Podcasts about green building advisor

Happy New Year! I begin 2025 with a conversation I had with Randy Williams. Randy is well known for his Northern Pro Build blog that concentrates on applied building science, energy efficiency, and cold climate construction. He followed his brother into the building industry and quickly made a name for himself once he caught the building science bug. He was introduced to building science when he became an energy auditor during the economic downturn of 2009. He now describes himself as a building science nerd and supports himself by applying it as a contractor, energy auditor, and regular contributor to Fine Homebuilding, Journal of Light Construction, and Green Building Advisor. For me, it was really fun to have this conversation with Randy, building science nerd to nerd. Our time together flew by because we were just talking about our shared passion. Thanks much for your continued support and likes. Randy Williams on LinkedIn Norther Built Pro - A Cold Climate Construction and Energy Blog Randy Williams on Fine Homebuilding

Healthy flooring has become one of the most asked about topics with my clients.  Corinne, founder of My Chemical Free House, has written several articles on this subject and will share her findings with us and educate us on how she does her own personal research.  Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner and founder of My Chemical-Free House where she tests and writes about green building materials. She is also a guest contributor at Green Building Advisor and course creator for the Building Biology Institute. She has 8 years of experience as a Green Materials Specifier, for new builds and renovations, often working with highly chemically sensitive clients.     

Martin Holladay is a self-made building scientist who followed a passion that led to a career in investigating how to build comfortable, efficient, and resilient buildings and then writing about it. First in JLC, then in Energy Design Update, and finally for Green Building Advisor. All publications Martin's either started or helped to bring to prominence. He learned quickly that if he had a question about a building topic that many others did as well. What sets him apart, however, is that he can research, synthesize, and then write about what could be a dry topic, in a compelling way that makes you want more. I totally enjoyed the breath of my conversation with Martin, and I think you will as well. Martin Holladay on LinkedIn Green Building Advisor Martin Holladay Fine Homebuilding MagazineMusings of an Energy Nerd: Toward an Energy-Efficient Home

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates, “heat pumps globally have the potential to reduce global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by at least 500 million tonnes in 2030 – equal to the annual CO2 emissions of all cars in Europe today.” However the coolants used in many heat pumps available in our area may not be as environmentally friendly as believed.  
This problem was brought to Cortes Currents' attention by Cortes Island resident Ralph Garrison, who explained, “We actually own a house in Victoria because  we took our daughter to high school there,  bought a ‘junk house,' fixed it up and put in a heat pump. A year or so later, all the refrigerant disappeared for reasons unknown. The people that installed it came back to put more refrigerant in it and now it has worked for a few years, just fine.'  
“I don't know many people with heat pumps, but I have two friends that have lost all the refrigerant from Daikin heat pumps.” 
Cortes Currents reached out to a company distributing Daikin heat pumps on Cortes and Quadra Islands, as well as Campbell River, but this is the weekend and the call was merely forwarded by their answering service. 
Most of the of heat pumps, refrigerators and air conditioners sold locally use R-410A, a refrigerant whose global warming potentrial (GWP) is 2,088 times worse than C02. 
“It sounds like they maintain their refrigerant for many years. So that's great as long as this refrigerant doesn't leak, but my guess, and this is just my guess, is that at some point in the life of the equipment, there'll be a failure,” said Garrrison. According to the Green Building Advisor, “If the 3 to 4 pounds of R-410A in a small ductless heat pump system were to escape into the atmosphere, it would cause as much warming as a gasoline car's annual emissions.” 
After studying 528 heat pump installations made by 6 different companies, the British firm Eunomia concluded that about 10% of domestic heat pumps leak every year. For the most part these are minor leaks, but they did find 34 ‘catastrophic leaks' in which 46-50% of the fluid was lost. There were either no problems, or only relatively minor leaks, with roughly 93.5% of the units they examined. Eunomia's report was published close to a decade ago, but they were aware that R-410A has a GWP of 2,088 and advised the UK to adopt this technology.  
“The levels of emissions from leakage, however, are small relative to the total emissions reductions which might be delivered by heat pump technologies via the displacement of fossil fuelled heating alternatives.”  One home service company listed the possible causes of leaks and ways to fix them: a faulty installation a clogged drain line (which needs to be cleaned). the evaporator coil may be dirty and unable to handle the condensation (which could have been prevented by scheduling routine HVAC maintenance). a crack in the overflow pan (buy a new one a.s.a.p.) a frozen evaporator coil (needs immediate repair). 
On January 1, 2020, the European Union baned its use of R-410A in new heat pumps. Further restrictions are coming in 2025. This includes a prohibition of all refrigerant gasses with a global warming potential (GWP) higher than 750.     
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency states that no residential and commercial air conditioning equipment using R-410A can be built after January 1, 2025 or sold after January 1, 2026.

