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Bob Garner is very frustrated – he believes the short-term rental industry is failing to embrace sustainability.Bob's urging major players in the sector to take action – because the climate emergency is not someone else's problem.In today's Host Planet Podcast, hear why Bob's EnviroRental platform might not survive unless the industry steps up.There are sponsor mentions for Hosthub and Search and Stay during the episode, plus shout-outs for Abode Worldwide and Justine Ireland.Key takeaways:• STR businesses are not taking sustainability seriously, while some brands are greenwashing.• Hosts and property managers are failing to understand that going green can save money.• Compliments without action for EnviroRental mean nothing – and will not drive the industry forwards.1:03 STR businesses are failing to take sustainability seriously3:06 EnviroRental needs support7:23 The STR industry is not acting on green issues9:40 Some STR brands are ‘greenwashing'12:29 We need industry leaders to step up15:31 Going green can make you money18:47 What every host should be doing21:43 There's a climate emergency27:27 Favourite brand: Abode Worldwide28:04 Individual shout-out: Justine Ireland28:56 Compliments without action mean nothingSponsors: Hosthub: https://www.hosthub.com/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=HCHSearch and Stay: https://www.searchandstay.com/ Links: Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/Bob Garner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-garner-%E2%93%A5%F0%9F%8C%B3-75a73727/EnviroRental: https://envirorental.earth/Episode to check next:More pain for holiday let hosts! Tax changes, registration, and now mandatory EPCs?: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4D2cVPGlCoumGM3Zek1SziThe Host Planet Podcast is presented by James Varley, a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club#HostPlanet #HostPlanetPodcast #HostPlanetBitesize #ShortTermRentals #VacationRentals #HolidayLets #Airbnb #BookDirect #PropertyManagement #PropertyInvestment #BookingCom #Vrbo #BobGarner #EnviroRental #Greenwashing
Tax changes, fire regulations, statutory registration, and now EPCs – is there anything else the UK government can throw at holiday let owners?Alistair Handyside from PASC UK is the special guest on today's Host Planet Podcast – and his message for our politicians is simple: gather the data before implementing policy.Listen in to hear about lobbying efforts, what owners can do to help the cause, and why people are dropping out of the sector.There are sponsor mentions for Hosthub and Zeal Tax, plus shout-outs for Key Data, Sally Henry, and Robert Kennedy.Key takeaways:• EPC lobbying efforts are continuing – but hosts could still be stung with a £15,000 bill to make their holiday lets more energy efficient.• Statutory registration is coming – owners will need to provide safety certificates.• The government needs to gather the data before formulating policy.1:05 Is the government listening to the self-catering sector?3:58 EPC lobbying efforts 9:49 Hosts might need to fork out £15,000 per property!13:52 What statutory registration will look like18:55 Fire regulations 23:04 Hamsters on a wheel25:38 Message for Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves29:25 Some operators are giving up30:58 AI might not be the answer to everything 34:06 Favourite brand: Key Data34:47 Individual shout-out: Robert Kennedy35:48 Check your listings!Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/Alistair Handyside: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistair-handyside-mbe-4170b216/PASC UK: https://www.pascuk.co.uk/Episode to check next: Holiday let owners are giving up – and this is why: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1rQ28eQzyisO37M68PbWngThe Host Planet Podcast is presented by James Varley, a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club#HostPlanet #HostPlanetPodcast #HostPlanetBitesize #ShortTermRentals #VacationRentals #HolidayLets #Airbnb #BookDirect #PropertyManagement #PropertyInvestment #BookingCom #Vrbo #PASCUK #SelfCatering #EPC #NetZero
This episode is a window into the consumer side of domestic retrofit that's full of lessons for everyone involved in the retrofit sector. We speak with retrofit influencer Judith Leary Joyce about the experience of undergoing a deep retrofit and learning how to communicate about the subject with normal people. She talks us through her journey from building an extension during the pandemic to getting deep into retrofit and eventually becoming an unlikely retrofit influencer.Whether you work in a domestic, commercial, or industrial setting the nature and needs of normal people will remain the same, so this is an episode full of lessons and insights for anyone for anyone involved in domestic retrofit about:- how to speak with normal people- how to learn how to do better (TLDR: listen to yourself, or get someone to listen to you to check whether you're baffling your customers)- how to think about their needs and understand their perspectives- how to inspire them and inform them better prior to a projectShe's also got some fascinating insights about when people are likely to be able or willing to listen to someone talking about building performance and taking on new ideasNotes from the showJudith on LinkedInJudith on InstagramJudith on FacebookJudith on TwitterJudith on LinktreeJudith's Eco Renovation Home websiteBeginner's Guide to Eco Renovation: Understand the Basics and the Best Questions to Ask by Judith Leary Joyce (I couldn't find a properly independent bookshop stocking it)**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Today's episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague welcomes back Chris Lettman, US Sales Director for Imperial Star Solar, to dive deep into the world of domestic content in solar panel manufacturing. As the US approaches 50 gigawatts of solar panel manufacturing capacity, Chris brings his 16+ years of industry experience to clarify the often misunderstood requirements for domestic content qualification.Chris explains the critical distinction between modules assembled in the US versus those that truly qualify for the 10% ITC domestic content adder, which requires US-manufactured solar cells. With only about 5 gigawatts of the current 50 gigawatts of panel manufacturing capacity using domestically produced cells, Chris cautions developers and EPCs to thoroughly vet manufacturers' claims about domestic content eligibility.The conversation explores Imperial Star Solar's 2-gigawatt manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, their partnership with Suniva for solar cells, and their commitment to transparency regarding domestic content verification. Chris shares insights from his recent experience at the Solar and Wind Finance Conference in Phoenix, noting the growing brand recognition of Imperial Star in the US market.Tim and Chris also discuss the broader implications of reshoring solar manufacturing, including job creation, tax revenue, and supply chain security. They address how the current political climate affects the solar manufacturing renaissance spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act, emphasizing the importance of continued good industrial policy to support American manufacturing.Whether you're a solar developer navigating ITC requirements, an EPC looking to source domestically manufactured panels, or simply interested in the future of American clean energy manufacturing, this episode offers valuable insights you won't want to miss. Listen now to understand the complexities and opportunities in US solar panel manufacturing.Connect WithChris LettmanImperial Star Solar Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
