Shows
The Building Science PodcastOur Hidden RoommatesKristof interviews Dr. Sarah HainesThe Indoor Microbiome is the complex, invisible world of microorganisms living within our daily surroundings, serving as the primary ecological interface through which buildings influence human biology. In this light, we are beginning to view indoor environments not merely as passive shelters, but as powerful positive health interventions that can actively shape our immune development and long-term wellbeing.Today, we are joined by Dr. Sarah Haines, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and Principal Investigator of the IMEE Lab, to explore the foundational framework behind this shift. We will...
2026-02-121h 03
Passive House Podcast273: Buildings as Habitat: Biodiversity-Informed Investments in Public HealthIn this episode of The Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy and Kristof Irwin discuss with Helena van Vliet the concept of biophilic design and its impact on human wellbeing. Helena explains how designing environments that reconnect humans with nature can optimize physiological energy and reduce stress and inflammation. The conversation delves into practical applications of biophilic design in urban environments, exploring how elements like dynamic sunlight, water features, and vegetation can improve health and connect people with natural surroundings. The episode also touches on the challenges of integrating these concepts with traditional architectural practices focused on energy efficiency and...
2026-01-201h 20The Building Science PodcastBeyond the ViewWindows are pivotal to the lived experience of a home. They impact the basic aesthetic and provide natural light, views, ventilation, and safety. However, they are also nearly always the largest single source of heat loss and gain - it's hard to overstate the importance of getting windows right, as they play a huge role in a building's energy use. Today, we're going to take a deep dive into high-performance architectural windows, exploring the technology that lets us control unwanted heat flow through conduction, convection, and radiation. We'll be looking at the technical specs U-factor, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient...
2025-12-011h 31
Passive House PodcastTRE 12: Changing the Conversation on High-Performance PracticeIn the twelfth episode of The Reimagine Edit series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Jake Bruton, Ben Bogie, Michael Ingui, Ed May, Kristof Irwin, and Ashley Wisse.This episode explores how practitioners across the Reimagine Buildings Collective are evolving the language and practice of high-performance building—shifting the focus toward health, comfort, and durability; tackling the realities of partial retrofits; leveraging modeling for better design decisions; and exploring radiant cooling and geothermal systems. Together, they offer a grounded perspective on how builders and designers can communicate value, raise st...
2025-11-0841 minThe Building Science PodcastCementing CarbonThis is a crossover episode with the Spring Street Passive House education and advocacy series.Welcome to a pivotal conversation on the future of our built world. The concrete industry, indispensable for modern infrastructure, is facing an urgent mandate: reconcile its foundational role (pun) with its role as a source of environmental pollution. The scale of the emissions are staggering - if global concrete manufacturing were a country it would be the 3rd largest emitter, behind only China and the US (!). The good news is that with this a motivation the global concrete industry is...
2025-10-311h 01
Passive House Podcast260: Recapping PhiusCon 2025In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy and Kristof Irwin are at PhiusCon 2025, highlighting key sessions and interviews with industry experts. The conference explored a variety of themes including performance, purpose, and the power of community in the Passive House movement. Key takeaways included insights on air tightness, ventilation, innovative financing models, and the challenges and successes in scaling up Passive House projects. https://www.phius.org/phiusconThank you to Ikon Windows for sponsoring this episode of the Passive House Podcast! https://www.ikonwindows.com/ Tha...
2025-10-211h 18The Building Science PodcastCommissioning MattersCommissioning Matter - Establishing a Culture of CollaborationWho on the AEC team can deliver strategic guidance, direction, and leadership for the functional aspects of homes and buildings? This is the role of a Commissioning Agent (CxA) and it’s a role that matters now more than ever. The term "commissioning" itself means to "entrust into the safekeeping of someone", with its origins dating back to the mid-14th century, signifying "authority entrusted to someone, delegated authority or power". When it comes to home and buildings, who do we entrust to make sure everything functions as intended an...