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

Gary Nelson, cofounder of the Energy Conservatory, is an engineer who turned his attention to residential efficiency in the 1980's. He is often referred to as the father of the blower door, but did not invent the technology. He did, however, strive to make a blower door that was light, easy to use, accurate, and cheap. Gary's success fueled his vision to get a blower door into every contractor's hand as he felt that it brought building science to life for contractors and weatherization agencies specializing in efficiency, durability, and comfort in homes. Gary's success can be measured by the success of the Energy Conservatory, the company he says he accidentally created as more and more people asked him to build blower doors for them. However, success can be measured by so much more than the growth of a company. Gary was also instrumental in the creation of the duct blaster, and flow plate measuring tools, has contributed to the success of countless housing studies and programs, and has contributed to an industry and its understanding of the building science of air flow. The Energy Conservatory founding story Q&A With Gary Nelson on Green Building Advisor

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

How Will New Federal Initiatives Affect the HVAC/IAQ Industry? The White House, EPA, and other Federal agencies will be rolling out new initiatives that may flood billions of dollars into IAQ and electrification in this country. At the forefront are the White House Clean Air Challenge and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.  How may these programs affect the HVAC and indoor environmental markets for both consumers and contractors? That's the topic on this week's show when we are joined by our guests Bryan Orr (HVACR School) and Nate Adams (HVAC 2.0) to discuss these developments in the marketplace.  Join us here LIVE from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT (UTC -4), or check out the video recording and audio podcast after on this space. The show is hosted by HI‘s Founder & Publisher, Bob Krell, who is a veteran consultant, contractor and trainer in the indoor environmental and building performance industries. Check out live shows, replays, and more at:  https://global.healthyindoors.com/c/healthy-indoors-live-show/ Bryan Orr is the Co-Owner of Kalos Services Inc. an Orlando- area HVAC contracting business as well as an audio nerd and podcaster (Host of the HVAC School Podcast). Bryan is the Father of 10 kids and husband of a Jedi Princess. In his spare time, Bryan doesn't have spare time. Contact him at: me@bryanorr.com Nate Adams is the author of the Home Comfort Book and has written or spoken for numerous outlets including Healthy Indoors Magazine, the Journal of Light Construction, Green Building Advisor, GreenTech Media, Ohio State University, IAQ Radio, and the HVAC School Podcast. Nate is cofounder of Energy Smart Home Performance which plans and executes comprehensive insulation and HVAC upgrades to solve client problems. Energy Smart has the most detailed case studies in the industry. He's passionate about helping homeowners and HVAC contractors understand how homes really work so root causes of comfort and health problems can be addressed, not symptoms. These upgrades often result in electrifications where homes are converted to only use electricity, reducing air pollution both indoors and out. He's currently working on the HVAC 2.0 program to train HVAC contractors how to help clients solve comfort and health issues in their homes. Check out case studies at energysmartohio.com and download much of The Home Comfort Book for free at natethehousewhisperer. comLearn more at: http://energysmartohio.com/

In this episode, Rob introduces Andrew Zoellner, current Editorial Director of Fine Homebuilding and Green Building Advisor, as the new Executive Director of Keep Craft Alive. 