In today's episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with LinkedIn marketing expert Jacob Lundy to unveil powerful strategies for clean energy professionals looking to maximize their B2B marketing efforts on LinkedIn. As the premier platform for business-to-business connections, LinkedIn offers unique opportunities for renewable energy companies to reach decision-makers and build meaningful relationships that convert to business.Jacob Lundy, a 10-year veteran of marketing with a focus on clean energy and founder of MarkEttergy, shares his expertise as LinkedIn's inaugural advanced advertiser for the LinkedIn Ads Show's fanatics program. Throughout this value-packed conversation, Jacob breaks down six proven LinkedIn growth hacks specifically tailored for renewable energy professionals, from developers and EPCs to OEMs and consultants.Episode Highlights:LinkedIn's B2B Marketing Power: Why LinkedIn is the essential platform for clean energy professionals and how it differs from consumer-focused platformsLinkedIn Follower Tokens: How to effectively use your 250 monthly tokens to grow your company page following with targeted industry connectionsManual Bidding Strategy: How switching from automated to manual bidding can save thousands in advertising costs while maintaining effectivenessText Ads Optimization: Leveraging text ads as "digital billboards" for consistent brand awareness with renewable energy decision-makersDocument Ads for Engagement: Using document carousel ads to tell your brand story and build trust before prospects click through to your websiteList Building for Renewable Energy: Creating targeted company lists with 100% accuracy to eliminate wasted ad spend on irrelevant audiencesEmployee Targeting Strategy: How to effectively reach decision-makers by segmenting companies by employee size and job functionsInMail Strategy: Best practices for connection requests and InMail messaging to increase response ratesListen now to discover how these LinkedIn growth hacks can help your clean energy business connect with the right audience and drive meaningful business results.#CleanEnergy #LinkedInMarketing #RenewableEnergy #B2BMarketing #SolarMarketing #CleanPowerHour #GrowthHacks #LinkedInAds #CleanTech Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
Returning champions Richard O'Hegarty and Oliver Kinnane join us to discuss a recently co-authored paper: Understanding the embodied carbon credentials of modern methods of construction (MMC).Get ready for a long meandering discussion that gets into what they learned and what they think about accounting practices for embodied carbon, as well as plenty of chatter about MMC and why we hate the term (but not what it is).Notes from the showRichard O'Hegarty on LinkedInOliver Kinnane on LinkedInA link to Richard's post about the paper and a link to Jeff's comment The paper itself: Understanding the embodied carbon credentials of modern methods of construction Their UCD webpage That Compromised insulation paper (**warning, sadly paywalled but check it if you can**)RKD's website The RKD and Hibernia Real Estate-produced paper: Understanding Net Zero Commercial Real Estate ZAP 8 May 2023: How should we calculate carbon and how long should a building last? With Dr Oliver Kinnane and Dr Richard O'Hegarty of University College Dublin ZAP 1 May 2023: MMC is value engineering that should benefit everyone, with Emma Elston and Amandeep Singh Kalra of Be First Regeneration**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
For this episode we were joined by Nathan Gambling. For those that are new to him, he's heating engineer of some repute, a renowned educator, and a fellow podcaster. The episode revolves around the nature of education and learning, the skills gap—specifically focusing on heat pump and retrofit education—and a post that Nathan put up a few weeks ago about an educational experiment he tried out that led to us thinking about the purpose of education.In essence, the episode is about how people learn and how this should shape our approach to meeting the skills gap. Nathan is a great communicator and you should check his podcast.Notes from the showNathan Gambling on LinkedInBetaTalk - The Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating PodcastNathan's recent LinkedIn post about his teaching experiment Nathan's old LinkedIn repost about that weird arrangement of radiators That Gatsby report we talk about: Closing the Retrofit GapBetaTalk episode: How boiler engineers transition to heat pumps**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Brian Nelson, ABB's Renewables Segment Leader in the United States, sits down with CleanTechnica's Scott Cooney to discuss the ins and outs of innovation accelerating the solar economy, the timeline for the next leap forward, and what it means for end-users, utilities, developers, and EPCs.
Brian Nelson, ABB's Renewables Segment Leader in the United States, sits down with CleanTechnica's Scott Cooney to discuss the ins and outs of innovation accelerating the solar economy, the timeline for the next leap forward, and what it means for end-users, utilities, developers, and EPCs.
There are billions of square feet of commercial rooftops in the U.S. that should have solar—but don't. Why? Because financing these projects has been nearly impossible… until now. For years, the thousands of unrated businesses, nonprofits, and local institutions that want to go solar are stymied by one primary roadblock - financing. One developer is finally unlocking commercial solar for the long tail of the market, and we're here to share exactly how.Claire Broido Johnson (Sunrock DG) and Josh Goldberg (Sunstone Credit) have “cracked the code on commercial solar”, giving small businesses and nonprofits access to solar PPAs and loans through an empowered network of hundreds of local solar businesses.Today we explore:
In today's episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague speaks with Parker Schram, the founder of EnergyScape Renewables, a company aiming to revolutionize the solar industry by offering an all-in-one ecosystem for solar enterprises. Parker shares his journey from renewable engineering to building a company that handles everything from site surveys and sales proposals to engineering, design, and even permitting.EnergyScape's vision is to allow EPCs and solar installers to focus on sales and installations while they take care of all the behind-the-scenes business operations. Parker dives into the services they offer, including site surveys, CRM software, project management tools, plan sets, structural and electrical engineering, interconnection, permitting, and utility application processes. With a presence in all states, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, EnergyScape is equipped to support solar projects nationwide.Parker discusses the benefits of outsourcing versus scaling in-house, highlighting the cost savings and access to specialized expertise that EnergyScape provides. He also addresses common issues EPCs face and how EnergyScape's solutions can help streamline operations and avoid bottlenecks. Whether you're a seasoned solar professional or new to the industry, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of solar project management and the potential of comprehensive service platforms.Tune in to learn how EnergyScape Renewables is transforming the solar landscape and how their innovative approach can benefit your solar business. Don't miss this opportunity to discover the power of an all-in-one ecosystem for solar enterprises!Social MediaParker SchramEnergyScape Renewables Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
This time around we're talking about the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS) with three of its architects: Jess Hrivnak (RIBA), Jane Anderson (ConstructionLCA), and Julie Jodefroy (CIBSE).The UKNZCBS is the first cross-industry standard for net zero carbon-aligned buildings, albeit in a pilot form. The standard has been developed to enable stakeholders to prove whether a building aligns with the UK's carbon and energy budgets by providing a single, agreed methodology for defining what ‘net zero carbon' means for buildings in the UK.This probably won't be the only episode we'll produce on the subject and we'll be watching its progress with great interest. Notes from the showThe UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard websiteThe UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard on LinkedInJess Hrivnak on LinkedInJane Anderson on LinkedIn Julie Godefroy on LinkedInA Passive House Plus article about UKNZCBSA story about the greenest Sainsbury's ever**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Should Estate Agents Be Worried About the New EPC Rules? Suzanne Smith, lawyer turned landlord, and the person behind The Independent Landlord, joins us to break down the upcoming changes to EPC regulations in 2026 and what they mean for estate agents, letting agents, and landlords across the UK. In this episode, Suzanne explains why the new EPC rules could pose a real challenge for landlords who aren't prepared. With tougher standards on energy efficiency and higher compliance costs, these changes could impact landlords' ability to let properties. The new EPC system will place more emphasis on the fabric of the building, rather than just heating costs. The minimum rating for rental properties is set to rise from an "E" to a "C" under the new rules, meaning properties that don't meet the new standards may no longer be let. Suzanne highlights the importance of renewing your EPCs before the changes come into effect to ensure your properties are compliant and avoid potential penalties. There's also talk of grants and funding available to help landlords with the necessary upgrades, if tenants meet the right criteria. Don't leave it until the last minute, listen now to get the full lowdown on what you need to do now to stay ahead of these changes. Share your thoughts in the comments, and let's ensure we're all ready for 2026.
