dynamics of the building science and construction industry, are undergoing constant change.We invite you to join us in exploring the significance of Building Science Journalism in today's world. Our conversation features two accomplished, knowledgeable, and profound authors who have dedicated themselves to this field: Brian Pontililo and Aaron Fagan. Along the way, we will delve into the evolving role of bloggers and social media influencers within the AEC industry. We will also acknowledge the fact that manufacturers now possess multiple avenues to convey their public relations and marketing messages to their target audiences.Throughout our discussion, we will highlight the value of journalism, storytelling, and the adherence to journalistic standards, such as fact-checking. We encourage you to participate in this captivating dialogue and, perhaps, gain a fresh perspective that will enable you to engage more meaningfully with your favorite building science and construction channels. ———-Brian PontililoBrian Pontolilo has spent the better part of the last 20 years as a journalist, writer, and editor covering residential design and construction at Fine Homebuilding magazine and <a href="http://GreenBuildingAdvisor.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GreenBuildingAdvisor.com</a>. Brian has a degree in professional writing, worked for a short time at local newspapers, and has worked in landscape construction, as a painter, and as a carpenter before coming to the Taunton Press, and during the three breaks he has taken from office life. On his current hiatus from full-time employment, Brian is designing and building what he hopes will be a pretty good house in northwest Connecticut.Aaron FaganFormer associate editor for Fine Homebuilding, Aaron has written and edited for a disparate list of publications, including The Economist, Penthouse, and Scientific American. He has also worked as a welder in a window factory, as a screw-machine operator, and as a remodel/repair carpenter. Educated at Hampshire College and Syracuse University, Aaron is the author of three poetry collections: Garage, Echo Train, and A Better Place is Hard to Find.

Building Science Journalism

You’re in for a feast of ideas here. Join us as Kristof talks with Bruce King about his work as a stubborn optimist and powerful motive force in the realm of low carbon buildings. Bruce joins a wise heart with a clever mind and a deep understanding of the technical aspects and implications of the role of energy and carbon in how we, as a society, deliver buildings to ourselves.  Today’s interview discusses themes from Bruce’s new-at-the-time book Build Beyond Zero written along with friend and co-conspirator, Chris Magwood, and a host of superstars in the low carbon buildings space, to remind us that the very buildings we live and work in are currently poised to be “one of the most practical and affordable climate solutions instead of leading drivers of climate change.” We all have power and agency in the future of buildings and it benefits us to listen to folks like Bruce King to show us the way and motivate us to move forward.  ____Bruce KingBruce King is the founder of the Ecological Building Network (EBNet), and a registered engineer with 35 years of worldwide experience in structural engineering and construction. He is the author of Buildings of Earth and Straw, Making Better Concrete, Design of Straw Bale Buildings, ASTM International E-2392, earthen building guidelines, and dozens of papers and articles for conferences and journals. He has organized three international conferences on ecological building, and is the founder of BuildWell Source, a user-based collection of low-carbon materials knowledge, and of the BuildWell Symposia. www.bruce-king.com www.ecobuildnetwork.org ____About Bruce’s BooksBuild Beyond Zero Authors Bruce King and Chris Magwood re-envision buildings as one of the most practical and affordable climate solutions instead of leading drivers of climate change. Build Beyond Zero provides a snapshot of a beginning and map towards a carbon-smart built environment that acts as a CO2 filter. Professional engineers, designers, and developers are invited to imaging the very real potential for our built environment to be a site of net carbon storage, a massive drawdown pool that could help to heal our climate. And if you have not yet read, or recently re-read his first book, please feel encouraged to do so! New Carbon Architecture Imagine a building made of sky. For the first time in history, we can build pretty much anything out of carbon that we coaxed from the air. We can structure any architectural style with wood, we can insulate with straw and mushrooms, we can make concrete - better concrete - with clay, microbes, smoke, and a careful look in the rear view mirror and the microscope. All of these emerging technologies - and more - arrive in tandem with the growing understanding that the so-called embodied carbon of building materials matters a great deal more than anyone thought in the fight to halt and reverse climate change. The built environment can switch from being a problem to a solution - much nicer places to occupy that just happen to pull carbon out of the air. ____ Team Hosted &amp; Produced by Kristof IrwinEngineered &amp; Edited by Nico MignardiProduced by M. Walker

You’re in for a feast of ideas here. Join us as Kristof talks with Bruce King about his work as a stubborn optimist and powerful motive force in the realm of low carbon buildings. Bruce joins a wise heart with a clever mind and a deep understanding of the technical aspects and implications of the role of energy and carbon in how we, as a society, deliver buildings to ourselves.  Today’s interview discusses themes from Bruce’s new-at-the-time book<a href="https://www.ecobuildnetwork.org/projects/build-beyond-zero-book" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Build Beyond Zero</a> written along with friend and co-conspirator, <a href="http://www.chrismagwood.ca/about.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chris Magwood</a>, and a host of superstars in the low carbon buildings space, to remind us that the very buildings we live and work in are currently poised to be “one of the most practical and affordable climate solutions instead of leading drivers of climate change.” We all have power and agency in the future of buildings and it benefits us to listen to folks like Bruce King to show us the way and motivate us to move forward.  ____ Bruce King Bruce King is the founder of the Ecological Building Network (EBNet), and a registered engineer with 35 years of worldwide experience in structural engineering and construction. He is the author of Buildings of Earth and Straw, Making Better Concrete, Design of Straw Bale Buildings, ASTM International E-2392, earthen building guidelines, and dozens of papers and articles for conferences and journals. He has organized three international conferences on ecological building, and is the founder of BuildWell Source, a user-based collection of low-carbon materials knowledge, and of the BuildWell Symposia. <a href="http://www.bruce-king.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.bruce-king.com </a><a href="http://www.ecobuildnetwork.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.ecobuildnetwork.org</a> ____ About Bruce’s Books <a href="https://www.ecobuildnetwork.org/projects/build-beyond-zero-book" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Build Beyond Zero</a> Authors Bruce King and Chris Magwood re-envision buildings as one of the most practical and affordable climate solutions instead of leading drivers of climate change. Build Beyond Zero provides a snapshot of a beginning and map towards a carbon-smart built environment that acts as a CO2 filter. Professional engineers, designers, and developers are invited to imaging the very real potential for our built environment to be a site of net carbon storage, a massive drawdown pool that could help to heal our climate. And if you have not yet read, or recently re-read his first book, please feel encouraged to do so! <a href="https://www.ecobuildnetwork.org/projects/new-carbon-architecture" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Carbon Architecture</a> Imagine a building made of sky. For the first time in history, we can build pretty much anything out of carbon that we coaxed from the air. We can structure any architectural style with wood, we can insulate with straw and mushrooms, we can make concrete - better concrete - with clay, microbes, smoke, and a careful look in the rear view mirror and the microscope. All of these emerging technologies - and more - arrive in tandem with the growing understanding that the so-called embodied carbon of building materials matters a great deal more than anyone thought in the fight to halt and reverse climate change. The built environment can switch from being a problem to a solution - much nicer places to occupy that just happen to pull carbon out of the air. ____ Team Hosted &amp; Produced by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/kristof" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristof Irwin</a> Engineered &amp; Edited by Nico Mignardi Produced by <a href="https://sleepyburrito.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

Low Carbon Buildings - What’s Next? Wow. Just Wow

Producer’s note: after a regrettably long COVID-19 disruption, this fun bonus short episode (recorded live in 2018) finally gets to see the light of dayAre you open to rethinking how you provide lighting to your home? What if there were a lighting system that not only saves you time, money and energy,  but also enhances your experience of the living space?I think we all already know that running 120V AC around a home to power DC LEDs leads to a lot of warm AC-to-DC transformers and wasted energy. We also know that Solar runs on DC and batteries store DC power, so why do we still use AC for lighting (besides the fact that it’s traditional)? Enter direct DC lighting for homes – an approach that brings efficiency, safety, and versatility to illuminate your surroundings. With its low-voltage wiring, energy-saving direct DC to LED connection, and smart control systems, DC lighting offers a host of possibilities and benefits including:Simplifying lighting installationReducing the use and associated costs of copper wiringProviding flicker-free dimming in true white or tunable colorsSupplying backup lighting during outagesImproving the owner/end-user experience. Join us for this short interview with Murray Freeman, a pioneer and stubborn optimist in the DC Lighting space. We will learn the basics and leave you with an informed perspective on the fascinating realm of direct DC-to-LED lighting, where modern technology, sustainable living, and high quality owner/user experience converge.Murray FreemanMurray has deployed Power over Ethernet in over 3,000 buildings. Creative engineer, he has striven to design systems for better reliability, durability, and self diagnosing while achieving cost efficiency. With experience in residential construction, he realized that neither PoE nor 120 VAC are suitable for lighting in new home construction - therefore, a new standard low voltage method to light LEDs was invented. His lighting solutions equips new homes and small business with smart switches and tunable white extended lifespan LEDs. He founded ATX-LED to design and manufacture energy efficient smart lighting systems. His goal is to bring high feature and higher quality lighting solutions to new construction, changing forever how light is wired.Hosted &amp; Produced by Kristof IrwinEdited by Nico MignardiEngineered &amp; Produced by M. Walker

Producer’s note: after a regrettably long COVID-19 disruption, this fun bonus short episode (recorded live in 2018) finally gets to see the light of dayAre you open to rethinking how you provide lighting to your home? What if there were a lighting system that not only saves you time, money and energy,  but also enhances your experience of the living space?I think we all already know that running 120V AC around a home to power DC LEDs leads to a lot of warm AC-to-DC transformers and wasted energy. We also know that Solar runs on DC and batteries store DC power, so why do we still use AC for lighting (besides the fact that it’s traditional)? Enter direct DC lighting for homes – an approach that brings efficiency, safety, and versatility to illuminate your surroundings. With its low-voltage wiring, energy-saving direct DC to LED connection, and smart control systems, DC lighting offers a host of possibilities and benefits including:Simplifying lighting installationReducing the use and associated costs of copper wiringProviding flicker-free dimming in true white or tunable colorsSupplying backup lighting during outagesImproving the owner/end-user experience. Join us for this short interview with Murray Freeman, a pioneer and stubborn optimist in the DC Lighting space. We will learn the basics and leave you with an informed perspective on the fascinating realm of direct DC-to-LED lighting, where modern technology, sustainable living, and high quality owner/user experience converge. Murray Freeman Murray has deployed Power over Ethernet in over 3,000 buildings. Creative engineer, he has striven to design systems for better reliability, durability, and self diagnosing while achieving cost efficiency. With experience in residential construction, he realized that neither PoE nor 120 VAC are suitable for lighting in new home construction - therefore, a new standard low voltage method to light LEDs was invented. His lighting solutions equips new homes and small business with smart switches and tunable white extended lifespan LEDs. He founded ATX-LED to design and manufacture energy efficient smart lighting systems. His goal is to bring high feature and higher quality lighting solutions to new construction, changing forever how light is wired. Hosted &amp; Produced by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/kristof" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristof Irwin</a> Edited by Nico Mignardi Engineered &amp; Produced by <a href="https://sleepyburrito.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