One of the top Google searches that land people on my website is “new home smell.” I've been aware of the issues with construction for nearly 20 years - my career started as a green building consultant where my job was to call manufacturers of various building materials to ask about the ingredients and VOC content. So I'm somewhat disheartened that this problem persists. But also not surprised.Because of the trend of people coming to my blog post on getting rid of the new home smell (I'll link that in the show notes if that's you), I wanted to help those who are building or renovating avoid this problem in the first place.So for this episode, I'm sharing a conversation I had with Lindsey Tourand, the Head of Innovation at Kiwi Innovation - a green building firm based in British Columbia, Canada. I know Lindsey from my days working in consulting engineering and know he's the real deal. This is a recording of a conversation we had in early 2020 for clients in The Healthy Home Collective.We covered:What you should consider before hiring a design & construction teamHow to define what green & healthy means for youWhat's the most important factor when designing a new homeHow to optimize indoor air qualityWhat to think about when insulatingThe worst-offending productsBudget-friendly tipsResources for homeownersLinks Mentioned:Kiwi Innovation's Website: https://vivakiwi.com/Green Building Advisor: https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/The Endeavour Centre: https://endeavourcentre.org/A Pretty Good House: https://www.prettygoodhouse.org/How to Get Rid of That New Home Smell Blog Post: https://greenathome.ca/6-ways-to-get-rid-of-toxic-new-home-smell/Guide to Healthy Construction & Renovations: https://greenathome.ca/construction*****Green Product Forum: https://facebook.com/groups/greenproductforumInstagram: https://instagram.com/emma_greenathomeWebsite: https://greenathome.ca

Show Notes:Steve Baczekhttps://stevenbaczekarchitect.com/info/ Steven Baczek Architect is a nationally recognized architect in the design and development of custom residential structures. I am located in the Boston Massachusetts Metro Area. Whether your need is a new custom low energy Passive House (the most stringent set of building performance standards in the country), or a zero energy home, an addition or renovation to an existing home, or a complimentary carriage house, pool house, or outbuilding, your project receives the same level of professional inquiry, respect, and understanding. My design process extensively scrutinizes every aspect of the development of your project. I employ a process of clear, practical, informational leadership that is never short of an opinion, or sometimes brutal honesty. My ability to listen, and flexibility to then adapt to each client and their respective project places my services in high regard, and high desire.I have designed numerous projects across the spectrum of energy performance, comfort, and durability, to include many of the nation’s top energy conscious homes. While many state transparent labels of “green” or “sustainability” to their work, I provide good, sound design, of enduring value that includes sound environmental and energy conscious, “Truly Green” to mine. My commitment simply equates aesthetics and durability with performance and responsibility, an “integrated package”. My 28 years of architectural experience and knowledge coupled with an advanced understanding of building science founds my client’s pursuit for collaboration. My work is routinely found in numerous local and national media outlets to include Fine HomeBuilding, Journal of Light Construction, Green Building Advisor, and Environmental Building News. While I have and will do projects outside of the New England Area, my focus is on the Boston Metro Area, Cape Cod, and the Islands.

Show Notes:Steve Baczekhttps://stevenbaczekarchitect.com/info/ Steven Baczek Architect is a nationally recognized architect in the design and development of custom residential structures. I am located in the Boston Massachusetts Metro Area. Whether your need is a new custom low energy Passive House (the most stringent set of building performance standards in the country), or a zero energy home, an addition or renovation to an existing home, or a complimentary carriage house, pool house, or outbuilding, your project receives the same level of professional inquiry, respect, and understanding. My design process extensively scrutinizes every aspect of the development of your project. I employ a process of clear, practical, informational leadership that is never short of an opinion, or sometimes brutal honesty. My ability to listen, and flexibility to then adapt to each client and their respective project places my services in high regard, and high desire.I have designed numerous projects across the spectrum of energy performance, comfort, and durability, to include many of the nation’s top energy conscious homes. While many state transparent labels of “green” or “sustainability” to their work, I provide good, sound design, of enduring value that includes sound environmental and energy conscious, “Truly Green” to mine. My commitment simply equates aesthetics and durability with performance and responsibility, an “integrated package”. My 28 years of architectural experience and knowledge coupled with an advanced understanding of building science founds my client’s pursuit for collaboration. My work is routinely found in numerous local and national media outlets to include Fine HomeBuilding, Journal of Light Construction, Green Building Advisor, and Environmental Building News. While I have and will do projects outside of the New England Area, my focus is on the Boston Metro Area, Cape Cod, and the Islands.