Send us a textIn this episode of the HCH Mortgage Podcast, host James Varley chats with Samantha Turmaine from HCH Financial Services about why property investors are heading north.James and Sam also discuss interest rates, inflation, and EPCs – with news that holiday let properties look set to be mandated to achieve minimum standards of energy efficiency in a similar way to long-term rentals.Subscribe for more expert advice on mortgages, short-term rentals, and property investment. 2:10 Northern powerhouse4:26 Interest rates and inflation5:26 Some mortgage rates are up; some are down!6:54 Lock in the best rate as early as possible7:30 EPCs9:32 Going from E to C by 203011:30 The best rates on the market12:57 Thank you, Sam!Links: Register for Your Air Success (free event for short-term rental hosts, property managers, and industry professionals) on Friday 4 April in London: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/yourairsuccessHCH Financial Services: https://www.hchfs.com/Call: 0333 1234 536Email: advice@hchfs.comSamantha Turmaine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-turmaine-mlibf-cemap-cerer-97a1b298/PASC UK: https://www.pascuk.co.uk/ASSC: https://www.assc.co.uk/Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/Free downloads:The Ultimate Guide to Short-Term Rentals: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/2024-e-bookGuest Communication 101 for Direct Bookings: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitableDirect Booking Checklist: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitableHow to Navigate London's 90-Day Short-Term Rentals Limit: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/your-airhostContact the show: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact
In this episode I discuss the latest consultation launched by the Government on 7th Feb 2025 on 'Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes'. This is in conjunction with the previous consultation about the way EPCs are to be assessed. This is the 'Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime' consultation. It's good to see that HMOs are mentioned in each document (in other words the Government are aware that we exist)! The only problem is that it could cause huge upset again to the sector. Combining this with the Renters Rights Bill, I think we will see more landlords exit the market and others finding that the upgrades are not possible to achieve. I'd love your opinions though! ============================ For more information, guidance and support to help you invest in HMOs and create a profitable property portfolio, please head on over to my website www.hmosuccess.co.uk You'll find some free downloads to learn about HMOs as a high cashflowing strategy and how you can get started with very little money. If you want to learn more about my amazing tips which I compiled in my book '101 Essential Tips for Running a Professional HMO' you can get your own copy FREE (Just pay postage and packing) www.101essentialtips.co.uk For a FREE 30 minute call for any help you might need with HMOs, and to understand what I can offer you to help you progress your portfolio, please book a call here. I look forward to hearing from you! Wendy
Last year the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) released its residential retrofit standard. Given that they're one of the construction industry's oldest, largest, and most influential institutions this felt significant.Importantly, the RICS organisation has a global footprint, so it has the potential to influence good behaviour far and wide. We're also hopeful in light of the success of the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment standard. That is in terms of its apparent impact, adoption, and reach.In order to get into the subject a bit more we invited Paul Bagust (Head of Property Standards), Steven Lees (Senior Specialist - Residential Survey), and Robert Toomey (Senior Public Affairs Officer) to join us to talk about the standard and the impact they want to see it have.Notes from the showPaul Bagust on LinkedInSteven Lees on LinkedIn Robert Toomey on LinkedInThe old Passive House Plus article about the Preston retrofit catastrophe that Jeff mentionsThe RICS consumer guide to energy will be here once it's published (one for the listeners of the future) The website for Scotland's Green Home Festival – details for 2025 are incoming**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Can we address the decarbonisation of homes by focusing on health? That's the mission that Jenny Danson has set for herself in establishing Healthy Homes Hub, and it's a question that manages to subvert Betteridge's Law of headlines, too. Healthy Homes Hub is a network, built around an online platform, that's dedicated to transforming the way people experience social housing, and its environmental impact, by creating healthier housing environments. Comprising a series of eight dedicated hubs that cover everything from policy and finance, to retrofit and air quality, the platform enable easy access to important information, insights, and thought leadership.Jenny has over 25 years of experience in social housing, as a supplier and client-side, driving innovation, delivery and improving lives so she knows what she's talking about.The project was borne of a frustration with seeing time and effort wasted as people across the sector carry out the same kinds of work, repeatedly, starting from scratch when they could share resources and pool experience. In a sector where capacity is in short supply this time could be easily put to better use.We talk through the challenges faced by the sector and how a focus on people and health can be used to drive us towards delivering on decarbonisation targets, but train our attention on outcomes for the people living in the 'building assets' not just the performance of the fabric and technology that comprises their home.While it's explicitly aimed at the social housing sector, the platform offers a wealth of information resources and sharing of experience that could be useful far beyond the provision of social housing.Notes from the showThe Healthy Homes Hub websiteJenny on LinkedIn Healthy Homes Hub on LinkedInOperational excellence in social housing - a roundtable readout Those ventilation papers that Jeff mentionedVentilation and Indoor Air Quality in Part F 2006 Homes (BD 2702) by S. McKay, D. Ross, I. Mawditt, and S. Kirk (2010)Occupant Interactions and Effectiveness of Natural Ventilation Strategies in Contemporary New Housing in Scotland, UK by Tim Sharpe, Paul Farren, Stirling Howieson, Paul Tuohy, Jonathan McQuillan**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Today on the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague explores two critical aspects of modern solar development: effective industry partnerships and IRA compliance. Four industry veterans share insights on how collaboration and compliance can coexist with aggressive timelines:Successful Partnership Dynamics:OMCO and Sunstall have collaborated on over 100 projects together, including nearly 100 projects for Coldwell Solar in CaliforniaKey success factors include:Rapid response time for field issues due to domestic manufacturingProduct evolution based on installer feedback, particularly bearing designs that accommodate field conditionsConsistent communication and clear expectations between all partiesProper sequencing of material deliveries (piles first, followed by racking)Real World Example - Wilcox Project:4MW ‘multi-site' project (powering a greenhouse complex) completed in 8 weeks from initial contact to completion.Success attributed to:OMCO's ability to manufacture and ship from the Phoenix facility Sunstall's rapid team mobilizationObodo Energy's decisive project management and clear communicationIRA Compliance & Domestic Content:OMCO Solar (Eric Goodwin) detailed their domestic manufacturing capabilities, currently at 88% domestic content for trackers with 100% expected by Q2 2025Their fixed-tilt products already meet 100% iron and steel requirementsOMCO benefits from the 45X manufacturing tax credit, helping level pricing with international competitorsThe discussion demonstrated how strong partnerships between manufacturers, installers, and EPCs can maintain efficient project timelines while meeting IRA requirements, with communication and trust serving as foundational elements for success.Social Media HandlesEric GoodwinMatt KesslerOmco SolarHelge BiernathSunstallJohn MitmanAbodo Energy Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
Joining us on Zero Ambitions this week is Chris Carus co-founder of Loco Home Retrofit, a Glasgow-based 'emerging one-step shop'.Loco Home Retrofit is a retrofit operation that's most interesting for its approach to developing a viable retrofit offer, focused on building trust in communities and with its supply chain as a means to catalysing the decarbonisation of our homes (or at least Glasgow's homes). And now, they're hiring, seeking to fill three positions (below) so if you know of anyone suitable please share the ads:Marketing and community engagement manager Technical manager Innovation programme managerAs much as anything else, we love how they think about the retrofit challenge. Their considered approach to building a proposition and a method is what has really sold us, possibly because it resonates with our UX-focused approach to everything, but mainly because it seems to make sense.Notes from the showThe Loco Home Retrofit websiteChris on LinkedIn Loco Home Retrofit on LinkedInAll three job ads, againChris's interview with BE-ST after winning the Gamechanger award at the Accelerate to Zero Awards 2023Designing an ‘optimal' domestic retrofit programme by Aaron Gillich et al (2017) – The paper Chris couldn't remember the name forLoco Home Retrofit's 2023/24 impact report detailing their innovation efforts to dateResearch Report - The right time for heat pumps in retrofit (Alan Clarke for Passive House Trust) – the other paper that Chris and Jeff reference**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
The first episode of January 2025 marks the long overdue, first appearance of Jay Stuart, a long-time friend and colleague of Jeff and a firm fixture of the green building scene in Ireland. Jay joined us to talk about his latest project: Loop Your Spare. It's a SaaS platform designed to match 'spare' construction materials with projects that need them on other sites before they have a chance to be classified as waste. It's a concept that could largely eliminate the concept of waste and minimise the need for recycling in construction by enabling materials to remain in their highest-value states, thus retaining their value and mitigating the need to put them through all of the (ultimately destructive) processes involved in recycling. While we're looking to Ireland in this specific case the issues are universal and the solutions should be able to cross borders with relative ease. It's really an episode about smart thinking, with specific reference to a bunch of the projects Jay has worked on in the past and what's coming up in the future.We've wanted to get Jay on for ages because he's an innovative and unconventional thinker who simplifies complex challenges in accessible and unexpected ways. He's also massively experienced, having lectured at University College Dublin's School of Architecture, worked with leading Irish construction businesses like Ecofix and D/RES, and worked as a government advisor to name just a few things.Also, it's an episode that continues the conversations from last year's episodes with Chris Clarke and Don't Waste Buildings and their calls to do something about egregious construction waste in the UK.Notes from the showThe Loop Your Spare website Jay Stuart on LinkedIn Loop Your Spare on LinkedInEmail Loop Your Spare here**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
In this episode, Martin Schichtel, Founder and CEO of Kraftblock, shares his career journey and insights into the thermal energy storage sector.The conversation covers:The pivotal moment in 2008 that sparked the idea for Kraftblock, leading to the development of a superior thermal energy storage material.Discussing the waste heat recovery market and the importance of decarbonizing heat in various industries.Kraftblock's approach to targeting direct industrial customers and collaborating with EPCs and ESCOs for comprehensive solutions.Highlighting notable Kraftblock projects and the future vision for the company. Looking ahead, the podcast will release new episodes every other week. The hosts invite listeners to provide feedback and suggest future guests, reinforcing their commitment to staying connected with the clean energy community.Check out Kraftblock at https://www.kraftblock.com/. Tune in now for an inspiring conversation on the future of energy storage!Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?