Direct DC-to-LED Lighting (Bonus Short Episode)

Is a building more like a river or a rock? A building seems to just sit there*, so in that sense it seems to be more like a rock. But in reality every building material, and thus the entire building itself, is a snapshot in time of a river of resources and energy flowing from natural ecosystems into our use, and then, ultimately flowing back into the environmentAll along the way, this flow of energy and resources emits carbon and other molecules into the sky, changing atmospheric chemistry and imbalancing our climate’s equilibrium. We’ve long known that this is both happening and that it’s a problem. What’s different now is that human society is waking up to the fact that we must work together to chart a new course forward. A course that recognizes the importance of reducing the both operational and embodied, or upfront, carbon emissions. That’s where our guest today comes in. Andrew Himes is all about helping groups move society forward by focusing on the convergence of technology, communication and social activism. Join us for this fast paced and compelling interview with Andrew as we talk about the theory of change for industry transformation using data &amp; tools, policy change, and collective action. *From a building science perspective, we know that a building’s enclosure seems static and solid but is actually constantly and dynamically mediating the flows of heat, light, sound, vibration, odor, microbes, allergens, water and air (mass) between the interior and exterior conditions.Links &amp; ResourcesCarbon Leadership ForumMEP 2040Andrew’s TEDx Seattle Talk : Save our buildings, Save our PlanetTeamHosted &amp; Produced by Kristof IrwinEngineered &amp; Edited by Nico MignardiProduced by M. Walker

Is a building more like a river or a rock? A building seems to just sit there*, so in that sense it seems to be more like a rock. But in reality every building material, and thus the entire building itself, is a snapshot in time of a river of resources and energy flowing from natural ecosystems into our use, and then, ultimately flowing back into the environmentAll along the way, this flow of energy and resources emits carbon and other molecules into the sky, changing atmospheric chemistry and imbalancing our climate’s equilibrium. We’ve long known that this is both happening and that it’s a problem. What’s different now is that human society is waking up to the fact that we must work together to chart a new course forward. A course that recognizes the importance of reducing the both operational and embodied, or upfront, carbon emissions. That’s where our guest today comes in. Andrew Himes is all about helping groups move society forward by focusing on the convergence of technology, communication and social activism. Join us for this fast paced and compelling interview with Andrew as we talk about the theory of change for industry transformation using data &amp; tools, policy change, and collective action. *From a building science perspective, we know that a building’s enclosure seems static and solid but is actually constantly and dynamically mediating the flows of heat, light, sound, vibration, odor, microbes, allergens, water and air (mass) between the interior and exterior conditions.Links &amp; Resources<a href="https://carbonleadershipforum.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Carbon Leadership Forum</a><a href="https://www.mep2040.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MEP 2040</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QRWf3Efm-k&amp;t=1s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Andrew’s TEDx Seattle Talk : Save our buildings, Save our Planet</a> TeamHosted &amp; Produced by <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/kristof" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kristof Irwin</a>Engineered &amp; Edited by Nico MignardiProduced by <a href="https://sleepyburrito.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

An Introduction to Embodied Carbon & Buildings

Gary Klein is in hot water and that’s a good thing. Hot water is the often-overlooked aspect of energy use in our homes and buildings and that makes zero sense. Energy for water heating is either the second largest, or in some cases the largest single energy use and does not get enough attention.As if that were not motivation enough, hot water is also the place where convenience and energy savings align perfectly because no one wants to wait for hot water and no one (arguably) wants to needlessly waste energy. With all the product based attention on ways to heat water - air-water heat pumps, electric, gas, tankless - it may surprise you to learn that once you have hot water what you do with it can matter even more.  Join us in this action packed interview with Gary Klien, a true national treasure in the realm of water heating and distribution as he applies simple logic again and again to break down the How and the Why of having hot water arrive efficiently When and Where you need it.   Gary KleinGary Klein is the principal and founder of Gary Klein and Associates. Every day, across the United States, millions of gallons of water and millions of Btus of energy are lost in our hot-water systems through a combination of structural and behavioral waste. Ours is an era where efforts to conserve resources have led to ever-increasing complexity, be it in water heaters that are harder to understand and use, be it in the smart grid and electric meters that tell the utility all about our behavior. Given human nature, it is our responsibility to provide the infrastructure that supports efficient behaviors.Gary Klein is tackling this issue in a different way, rejecting complexity and concentrating on elegant simplicity. He works to change building codes and to get architects and builders to use plumbing systems that, by their design, deliver hot water quickly and with minimal waste. He has looked at the structural and behavioral waste and believes great resource savings are to be had in both. When he gives a presentation, it's impossible to doze in the back row. He calls on people at random to serve as props, marks lines on the floor in tape, makes people think, and makes them laugh. It works.TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinProduced by M. WalkerEdited by Nico Mignardi

Gary Klein is in hot water and that’s a good thing. Hot water is the often-overlooked aspect of energy use in our homes and buildings and that makes zero sense. Energy for water heating is either the second largest, or in some cases the largest single energy use and does not get enough attention.As if that were not motivation enough, hot water is also the place where convenience and energy savings align perfectly because no one wants to wait for hot water and no one (arguably) wants to needlessly waste energy. With all the product based attention on ways to heat water - air-water heat pumps, electric, gas, tankless - it may surprise you to learn that once you have hot water what you do with it can matter even more.  Join us in this action packed interview with Gary Klien, a true national treasure in the realm of water heating and distribution as he applies simple logic again and again to break down the How and the Why of having hot water arrive efficiently When and Where you need it.    Gary KleinGary Klein is the principal and founder of Gary Klein and Associates. Every day, across the United States, millions of gallons of water and millions of Btus of energy are lost in our hot-water systems through a combination of structural and behavioral waste. Ours is an era where efforts to conserve resources have led to ever-increasing complexity, be it in water heaters that are harder to understand and use, be it in the smart grid and electric meters that tell the utility all about our behavior. Given human nature, it is our responsibility to provide the infrastructure that supports efficient behaviors.Gary Klein is tackling this issue in a different way, rejecting complexity and concentrating on elegant simplicity. He works to change building codes and to get architects and builders to use plumbing systems that, by their design, deliver hot water quickly and with minimal waste. He has looked at the structural and behavioral waste and believes great resource savings are to be had in both. When he gives a presentation, it's impossible to doze in the back row. He calls on people at random to serve as props, marks lines on the floor in tape, makes people think, and makes them laugh. It works. TeamHosted by Kristof Irwin Produced by <a href="https://sleepyburrito.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a> Edited by Nico Mignardi

Do you like it hot? Do you want it now? Do you want it to last forever?

Knowing how to build fantastic high performing buildings is not enough; we need to cause that to actually happen. We need high performance buildings to exist. Knowing how is necessary, but also clearly not sufficient. During this time of increasing urgency to realize new performance outcomes, we need new skills in order to fulfill our roles in society as architects, engineers, builders and trades. What this means is that we need to think about what actually works and then do a lot of that right now. In this episode we interview a veteran Passive House architect who has thought deeply about this topic of “What do we do differently that will cause owners to make better decisions?” In our rational, fact-filled world, we may be leaving some powerful tools on the table. Tools that recognize that we are far more than rational decision-making computers; we are humans and as such we are powerfully influenced by relationships and by emotions. Join Kristof as he interviews Graham Irwin, AIA, CPHC and the rich discussion that follows.TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited and Produced by M. Walker

Knowing how to build fantastic high performing buildings is not enough; we need to cause that to actually happen. We need high performance buildings to exist. Knowing how is necessary, but also clearly not sufficient. During this time of increasing urgency to realize new performance outcomes, we need new skills in order to fulfill our roles in society as architects, engineers, builders and trades. What this means is that we need to think about what actually works and then do a lot of that right now. In this episode we interview a veteran Passive House architect who has thought deeply about this topic of “What do we do differently that will cause owners to make better decisions?” In our rational, fact-filled world, we may be leaving some powerful tools on the table. Tools that recognize that we are far more than rational decision-making computers; we are humans and as such we are powerfully influenced by relationships and by emotions. Join Kristof as he interviews Graham Irwin, AIA, CPHC and the rich discussion that follows. TeamHosted by Kristof Irwin Edited and Produced by <a href="https://sleepyburrito.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

Building Passion For Passive

Join Kristof as he interviews architect and Passive House nerd, Trey Farmer, in a wide ranging discussion about remodeling his personal residence. The ambitious project was an endeavor to prove to the Austin architecture and construction community that beautiful, well designed single family passive houses were not only possible in the market, but also quite practical and able to be built without breaking the bank or special products. Trey’s emphasis on community and his own business endeavors all point to a deep prioritization of doing better and leading by example. This episode is awesome and we can’t wait for you to hear it. About TreyTrey Farmer, AIA received his M.Arch from The University of Texas at Austin and has 15 years of experience in sustainable design and construction.  He came to Austin from New Hampshire via New Zealand and Northern California where he worked and studied English, architecture, permaculture and natural building.  He is a LEED AP (BD+C) and a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) as well as a certified permaculture designer and teacher. Trey is on the Austin Passive House Alliance Board and the national Passive House Alliance Council.  He spends his free time with his wife, son and fur-child on the greenbelt, in their garden or in their certified Passive House home.Press &amp; Media About Theresa Passive HousePHIUS project profileAIA Austin design awards profileMatt Risinger video about the HVAC systemMitsubishi video about the HVAC systemMatt Risinger video about the insulation levelsGreen Builder article about the house in the deep freezeTexas Architect Magazine featurePassive House Buildings feature article (on page 58)TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited and Produced by M. Walker