The Guest: Dan Kolbert is the owner of Kolbert Building, a small, longtime building contractor in Portland, Maine. Dan has written for various trade publications, including Fine Homebuilding magazine, and for the past 10 years has been moderator of the original Building Science Discussion Group in Portland, Maine, where the Pretty Good House idea originated. Be sure to watch for the upcoming book he is co-authoring, to be published in 2022. Topics: The house as a system Upcoming book with co-authors Emily Mottram, Michael Maines, Chris Briley Energy efficiency in historic home renovation Energy concerns in finishing an attic Why combine insulating, air sealing and ventilation Durability and adaptability as part of sustainability Insulating foundations for energy, health and carbon debt Links: Kolbert Building: http://kolbertbuilding.com, https://www.instagram.com/kolbertbuilding Pretty Good House: https://www.prettygoodhouse.org BS (Building Science) & Beer Show: https://www.thebsandbeershow.com Green Building Advisor: https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com Fine Homebuilding: https://www.finehomebuilding.com LEED Rating System: https://www.usgbc.org Benson Wood, Tedd Benson (adaptability for durability): https://bensonwood.com

In this week's episode of Better Construction, I talk with Peter Yost, owner at Building Wright and Technical Director at Green Building advisor about his career, his 10 brothers and sisters, why more people don't build high-performance homes, and more!Building Wright: https://building-wright.com/Peter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingwrightpeter/Peter on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pyost/The Unbuildit Podcast: https://unbuilditpodcast.com/My Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0czmX0jwkbkCDmJOTR5VnAMy Website: https://betterconstructionmedia.com

Michael Maines With a BS in Engineering from Tufts University, a minor in Architectural Studies and an early interest in building natural, expressive homes, Mike has worked as a carpenter, fine woodworker, contractor, project manager, drafter and as operations manager for one of the premiere Passive House builders in the US where he earned the designation Passive House Consultant. In 2015 he started his own firm, Michael Maines Residential Design. Mike understands that not every client is interested in building a certified Passive House, so he works with them to find a balance of efficiency and cost, while making sure that the home or renovation is beautiful, functional and healthy for its occupants and the environment. He works all over Maine and New England, and sometimes beyond, using the advantages of digital communication wherever possible. As contributing editor to Fine Homebuilding and Green Home Advisor, co-creator of Pretty Good House principles and the BS* & Beer (*building science) show which has up to 600 viewers a week, you might say Mike knows quite a bit. More importantly he shares his knowledge freely everywhere as he does with us in this podcast. Topics: A new project using concepts from the Earthship modified for New England The Pretty Good House alternative to Passive House, LEED and Living Building Challenge The BS* & Beer Show (*building science) What questions to ask of a green builder to make sure they know what they are doing Thinking about cost and benefit of renovations Links: Michael Maines Residential Design http://www.michaelmaines.com/ The BS & Beer Show https://www.thebsandbeershow.com/ Green Building Advisor https://greenbuildingadvisor.com Fine Home Building https://finehomebuilding.com/ Performance Building Supply https://performancebuildingsupply.com/ PHIUS (Passive House US) https://www.phius.org/home-page NESEA (Northeast Sustainable Energy Association) https://nesea.org --Mike added this as a primary place to look for information and local green builders to hire