What's it like trying to scale a retrofit start-up? This episode welcomes Max Bloomfield and Alex Whitcroft, two of the folks from VundaHaus, to talk about their product, its ongoing design and development, and their preparations to scale the business as they raise funds from investors.VundaHaus designs and manufactures a rapid-fit insulation solution for external wall insulation (EWI) of residential homes. It's a a sophisticated off-site, MMC, insulation jigsaw that's been developed to make the logistics of installation much easier than traditional EWI.There's more to the story but you can listen to that on the episode.Notes from the showThe VundaHaus website The KIN website Max Bloomfield on LinkedIn; email Max hereAlex Whitcroft on LinkedIn; email Alex hereThe TransformER project **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Apprenticeships are the bridge between the clean energy industry's rapid growth and its critical need for a skilled, reliable workforce. With the Inflation Reduction Act setting ambitious compliance standards, innovative solutions like those pioneered by Adaptive Construction Solutions (ACS) are essential for driving project success and empowering the workforce. These programs are designed for more than just filling positions; they build meaningful, long-term careers for veterans, underserved communities, and the next generation of clean energy leaders.ACS has served many of the largest EPCs in the solar and battery storage industry through their innovative apprenticeship programs to aid in driving compliance and cultivating a more comprehensive focus on workforce development.Hear from the ACS team and three of their largest customers:Nicholas Morgan, President at Adaptive Construction SolutionsJohn Leapheart, Project Director at Adaptive Construction SolutionsEric Butticaz, Director of Apprenticeships at SOLV EnergyEric Grant, Director of Learning and Development at Blue Ridge PowerMichael Mulheron, Director- Strategic Sales & Operations at AerotekExpect to learn:Why ACS invested $10 million in their Apprenticeship Innovation Center, a hub for collaboration, training, and global knowledge-sharingStrategies for successful apprenticeship implementation, including recruitment, training, and evaluationHow apprenticeships create clear career pathways through structured on-the-job training and classroom instruction.Watch this and other insightful conversations recorded live at the PowerUp Live Podcast Stage at www.suncast.live!If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today's guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn
This week's episode is all about the lessons learned in carrying out a low-carbon retrofit. Natalie Black (Enbee Architecture + Design) and Toby McLean (Allt Environmental Structural Engineers) joined us to talk through their experiments and experiences on the renovation of a derelict house in Muswell Hill, London that was shortlisted for the Architects Journal Retrofit and Reuse awards this year.This is a project that could easily be misrepresented as a Grand Designs-style endeavour that's only representative of what you can do if you've got loads of capital and capacity, but that wouldn't be fair. This project should really be seen as an example of what you can achieve when you've got loads of capital and the capacity to experiment. The lessons learned here aren't going to solve the housing crisis but they can contribute to resolving the climate crisis, and this is what's motivating our guests. Like many of our listeners, Natalie and Toby are built environment professionals who have become increasingly driven to change how they work by the dawning realisation that the climate crisis is upon us. We also discuss whether you can actually have a low-carbon basement.Links for the PhD applications are below too.Notes from the showNatalie Black on LinkedIn The Muswell Hill low-carbon houseThe Enbee Architecture + Design websiteThe Allt Environmental Structural Engineers' websiteNatalie's LinkedIn post about low-carbon basementsEnbee's 12-minute diary film about the Muswell Hill projectEnbee's short film (under 2 mins) about the Muswell Hill projectNatalie's blog about her workPhD #1 - Balancing Supply and Demand: Developing a Net Zero Energy Framework for Difficult-to-Retrofit Buildings in NottinghamshireNottingham Trent University deadline 8th Dec, start Apr 2025, Led by: Dr Orla Williams (UoN), Co-Supervisors: Dr Kate Simpson (NTU) and Prof Richard Bull (NTU); Community Supervisor(s): Phil Berrill (Nottinghamshire County Council), Chris Beattie (Inspire)PhD #2 - Sustainable Construction UK: Investigating the UK construction industry's culture in relation to meeting long-term social, economic and environmental goalsNottingham Trent University, deadline 14th Feb, start Sep 2025, led by Prof Gavin Killip and Dr Ani RaidenPhD #3 - Re-imagining energy retrofit and home adaptation to deliver safe and resilient homes during interconnected energy, health, housing and climate crisesNottingham Trent University, deadline 14th Feb, start Sep 2025, led by myself with Dr Penelope Siebert and Prof Rowena Hill**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague engages with industry leaders Dr. Zhehan Yi and Ryan Mayfield to discuss the critical topic of safety in grid-scale battery systems. As the demand for renewable energy surges, understanding the safety protocols and standards surrounding battery storage has never been more essential. The conversation delves into the rapid growth of battery installations across the United States, which have skyrocketed from approximately one gigawatt to nearly 17 gigawatts in just four years. With projections that BESS capacity could exceed 100 gigawatts in the US by the end of the decade, addressing safety concerns becomes paramount.Dr. Yi emphasizes the importance of integrating safety measures early in the design process, particularly regarding thermal runaway risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, which dominate the market. He discusses how engaging with authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) and adhering to fire codes can mitigate potential hazards and foster the successful adoption of these transformative technologies. The episode also covers fundamental safety standards and testing protocols, such as UL 9540 and UL 9540A, shedding light on how companies like CPS America are innovating to enhance reliability and safety.Ryan Mayfield brings over 25 years of experience in solar PV and energy storage to the table, sharing insights from his work with developers and EPCs (engineering, procurement, and construction firms). He highlights the need for ongoing education within the industry to ensure all stakeholders—from facility owners to grid operators—are informed about the risks and best practices associated with battery systems.For more information about Mayfield Renewables, visitors can check out https://www.mayfield.energy/, about CPS America check out https://www.chintpowersystems.com/, or follow Clean Power Hour at cleanpowerhour.com.Social Media HandlesDr. Zhehan YiRyan MayfieldCPS AmericaMayfield Renewables Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
Our guest, Liz Male has been on our radar for a while. She is a figure who has been working in the construction sector since the 1990s, an ally to the sustainability sector, a great communicator, and an experienced thinker.When we met earlier in the year we talked about a lot of things, but the consistent theme of our conversation was 'why we need to tell better stories about the built environment'. That said, we kept our powder as dry as we could and moved on to discuss when we might be able to get her onto the podcast to talk about it from the ZAP platform.We get a lot into the chat. Of particular interest is the historical perspective that Liz can offer. A lot has changed since Koyoto Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.Notes from the showLiz Male on LinkedInLiz Male Consulting Ltd website (LMC) websiteLMC on LinkedInNational Energy Foundation**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
The growing demand for energy storage has transformed the renewable energy sector, but what are the key steps to successfully executing battery storage projects? TruGrid (formerly SunGrid) specializes in the seamless integration of battery systems into solar projects as an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) provider. Their proactive approach to integration and planning minimizes risks and streamlines commissioning.Chris Finley, Chief Commercial Officer of TruGrid, discusses how EPCs can manage the complexities of battery storage integration. What secrets can we glean? Faster commissioning times, for starters. Drawing on 20 years' experience and gigawatts of renewable projects in 16 countries, Chris and the TruGrid team have certainly addressed most of the hurdles you'll face.Expect to learn:How software integration helps streamline battery storage projects.The common pitfalls developers face in commissioning and how to address them.Strategies for EPCs to reduce supply chain risks in battery storage projects.Why developers should bring EPCs into the planning phase earlier to maximize project success.Watch this and other insightful conversations recorded live at the PowerUp Live Podcast Stage over at www.suncast.live!If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today's guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalusMentioned in this episode:CPS July 2024 V2