Join Kristof as he interviews architect and Passive House nerd, Trey Farmer, in a wide ranging discussion about remodeling his personal residence. The ambitious project was an endeavor to prove to the Austin architecture and construction community that beautiful, well designed single family passive houses were not only possible in the market, but also quite practical and able to be built without breaking the bank or special products. Trey’s emphasis on community and his own business endeavors all point to a deep prioritization of doing better and leading by example. This episode is awesome and we can’t wait for you to hear it. About TreyTrey Farmer, AIA received his M.Arch from The University of Texas at Austin and has 15 years of experience in sustainable design and construction.  He came to Austin from New Hampshire via New Zealand and Northern California where he worked and studied English, architecture, permaculture and natural building.  He is a LEED AP (BD+C) and a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) as well as a certified permaculture designer and teacher. Trey is on the Austin Passive House Alliance Board and the national Passive House Alliance Council.  He spends his free time with his wife, son and fur-child on the greenbelt, in their garden or in their certified Passive House home.Press &amp; Media About Theresa Passive House<a href="https://www.phius.org/certified-project-database/theresa-passive-house" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PHIUS project profile</a><a href="https://vimeo.com/showcase/9547008/video/711742373" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AIA Austin design awards profile</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f6Ih09uaDw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Matt Risinger video about the HVAC system</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0X83_Yef0E" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mitsubishi video about the HVAC system</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWsbNuss9_A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Matt Risinger video about the insulation levels</a><a href="https://www.greenbuildermedia.com/blog/age-of-resilience-cold-case" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Green Builder article about the house in the deep freeze</a><a href="https://magazine.texasarchitects.org/2022/09/08/theresa-passive-house/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Texas Architect Magazine feature</a><a href="http://passivehousebuildings.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PassiveHouseBuildings-Spring2020-Print.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Passive House Buildings feature article (on page 58)</a> TeamHosted by Kristof Irwin Edited and Produced by <a href="https://sleepyburrito.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Walker</a>

Proving Passive House Is Practical, Possible, & Promising (In Climate Zone 2A)

If you're a human being and you live indoors, this podcast is more relevant to your life than you probably ever knew. Exploring the ways building science helps humans thrive in the built environment.

I have learned a great deal about indoor air quality. Kristoff, his team and guests are very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject.  Please make the audio quality better, though. There are a few episodes that I have had to stop listening too because the audio quality was just so terrible. Specifically ‘death of the suburbs.’ I tried twice to get through it but could not. Other times I can hear dogs in background or water coolers being used. It takes away from the message that is trying to projected. Just like our lungs need good air quality, my ears would like the same level of audio quality. I believe there are great messages in this podcast and would encourage ‘building science team’ to ensure better podcast audio quality. Thanks for your time.

Audio Quality

This will give you an appreciation for indoor air quality, among other things, in a scientific kind of way.  
Beware: if you do not currently have fresh air ventilation (e.g. HRV/ERV) in your home this podcast will ensure that you wish you did.

Great Show

The Building Science Podcast

Engineers can fulfill a vital role in their communities through civic activism, proactive engagement in shaping public policy and leading in the civic realm. This segment of the Ideas Institute will explore the future of civic activism and leadership in the public realm for engineers. It is time for the engineering community to contribute to this re-examination in the spirit of technological and environmental stewardship. Increased leadership from the engineering community is needed to help society prepare for future crises.Join Kristof in an interview with members of the Engineering Change Lab USA as they explore the future of engineering. 

Engineers can fulfill a vital role in their communities through civic activism, proactive engagement in shaping public policy and leading in the civic realm. This segment of the Ideas Institute will explore the future of civic activism and leadership in the public realm for engineers. It is time for the engineering community to contribute to this re-examination in the spirit of technological and environmental stewardship. Increased leadership from the engineering community is needed to help society prepare for future crises.Join Kristof in an interview with members of the Engineering Change Lab USA as they explore the future of engineering.

Stewardship & The Future of Engineering

In today's episode, we are joined by Keith Simon of BES/Terracon and Dr. Allison Bailes of Energy Vanguard to discuss moisture issues associated with the use of spray foam insulation in attic assemblies. There's a little bit of background information on Joe Lstiburek's article called "Ping Pong Water &amp; The Chemical Engineer" that you'll want to check out if you're trying to better understand where this conversation is coming from, as well as a few other Energy Vanguard articles to help wrap your head around it.We also mention some cool RHT sensors in the show, which you can check out here. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for updates on The Humid Climate Conference 2017 in the new year. Big thanks to Ultra Aire Whole House Dehumidifiers for sponsoring this great conversation.

In today's episode, we are joined by Keith Simon of <a href="http://www.terracon.com/offices/austin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BES/Terracon</a> and Dr. Allison Bailes of <a href="http://www.energyvanguard.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Energy Vanguard</a> to discuss moisture issues associated with the use of spray foam insulation in attic assemblies. There's a little bit of background information on Joe Lstiburek's article called "<a href="https://buildingscience.com/documents/building-science-insights/bsi-016-ping-pong-water-and-chemical-engineer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ping Pong Water &amp; The Chemical Engineer</a>" that you'll want to check out if you're trying to better understand where this conversation is coming from, as well as a few other<a href="http://www.energyvanguard.com/blog-building-science-hers-bpi/high-humidity-in-a-spray-foam-attic-part-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Energy Vanguard articles</a> to help wrap your head around it.We also mention some cool RHT sensors in the show, which you can check out <a href="http://www.onsetcomp.com/products/data-loggers/mx1101" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for updates on <a href="http://www.humidclimateconference.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Humid Climate Conference 2017</a> in the new year. Big thanks to <a href="http://www.ultra-aire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ultra Aire Whole House Dehumidifiers</a> for sponsoring this great conversation.

Humidity, Attics, & Spray Foam, Oh My! 

When we think about building science, we're thinking about systems and the unseen forces that contribute to the success or failure of a building. Some of the largest and most complicated systems and unseen forces in the AEC industry are the contracts that make or break a project. Join Kristof as he interviews construction attorney, Joe Basham, on all things funky and legal in the AEC industry.Joe BashamJoe Basham grew up in Monahans, a small town in West Texas, where he worked in the oil fields in 115 degree weather. He then traveled nearly 500 miles to Texas A&amp;M University, where he graduated, cum laude, with a degree in Construction Science from the College of Architecture and dunked his ring in Shiner Bock.He worked as runner for a big law firm in Austin, and then moved to the high plains where attended Texas Tech School of Law. He graduated in 2002, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, and was the Technology Editor of the Texas Tech Law Review.After law school, Joe joined Allensworth &amp; Porter as an associate, was made a partner in 2007. He has been listed in Texas Super Lawyers from 2005 – 2018, and Best Lawyers 2014 – 2015, and Legal 500. He is now the managing partner at Austin-based construction law firm, Allensworth &amp; Porter, and partners with clients from all facets of the construction industry, including owners, contractors, architects, and engineers to consult on contract negotiations, dispute management and resolution, and litigation and arbitration. Joe focuses on building long-term, strategic relationships with clients who care about working with a lawyer who knows the law, their business, and their industry.Joe is a member of the Rotary Club of Austin, and is on the board of the Austin Chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC). He served on the Rollingwood City Council for 5 years, and was president of the Rollingwood Community Economic Development Corporation. He is married to Karla, and they have two boys, Joe (9) and John (7).Joe can be contacted at (512) 708-1250 and at jrb@aaplaw.com.Big thanks to Aprilaire for their continued and generous support of the podcast! 

When we think about building science, we're thinking about systems and the unseen forces that contribute to the success or failure of a building. Some of the largest and most complicated systems and unseen forces in the AEC industry are the contracts that make or break a project. Join Kristof as he interviews construction attorney, Joe Basham, on all things funky and legal in the AEC industry.Joe BashamJoe Basham grew up in Monahans, a small town in West Texas, where he worked in the oil fields in 115 degree weather. He then traveled nearly 500 miles to Texas A&amp;M University, where he graduated, cum laude, with a degree in Construction Science from the College of Architecture and dunked his ring in Shiner Bock.He worked as runner for a big law firm in Austin, and then moved to the high plains where attended Texas Tech School of Law. He graduated in 2002, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, and was the Technology Editor of the Texas Tech Law Review.After law school, Joe joined Allensworth &amp; Porter as an associate, was made a partner in 2007. He has been listed in Texas Super Lawyers from 2005 – 2018, and Best Lawyers 2014 – 2015, and Legal 500. He is now the managing partner at Austin-based construction law firm, Allensworth &amp; Porter, and partners with clients from all facets of the construction industry, including owners, contractors, architects, and engineers to consult on contract negotiations, dispute management and resolution, and litigation and arbitration. Joe focuses on building long-term, strategic relationships with clients who care about working with a lawyer who knows the law, their business, and their industry.Joe is a member of the Rotary Club of Austin, and is on the board of the Austin Chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC). He served on the Rollingwood City Council for 5 years, and was president of the Rollingwood Community Economic Development Corporation. He is married to Karla, and they have two boys, Joe (9) and John (7).Joe can be contacted at (512) 708-1250 and at <a href="mailto:jrb@aaplaw.com">jrb@aaplaw.com</a>.Big thanks to <a href="http://aprilaire.com/bsp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aprilaire</a> for their continued and generous support of the podcast!

Let's Get Legal-ish

While insulation and airtightness are critical elements of a high performance building, they also can significantly increase the risk of health and moisture failure issues. In addition, if using high "embodied carbon" impact materials then high performance buildings can have a higher net carbon impact by 2050 than conventional buildings. Come join us to learn how to create truly healthy, durable, comfortable, and low carbon impact buildings. Join Kristof as he interviews Lucas Johnson in a discussion about the impacts of insulation material decisions.Lucas is a building scientist who has worked as a builder, utility program manager, enclosure systems consultant, and clean tech venture capital consultant to deliver Zero Net Energy, Passive House, Living Future, and even two of his own standards: SUN Buildings and Active House. Lucas holds a degree in Physicochemical Biology as well as a Master of Environmental Science and Lucas JohnsonEcoEntrepreneurship. His position at 475 is his dream job since he gets to share his experience by collaborating with architects, engineers, and builders to make their projects cost-effective, carbon negative, healthy, durable, and enjoyable.