Allison Bailes is writing a book! Allison writes the popular Energy Vanguard Blog. With a PhD in physics and thousands of hours spent in attics and crawl spaces, he knows a thing or two about houses. Join Kristof in a discussion with his old friend and colleague as they explore common myths about houses and talk about your next book purchase.Dr. Allison Bailes IIIWith a background in physics and nearly twenty years of experience in many facets of the residential buildings industry, Allison Bailes has a good handle on what’s wrong with residential buildings and how to fix them. In 2001, he built a high-performance home and launched himself into a new career in the world of building science. Since that time, he has worked as an HVAC designer, home performance contractor, regional manager for a green-building program, and building science trainer. For most of this new career, Dr. Bailes has run his own companies. Energy Vanguard, which he started in 2008, is his current firm.At heart, though, Dr. Bailes is a teacher. He taught high school science for three years prior to earning a PhD in physics from the University of Florida and then taught physics for six years at the college level after his graduate education. Since leaving academia, he has focused his teaching on the principles of building science. Through short presentations, workshops, and extended classes, he has helped thousands of people understand how buildings work.What Dr. Bailes is most known for is writing the Energy Vanguard Blog, which gets ten thousand page views per day. He also writes regularly for Green Building Advisor and has had articles published in Fine Homebuilding, The Journal of Light Construction, Home Energy Magazine, and other publications. Dr. Bailes is also popular speaker at conferences, presenting keynote speeches, breakout sessions, and extended workshops. In addition, he is a runner, a juggler, and a skier as well as having the honor of being perhaps the only man included in Who’s Who of American Women.The Book! A House Needs to Breathe...Or Does It?“Of course it doesn't. But the people in the house do! That's one of many myths I'll be exploding, along with lots of advice about how to do things right (and sometimes, how not to do them wrong). And with the coronavirus on everyone's mind now, one of the topics I'll be discussing is what's most effective at combating infectious microbes in your home...and what's not.My goal with this book is to make it one of the most informative and readable building science books in the world. I want people who live in homes - and that's almost everyone - to know how their homes work and what they can do to be more comfortable, have better indoor air quality, and save money on their energy bills.”Here's some of the advance praise I've gotten for the book:Dr. Bailes is my favorite writer in building science and HVAC design because of how he simplifies and explains complex topics. This book is sure to be a must read.~ Bryan Orr, Founder of HVAC School and host of their podcastI am stoked to share my excitement about the upcoming book, "A House Needs to Breathe." Manufacturers, distributors, trades, and design professionals need to get it right - right now. There's so much bad BS (building science) floating around, it needs to be sanitized before society moves into more bad houses. Dr. Allison Bailes, a designer's designer, will clean house with this one - a recommended must-read!" ~ Robert Bean (ret.), ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer, Mechanical and Building Construction EngineeringAllison Bailes makes the complex world of building science seem intuitive. He combines the penetrating analysis of a physicist with the flowing narrative of a storyteller. And the story he tells is about what your home can and should be doing to make your life better. You're going to want to read this book!~ Kristof Irwin, P.E., host of the Building Science Podcast“If you order this book, you'll get signed copies of the book. If you order at the Six Pack level or higher, you'll also get your name listed in the book. And the top four levels have other bonuses (free consulting, webinar, workshops, or advertising in the Energy Vanguard Blog) included for the same price per book.Please go to the campaign page and then click the Pre-order button at the top right to pre-order your copies. And pass the link on to your family, friends, and coworkers.”Energy Vanguard BlogSouthface Passive House Austin

Kristin Dozier serves as a Leon County Commissioner representing District 5. Prior to her election, Kristin spent eleven years at Mad Dog Construction holding numerous positions including Green Building Advisor and Vice President.In this episode, Blake and Kristin look back on their involvement in Leadership Tallahassee, Literacy Volunteers of Leon County, in addition to diving into a discussion about our local government’s role in the current Coronavirus outbreak.