Apologies for the delay, the lost podcast has been returned and is ready for release.'Don't Waste Buildings' should be a straightforward proposition. It seems obvious. Especially so in the face of the climate crisis. Unfortunately, the business of the built environment is not yet on board completely. Our guests for this episode are the founders of UK-based campaign group Don't Waste Buildings, Will Hurst (Architects Journal) Leanne Tritton (Ing Media), and Richard Nelson (Abyss Global).They're a group who are seeking to remedy this challenge by pressuring government and persuading business to both do better. They're doing some really interesting work and they're new, so they need support.Please note: the graphic we refer can be found here (about 15 minutes in). I'll update this reference with a link to the Passive House Plus article once it's published. Notes from the showDon't Waste Buildings on LinkedIn (the best starting point)The Don't Waste Buildings holding page (a proper website is imminent, so keep an eye on www.dontwastebuildings.com)Will Hurst on LinkedInLeanne Tritton on LinkedInRichard Nelson on LinkedInZero Ambitions - Construction's embodied carbon problem: how do we incentivise retrofit over 'demolish and rebuild', with Joseph Kilroy (CIOB)The AJ article by Kunle Barker that Will refers to: Without architects' close expert involvement, government plans to retrofit millions of homes will be prone to unintended consequences such as mouldSomething about that 'burning fossil fuels to save the planet' nonsense that Jeff was referring to Future Energy Scenarios 2023 Released, sadly he couldn't find the actual article he rememberedHe found this as well: Ability of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) to generate negative emissionsThe Indy Johar LinkedIn post that Will refers toLRB's James Butler article about Grenfell: ‘This much evidence, still no charges'**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
This week we're speaking with Steven Heath, technical director at Knauf Insulation (UK and Ireland) and a really interesting and experienced person in the sector.So while we had him, we ran through a bunch of our favourite hoary subjects: measuring performance, performance guarantees, and what we think about EPCs.Knauf is a firm that's done some really interesting work in all of these areas and has even managed to make headway with the UK state in getting them to think about the value of testing performance, with EPCs and whatever SHDF is called now (the state-driven money tap for decarbonising social housing).Notes from the showSteven Heath on LinkedInKnauf Insulation's websiteThe ZAP episode with Kate Crawford about HTC and the 'snug factor': A new way to measure performance, negative energy use, and learning from disaster zones, with Kate Crawford (KLH Sustainability)**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Introducing Why dementia could start in your blood vessels with Dr. William Li from ZOE Science & Nutrition.Follow the show: ZOE Science & Nutrition 55 million people suffer dementia worldwide with numbers expected to double every 20 years. Understanding the link between our heart health and brain function is critical, illuminating the profound impact that heart health has on preventing dementia.Dr. William Li, an expert in cardiovascular and metabolic health. He reveals how caring for our heart is not just about longevity but maintaining sharp, effective brain function as we age. His groundbreaking work has impacted more than seventy diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Dr. Li is also a New York Times best-selling author.In today's episode, Dr. Li explains how simple lifestyle choices in diet, exercise and sleep can drastically shape our brain's health and stave off dementia.
Introducing Why dementia could start in your blood vessels with Dr. William Li from ZOE Science & Nutrition.Follow the show: ZOE Science & Nutrition 55 million people suffer dementia worldwide with numbers expected to double every 20 years. Understanding the link between our heart health and brain function is critical, illuminating the profound impact that heart health has on preventing dementia.Dr. William Li, an expert in cardiovascular and metabolic health. He reveals how caring for our heart is not just about longevity but maintaining sharp, effective brain function as we age. His groundbreaking work has impacted more than seventy diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Dr. Li is also a New York Times best-selling author.In today's episode, Dr. Li explains how simple lifestyle choices in diet, exercise and sleep can drastically shape our brain's health and stave off dementia.
A long-overdue episode with friend of the show, Lloyd Alter, about a blog he wrote and his book "The Story of Upfront Carbon". We get into the language of sustainability, carbon, and lots of the words that are ubiquitous in this space (sustainability and the built environment, obviously).We get into the sustainability of travel, to some extent too,Lloyd's book: The Story of Upfront Carbon: How a Life of Just Enough Offers a Way Out of the Climate CrisisBuy it from the independent bookshop website (you can switch regions)You can also buy it from Amazon, but only if you really have no other optionInnovateUK – Net Zero Heat Open DayA showcase of IUK innovation lab projects including Transform-ERThursday 3rd October, online, 9am-12pmRegister here Notes from the show"Sustainable design is dead, long live regenerative design!" from Lloyd's Substack, Upfront CarbonA sustainable architecture Google Images search A regenerative architecture Google Images search That absurd vertical forest building in MilanCOP26: Sufficiency Should be First - Yamina SahebWe Have to Put Sufficiency First in a Low-Carbon World - Lloyd's old Treehugger blog about the SER frameworkZAP episode 144 - “Use less stuff”: embodied carbon, value chains, and the potential for change in the Declaration de Chaillot. With Lloyd Alter (Carbon Upfront), Kelly Alvarez Doran (Ha/f Climate Design), and Will Arnold (The Institution of Structural Engineers)**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
In this episode of the D2D Podcast, Clint Root sits down with Ryan Jaime, Vice President of Business Development at Enerflo, to explore how this open API platform is transforming the solar industry. With his extensive background in smart home, energy management, and solar, Ryan shares how Enerflo's Lead-to-PTO solution empowers residential solar installers, EPCs, and sales dealers by streamlining processes, cutting soft costs, and centralizing data.Ryan emphasizes the critical role of business development in solar, explaining how Enerflo's platform offers flexibility through integrations with multiple tools such as CRM, financing, and sales enablement, allowing companies to remain agile in a rapidly evolving market. He also touches on the door-to-door sales ecosystem, illustrating how Enerflo provides sales reps with the tools they need to be successful, fostering business growth through efficient technology and process optimization.Throughout the episode, Ryan highlights future trends in the solar industry, including battery technology and the involvement of major players like Lion and Tesla, as well as Enerflo's role in powering $4 billion in solar transactions annually.You'll find answers to questions such as:How can Enerflo's open API platform optimize solar sales?What advantages do solar companies gain from flexible finance partners?How does Enerflo help reduce soft costs and improve process efficiencies?What trends are shaping the future of solar, including battery technology?How can sales reps benefit from Enerflo's integrations with various software tools?Get in touch with Ryan Jaime and Enerflo:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-jaime-b54baa118/ Website: Enerflo.comThank you for listening! Don't miss out on future episodes! Subscribe to The D2D Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. You may also watch this podcast on YouTube!You may also follow Sam Taggart on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more nuggets on D2D and Sales Tips.