While insulation and airtightness are critical elements of a high performance building, they also can significantly increase the risk of health and moisture failure issues. In addition, if using high "embodied carbon" impact materials then high performance buildings can have a higher net carbon impact by 2050 than conventional buildings. Come join us to learn how to create truly healthy, durable, comfortable, and low carbon impact buildings. Join Kristof as he interviews Lucas Johnson in a discussion about the impacts of insulation material decisions. Lucas is a building scientist who has worked as a builder, utility program manager, enclosure systems consultant, and clean tech venture capital consultant to deliver Zero Net Energy, Passive House, Living Future, and even two of his own standards: SUN Buildings and Active House. Lucas holds a degree in Physicochemical Biology as well as a Master of Environmental Science and Lucas JohnsonEcoEntrepreneurship. His position at 475 is his dream job since he gets to share his experience by collaborating with architects, engineers, and builders to make their projects cost-effective, carbon negative, healthy, durable, and enjoyable.

The Insulation Decision

Health is the new green - this message is seemingly everywhere these days. It's clear that a shift is underway in the way we think about our homes and buildings. A quality building does more than just use energy efficiently, it needs to provide for the occupants. This means recognizing that our clients will spend their time immersed in the air we create for them and that indoor air is a dominant exposure. Now is the time to get clear on how our homes and buildings relate to health, comfort and well-being and, more importantly, what to do about it. There are myriad known and emerging contaminants that negatively impact occupants. This episode will break this complex and daunting topic down into 5 clear and actionable principles. The 5 Principles Of A Healthy Home: (1) Start with a good enclosure(2) Minimize indoor emissions(3) Keep it dry(4) Effectively capture particles(5) VentilateThis episode will cover each step to make it clear why it matters and, more importantly, how to incorporate the benefits of this succinct  approach into design and delivery decisions. Once understood, these 5 concepts will help design and construction teams make decisions all along the project lifecycle. 

Health is the new green - this message is seemingly everywhere these days. It's clear that a shift is underway in the way we think about our homes and buildings. A quality building does more than just use energy efficiently, it needs to provide for the occupants. This means recognizing that our clients will spend their time immersed in the air we create for them and that indoor air is a dominant exposure. Now is the time to get clear on <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/building-science-blog/2018/6/30/harvard" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">how our homes and buildings relate to health</a>, comfort and well-being and, more importantly, what to do about it. There are myriad known and emerging contaminants that negatively impact occupants. This episode will break this complex and daunting topic down into 5 clear and actionable principles. The 5 Principles Of A Healthy Home: (1) Start with a good enclosure(2) Minimize indoor emissions(3) Keep it dry(4) Effectively capture particles(5) VentilateThis episode will cover each step to make it clear why it matters and, more importantly, how to incorporate the benefits of this succinct  approach into design and delivery decisions. Once understood, these 5 concepts will help design and construction teams make decisions all along the project lifecycle.

5 Principles Of A Healthy Home

Kiel Moe

In this episode, Kristof interviews Kiel Moe of Harvard's GSD about the energy flows and multiple re-thinkings necessary to change the future of construction and design. You may remember reading about Kiel's inspiration to us at Positive Energy in our blog post about the thermally active surface system we installed in our office, compliments of the fine and wonderful people at Messana and SpacePak. This episode is definitely headier than most of ours, so buckle in and be ready to hit pause, rewind, and take notes if you need. We couldn't be more thrilled that he stopped by the office to chat. Kiel MoeKiel is a registered architect and has taught architecture and energy at University of Illinois at Chicago, Syracuse University and Northeastern University. He holds positions as Associate Professor of Architecture &amp; Energy and Co-Director of Master of Design Studies program in Harvard Graduate School of Design.Moe received the B.Arch from the University of Cincinnati, M.Arch from University of Virginia, and a Master in Design and Environmental Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design Advanced Studies Program. Professor Moe's research and pedagogy focuses on an agenda (theories, techniques, and technologies) for energy that is at once more ecologically and architecturally ambitous: Maximum Power Design. A such, he focuses on both buildings as manifestations of large scale energy systems as well as overlooked and discrete thermal parameters in buildings that yet have great impact on the power of a building.Ideas To UnpackMaterial Ecology: coined by Neri Oxman (Architect, Designer, Inventor), focuses on and considers computation, fabrication, and the material itself as inseparable dimensions of design. In this approach, products and buildings are biologically informed and digitally engineered by, with and for, Nature.Energetics Of Urbanization:  deals with the relationship between energy flows, urbanization, and how they relate to economic practices and theories. Learn more about Neil Brenner and his work here.Pedagogy: how we relate to, study, and implement teaching.Planetary Urbanization: thinking about how we urbanize at a planetary level, how that affects resource and energy flows, and how life on the planet is shaped by it. Howard Odum: a brilliant ecologist who had a profound impact on the economic theories of energy flow. He coined the term and developed the theory of emergy, which deals with the embodied energy of any given object or structure.Epistemology: how do we know what we know? Pretty much. Political Economy: the study of production and trade and their relations with law, custom and government as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth.Adrian Bejan:  a brilliant mechanical engineer who first stated the notion of Constructal Law, which is the law of physics that accounts for the phenomenon of evolution (configuration, form, design) throughout nature, inanimate flow systems and animate systems together."For a finite-size system to persist in time (to live), it must evolve in such a way that it provides easier access to the imposed currents that flow through it."-Adrian Bejan, The Constructal LawThe constructal law places the concepts of life, evolution, design and performance in physics, which is in the broadest scientific arena. The constructal law is the law of physics of life and evolution. Forest Ecology: how do you get the wood that you use? Big thanks to the Humid Climate Conference for their generous support of our podcast and to Brittney Spears for the music that's stayed with us all these years.

In this episode, Kristof interviews Kiel Moe of Harvard's GSD about the energy flows and multiple re-thinkings necessary to change the future of construction and design. You may remember reading about Kiel's inspiration to us at Positive Energy in our <a href="https://positiveenergy.pro/building-science-blog/2017/4/24/texas-first-radiant-cooling-heating-system" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blog post</a> about the thermally active surface system we installed in our office, compliments of the fine and wonderful people at <a href="https://radiantcooling.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Messana</a> and <a href="http://spacepak.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SpacePak</a>. This episode is definitely headier than most of ours, so buckle in and be ready to hit pause, rewind, and take notes if you need. We couldn't be more thrilled that he stopped by the office to chat. <h3>Kiel Moe</h3>Kiel is a registered architect and has taught architecture and energy at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Illinois_at_Chicago" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">University of Illinois at Chicago</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syracuse_University" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Syracuse University</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeastern_University" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Northeastern University</a>. He holds positions as Associate Professor of Architecture &amp; Energy and Co-Director of Master of Design Studies program in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Graduate_School_of_Design" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Harvard Graduate School of Design</a>.Moe received the B.Arch from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cincinnati" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">University of Cincinnati</a>, M.Arch from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Virginia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">University of Virginia</a>, and a Master in Design and Environmental Studies from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Graduate_School_of_Design" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Harvard Graduate School of Design</a> Advanced Studies Program. Professor Moe's research and pedagogy focuses on an agenda (theories, techniques, and technologies) for energy that is at once more ecologically and architecturally ambitous: Maximum Power Design. A such, he focuses on both buildings as manifestations of large scale energy systems as well as overlooked and discrete thermal parameters in buildings that yet have great impact on the power of a building.<h3>Ideas To Unpack</h3><a href="http://web.mit.edu/cortiz/www/MaterialEcology.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Material Ecology</a>: coined by <a href="http://www.materialecology.com/neri-oxman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Neri Oxman</a> (Architect, Designer, Inventor), focuses on and considers computation, fabrication, and the material itself as inseparable dimensions of design. In this approach, products and buildings are biologically informed and digitally engineered by, with and for, Nature.<a href="http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/course/energetics-of-urbanization-spring-2018/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Energetics Of Urbanization: </a> deals with the relationship between energy flows, urbanization, and how they relate to economic practices and theories. Learn more about Neil Brenner and his work <a href="http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/person/neil-brenner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedagogy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pedagogy:</a> how we relate to, study, and implement teaching.<a href="http://www.urbantheorylab.net/publications/planetary-urbanization/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Planetary Urbanization:</a> thinking about how we urbanize at a planetary level, how that affects resource and energy flows, and how life on the planet is shaped by it. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_T._Odum" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Howard Odum:</a> a brilliant ecologist who had a profound impact on the economic theories of energy flow. He coined the term and developed the theory of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">emergy</a>, which deals with the embodied energy of any given object or structure.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Epistemology:</a> how do we know what we know? Pretty much. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_economy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Political Economy:</a> the study of production and trade and their relations with law, custom and government as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth.<a href="http://mems.duke.edu/bejan-constructal-law" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adrian Bejan: </a> a brilliant mechanical engineer who first stated the notion of Constructal Law, which is the law of physics that accounts for the phenomenon of evolution (configuration, form, design) throughout nature, inanimate flow systems and animate systems together."For a finite-size system to persist in time (to live), it must evolve in such a way that it provides easier access to the imposed currents that flow through it." -Adrian Bejan, The Constructal LawThe constructal law places the concepts of life, evolution, design and performance in physics, which is in the broadest scientific arena. The constructal law is the law of physics of life and evolution. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_ecology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Forest Ecology: </a>how do you get the wood that you use? Big thanks to the <a href="https://humidclimateconference.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Humid Climate Conference</a> for their generous support of our podcast and to Brittney Spears for the music that's stayed with us all these years.

Forget What You Know About Buildings: An Interview With Kiel Moe

In this episode, Kristof interviews Sean and Ian Harris, the owners of a duct sealing company called Aeroseal of Austin in Austin, TX. You'll hear discussion on why duct sealing is such a crucial component of healthy delivered air and energy performance of mechanical systems.Sean Harris has been developing his interest in residential home construction since participating in a remodel project, certified by Austin Energy’s Green Building Program in 2005. With a degree in business administration, Sean combines his interest in green building and knowledge of business systems. Sean oversees the operations of Positive Energy and including product development, quality control, staffing, and marketing/sales. He is also a certified RESNET energy rater and conducts home performance inspections, energy code tests, ECADS, and HERS ratings.

In this episode, Kristof interviews Sean and Ian Harris, the owners of a duct sealing company called <a href="http://austinductworks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aeroseal of Austin</a> in Austin, TX. You'll hear discussion on why duct sealing is such a crucial component of healthy delivered air and energy performance of mechanical systems.Sean Harris has been developing his interest in residential home construction since participating in a remodel project, certified by Austin Energy’s Green Building Program in 2005. With a degree in business administration, Sean combines his interest in green building and knowledge of business systems. Sean oversees the operations of Positive Energy and including product development, quality control, staffing, and marketing/sales. He is also a certified RESNET energy rater and conducts home performance inspections, energy code tests, ECADS, and HERS ratings.