For More Information on Mike Maines:http://www.michaelmaines.com/BIOMichael grew up on an old farm in central Maine, learning practical skills and spending a lot of time working and playing outdoors in woods, fields and water. During high school he became interested in timber frame construction, where the skeleton of the building is expressed with large timbers and traditional all-wood joinery. He knew he wanted to design and build beautiful, natural, expressive homes for a career, but was torn between going to college for architecture, engineering, or another field. He chose to attend Tufts University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, with a minor in Architectural Studies, graduating with honors and with an award for entrepreneurial achievement. He had spent every break during college working as carpenter or woodworker, and used his savings and award money to buy an old Volvo station wagon and some tools, and spent the next several years working as a fine woodworker, carpenter and contractor all over New England, mostly in Cambridge and Nantucket, MA.Michael and his wife-to-be decided they would move from Somerville, MA to Portland, ME in August of 2001. The events a few weeks later hastened their move, and in early 2002, Michael found a job as a drafter at a respected residential design/build firm near Portland. Over the next twelve years, Michael worked in various roles at the company as they grew to more than five times their size when he started, including a stint back in the field as a foreman and project manager, but for the last several years he managed the design department and business development as they established a new cabinetmaking division and took on some of their largest and most successful projects to date.Throughout his career, Michael had studied building science and energy efficiency, and the more he learned, the more frustrated he grew with not being able to convince clients to implement strategies that were better for the environment. He and his wife had also decided to relocate from their small urban lot to have more land for their growing homesteading activities, and to be closer to their parents, so in 2014 they moved to a farm established in 1830 in Palermo, Maine, between Augusta and Belfast, about 75 miles north of Portland.Michael had been interested in the Passive House building energy standard since he had first learned about it in 2006, and got a job with one of the premier builders of Passive Houses in the US, who happened to be starting a shop to build the most energy efficient buildings in the world, indoors, in Searsmont, Maine. Michael’s title was Operations Manager, but he performed a wide variety of tasks to help bring the new business from concept to a successful venture. He learned a whole new paradigm during his 15 months as an employee there, and subsequently earned the designation “Certified Passive House Consultant,” which means he is qualified to design buildings that use 80-90% less energy to operate than conventional buildings, and that are healthier and more comfortable than other buildings as well.As exciting as it was to help start a new venture, Michael missed using the skills he had learned helping hundreds of clients design new homes and renovations, so in early 2015 he started a new firm, Michael Maines Residential Design. He understands that not every client is interested in building a certified Passive House, but he works with them to find a balance of efficiency and cost, while making sure that the home or renovation is beautiful, functional and healthy for its occupants and the environment. Michael works all over Maine, with current projects in Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Belgrade and Rockland. He also works on more remote projects, currently including Rhode Island and Chicago, using the advantages of digital communication whenever possible.You can catch his articles in:FineHomebuilding, Green Building Advisor, and Green and Healthy Homes MaineTo read the article on Low Carbon Construction that we discussed in this episode click HERE