2025-08-041h 14The Building Science PodcastArchitectural EpidemiologyHow do we expand the positive impacts of our buildings? Now is the time. The building sector is looking at a once-in-a-generation opportunity to flip from being a major contributor to both chronic disease and climate disruption to becoming one of the primary solutions. The key is provide training and perspective to the professionals involved. Why is it that so few architects base design decisions on the known health impacts of buildings at both the personal and community levels? Similarly, why is it that the role of buildings as determinants of health and disease in society is s...
2025-07-071h 17The Building Science PodcastDesign Matters: Aesthetics, Ethics, and Architectural Impact“It’s time to rethink the idea that architecture does not sully itself with social or ecological ills.”Jonathan Feldman (in conversation w/ KI)The practice of architecture is a place where ethics and aesthetics converge. We make decisions and lead our lives based on ethics. As such ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals and society. Aesthetics is a set of principles that are involved with the nature and appreciation of beauty - the aspect of an object that makes it pleasurable to perceive. Join us in this interview with two though...
2025-05-291h 04The Building Science PodcastArchitecture of Risk: Managing Liability & Uncertainty in the AECRisk is real in the AEC. True risk management isn't about avoidance, but about informed engagement. Homes and buildings today measure success in many ways, each of these represent a potential failure mode. Managing risk means recognizing and embracing it, this is a core message from our guest today. Joe Basham is a seasoned construction industry attorney with decades of experience, a keen mind, clever wit and the ability to cut to the heart of the matter.Join Kristof and Joe as they delve into the critical role of risk management in the design and construction process...
2025-04-301h 06
Passive House PodcastTRE 06: From Resilience to Prefab to Building the FutureIn this sixth episode of The Reimagine Edit (TRE) series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Carmel Pratt (Massive Passive AMA); Graham Irwin and Silas Patlove (Duck Curve Friday AMA); Lloyd Alter (Sufficiency First AMA); Sara Kudra, Bev Craig, Rainger Pinney, Kristof Irwin, and Alexander Gard-Murray (BuildingEnergy Boston Recap); Ilka Cassidy and Greg Leskien (PH Panelization AMA); and Andrew Peel (Passive House Modeling AMA). The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our...
2025-04-1941 min
Passive House PodcastTRE 05: Paradigms, Retrofits, and How To Sell Passive HouseIn this fifth episode of The Reimagine Edit (TRE) series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Ryan Abendroth (how to get into PH consulting), Michael Ingui (how to sell Passive Hosue), Kristof Irwin (paradigms in high performance building), and Tom Bassett-Dilley (retrofits and embodied carbon).The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our membership community of building professionals stepping up to tackle climate change. Learn more about the Reimagine Buildings Collective at...
2025-03-2540 minThe Building Science PodcastTelling Better Stories“The world is not made of atoms, the world is made of stories”Muriel Rukeyser“Where do buildings come from?” is a question that comes with a story. Less often asked, “Where do buildings go?”. The evolving story human society tells itself in answer to those questions is worth unpacking thoughtfully. That’s what happens in this episode. Join Kristof as he shares a conversation with Greg Esparza on the power of storytelling and the connection between stories and the materiality of buildings. The power of storytelling is clear in the ability to connect people...
2025-02-261h 15The Building Science PodcastArchitecture Out of BalanceThe tension between aesthetics and performance in architecture is a critical and complex issue in contemporary design. Architects are increasingly and appropriately being tasked with designing buildings that are not only beautiful but also functional in terms of impacts on owners, occupants, resources, and planetary ecosystems. The contrasting view, one where architecture is principally form-making comes at its peril. As Juhani Pallasmaa cautions, following this path “The world becomes a hedonistic but meaningless visual journey”Navigating the path between form and function is central to the role of architecture in our society. It is also the backdrop to th...
2024-12-071h 15
The Heat Pump PodcastThe "Great Heat Pump Revolt of 2025" and how to avoid it, with Steve RogersSteve Rogers, head of The Energy Conservatory (TEC), leads one of the most influential companies in HVAC. TEC’s True Flow Grid has transformed how many Amply customers approach home analysis and system design—and in this episode, Steve explains why airflow and duct analysis are crucial for building efficient, high-performance heat pump systems.