Ducts & Sealing & Health, Oh My! 

Join Kristof as he interviews Zack Semke and Michael Ingui of Passive House Accelerator on all the great work they’re doing to build community in the building science field.Passive House AcceleratorMissionTogether we can make a difference! We have seen the power of collaboration.The Passive House Community is creative, driven, and Collaborative. Passive House Accelerator has been created to make it easier for others to learn about Passive House, to support the community by allowing them to share ideas and solutions, to continue and expand on the incredible conversations and sessions at conferences, and to allow those who are succeeding in creating beautiful projects and/ or solutions to share their knowledge.Passive House Accelerator aggregates the already fantastic content from existing sites while also creating a new platform for people to share new ideas. This site will hopefully always be a work in progress.One of the keys to the success of Passive House Accelerator is for you to contribute -Create new short or long articlesProvide a short description and a link to an existing article on your own siteShare photos and details — lessons learnedUpload your finished Passive House ProjectsShare an upcoming event on the calendarLinks to sites, people, projects, features and anything else you feel can accelerate Passive House.If you would like to be a contributor please email info@passivehouseaccelerator.comZack Semke (CPHC, LEED AP) is Director of Passive House Accelerator, VP of Marketing with Zola Windows, and owner of Semke Studio, a marketing consultancy for the high performance building industry. Part of Al Gore's Climate Reality Leadership Corps. Zack writes and speaks about the role that buildings can play in accelerating the clean energy transition. He studied human biology, with a focus on human ecology, at Stanford University (BA, ’93). Since then he’s worked as a policy advocate for progressive regional planning, a developer and leader of nonprofit community organizations, a taiko (Japanese drum) musician, and an evangelist for Passive House construction.Michael Ingui is a Partner at Baxt Ingui Architects, located in NYC. Baxt Ingui is a highly collaborative architectural design firm that consists of a number of talented architects and teams, most of which are also Certified Passive House Designers. Michael is active in the Passive House community, speaking at many national and international conferences. The team at Baxt Ingui have extended their collaborative efforts by opening their homes during construction to teach architects, tradespeople, homeowners, and developers to integrate better building techniques.

Join Kristof as he interviews Zack Semke and Michael Ingui of Passive House Accelerator on all the great work they’re doing to build community in the building science field.<a href="https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Passive House Accelerator</a>MissionTogether we can make a difference! We have seen the power of collaboration.The Passive House Community is creative, driven, and Collaborative. Passive House Accelerator has been created to make it easier for others to learn about Passive House, to support the community by allowing them to share ideas and solutions, to continue and expand on the incredible conversations and sessions at conferences, and to allow those who are succeeding in creating beautiful projects and/ or solutions to share their knowledge.Passive House Accelerator aggregates the already fantastic content from existing sites while also creating a new platform for people to share new ideas. This site will hopefully always be a work in progress.One of the keys to the success of Passive House Accelerator is for you to contribute -Create new short or long articlesProvide a short description and a link to an existing article on your own siteShare photos and details — lessons learnedUpload your finished Passive House ProjectsShare an upcoming event on the calendarLinks to sites, people, projects, features and anything else you feel can accelerate Passive House.If you would like to be a contributor please email <a href="mailto:info@passivehouseaccelerator.com">info@passivehouseaccelerator.com</a>Zack Semke (CPHC, LEED AP) is Director of Passive House Accelerator, VP of Marketing with Zola Windows, and owner of Semke Studio, a marketing consultancy for the high performance building industry. Part of Al Gore's Climate Reality Leadership Corps. Zack writes and speaks about the role that buildings can play in accelerating the clean energy transition. He studied human biology, with a focus on human ecology, at Stanford University (BA, ’93). Since then he’s worked as a policy advocate for progressive regional planning, a developer and leader of nonprofit community organizations, a taiko (Japanese drum) musician, and an evangelist for Passive House construction.Michael Ingui is a Partner at<a href="https://www.baxtingui.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Baxt Ingui Architects</a>, located in NYC. Baxt Ingui is a highly collaborative architectural design firm that consists of a number of talented architects and teams, most of which are also Certified Passive House Designers. Michael is active in the Passive House community, speaking at many national and international conferences. The team at Baxt Ingui have extended their collaborative efforts by opening their homes during construction to teach architects, tradespeople, homeowners, and developers to integrate better building techniques.

Passive House Accelerator 

In this first of a two part series on VRF, The Building Science Podcast brings you a compelling argument for why VRF technology matters and will follow up with an episode about how to consider and utilize VRF technology on your projects. Thanks to the generous support of Mitsubishi Electric Cooling &amp; Heating, we're proud to bring you this latest installment of The Building Science Podcast focused on VRF technology and why it's important.

In this first of a two part series on VRF, The Building Science Podcast brings you a compelling argument for why VRF technology matters and will follow up with an episode about how to consider and utilize VRF technology on your projects. Thanks to the generous support of <a href="http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mitsubishi Electric Cooling &amp; Heating</a>, we're proud to bring you this latest installment of The Building Science Podcast focused on VRF technology and why it's important.

Why VRF Matters

As houses get tighter, we know they need to be ventilated (hopefully). But many in the building industry don’t understand ventilation well. We know about the less than ideal ways to do it, like raw fresh air intakes. We’ve heard of ERVs. And it seems like everyone thinks they want them, but nobody understands them or cares enough to actually bring them into a project. Well wonder no more friends. This episode is a two part series and a deep dive into the V in HVAC - demystifying the ventilation paradigm and making ERVs a topic you can wrap your head around after a few listens.Don’t be afraid to rewind. Soak it up. Join Kristof as he interviews Chris Smith of Zehnder America about ERVs, HRVs, and all things ventilation.Chris Smith, Business Development Manager, Zehnder AmericaChris Smith is Business Development Manager for Zehnder America, a high-performance residential ventilation division of the Swiss-based Zehnder Group. Chris's technical inclinations were established as a teenager in his family's CNC machine shop and further developed as a guided-missile launcher technician in the U.S. Navy. He has spent over 15 years in the residential design/build industry as a designer and licensed construction supervisor. He is an NAHB Certified Green Professional and a Certified Passive House Tradesperson. He has designed custom, balanced ventilation systems for hundreds of projects and has personally installed many of them. Chris's professional passion is to help mature the North American building industry's knowledge and application of ventilation systems and promote best practices for healthy Indoor Air Quality.

As houses get tighter, we know they need to be ventilated (hopefully). But many in the building industry don’t understand ventilation well. We know about the less than ideal ways to do it, like raw fresh air intakes. We’ve heard of ERVs. And it seems like everyone thinks they want them, but nobody understands them or cares enough to actually bring them into a project. Well wonder no more friends. This episode is a two part series and a deep dive into the V in HVAC - demystifying the ventilation paradigm and making ERVs a topic you can wrap your head around after a few listens.Don’t be afraid to rewind. Soak it up. Join Kristof as he interviews Chris Smith of Zehnder America about ERVs, HRVs, and all things ventilation.Chris Smith, Business Development Manager, Zehnder AmericaChris Smith is Business Development Manager for Zehnder America, a high-performance residential ventilation division of the Swiss-based Zehnder Group. Chris's technical inclinations were established as a teenager in his family's CNC machine shop and further developed as a guided-missile launcher technician in the U.S. Navy. He has spent over 15 years in the residential design/build industry as a designer and licensed construction supervisor. He is an NAHB Certified Green Professional and a Certified Passive House Tradesperson. He has designed custom, balanced ventilation systems for hundreds of projects and has personally installed many of them. Chris's professional passion is to help mature the North American building industry's knowledge and application of ventilation systems and promote best practices for healthy Indoor Air Quality.

The V In HVAC - Part 1

If you think you don’t need to worry about water heating, think again! In this episode, Kristof interviews John Miles of Sanden Hot Water Heaters live on the AHR Expo floor in Chicago about the future of water heating. Learn why this technology can make a massive impact on the housing and energy sectors. When most people think of a quality water heater (which rarely happens) they think of gas tankless or electric resistive tanked systems. But that's nowhere near the full story. Water heaters are the second highest energy users in most homes and most home owners have never been presented with a good accounting of the available options. Heat pump water based water heating is here to stay and split system water heaters are the next step forward in the evolutionary up-cycle. Add to the equation an incredible refrigerant, CO2, and you've got yourself a high performing, low exergy, and low Global Warming Potential (GWP) water heating unit that could actually change energy consumption at the grid level.Here's the breakdown (these are generalized for simplicity):-Gas Tankless Systems - 90% Efficiency-Electric Resistive Tanked Systems - 95% Efficiency-Conventional Non-Split Heat Pump - 250% Efficient-Split System CO2 Based Heat Pump - 520% EfficientBig thanks to Sanden for supporting the show and for talking with us at AHR and to The Humid Climate Conference for their continued and generous support of our show. 

If you think you don’t need to worry about water heating, think again! In this episode, Kristof interviews John Miles of <a href="https://www.sandenwaterheater.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sanden Hot Water Heaters</a> live on the AHR Expo floor in Chicago about the future of water heating. Learn why this technology can make a massive impact on the housing and energy sectors. When most people think of a quality water heater (which rarely happens) they think of gas tankless or electric resistive tanked systems. But that's nowhere near the full story. Water heaters are the second highest energy users in most homes and most home owners have never been presented with a good accounting of the available options. Heat pump water based water heating is here to stay and split system water heaters are the next step forward in the evolutionary up-cycle. Add to the equation an incredible refrigerant, CO2, and you've got yourself a high performing, low exergy, and low Global Warming Potential (GWP) water heating unit that could actually change energy consumption at the grid level.Here's the breakdown (these are generalized for simplicity):-Gas Tankless Systems - 90% Efficiency-Electric Resistive Tanked Systems - 95% Efficiency-Conventional Non-Split Heat Pump - 250% Efficient-Split System CO2 Based Heat Pump - 520% EfficientBig thanks to <a href="https://www.sandenwaterheater.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sanden</a> for supporting the show and for talking with us at AHR and to <a href="https://humidclimateconference.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Humid Climate Conference</a> for their continued and generous support of our show.