A wise woman once said: "sustainability is the doing, ESG is the talking about it".Today an Irish house-building giant has made a major move on Passive House — publishing a positioning paper and announcing the ongoing construction of over 1,700 homes to the standard.Joining us to talk about this are Nicola Cronin (Senior Sustainability Analyst) and Stephen O'Shea (Head of Sustainable Construction and ESG Reporting).Rather than this being another episode about Passive House we're more concerned with why a massive housebuilder has chosen to build to the standard. In this case, the answer highlights the positive impact that corporate reporting – in this case ESG – can have on the practice of construction. Where we've often derided ESG factors as a corporate fig leaf, in this instance ESG factors have driven institutional change. Most importantly, the scale of this change clearly illustrates the massive impact that big developers can have. If they choose to try.In short, we're talking about how change is made and why change is made.Links are below.Notes from the showNicola Cronin on LinkedInStephen O'Shea on LinkedInCairn Homes' Passive House positioning paperCairn on LinkedInCairn Homes' 2023 sustainability report**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Jeff invited Mhairi Grant, co founder of award-winning architectural practice Paper Igloo, to join us to talk about the challenges of ensuring that one's ideas for sustainable design actually make their way through to the construction phase.The subject was sparked by a conversation she and Jeff had about lessons learned from a flawed project (that we discuss) and what it takes to ensure that our best, or even just easiest ideas are delivered upon in the build phase. Usually, we'd think about specifying a project in a way that can resist value engineering, but sometimes the project can be scuppered by something as simple as an easily avoidable a comprehension issue.Notes from the showMhairi Grant on LinkedInA link to Scotland's Passivhaus Consultation: Building Regulations: Determining the principles for a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard: Stage 1 consultationThe Paper Igloo websitePaper Igloo on InstagramThe Passive House Plus feature on Mhairi's own home in Stirlingshire **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Episode Summary In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy speaks with Jim Howard, President at Dudley Ventures, and Derek Gabriel who is the COO & Head of Originations at SunRocket Capital. They speak about how their structured finance solution ensures access to construction funding and long-term financing for developers who want to preserve their equity in their projects. Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy and he is also an advisor for several solar startup companies. He has extensive project origination, development, and financial experience in the renewable energy industry and in the environmental commodities market. This includes initial site evaluation, permitting, financing, sourcing equipment, and negotiating the long-term energy and environmental commodities off-take agreements. He manages due diligence processes on land, permitting, and utility interconnection and is in charge of financing and structuring through Note to Proceed (“NTP”) to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”). Benoy composes teams suitable for all project development and construction tasks. He is also involved in project planning and pipeline financial modeling. He has been part of all sides of the transaction and this allows him to provide unique perspectives and value. Benoy has extensive experience in financial engineering to make solar projects profitable. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity to move into the east coast markets. Benoy was the Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners which is a national solar installer where he focused on project finance solutions for commercial scale solar projects. He also worked for Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund, where he analyzed potential investments in renewable energy projects and worked on maximizing the financial return of the projects in the portfolio. Benoy also worked on the sale of all of the renewable energy projects in Ridgewood's portfolio. He was in the Energy Structured Finance practice for Deloitte & Touche and in Financial Advisory Services practice at Ernst & Young. Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. He has a MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Benoy was an Alumni Scholar at the Stern School of Business. Jim Howard James D Howard, Jr. is the President of Dudley Ventures, LLC is an investment and advisory services firm specializing in congressionally sanctioned tax credits and other tax advantaged investments. DV has a 20+ year track record of success with the vision, staff and values to succeed. Dudley Ventures is a subsidiary of Valley National Bancorp (NASDAQ:VLY), one of the top 30 publically traded banks with $50B in assets, A native of The Bronx, New York, Mr. Howard earned his degree from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1980 and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984. Dudley Ventures was founded by Mr. Howard in 1996. Dudley Ventures has been an innovator in tax credit investment and Mr. Howard has authored numerous articles on tax credit investing and is a regular speaker at conferences. Dudley Ventures has invested and manages over $2 billion in tax credit investments. Mr. Howard is a Board Member of the New Markets Tax Credit Coalition. Derek Gabriel With over 15 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, Derek is a passionate and driven leader who strives to make a positive impact on the environment and society through innovative and sustainable solutions. As the Chief Operating Officer at SunRocket Capital, Derek oversee the daily administrative and operational functions, as well as the origination, development, and financing of solar projects across various markets and segments. Derek leverage my extensive network of over 15 years in the solar industry, and my deep knowledge of solar policy, tax equity, and debt financing to create value for our clients, investors, and partners. In his previous role as the Executive Vice President and Head of Originations at Sol-REIT, Derek was responsible for business development in providing debt and arranging tax equity for solar and renewable energy projects, ranging from C&I, community solar, portfolio transactions, to utility-scale. Derek engaged a team of solar lending analyst, underwriters, and established strong relationships with key stakeholders, such as EPCs, developers, off-takers, and lenders. Derek also contributed to the strategic direction and growth of the company, and supported the development of new products and services. Some of the skills that Derek applied and developed in this role include organizational development, business development, negotiation, risk management, and financial analysis. Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com Jim Howard Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdhoward/ Dudley Venture Website: https://www.dudleyventures.com Derek Gabriel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-g-a754a748/ Website: https://www.sunrocketcapital.com Press Release dated June 24, 2024 SunRocket Capital and Dudley Ventures Arrange to Provide $100+ Million to Monetize Tax Credits in Commercial, Industrial and Community Solar Developments https://www.sunrocketcapital.com/news/sunrocket-capital-and-dudley-ventures-to-monetize-tax-credits
Why is making UK homes more efficient so difficult? So asked journalist Leyla Boulton earlier this year in the pages of the Financial Times. Seeing a retrofit article in the FT piqued our interest, even more so once we realised Leyla is a senior editor with an esteemed background in political and environmental reporting. She was reporting on Kyoto where no one cared.Since beginning her retrofit journey Leyla has become a campaigner and it's this that you'll hear as we discuss the mainstreaming retrofit for the able-to-pay market, an endeavour borne of her experiences delving into the retrofit sector motivated by efforts to make her own home more energy efficient. Typically we talk about the barriers to take up, a desperately unhelpful planning bureaucracy, poorly designed institutional support, hamstrung local authorities and councils, and the need to do better in designing a system that works.Do check Leyla's article if you can. In spite of the broad air of dismay at how difficult things are, she describes meeting lots of helpful and enthusiastic people who were hamstrung in their efforts.Notes from the showLeyla Boulton on LinkedInFive Lessons from a Neighbourhood Campaign (FT, December 2023) - a free-to-read article in the FT on Leyla's campaign (the others are paywalled)Why is making UK homes more efficient so difficult? (FT, April 2024) The More in Common research at E3G webinar and slides (July 2024)Planning reform for retrofit of listed and conservation area homes - the public-facing report on our Green Conservation campaign's meeting of councils to share best practice on planning reform for retrofit (June 18 2024)Leyla and Anne-Marie Huby's Green Conservation campaign website The Transform-ER project video on the plan to design a system that enables the retrofit sector to scale and upgrade one million homes a year by 2030 (Transform-ER stands for 'Transform. Engage. Retrofit.') Chris Procter's Climate Emergency Conservation Area Toolkit (direct DL link here)**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