Steve is an engineer’s engineer, the kind of person who creates detailed spreadsheets—just for fun—to balance every tradeoff in heat pump selection, from comfort to cost and efficiency. In this episode, he brings that same rigor to topics every HVAC pro needs...
2024-11-1258 minThe Building Science PodcastDesigner Desiccants, Molecular Filters, and Lots Of DehumidificationWhat is the future of dehumidification? Turns out this simple question opens up an exciting view of the future of IAQ generally. The goal of a low energy method for removing water molecules from a flowing airstream boils down to some way of identifying, grabbing and holding onto them. Essentially we are talking about a designer desiccant or molecular filter that lets the air pass through while it filters out water molecules. If we can do this, the next logical question is “Why stop there?” Why not identify a broad range of pollutants and contaminants in the airst...
2024-11-041h 06The Building Science PodcastMore Influence, More Impact, More SatisfactionEmpowering the practice of architecture to achieve consistent, predictable, positive impacts on human well-being and planetary health is perhaps one of the most pressing topics in the AEC today. Starting with a review of the history of the search for Bioclimatic Law, this conversation with Dr Bill Braham, FAIA is an invitation to architects to reclaim their power. Bioclimatic Law is the relationship between architecture and life. In practice “life” is more narrowly defined by architecture as “comfort” or “comfort, health and well-being”. At its core bioclimatic design asks “What are the climate opportunities?”. The basic principle is to start with...
2024-09-081h 25The Building Science PodcastTools for a Habitable FutureThe work of the AEC is broader than buildings. On a daily basis we, collectively and individually, make decisions that have broad and lasting impacts on our lives, our health, and our world. These impacts can be either positive or negative; the choice is ours. This is the perspective of Gina Ciganik and her brilliant and motivated team at Habitable. Armed with powerful minds and compelling data, they are working to help society rethink material supply chains altogether. Formerly the Healthy Building Network, Habitable exists to help people understand that we need to fundamentally shift the materials e...
2024-08-161h 19The Building Science PodcastRethinking the Wood Supply ChainHow can we build better supply chains for the built world? When it comes to the inconceivably vast amount of wood we use in our buildings, one “simple” way is to use less virgin material and use more wood that would otherwise not make it to market. Instead it would be destined to decompose and emit its carbon into the sky. What if, instead, the forgotten trees were salvaged and turned into valuable, usable lumber?This is a big idea whose time has come. Still, having a powerful idea is only the first step. Making it happen in the r...
2024-07-2948 minThe Building Science PodcastPickleball Goes PassiveWho knew that an indoor pickleball facility could become a touchstone for high performance construction based on passive house principles? The backstory here is worth unpacking as it relates to a powerful force that is not often discussed - money. Return on investment is the aim of the game in the realm of real estate investment and this fact typically filters out high performance passive buildings - but not this time, and it is important to understand why. Our guest today is adept in both the financial and the construction realms and has been able to make a solid...
2024-06-1158 minThe Building Science PodcastIs There a Passive House Aesthetic?At a fundamental level, passive house practitioners are engaged in a rebellion against poor quality design and construction. It’s becoming quite clear that this rebellion has legs and will endure. Given this, a question worth unpacking is whether the durability of the passive house movement is emerging as an architectural style. What are the defining principles behind architectural aesthetic decisions in the context of high performance homes and buildings? What will the history books say about our little rebellion in the years to come? Join us in this rich and thoughtful discussion with two powerful voices at the top...
2024-05-231h 07The Building Science PodcastOur First PSA, Humid Climate Conference in Austin, May 6-7!Big news! The Humid Climate Conference is coming back to ATX and it’s time for some appropriate FOMO. We’re just two weeks out. You will be so glad you made the decision to come to HCC in ATX. Both the technical knowledge and perspectives you’ll hear, as well as the realization and experience of the power, vitality and unstoppability of the growing community of folks in the AEC that are stepping up to move our industry and our society forward. The theme for HCC’24 is Transitions. The work we do in the world as architects...