For More Information on Mike Maines:http://www.michaelmaines.com/BIOMichael grew up on an old farm in central Maine, learning practical skills and spending a lot of time working and playing outdoors in woods, fields and water. During high school he became interested in timber frame construction, where the skeleton of the building is expressed with large timbers and traditional all-wood joinery. He knew he wanted to design and build beautiful, natural, expressive homes for a career, but was torn between going to college for architecture, engineering, or another field. He chose to attend Tufts University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, with a minor in Architectural Studies, graduating with honors and with an award for entrepreneurial achievement. He had spent every break during college working as carpenter or woodworker, and used his savings and award money to buy an old Volvo station wagon and some tools, and spent the next several years working as a fine woodworker, carpenter and contractor all over New England, mostly in Cambridge and Nantucket, MA.Michael and his wife-to-be decided they would move from Somerville, MA to Portland, ME in August of 2001. The events a few weeks later hastened their move, and in early 2002, Michael found a job as a drafter at a respected residential design/build firm near Portland. Over the next twelve years, Michael worked in various roles at the company as they grew to more than five times their size when he started, including a stint back in the field as a foreman and project manager, but for the last several years he managed the design department and business development as they established a new cabinetmaking division and took on some of their largest and most successful projects to date.Throughout his career, Michael had studied building science and energy efficiency, and the more he learned, the more frustrated he grew with not being able to convince clients to implement strategies that were better for the environment. He and his wife had also decided to relocate from their small urban lot to have more land for their growing homesteading activities, and to be closer to their parents, so in 2014 they moved to a farm established in 1830 in Palermo, Maine, between Augusta and Belfast, about 75 miles north of Portland.Michael had been interested in the Passive House building energy standard since he had first learned about it in 2006, and got a job with one of the premier builders of Passive Houses in the US, who happened to be starting a shop to build the most energy efficient buildings in the world, indoors, in Searsmont, Maine. Michael’s title was Operations Manager, but he performed a wide variety of tasks to help bring the new business from concept to a successful venture. He learned a whole new paradigm during his 15 months as an employee there, and subsequently earned the designation “Certified Passive House Consultant,” which means he is qualified to design buildings that use 80-90% less energy to operate than conventional buildings, and that are healthier and more comfortable than other buildings as well.As exciting as it was to help start a new venture, Michael missed using the skills he had learned helping hundreds of clients design new homes and renovations, so in early 2015 he started a new firm, Michael Maines Residential Design. He understands that not every client is interested in building a certified Passive House, but he works with them to find a balance of efficiency and cost, while making sure that the home or renovation is beautiful, functional and healthy for its occupants and the environment. Michael works all over Maine, with current projects in Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Belgrade and Rockland. He also works on more remote projects, currently including Rhode Island and Chicago, using the advantages of digital communication whenever possible.You can catch his articles in:FineHomebuilding, Green Building Advisor, and Green and Healthy Homes MaineTo read the article on Low Carbon Construction that we discussed in this episode click HERE

One year after handing off the podcast to the new hosts, Justin Fink, Brian Pontolilo, and Rob Yagid sit down for a reunion to discuss Green Building Advisor, FHB’s new Summit seminar, the change in message of Keep Craft Alive. The gang also recaps past and current projects, plans for future projects, and takes a trip down podcast memory lane.

The guys have the week off for this episode, so we're taking a second listen to Podcast Episode #37, an interview with Green Building Advisor editor Martin Holladay. This episode features a frank discussion of what makes for a truly green home [hint: it's not solar panels and new construction]. This lively conversation covers the ways that the building trades can — and can’t — contribute to the fight against global warming.

Today Ed Kisiel of EKABuild Corp. joins us to discuss the way he goes about constructing super tight homes using standard construction techniques. Ed describes his process and his respect for the House as a System concept: that is the envelope, mechanicals and architectural design all need to work together in harmony. He’s an open minded civil engineer turned builder who has a thirst for learning more about building science, building materials and modes of construction. Some of Ed’s favorite resources include Matt Risinger (www.youtube.com/user/MattRisinger), Allison Bailles (www.energyvanguard.com), Green Building Advisor (www.greenbuildingadvisor.com) and Joe Lstiburek (www.buildingscience.com). If you are interested in learning more, you can contact Ed via his website www.EKABuild.com

According to Green Building Advisor. com, “spray polyurethane foam is better than any other type of insulation at reducing air leakage.”  And that’s one of the biggest reasons that spray foam insulation is becoming one of the most popular insulation options in North America.  This week's mini lesson will discuss the two types of spray foam insulation, open cell spray foam and closed cell spray foam.  We'll also cover rigid foam in insulation. Show notes at www.BYHYU.com