The Future Of Water Heaters Is Here

Special Edition - Just Released. Listen and learn why you don't want to miss this event! Coming up next Friday 10/13/2017 here in Austin. Join Kristof Irwin and guest experts Matt Carlton and Brian Roeder for lively discussion on the surprisingly rich topic of stucco cladding systems. You'll never look at a stucco wall the same way again.Special thanks to UltraAire for their generous support.Symposium Details Hosted by: AIA BEC: Austin &amp; RCI, Central TexasDate &amp; Time: Friday, October 13th, 8:30am-5:30am, registration opens at 8:00amLocation: JJ Pickle Research Center, Commons Conference Center, 10100 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78758Price: Early Bird (unitl 9/15) $150/person, General Admittance (9/16-10/12) $190/person, Day Of (10/13) $225CEUs: 6.5 LU AIA HSW Credits

Special Edition - Just Released. Listen and learn why you don't want to miss this event! Coming up next Friday 10/13/2017 here in Austin. Join Kristof Irwin and guest experts <a href="http://www.wje.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Matt Carlton</a> and <a href="https://pagethink.com/v/people-detail/Brian-D-Roeder/5l/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brian Roeder</a> for lively discussion on the surprisingly rich topic of stucco cladding systems. You'll never look at a stucco wall the same way again.Special thanks to <a href="http://www.ultra-aire.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">UltraAire</a> for their generous support.<h2>Symposium Details </h2>Hosted by: AIA BEC: Austin &amp; RCI, Central Texas Date &amp; Time: Friday, October 13th, 8:30am-5:30am, registration opens at 8:00am Location: JJ Pickle Research Center, Commons Conference Center, <a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=10100+Burnet+Rd,+Austin,+TX+78758&amp;entry=gmail&amp;source=g" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">10100 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78758</a> Price: Early Bird (unitl 9/15) $150/person, General Admittance (9/16-10/12) $190/person, Day Of (10/13) $225 CEUs: 6.5 LU AIA HSW Credits

Stucco - (Much) More Than Meets The Eye

Live from the Texas Society of Architects 2017 Expo and Convention, we're proud to bring you a series of episodes exploring "the multiple dimensions of beauty" through interviews with some phenomenal architects, builders, and consultants. In this episode we interview water engineering expert, Gary Klein of Gary Klein &amp; Associates.Gary KleinGary Klein, President of Gary Klein &amp; Associates has been intimately involved in energy efficiency and renewable energy since 1974. One fifth of his career was spent in the Kingdom of Lesotho, the rest in the United States. Mr. Klein has a passion for hot water: getting into it, getting out of it and efficiently delivering it to meet customers' needs. After serving 19 years with the California Energy Commission, he has provided consulting on sustainability since 2008. Mr. Klein received a BA from Cornell University in 1975 with an Independent Major in Technology and Society with an emphasis on energy conservation and renewable energy.Special thanks to Bautex Systems for their generous support of our live recorded episodes at the 2017 TxA Expo &amp; Convention. Be sure to stop by their website, learn about their innovative product, and say hello for us.

Live from the Texas Society of Architects 2017 Expo and Convention, we're proud to bring you a series of episodes exploring "the multiple dimensions of beauty" through interviews with some phenomenal architects, builders, and consultants. In this episode we interview water engineering expert, Gary Klein of <a href="http://www.garykleinassociates.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gary Klein &amp; Associates</a>.<h3>Gary Klein</h3>Gary Klein, President of Gary Klein &amp; Associates has been intimately involved in energy efficiency and renewable energy since 1974. One fifth of his career was spent in the Kingdom of Lesotho, the rest in the United States. Mr. Klein has a passion for hot water: getting into it, getting out of it and efficiently delivering it to meet customers' needs. After serving 19 years with the California Energy Commission, he has provided consulting on sustainability since 2008. Mr. Klein received a BA from Cornell University in 1975 with an Independent Major in Technology and Society with an emphasis on energy conservation and renewable energy.Special thanks to <a href="http://resources.bautexsystems.com/building-science?/buildingscience" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bautex Systems</a> for their generous support of our live recorded episodes at the 2017 TxA Expo &amp; Convention. Be sure to stop by <a href="http://resources.bautexsystems.com/building-science?/buildingscience" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">their website</a>, learn about their innovative product, and say hello for us.

The Beauty Of Hot Water

Robert Bean

In the continuation of our Indoor Environmental Quality series, Kristof interviews Robert Bean in a 2 part series on thermal comfort. Robert Bean is an industry leading thinker and engineer. We think you're going to love this interview. This episode is sponsored by Ultra-Aire Whole House Ventilating Dehumidifiers

In the continuation of our Indoor Environmental Quality series, Kristof interviews Robert Bean in a 2 part series on thermal comfort. Robert Bean is an industry leading thinker and engineer. We think you're going to love this interview. This episode is sponsored by <a href="http://www.ultra-aire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ultra-Aire Whole House Ventilating Dehumidifiers</a>

IEQ Series - Thermal Comfort With Robert Bean (Part 2)

Live from the Texas Society of Architects 2017 Expo and Convention, we're proud to bring you a series of episodes exploring "the multiple dimensions of beauty" through interviews with some phenomenal architects, builders, and consultants. This episode features an interview with Peter Pfeiffer of Barley Pfeiffer Architecture. Peter L Pfeiffer, FAIAPeter Pfeiffer wears many hats.  He is a LEED accredited professional Architect,  a licensed Interior Designer,  Building Scientist and Property Developer &amp; Manager, who has spent the past 36 years designing and developing pragmatic high performance buildings and homes. EEBA, the national Energy Efficient Building Association, awarded Mr. Pfeiffer the Conference Chair’s Award in 1994 for his career accomplishments pioneering environmentally sensitive architecture.   In 2004 he was one of the first architects in America to be named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects for his life-long commitment to "mainstreaming green building in North America”.  He is a founding principal of Barley | Pfeiffer Architecture, a firm recognized nationally for its pioneering use of environmentally responsive design and construction techniques.  Their work has been published both in the United States and abroad in such diverse venues as the Washington Post, The New York Times,  Fine Homebuilding,   Better Homes &amp; Gardens magazine and on-line where they have been awarded “Best Of Houzz” in the Design and Service categories for two consecutive years.  He has been a guest on National Public Radio, the HG-TV network, as well as on The Discovery Channel and This Old House.The National Association of Home Builders honored him as the “National Green Advocate of the Year” in 2003 for his life-long achievements in “mainstreaming” green building.  Peter has been an active charter member of the NAHB Green Building Subcommittee since its inception in 1999 and has been active in the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes program.  In 2006 Residential Architect cited him as one of the 10 most influential residential architects of past decade.  Recently Peter was nominated for the prestigious Hanley Award for his meaningful efforts to advance green building in America. 

Live from the Texas Society of Architects 2017 Expo and Convention, we're proud to bring you a series of episodes exploring "the multiple dimensions of beauty" through interviews with some phenomenal architects, builders, and consultants. This episode features an interview with Peter Pfeiffer of <a href="http://barleypfeiffer.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Barley Pfeiffer Architecture</a>. <h3>Peter L Pfeiffer, FAIA</h3>Peter Pfeiffer wears many hats.  He is a LEED accredited professional Architect,  a licensed Interior Designer,  Building Scientist and Property Developer &amp; Manager, who has spent the past 36 years designing and developing pragmatic high performance buildings and homes. EEBA, the national Energy Efficient Building Association, awarded Mr. Pfeiffer the Conference Chair’s Award in 1994 for his career accomplishments pioneering environmentally sensitive architecture.   In 2004 he was one of the first architects in America to be named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects for his life-long commitment to "mainstreaming green building in North America”.  He is a founding principal of Barley | Pfeiffer Architecture, a firm recognized nationally for its pioneering use of environmentally responsive design and construction techniques.  Their work has been published both in the United States and abroad in such diverse venues as the Washington Post, The New York Times,  Fine Homebuilding,   Better Homes &amp; Gardens magazine and on-line where they have been awarded “Best Of Houzz” in the Design and Service categories for two consecutive years.  He has been a guest on National Public Radio, the HG-TV network, as well as on The Discovery Channel and This Old House.The National Association of Home Builders honored him as the “National Green Advocate of the Year” in 2003 for his life-long achievements in “mainstreaming” green building.  Peter has been an active charter member of the NAHB Green Building Subcommittee since its inception in 1999 and has been active in the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes program.  In 2006 Residential Architect cited him as one of the 10 most influential residential architects of past decade.  Recently Peter was nominated for the prestigious Hanley Award for his meaningful efforts to advance green building in America.

The Beauty Of Climate Appropriate Design

The perspectives of each team member in construction matter a lot - especially when we're striving to integrate our processes and delivery efforts. One voice that's often missing from the conversation is the voice of the HVAC contractor. So we decided to give a little love to our HVAC contractor compadres and interviewed two of the best in Central Texas. Explore the inner workings of two excellent HVAC contractor's challenges, joys, business realities, and aspirations for the future of the industry. Kristof interviews Patrick Wilks of Wilks Heating &amp; Air in San Antonio, TX and Nacho Moreno of New Results in Austin, TX. The conversation is broad ranging and insightful.Patrick WilksPatrick grew up carrying his father’s tools and learning to serve customers honestly, with the utmost integrity. In 2005 Patrick graduated from Texas A&amp;M University and came home to help in the family business. While honing his skills in air conditioning repair, Patrick has helped grow the business based on the same values his father instilled in him as a young boy. Patrick married his wife, Alicia, in 2010 and has three children, Raeleigh, Mckinley and Luke. As President, he manages the day to day activities at Wilks Air Conditioning &amp; Heating and is dedicated to continuing the tradition of quality service and a strong sense of family.Nacho MorenoIgnacio Moreno grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, moved to Austin in 1996 and now considers himself an Austinite. He got his start in the HVAC business as a part time job while going to college and eventually it became his lifelong career. Nacho, as he is know to all his friends and customers, founded New Results Hvac in 2002 and is directly involved in every job from planning to commissioning. Staying on top of new technology, Treating his customers like family, being honest and constantly pushing his crews to provide the best quality are his top priorities.He is married to his wife Claudia and has 3 boys one of which has started working for him and is quickly learning the trade. Whenever he is not working or building his shipping container house he enjoys learning to use new software suites like Revit which he used to design his house. Having a fascination for technology his hobbies include tinkering in his shop fabricating CNC equipment, home automation gadgets with arduino and raspberry pi boards and occasionally crews a sail boat in Lake Travis regattas.