2024-05-0111 minThe Building Science PodcastUltrasonics Comes to MarketToday’s episode opens up the system of systems that delivers the materials, equipment and tools we use to deliver high quality homes and buildings to ourselves. The focus is on an novel ultrasonic leak detection system. This is potentially game-changing technology that impacts the ability to confidently deliver Passive House quality air control layers. Along the way you’ll learn about the importance of the air barrier and get a glimpse of the vastness of the AEC. This is an expansive episode that covers the human side of what it will take to get us from high quality desi...
2024-04-221h 06The Building Science PodcastNext Level LeverageWhat if it’s true that “We can not solve our problems using the same level of thinking that created them”? - Attributed to Albert EinsteinCould it be that our building science understanding is limited? Could it be that even the clarity of understanding we gain by viewing homes and buildings as a systems of systems, assemblies, materials and products interacting according to the laws of science and nature - is necessary but not sufficient to cause us to build that way? Building science is a necessary understanding but it is proving insufficient to cause t...
2024-04-1058 minThe Building Science PodcastHouses are Made of StoriesJosh SalingerJoshua Salinger is CEO and Founder of Birdsmouth Design Build, a residential Design Build company located in Portland OR. In 1999 Josh graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double major in Zoology and Conservation. In 2007 he started Birdsmouth Design Build with the goal of designing and building beautiful, high performing homes that transform and improve the built environment.Josh has received certifications from Earth Advantage’s Sustainable Homes Professional course, and is an early graduate of the Passive House Builders Training program administered by PHIUS and is an accredited EEBA Zero Energy Ho...
2024-03-261h 17The Building Science PodcastEntropy, Insight and Our Time to ShineLuke LeungLuke is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Fellow; He is also a Centennial Fellow from The Pennsylvania State University Architectural Engineering Department; Board of Directors for USGBC (United State Green Building Council), Illinois; Chairman of the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning) Committee on “Tall Buildings”; Chairman of the Building Pressure Committee, Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings; Sustainable Committee with Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat; Part Time Professor at IIT; Member of the Chicago Sister Cities Program with China; MBA from University of Chicago, MS and BAE f...
2024-03-121h 14The Building Science PodcastWood is Good?Chris MagwoodChris works with the Embodied Carbon Team in the Carbon Free Buildings Program. He brings focus on carbon-storing material and the residential sector to the team, using his experience with LCA studies and policy development to support the team’s work.Chris has been designing and building zero-carbon buildings throughout his 25-year career. From 2005 to 2018, he was a lead instructor in a hands-on design/build program at Endeavour Centre and was responsible for many zero-carbon, zero-toxin, and zero-waste buildings.In 2019, he helped found Builders for Climate Action and codeveloped the BEAM tool fo...
2024-03-011h 25The Building Science PodcastCircles All the Way DownHow do we design and build affordable net-zero, carbon-negative homes? That important goal is the subject of today’s episode and is the focus of a multidisciplinary team that includes PNNL, Virginia Tech, and Green Canopy NODE. On the podcast today you’ll hear from Patti Gunderson with PNNL who is working with a talented team who are taking a thoughtful approach to this ambitious goal. One that focuses on modular design, carbon sequestering materials, thermal/energy efficiency, and a forward-looking circular approach that relies on cleverly designed, factory-built, bio-based materials right from the start. The outcome is a home...
2024-02-131h 17
Passive House PodcastBonus Episode: Kristof Irwin, Positive Energy (PhiusCon 2023)In this special bonus episode recorded at the PhiusCon 2023,Co-Host of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy, interviews Kristof Irwin of Positive Energy.https://positiveenergy.pro/https://phius1.zohobackstage.com/PhiusCon2023Thank you to our sponsor, Zola Windows for making the Passive House Podcast at the Passive House Network Conference possible.https://www.zolawindows.com/Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our...