In the UK every day the construction industry produces enough waste to fill a football stadium. Rightly, former guest, Chris Clarke (SCAPE) has got a bee in his bonnet about construction waste and is making efforts to draw attention to the issue. He's not just concerned with the profligate use of resources and the impact on carbon emissions, it's the lackadaisical nature of the waste itself. Waste management accounts for £1.5BN of construction spending every year. In an industry that's operating on margins so tight that any kind of change can be seen to be prohibitively risky, it seems absurd that such a significant amount of waste is priced into every single large-scale project.But, while waste, accounting, reuse, circularity, and MMC are all concepts that have an important part to play, but most important is the front-end work that can be done to reduce waste at the point of design. Whichever way we look at it, when we're asked where we might find the money to drive the circular economy or reduce emissions, it would seem that there might be a simple answer. Even if the solution itself isn't so simple. If we're hoping for infrastructure changes that will make a significant contribution to net-zero efforts and generate revenue, it looks like we might have an easy-ish mark.Notes from the showChris Clarke on LinkedIn (chrisc@scape.co.uk)Construction Waste Portal websiteSCAPE's approach to sustainability SCAPE - Building for Public Good: A Charter for Change - a policy/lobbying piece produced for the new UK governmentThat Danish development with the recycled brick slips in Architect's JournalWe Build Eco in the pages of Passive House PlusChris's last appearance on Zero AmbitionsInnovate UK's Circular Economy Innovation Network **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Dane Simpson, Director of LECET (Laborers' and Employers' Cooperation and Education Trust), to explore the vital role of labor unions in constructing the gigawatts of solar needed for the energy transition. Dane elucidates how organizations like LECET and LIUNA (Laborers' International Union of North America) are fostering the growth of the solar industry in the Midwest. The conversation delves into the significance of project labor agreements and apprenticeship programs, highlighting how union contractors can benefit from ready access to skilled labor and valuable industry connections. Dane and Tim discuss the challenges of meeting labor demands in a rapidly expanding industry, particularly in light of the Inflation Reduction Act and state-level initiatives like Illinois' Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. Dane shares insights on LECET's multifaceted approach to bringing more people into the trades, including pre-apprenticeship programs, career fairs, and innovative recruitment strategies. The episode provides listeners with valuable information on the advantages of becoming a union contractor, the specific roles laborers play in solar projects, and how LECET supports both contractors and developers.Throughout the discussion, Dane emphasizes LECET's crucial role in providing project leads, education, outreach, and industry advancement for union contractors. He also touches on their advocacy work in supporting renewable energy projects during zoning and approval processes. The conversation includes mention of upcoming solar projects, such as the Collins Aerospace installation in Rockford, IL. This comprehensive episode offers important insights into the intersection of organized labor and the clean energy transition, making it a valuable resource for developers, EPCs, and anyone interested in the future of solar construction.Social Media HandlesDane SimpsonGreat Plains LECET Support the Show.Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
Something-like twelve months on from inception we thought we'd catch up with what's happening at Living Places, the multi-disciplinary, impact-focused consultancy co-founded by this week's guest Cat Magill.Where last year Rufus Grantham came on the podcast to tell us all about the organisation he was in the midst of founding, this year Cat joined us to tell us about what they've been up to.There was plenty to talk about, but in short, the finance part isn't that easy. However, they're making progress and figuring out how to make it happen, and Cat tells us all about it.Notes from the showCat Magill on LinkedIn Living Places websiteThe West Midlands Combined Authority's outcome funding report: Creating a market for place-based outcomesResearch about conversations with your neighbours: Do you listen to your neighbour? The role of block leaders in community-led energy retrofitsThe official evaluation paper about the first social housing decarbonisation demonstrator in which none of the projects delivered to schedule: Whole House Retrofit (WHR) and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator (SHDF(D))Here's an article from Inside Housing about the same thing: Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: majority of councils failed to retrofit single home by deadlineAccelerating Net Zero Delivery, the UKRI paper that we refer to as being authored by PwC and Andrew Sudman (there were more authors)And some academic research that followed up on it: Climate policy as social policy? A comprehensive assessment of the economic impact of climate action in the UKLast year's episode with RufusDan's presentation about the Energiesprong Comfort Plan retrofit research on YouTube **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Allen Hall and Joel Saxum interview Alex Jones, co-founder of DSPTCH, about the app's evolution from a wind farm locator to a comprehensive operations management and IRA compliance tool for renewable energy. They discuss new features, prevailing wage and apprenticeship tracking, industry adoption, and how DSPTCH improves efficiency and safety in wind farm operations. Visit https://dsptch.app/ or download at https://dsptch.app.link/. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard's StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes' YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Pardalote Consulting - https://www.pardaloteconsulting.comWeather Guard Lightning Tech - www.weatherguardwind.comIntelstor - https://www.intelstor.com Allen Hall: Welcome to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. I'm your host, Allen Hall, along with my co host, Joel Saxum. When we first discovered the software app DSPTCH, Joel and I used it to find wind farms but DSPTCH is so much more than a wind map today. DSPTCH is now widely used by operators for managing projects, handling forms, timesheets, apprenticeship tracking, and so much more. Our guest is Alex Jones, co founder and president of DSPTCH. Alex, welcome to the show. Alex Jones: Yeah, thanks for having me. Allen Hall: So I. Went back into my DSPTCH app and got access to the online computer version of the DSPTCH app and was just astounded at all the advanced features you've added roughly over the last year. I think I, I picked up the app when we were in New Orleans at ACP and. it to full fine wind farms, particularly with technicians on site that didn't know where their own wind turbines were. So it was really helpful there, but you want to talk about some of the things you guys are doing now? Alex Jones: Yeah, for sure. This year at OMS, we launched a new product the safety side, we call it oversight and it really just gives asset owners and EPCs, really anyone who wants to come in Yeah. The ability to manage that site, add points put in emergency documents, emergency contacts. And we've really gone long on that front. So we had one of our clients and utility partners reach out and they were making flyers for DSPTCH for fire departments, EMS, so on and so forth. And we were like, okay explain what you're doing. And we've turned that into a product now, and we've seen a huge surge in local first responders, emergency teams getting on there's been a few Incidents recently in the industry and then you add in tornadoes and wildfires and all these other things. So people are looking to map. Hey, I want to know where my tornado shelters are. I want to know local emergency response teams phone numbers for emergency contacts and then even things like helicopter landing points. So we now support adding all of those things to the map and then updating any information like about the site itself, adding documents, those sorts of things. And so we've really seen that take off and become a part of site orientation for a number of asset owners and so on. And it's evolved into a pretty neat safety tool. Joel Saxum: Yeah. I was thinking about this I'm speaking from the mind of a traveling wind turbine technician, right? Cause this comes from my oil and gas past every site you go on every O& M building you visit. They hand you your sheet of paper. This is your ERP, your emergency response plan. This is where the, the tornado shelter is. This is where the O& M building is. Here's the closest hospital, all these different things. Now you have a living one that's in your phone. Every technician has their phone on them all the time. That's just a given, right? So then, and if there is a massive update,
This week's guest is Caroline Ashe Brady of KORE Retrofit in Ireland, one of the objectively successful one-stop-shop retrofit providers to have emerged over the past few years.Caroline is a business leader who we're a proper fan of, so apologies in advance for our ‘so Caroline please tell us, why are you so great' style questioning. That said, you can trust us in this opinion, we've done the work with these guys. Caroline was happy to talk about their method, process, challenges and offer up some top tips for how to make it work in the sector, which should be valuable to anyone involved wherever they're based.KORE Retrofit is a business that is ambitious about doing better and has demonstrated that retrofit can be a commercial success. It's not easy, and no-one is perfect, but KORE is operating with a practical plan about how they're going to do better, not just offering up words. Notes from the showCaroline on LinkedInKORE Retrofit's website KORE Insulation's website **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Returning champion Lisa Ann Pasquale rejoins us on Zero Ambitions to talk about dogs and retrofit. Mainly retrofit though.Informed by Lisa's experiences as a retrofit coordinator, technical lead at RetrofitWorks, and Technical Manager at The Retrofit Academy she knows an awful lot about the challenges faced by retrofit practitioners. Windows, ventilation, product information, and the inflexibility of insurance-backed guarantees all come in for a well-justified shoeing.Notes from the showLisa on LinkedInLisa's video about her own home retrofit (it's brilliant)Lisa's first appearance: What makes for a successful retrofit (February 2022)RICS residential retrofit standard **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women (but not in a patronizing way)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