The perspectives of each team member in construction matter a lot - especially when we're striving to integrate our processes and delivery efforts. One voice that's often missing from the conversation is the voice of the HVAC contractor. So we decided to give a little love to our HVAC contractor compadres and interviewed two of the best in Central Texas. Explore the inner workings of two excellent HVAC contractor's challenges, joys, business realities, and aspirations for the future of the industry. Kristof interviews Patrick Wilks of Wilks Heating &amp; Air in San Antonio, TX and Nacho Moreno of New Results in Austin, TX. The conversation is broad ranging and insightful.Patrick WilksPatrick grew up carrying his father’s tools and learning to serve customers honestly, with the utmost integrity. In 2005 Patrick graduated from Texas A&amp;M University and came home to help in the family business. While honing his skills in air conditioning repair, Patrick has helped grow the business based on the same values his father instilled in him as a young boy. Patrick married his wife, Alicia, in 2010 and has three children, Raeleigh, Mckinley and Luke. As President, he manages the day to day activities at Wilks Air Conditioning &amp; Heating and is dedicated to continuing the tradition of quality service and a strong sense of family.Nacho MorenoIgnacio Moreno grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, moved to Austin in 1996 and now considers himself an Austinite. He got his start in the HVAC business as a part time job while going to college and eventually it became his lifelong career. Nacho, as he is know to all his friends and customers, founded New Results Hvac in 2002 and is directly involved in every job from planning to commissioning. Staying on top of new technology, Treating his customers like family, being honest and constantly pushing his crews to provide the best quality are his top priorities.He is married to his wife Claudia and has 3 boys one of which has started working for him and is quickly learning the trade. Whenever he is not working or building his shipping container house he enjoys learning to use new software suites like Revit which he used to design his house. Having a fascination for technology his hobbies include tinkering in his shop fabricating CNC equipment, home automation gadgets with arduino and raspberry pi boards and occasionally crews a sail boat in Lake Travis regattas.

Inside The Mind Of An HVAC Contractor (Or Two)

Modern building materials are generally feats of engineering marvel - we’ve managed to manufacture countless high performing systems, yet it has often been at the cost of human exposure to harmful chemicals. But it’s not a hopeless situation. There are people who are helping the average consumer understand what’s what. Join Kristof in a wide ranging conversation with Gina Ciganik and William Weber from the Healthy Building Network.Gina CiganikChief Executive OfficerGina has been growing and scaling HBN’s vision since assuming the CEO role in 2016. Previously she served as Senior Advisor for Housing Innovation, establishing and leading the HomeFree initiative, an expansion of HBN’s healthy materials work into the affordable housing sector. Recognized as a national leader in transforming human and environmental health through strategic partnerships, innovative business practices, education, and leading-edge research, Ciganik has a proven track record of creating healthier spaces where we live, work, and play. Prior to HBN, she was Vice President of Housing Development at a Minneapolis-St. Paul area affordable housing development organization, where she spent two decades creating thousands of healthy, affordable homes. Her efforts culminated in the construction of The Rose, a 90-unit apartment building in Minneapolis that set a new national standard for healthy materials.William WeberCollective Impact DirectorBilly oversees the leadership and design of HBN’s communities of practice and educational activities, with a focus on the HomeFree Affordable Housing Initiative. A widely sought and accomplished speaker, technical advisor, and facilitator on innovative projects regionally and nationally, Weber’s work focuses on the integration of sustainability and architecture through applied research, exploring and developing tools to evaluate and compare what are often disparate aesthetic, economic, and environmental goals. Before joining HBN he served in multiple roles over a nearly 20-year stint at the University of Minnesota, including as Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Sustainable Building Research and Lecturer at the School of Architecture. Weber has both a B.A. and M.Arch. from the University of Minnesota.Home Free Website - 9 Product CategoriesHealthy Building NetworkHomeFreeHomeFree ProductsChlorine/PVC ResearchChlorine and Building Materials (A Global Inventory of Production Technologies, Markets, and Pollution Phase 1: Africa, The Americas, and Europe)Antimicrobial ResearchHealthy Environments: Understanding Antimicrobial Ingredients In Building Materials HPD RepositoryHPD Public RepositoryBuilding Science Report - Multivariate Insulation AnalysisMaking Affordable Multifamily Housing More Energy Efficient: A Guide to Healthier Upgrade Materials

Modern building materials are generally feats of engineering marvel - we’ve managed to manufacture countless high performing systems, yet it has often been at the cost of human exposure to harmful chemicals. But it’s not a hopeless situation. There are people who are helping the average consumer understand what’s what. Join Kristof in a wide ranging conversation with Gina Ciganik and William Weber from the Healthy Building Network.Gina CiganikChief Executive OfficerGina has been growing and scaling HBN’s vision since assuming the CEO role in 2016. Previously she served as Senior Advisor for Housing Innovation, establishing and leading the HomeFree initiative, an expansion of HBN’s healthy materials work into the affordable housing sector. Recognized as a national leader in transforming human and environmental health through strategic partnerships, innovative business practices, education, and leading-edge research, Ciganik has a proven track record of creating healthier spaces where we live, work, and play. Prior to HBN, she was Vice President of Housing Development at a Minneapolis-St. Paul area affordable housing development organization, where she spent two decades creating thousands of healthy, affordable homes. Her efforts culminated in the construction of The Rose, a 90-unit apartment building in Minneapolis that set a new national standard for healthy materials.William WeberCollective Impact DirectorBilly oversees the leadership and design of HBN’s communities of practice and educational activities, with a focus on the HomeFree Affordable Housing Initiative. A widely sought and accomplished speaker, technical advisor, and facilitator on innovative projects regionally and nationally, Weber’s work focuses on the integration of sustainability and architecture through applied research, exploring and developing tools to evaluate and compare what are often disparate aesthetic, economic, and environmental goals. Before joining HBN he served in multiple roles over a nearly 20-year stint at the University of Minnesota, including as Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Sustainable Building Research and Lecturer at the School of Architecture. Weber has both a B.A. and M.Arch. from the University of Minnesota.Home Free Website - 9 Product Categories<a href="https://healthybuilding.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthy Building Network</a><a href="https://homefree.healthybuilding.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HomeFree</a><a href="https://homefree.healthybuilding.net/products" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HomeFree Products</a>Chlorine/PVC Research<a href="https://healthybuilding.net/reports/18-chlorine-building-materials-project" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chlorine and Building Materials</a> (A Global Inventory of Production Technologies, Markets, and Pollution Phase 1: Africa, The Americas, and Europe)Antimicrobial Research<a href="https://healthybuilding.net/reports/4-healthy-environments-understanding-antimicrobial-ingredients-in-building-materials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthy Environments: Understanding Antimicrobial Ingredients In Building Materials</a> HPD Repository<a href="https://www.hpd-collaborative.org/hpd-public-repository/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HPD Public Repository</a> Building Science Report - Multivariate Insulation Analysis<a href="https://healthybuilding.net/reports/19-making-affordable-multifamily-housing-more-energy-efficient-a-guide-to-healthier-upgrade-materials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Making Affordable Multifamily Housing More Energy Efficient: A Guide to Healthier Upgrade Materials</a>

There's What In This Building?! 

It's normal these days to pay attention to what we eat. But what about the steady diet of air we breathe and soak ourselves in? The impact of homes on health somehow manages to stay below the radar. Even our language is a bit evasive. Why do we say "sick building syndrome"? The buildings aren't sick, the people are. This episode is a step toward helping this important topic get some long-overdue and much-needed attention. Join us for an interview with Bill Hayward and Carl Grimes that took place at the 2018 IAQA Conference in Chicago, IL. as we discuss the Hayward Healthy Home Score. We hope you enjoy, take the quiz yourself, and share with your friends and families. Learn More About The Hayward Score with this great, informative video.Bill HaywardBill is the founder of Hayward Score as well as the CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer of Hayward, a 95-year-old California lumber and building material supplier. Since 2008, when he, his wife, and their newborn daughter became sick in their “dream home,” Bill has been focused on combining building science and medical science into a compelling strategy to transform home construction so that homes will no longer degrade human health. In addition to his work on Hayward Score, he has also recently assumed the role of Chief Innovations Officer of H3, a subsidiary focused on cutting-edge products that transform the indoor environment.LMB Journal, the leading magazine for the lumber/building material distribution channel, named him Entrepreneur of the Year (2015). In addition, he was named “20 Most Influential Leaders in the Industry” and Hayward was named “Dealer of the Year” for their work in driving sustainability in the industry. On the non-profit side, Bill is currently Chairman Emeritus of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and previously served as Chairman for the 5 years. He received his BS from UCLA and graduated from the Stanford Executive Program.Carl GrimesCarl joined the Hayward Score team in 2013 and brings more than 30 years of professional expertise to identifying and addressing the most critical issues to transform homes to healthy environments that fit individual needs. In addition, he has personally experienced living in unhealthy homes and has a deep understanding of the uncertainty, exhaustion, and skepticism inherent in the struggle that many face – that his home was not a safe and secure “castle,” but was instead contributing to his declining health and sense of well‐being.He is nationally recognized as a professionally accredited Healthy Home Specialist (HHS) and a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC). Since 1987, he has worked nationally as a private consultant guiding people who suffer from unhealthy houses. He has developed action plans and verification methods designed to eliminate health issues in homes. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the national Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) in 2002, and recently served as their President. Carl is now the Vice President of Practice for the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate. Carl has served on, created, and chaired a variety of committees writing industry consensus standards. He has collaborated with leading experts and researchers, analyzing the best approaches for restoring the indoor environment. He has chaired a committee that developed the course, Healthy Home Assessment: Principles and Practice, which is the follow‐on to the Essential Healthy Home Practitioner course by the National Center for Healthy Housing (www.nchh.org).  He is also the author of “Starting Points for a Healthy Habitat,” based on his and his client’s experiences of living in unhealthy homes and speaks both nationally and internationally on topics related to indoor air quality.More InfoSee this powerful video about Bill’s wife’s own story and journey of discovering the impact of indoor air quality on her life and the life of her family. Check out the Breezometer app for outdoor air quality monitoring.  Fun fact, the Foobot outdoor air reference is fueled by the Breezometer data feed. Also be sure to check out Jessica Green’s fascinating Ted Talk on the Indoor Microbiome. She talks about the simple (or complex) fact that our bodies and homes are covered in microbes -- some good for us, some bad for us. As we learn more about the germs and microbes who share our living spaces, TED Fellow Jessica Green asks: Can we design buildings that encourage happy, healthy microbial environments?For an expanded discussion, check out the Ted Blog. 