2023-12-0121 minThe Building Science PodcastThe “Roaring 20s” for IAQThe 2020’s have so far been a decade of abundance and progress for society’s awareness and understanding of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Beyond and before the pandemic put IAQ on everyone's mind, researchers have been enjoying well funded support from various organizations, both public and private, to better understand the impacts of indoor air on our health and well being. Plus cutting edge technologies from novel mass spectrometers to real-time PCR and next-generation DNA sequencing are both expanding and accelerating our understanding of the richness, diversity and significance of indoor air quality in our lives. Join...
2023-09-261h 14The Building Science PodcastMaking Quality Homes A(a)ffordable?In a Seattle neighborhood, close to public transportation, Dan Whitmore and his associates are putting the money where their ideals are and making affordable housing happen. Not just affordable but high-performance Passive House affordable per the Phius standards, plus they have an onsite PV array that unlocks the benefits of onsite power generation. This episode is an interview with Dan as he unpacks the topic and asks Why is this compelling social issue considered to be only one that can be addressed by governmental programs and non-profits? The need for affordable housing is indeed a compelling societal is...
2023-08-2553 minThe Building Science PodcastThe Future of HomesToday we are going to dig into The Future of Homes with two home builders intent on delivering that future in the present. How do we make truly healthy, exceptionally durable homes that also respect the environment, the new normal? What are we doing in residential construction today that we’ll look back on and say “Remember when we used to do that?” Conversely, what are we doing that is “new” and unconventional today but will come to be a widespread, mainstream practice? These are the opening topics in this thoughtful conversation about the importance of perspective and the rol...
2023-08-171h 18The Building Science PodcastHempcrete Homes: A Growing IndustryWhy is the AEC industry still mostly ignoring hempcrete? There are a host of good reasons to use this renewable and low environmental impact material in homes and buildings - including indoor air quality, acoustics, thermal comfort, and energy performance - yet the mainstream market is still largely uninformed and continues to deliver today’s houses with yesterday's material palettes. With industrial hemp coming online fueled by new legislation, favorable economics and strong market potential - amid a conventional building material supply supply chain beset by disruptions and price increases - deciding to use hempcrete for your build may be...
2023-08-091h 15The Building Science PodcastArchitectural Solar: A New NormalThe best place to generate electrical power is where it’s used. We all know that solar PV adds value for both owners and society by improving resilience, reducing energy costs and decreasing carbon emissions and climate impact. Yet traditional design practices and compressed schedules make it challenging for project teams to include integrated solar on their designs. The solution is Architectural Solar and the Architectural Solar Association knows that the key moves are early engagement and integration of architectural, structural and cladding systems. The time is now to consider solar as being architecturally significant and to rea...
2023-08-021h 08The Building Science PodcastBuild. Not too much. Mostly with plants.There has never been a better time or opportunity to completely rethink the way we approach the practice of architecture and construction. With climate change looming over us, becoming more visible by the day, a critical look at the materials we use and their impacts on emissions is needed. Enter natural building materials. Which ones are legit? How can we use them? Join Kristof as he interviews architect and builder, Greg Esparza, with a sweeping introduction to mass timber construction, as well as other natural building materials like cork insulation, hemp insulation, wood fiber board insulation, etc. ———-
2023-07-191h 22The Building Science PodcastDirect DC-to-LED Lighting (Bonus Short Episode)Producer’s note: after a regrettably long COVID-19 disruption, this fun bonus short episode (recorded live in 2018) finally gets to see the light of dayAre you open to rethinking how you provide lighting to your home? What if there were a lighting system that not only saves you time, money and energy, but also enhances your experience of the living space?I think we all already know that running 120V AC around a home to power DC LEDs leads to a lot of warm AC-to-DC transformers and wasted energy. We also know that Solar run...
2023-06-3020 minThe Building Science PodcastAn Introduction to Embodied Carbon & BuildingsIs a building more like a river or a rock? A building seems to just sit there*, so in that sense it seems to be more like a rock. But in reality every building material, and thus the entire building itself, is a snapshot in time of a river of resources and energy flowing from natural ecosystems into our use, and then, ultimately flowing back into the environmentAll along the way, this flow of energy and resources emits carbon and other molecules into the sky, changing atmospheric chemistry and imbalancing our climate’s equilibrium. We...