This week on IAQ Radio one of the modern day pioneers of the Home Performance industry Mr. Nate Adams joins us for the hour. Nate started out in outside sales for a fiberglass insulation manufacturer. He then started a retrofit insulation contracting business in 2009, Energy Smart Insulation, earning the Department of Energy's Century Club award in 2012, one of only 97 contractors nationwide. Nate grew frustrated with the fact that all too often he was not truly solving the problems he was called to solve and the unsustainable treadmill of small, unfulfilling jobs that is typically the life of an insulation contractor. Searching for a better way, Nate has spent the last two years developing and honing a sales process to sell the large, complicated Home Performance jobs typically required to solve homeowner problems at their root. These jobs typically involve air sealing, insulation, and new HVAC equipment and often result in large IAQ improvements. Average job size has risen from $2500 to over $15,000 with much higher client satisfaction and personal job fulfillment. Nate blogged throughout this painful transition on the Energy Smart Blog and his work was picked up by the Journal of Light Construction where he frequently writes the Energy column, GreenTech Media, Green Building Advisor, Energy Vanguard, and more. He has spoken at industry conferences, most recently about using energy modeling to sell larger jobs. The focus on results has also lead Nate to focus on measurement, and he has found that energy savings are predictable in these projects. These energy savings are a good proxy for a successful job and a happy client. It could also lead to a larger market and unlocking large scale financing. This discovery has lead Nate to advocate for measured results in the Home Performance industry via the One Knob blog. Nate would like to see the Home Performance industry finally fulfill its promise to make the nation's homes healthier, more comfortable, longer lasting, and less expensive to operate while providing fulfilling, high paying jobs and leaving a better world for our children. LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio!

This week on IAQ Radio one of the modern day pioneers of the Home Performance industry Mr. Nate Adams joins us for the hour. Nate started out in outside sales for a fiberglass insulation manufacturer. He then started a retrofit insulation contracting business in 2009, Energy Smart Insulation, earning the Department of Energy's Century Club award in 2012, one of only 97 contractors nationwide. Nate grew frustrated with the fact that all too often he was not truly solving the problems he was called to solve and the unsustainable treadmill of small, unfulfilling jobs that is typically the life of an insulation contractor. Searching for a better way, Nate has spent the last two years developing and honing a sales process to sell the large, complicated Home Performance jobs typically required to solve homeowner problems at their root. These jobs typically involve air sealing, insulation, and new HVAC equipment and often result in large IAQ improvements. Average job size has risen from $2500 to over $15,000 with much higher client satisfaction and personal job fulfillment. Nate blogged throughout this painful transition on the Energy Smart Blog and his work was picked up by the Journal of Light Construction where he frequently writes the Energy column, GreenTech Media, Green Building Advisor, Energy Vanguard, and more. He has spoken at industry conferences, most recently about using energy modeling to sell larger jobs. The focus on results has also lead Nate to focus on measurement, and he has found that energy savings are predictable in these projects. These energy savings are a good proxy for a successful job and a happy client. It could also lead to a larger market and unlocking large scale financing. This discovery has lead Nate to advocate for measured results in the Home Performance industry via the One Knob blog. Nate would like to see the Home Performance industry finally fulfill its promise to make the nation's homes healthier, more comfortable, longer lasting, and less expensive to operate while providing fulfilling, high paying jobs and leaving a better world for our children. LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio!

Martin Holladay from Green Building Advisor talks about the pros and cons of the Passivhaus standard. He also explains why he believes the German standard is not the best approach for the North American climate.

Chris and Phil have a nice chat with energy auditing guru, Allison Bailes, As a Green Building Advisor and the man behind the Energy Vanguard, Allison knows his stuff. Together they discuss the new Energy StarLabeling system sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy for labeling the most energy-efficient products on the market; applies to a wide range of products, from computers and office equipment to refrigerators and air conditioners. 3, integrating mechanical design into a residential project, FROGS, and naked people. So grab a cup of joe (or make a Moscow Mule if you're off-duty) and enjoy.

Chris and Phil have a nice chat with energy auditing guru, Allison Bailes, As a Green Building Advisor and the man behind the Energy Vanguard, Allison knows his stuff. Together they discuss the new Energy StarLabeling system sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy for labeling the most energy-efficient products on the market; applies to a wide range of products, from computers and office equipment to refrigerators and air conditioners. 3, integrating mechanical design into a residential project, FROGS, and naked people. So grab a cup of joe (or make a Moscow Mule if you're off-duty) and enjoy.