Returning champion Ellora Coupe joins us to talk about the recent report that Her Own Space has published about the place of women in the retrofit sector, which is heartening, insightful, and damning in equal measure. A great piece of work that everyone interested in the sector should heed.Perhaps more importantly, she's with us to promote the incoming launch of its professional sister network Her Retrofit Space, a network for professional women working in the retrofit sector. It's a network that she's created to fill an obvious cultural deficit and in her words "empower professional women to drive retrofit". It sounds brilliant.Finally, a deserving heads-up for Graphenstone as the first signed-up partner for Her Retrofit Space. Notes from the showEllora on LinkedInThe Her Retrofit Space survey and sign-up web pageJudith Leary Joyce – How you and your builder can save the planet (TEDx St Albans) (Judith is a member advocate of Her Retrofit Space)Katie Hart (also a member advocate of Her Retrofit Space and neuromarketing professional)The Her Own Space websiteThe Her Own Space Facebook group **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women (but not in a patronizing way)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
This week we're going by Joseph Little, Head of Construction & Building Performance in the School of Architecture, Building and Environment at TU Dublin. He joined us to talk about the journey he's been on leading the MSc in Building Performance over the last seven years, but we got into a lot more. Joseph has been deeply involved in the promotion of better building standards by measuring the performance of buildings for years. Not least with the five Breaking the Mould articles he wrote that Jeff published years ago, sounding the alarm on moisture, condensation, ventilation and a bunch of other issues. We get into all of it and tried to be mindful to keep it to a 'reasonable' length. I'm sure we'll have him back though.Notes from the showJoseph Little on LinkedInBE-ST Fest Summit 2024 - The UK's biggest festival for a zero-carbon built environment, Wednesday 6th November 2024The Built to Last case studies hosted on the Dublin City Council websiteJoseph's papers and articles on the TU Dublin Arrow repositoryThis is A link to the Springboard web page for TU412 Postgrad Certificate in Building Performance open until the end of August 2024, apply during June to get best chance of a subsidised place; oddly, it'll only direct you there if you're in Ireland, so more info can be found here on the TU Dublin websitePartial fill cavity wall: have we reached the limits of the technology? By Joseph LittleBreaking the Mould 1 by Joseph LittleBreaking the Mould 2 by Joseph LittleBreaking the Mould 3 by Joseph Little Breaking the Mould 4 by Joseph LittleBreaking the Mould 5 by Joseph LittleThermal bypass risks: A technical review (September 2022), by Mark Siddall**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women (but not in a patronizing way)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
This week we're thinking about retrofit differently with Dan Hill from Dark Matter Labs (DML). Or rather, we're talking about retrofit's potential to become a movement for social change.In reality, retrofit is about much more than fabric and economics, it's about people and how they live. With that in mind we should be thinking much more about engagement. This is itself a massive challenge because thinking about people properly, as the users of a building, requires a massive shift in how retrofit practice is organised and enacted. Dan has 25 years of experience from working in housing and planning in senior roles at housing associations, Newham Council, CICs, and in a bunch of other consultative roles.We really enjoy talking about these subjects with him because he has gifted us different ways to thinking about the sector, even when we're talking through familiar territory. So, listen up, eh? Updated notes from the showDark Matter Labs' published work on RetrofitDML on 'Community Powered Retrofit'Retrofit Reimagined Festival 2022 videos of sessionsRetrofit Reimagined Festival 2023 websiteRetrofit Reimagined Festival 2023 videos of sessionsReport on Feasibility for a Regional Retrofit Impact Fund, with a focus on Outcomes based financing with West Midlands Combined Authority and PartnersCommon Wealth report The Case for Community Energy DemocracyReport on the embodied carbon of retrofit materials versus operational carbonA report on the concept of Embodied biodiversity from Expedition EngineeringThe reference about the 40% figure (fig 1.7) and the maritime trade in fossil fuelsNotes from the showDan Hill on LinkedInThe Dark Matter Labs websiteThe 'People-First Retrofit' panel about the Energiesprong Comfort Plan research we did, held at Futurebuild 2024That story about the Tory Minister who thinks swimming in sewage is good actuallyThe Catalogue of Good Practices a hybrid green finance catalogue for the reconstruction of UkraineThe National Retrofit Hub websiteThe Civic Square websiteThe HEAL (Home Energy action Lab) Linktree page**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women (but not in a patronizing way)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
55 million people suffer dementia worldwide with numbers expected to double every 20 years. Understanding the link between our heart health and brain function is critical, illuminating the profound impact that heart health has on preventing dementia.Dr. William Li, an expert in cardiovascular and metabolic health. He reveals how caring for our heart is not just about longevity but maintaining sharp, effective brain function as we age. His groundbreaking work has impacted more than seventy diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Dr. Li is also a New York Times best-selling author.In today's episode, Dr. Li explains how simple lifestyle choices in diet, exercise and sleep can drastically shape our brain's health and stave off dementia.If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your membership.Follow ZOE on InstagramTimecodes00:00 Introduction01:23 Quickfire questions03:30 Understanding dementia and Alzheimer's disease04:50 Dementia versus ageing06:35 The role of blood vessels in brain health07:55 How circulation affects brain function09:23 What causes blood clots and strokes?11:06 The importance of maintaining healthy blood vessels12:15 The impact of lifestyle choices on brain health15:01 What happens in our brains when we sleep?19:35 What is the glymphatic system?22:40 Vascular dementia may be the most common form of dementia24:35 The role of glucose in brain function27:10 What causes dementia and why does it happen when we get older?29:00 Preventing dementia with lifestyle changes31:10 What are healthy blood vessels like?37:50 The surprising role of EPCs in brain repair41:30 Can you slow down or reverse dementia?52:08 The connection between gut health and brain health51:40 The importance of exercise for brain health56:30 How to avoid dementia01:01:16 The link between mental health and cardiovascular diseaseRelevant studies:A human brain vascular atlas reveals diverse mediators of Alzheimer's risk, published in NatureHeart-brain connections: Phenotypic and genetic insights from magnetic resonance images, published in ScienceCocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study—a randomized controlled trial, published in The American Journal of Clinical NutritionDr. William Li's books:Eat to Beat Your DietEat to Beat Disease Is there a nutrition topic you'd like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we'll do our best to cover it. Episode transcripts are available here.
This week we're joined by Iva Merheim Eyre from SMARTER4EU to talk about her recently published report the Catalogue of Good Practices, a document that details a variety of place-based hybrid finance models that have been used to rebuild and renovate homes in locations as wide-ranging as the postwar Balkan states to London's own Westminster.This is all part of a concerted effort to use finance to drive better building standards across the world, not just the EU, and there's a lot we can all learn.Notes from the showIva Merheim Eyre on LinkedInThe Smarter Finance 4 EU websiteThe Catalogue of Good Practices a hybrid green finance catalogue for the reconstruction of UkraineLet's build green and elevate A call to action for municipalities to get in touch with SMARTER4EU**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a website)Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User ExperienceSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women (but not in a patronizing way)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, you'll hear a live storytelling about two solar pros who decide to get married at a solar conference in Las Vegas. But when the wedding gets unexpectedly interrupted, the solar industry comes to the rescue.Watch the live video performance here: https://youtu.be/YyhWQi1d2ZE True Solar TakeawaysRE+ is the largest annual U.S. solar and renewable energy conference. It's held in various locations every year.Abby Hopper is the head of SEIA, the leading U.S. solar industry advocacy organization, and she was at this live reading and had that line.Solar Power International (SPI) was the old name for RE plus. Dean Solon is the founder and former CEO of Shoals Technology. Every year, Shoals throws a huge party at RE+. As the saying goes, what happens at the Shoals party stays at the Shoals party. BOS. stands for "Balance of Systems"NEC stands for the National Electric CodeVegas has had blackouts, but not during a solar conference. However, air conditioners running on high during a heatwave have caused blackouts.Load flexibility is complicated. Read this. EPC stands for Engineering, Procurement, and Construction. They're basically the solar installers.Solar developers can hire EPCs or sometimes they have their own EPC division.PE stands for Professional Engineer. AHJ stands for Authorities Having Jurisdiction. They're the various local organizations that deal with permitting for solar installations, large and small.KW stands for Kilowatts and kWh stands for Kilowatt-hours. Here's the difference.Interconnection is a difficult process of connecting solar projects to the grid.----- Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events. Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodes Don't forget to: Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming service Rate Review, and Share!
How can we improve the capacity of our blood vessels to repair themselves?
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