It's normal these days to pay attention to what we eat. But what about the steady diet of air we breathe and soak ourselves in? The impact of homes on health somehow manages to stay below the radar. Even our language is a bit evasive. Why do we say "sick building syndrome"? The buildings aren't sick, the people are. This episode is a step toward helping this important topic get some long-overdue and much-needed attention. Join us for an interview with <a href="https://haywardscore.com/about/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bill Hayward</a> and <a href="https://haywardscore.com/author/carl-grimes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Carl Grimes</a> that took place at the 2018<a href="http://www.iaqa.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> IAQA Conference</a> in Chicago, IL. as we discuss the Hayward Healthy Home Score. We hope you enjoy, take the quiz yourself, and share with your friends and families. <a href="https://haywardscore.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learn More About The Hayward Score</a> with this great, informative <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec7AbvJXrZg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video</a>.Bill HaywardBill is the founder of Hayward Score as well as the CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer of <a href="http://haywardlumber.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hayward,</a> a 95-year-old California lumber and building material supplier. Since 2008, when he, his wife, and their newborn daughter became sick in their “dream home,” Bill has been focused on combining building science and medical science into a compelling strategy to transform home construction so that homes will no longer degrade human health. In addition to his work on Hayward Score, he has also recently assumed the role of Chief Innovations Officer of H3, a subsidiary focused on cutting-edge products that transform the indoor environment.LMB Journal, the leading magazine for the lumber/building material distribution channel, named him Entrepreneur of the Year (2015). In addition, he was named “20 Most Influential Leaders in the Industry” and Hayward was named “Dealer of the Year” for their work in driving sustainability in the industry. On the non-profit side, Bill is currently Chairman Emeritus of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and previously served as Chairman for the 5 years. He received his BS from UCLA and graduated from the Stanford Executive Program.Carl GrimesCarl joined the Hayward Score team in 2013 and brings more than 30 years of professional expertise to identifying and addressing the most critical issues to transform homes to healthy environments that fit individual needs. In addition, he has personally experienced living in unhealthy homes and has a deep understanding of the uncertainty, exhaustion, and skepticism inherent in the struggle that many face – that his home was not a safe and secure “castle,” but was instead contributing to his declining health and sense of well‐being.He is nationally recognized as a professionally accredited Healthy Home Specialist (HHS) and a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC). Since 1987, he has worked nationally as a private consultant guiding people who suffer from unhealthy houses. He has developed action plans and verification methods designed to eliminate health issues in homes. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the national Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) in 2002, and recently served as their President. Carl is now the Vice President of Practice for the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate. Carl has served on, created, and chaired a variety of committees writing industry consensus standards. He has collaborated with leading experts and researchers, analyzing the best approaches for restoring the indoor environment. He has chaired a committee that developed the course, Healthy Home Assessment: Principles and Practice, which is the follow‐on to the Essential Healthy Home Practitioner course by the National Center for Healthy Housing (<a href="http://www.nchh.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.nchh.org</a>).  He is also the author of “Starting Points for a Healthy Habitat,” based on his and his client’s experiences of living in unhealthy homes and speaks both nationally and internationally on topics related to indoor air quality.More InfoSee this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEz2s1G-384" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">powerful video</a> about Bill’s wife’s own story and journey of discovering the impact of indoor air quality on her life and the life of her family. Check out <a href="https://breezometer.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Breezometer app</a> for outdoor air quality monitoring.  Fun fact, the Foobot outdoor air reference is fueled by the Breezometer data feed. Also be sure to check out Jessica Green’s fascinating <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/jessica_green_good_germs_make_healthy_buildings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ted Talk</a> on the Indoor Microbiome. She talks about the simple (or complex) fact that our bodies and homes are covered in microbes -- some good for us, some bad for us. As we learn more about the germs and microbes who share our living spaces, TED Fellow Jessica Green asks: Can we design buildings that encourage happy, healthy microbial environments?For an expanded discussion, check out the <a href="https://ideas.ted.com/its-all-around-us-three-scientists-on-how-the-microbiome-shapes-our-world/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ted Blog</a>.

Our Homes, Our Health

How good should the building envelope be? How much energy should a building use? Finding answers require putting the building in context with the complex, interconnected, global networks of materials and resource flows in which they exist. Join Kristof for a wide ranging and slightly geeky discussion w Dr William Braham on systems ecology, exergy, emergy, and why a climax forest is a model for power and efficiency. Dr. William W. Braham FAIA is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as Chair from 2008 to 2011 and is currently Director of the Master of Environmental Building Design and Director of the TC Chan Center for Building Simulation and Energy Studies. He received an engineering degree from Princeton University and an M. Arch. and Ph.D. Arch. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he has taught since 1988. At Penn, he teaches graduate courses on ecology, technology, and design. At the Chan Center, his most recent projects have been the Sustainability Plan, Carbon Footprint, and Carbon Reduction Action Plan for the University of Pennsylvania.See more of Dr. Braham's work on his website.

How good should the building envelope be? How much energy should a building use? Finding answers require putting the building in context with the complex, interconnected, global networks of materials and resource flows in which they exist. Join Kristof for a wide ranging and slightly geeky discussion w Dr William Braham on systems ecology, exergy, emergy, and why a climax forest is a model for power and efficiency. <a href="https://www.design.upenn.edu/architecture/graduate/people/william-w-braham" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dr. William W. Braham FAIA</a> is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as Chair from 2008 to 2011 and is currently Director of the Master of Environmental Building Design and Director of the TC Chan Center for Building Simulation and Energy Studies. He received an engineering degree from Princeton University and an M. Arch. and Ph.D. Arch. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he has taught since 1988. At Penn, he teaches graduate courses on ecology, technology, and design. At the Chan Center, his most recent projects have been the Sustainability Plan, Carbon Footprint, and Carbon Reduction Action Plan for the University of Pennsylvania.See more of Dr. Braham's work on his <a href="http://williambraham.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>.

Efficiency Is Not Enough - The Science Of Sustainability

Put on your microbiology hats, folks. This episode of The Building Science podcast will dive into the great unseen world of microorganisms all around us inside our buildings down to the level of the ecosystems that grow on our HVAC coils. We're truly at a time when the health sciences and the building sciences are becoming more closely related than ever before and the future is a weird, wonderful world of intersectional and interdisciplinary scientific inquiry. Join us as Kristof interviews, Graeme Marsh about the weirdness of biofilms that you can't even see right before your very eyes. Graeme Marsh is the Managing Director of Z Bioscience and has somewhat of a polymathic career path. He spent 20 years working for global investment banks in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK, going on to found Future Business Concepts, Inc. in 1998; helping companies with Business Development, Product and Sales Strategy, Financing and Re-Structuring.  The initial focus was on the Internet. His firm was involved in the creation of the JV between Melbourne IT and NeuStar that successfully established the .biz generic Top Level Domain. More recently Graeme assisted a client in the million dollar plus sale of its IP / Patent portfolio, and is currently assisting with a "Next Generation" data encryption firm, and a new Project Management system provider that goes beyond the Agile approach.He has also worked with firms in the Oil &amp; Gas sector, focusing on environmental projects including air and water remediation, as well as New Materials, especially in the concrete space, Manufacturing Technologies, and Corrosion Prevention.His firm expanded its work with clients that focus on Environmental related areas, including companies that have a range of revolutionary Certified Green cleaning products (many of which are also Organic) that are having a profound impact on the bottom line in multiple industries, including HVAC applications (improved system energy performance and IAQ), Agriculture (Poultry, Hogs &amp; Dairy), and All Purpose Cleaning (Assisted Living, Schools, Healthcare, General Janitorial and Retail).From 2002 to 2006 Graeme was on the Board of The Japan Pragmatist Fund, a Japanese hedge fund specializing in small to medium capitalized companies. It closed in Dec 2006 and all investors received their initial capital back plus above market returns. Graeme is also serving on the Board of number of other ventures. Z BioScienceEmail GraemeSpecial thanks to The Humid Climate Conference for their generous and continued support for the show. If you haven't got tickets for this May's conference, they're nearly sold out! 

Put on your microbiology hats, folks. This episode of The Building Science podcast will dive into the great unseen world of microorganisms all around us inside our buildings down to the level of the ecosystems that grow on our HVAC coils. We're truly at a time when the health sciences and the building sciences are becoming more closely related than ever before and the future is a weird, wonderful world of intersectional and interdisciplinary scientific inquiry. Join us as Kristof interviews, Graeme Marsh about the weirdness of biofilms that you can't even see right before your very eyes. Graeme Marsh is the Managing Director of Z Bioscience and has somewhat of a polymathic career path. He spent 20 years working for global investment banks in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK, going on to found Future Business Concepts, Inc. in 1998; helping companies with Business Development, Product and Sales Strategy, Financing and Re-Structuring.   The initial focus was on the Internet. His firm was involved in the creation of the JV between Melbourne IT and NeuStar that successfully established the .biz generic Top Level Domain. More recently Graeme assisted a client in the million dollar plus sale of its IP / Patent portfolio, and is currently assisting with a "Next Generation" data encryption firm, and a new Project Management system provider that goes beyond the Agile approach. He has also worked with firms in the Oil &amp; Gas sector, focusing on environmental projects including air and water remediation, as well as New Materials, especially in the concrete space, Manufacturing Technologies, and Corrosion Prevention. His firm expanded its work with clients that focus on Environmental related areas, including companies that have a range of revolutionary Certified Green cleaning products (many of which are also Organic) that are having a profound impact on the bottom line in multiple industries, including HVAC applications (improved system energy performance and IAQ), Agriculture (Poultry, Hogs &amp; Dairy), and All Purpose Cleaning (Assisted Living, Schools, Healthcare, General Janitorial and Retail). From 2002 to 2006 Graeme was on the Board of The Japan Pragmatist Fund, a Japanese hedge fund specializing in small to medium capitalized companies. It closed in Dec 2006 and all investors received their initial capital back plus above market returns. Graeme is also serving on the Board of number of other ventures. <h3><a href="http://www.zbioscience.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Z BioScience</a></h3><a href="http://gmarsh@zbioscience.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Email Graeme</a>Special thanks to <a href="https://humidclimateconference.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Humid Climate Conference</a> for their generous and continued support for the show. If you haven't got tickets for this May's conference, they're nearly sold out!

Architectural Yogurt

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