The Retrofit Podcast

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Sean Armstrong, founder and principal of Redwood Energy. Ryan and Sean talk all about energy, including developing multi-family net zero projects as well as energy retrofits on a budget, keeping things affordable, and electrofits.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Alan Howze, who's undertaken a whole house retrofit on his own home in the midwest. Ryan and Alan discuss his experience balancing energy needs, comfort, trying to find the right contractors to work with, and all of the other surprises you find when renovating old houses.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Gary Klein, who provides consulting on sustainability with a particular emphasis on hot water. Gary and Ryan go deep on residential plumbing, hot water delivery, good showers, and more.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Lloyd Alter, Green Building Advisor columnist and author of Living the 1.5 Degree Lifestyle. He's been an architect, real estate developer, and prefab entrepreneur, and he's currently working on a new book titled Carbon Upfront!, teaching sustainable design at Toronto Metropolitan University, and writing frequently on Substack. Lloyd and Ryan dive deep into carbon, retrofits, and so much more.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Stephen Aiguier, founder of Green Hammer. His design-build firm is committed to proving that healthy, carbon-free buildings are the best choice — for a healthy planet, healthy people and a healthy bottom line. In this episode, Ryan and Stephen dive into retrofitting old houses, wood windows, tape, and so much more.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Ashley Murphree, co-owner of Good Bones Design Build in California. They dive deep into her background as a mechanical engineer, retrofit projects, and her experience living off-grid in a shipping container, as well as how to discuss high-performance homes with clients.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Graham Wright from Phius, the organization that certifies passive house projects in the United States. He is the Senior Scientist & Chair of the Phius Technical Committee. They talk all about passive houses and the development of the passive retrofit standard.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Rachel White, CEO of Byggmeister. After hiring Byggmeister to reduce her own home's energy footprint, she found her own life's work. She started as a consultant developing standards for water and energy use as well as indoor air quality, and eventually joining Byggmeister working in marketing and project management before becoming CEO. They talk all about updating existing homes, heat pumps, and the challenges of helping homeowners (and homes) lower their carbon footprints.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Dan Kolbert, owner of Kolbert Building, where he focuses on good design and controlling heat, weather, moisture, and drafts to craft homes that'll last generations. He's also a co-author of the Pretty Good House book and a proponent of BS + Beer. Ryan and Dan get into why it's important to monitor your projects, preferred wall assemblies, problems with heat pumps, retrofitting HRVs, and so much more.

In this episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan talks with Allison Bailes, owner of Energy Vanguard, a company focused on teaching, HVAC design services, and consulting. You'll also recognize him from his regular posts at Green Building Advisor, the Energy Vanguard Blog, speaking at events, and his wonderful book A House Needs to Breathe ... Or Does It? Ryan and Allison get into the specifics of Allison's own house, the importance of climate zones, running ductwork in conditioned spaces, and so much more.

In this inaugural episode of the Retrofit Podcast, host Ryan Shanahan gives you a bit of background on how he got into the world of high-performance building and net-zero energy retrofits. Then, he talks with Josh Salinger, owner of Birdsmouth Design-Build in Portland, OR, about the built environment's impact on climate change, building high-performance homes, and how helping existing homes lower their carbon footprints is a very necessary part of the battle in slowing climate change.