2023-06-281h 13The Building Science PodcastDo you like it hot? Do you want it now? Do you want it to last forever?Gary Klein is in hot water and that’s a good thing. Hot water is the often-overlooked aspect of energy use in our homes and buildings and that makes zero sense. Energy for water heating is either the second largest, or in some cases the largest single energy use and does not get enough attention.As if that were not motivation enough, hot water is also the place where convenience and energy savings align perfectly because no one wants to wait for hot water and no one (arguably) wants to needlessly waste energy. With all the product ba...
2023-06-211h 20The Building Science PodcastBuilding Passion For PassiveKnowing how to build fantastic high performing buildings is not enough; we need to cause that to actually happen. We need high performance buildings to exist. Knowing how is necessary, but also clearly not sufficient. During this time of increasing urgency to realize new performance outcomes, we need new skills in order to fulfill our roles in society as architects, engineers, builders and trades. What this means is that we need to think about what actually works and then do a lot of that right now. In this episode we interview a veteran Passive House architect who has thought...
2022-11-041h 02The Building Science PodcastProving Passive House Is Practical, Possible, & Promising (In Climate Zone 2A)Join Kristof as he interviews architect and Passive House nerd, Trey Farmer, in a wide ranging discussion about remodeling his personal residence. The ambitious project was an endeavor to prove to the Austin architecture and construction community that beautiful, well designed single family passive houses were not only possible in the market, but also quite practical and able to be built without breaking the bank or special products. Trey’s emphasis on community and his own business endeavors all point to a deep prioritization of doing better and leading by example. This episode is awesome and we can’t wait...
2022-09-261h 05
The Build Show PodcastTight Houses vs Leaky HousesIn this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt and Kristof Irwin go deep into the subject of mechanical design; duct layout, equipment selection, diffuser selection, and how to run it all through a home with the ultimate goal of occupant comfort and system efficiency.
They discuss how builders can get upstream of the HVAC layout so that mechanical designers don't have to make the best of a build that doesn't include room for heating and cooling systems. They define building science and discuss long-term vs. short-term owner satisfaction.
You don't want to miss this in-depth look into mechanical design, passive...
2022-07-0849 min
Design OraclesS3 Ep10 Positive Energy in your HomeInterview with Kristof Irwin, Principal of Positive Energy and also a Professional Engineer and Mechanical Engineer, and Host of The Building Science Podcast. We learn from our interview about air exchange in homes, humidity, house energy efficiency, what MEP is, why we should all care about the air quality in our homes and how we make it high quality, and hear stories about best practices in construction science. The mechanical, plumbing, and electrical installations greatly influence the experience of living and being in our homes.
2022-06-0852 min
Design OraclesS3 Ep10 Positive Energy in your HomeInterview with Kristof Irwin, Principal of Positive Energy and also a Professional Engineer and Mechanical Engineer, and Host of The Building Science Podcast. We learn from our interview about air exchange in homes, humidity, house energy efficiency, what MEP is, why we should all care about the air quality in our homes and how we make it high quality, and hear stories about best practices in construction science. The mechanical, plumbing, and electrical installations greatly influence the experience of living and being in our homes.
2022-06-0852 minThe Building Science PodcastThe Business of Building ScienceHappy New Year! Welcome back to the 8th season of our little show. We can hardly believe it. In this episode, we ask the question “what is it actually like to run a business that focuses on building science?” Turns out, we know something about that. Join Kristof and Miguel in a discussion about the challenges, joys, and future of business model innovation as building scientists and entrepreneurs. You can learn more about our Performance Consulting and Residential MEP services on our company website. Be on the lookout for great new episodes in the coming weeks (we’re stacked with i...
2022-01-1258 minThe Building Science PodcastEnergy With MemoryThe famous astronomer and educator Carl Sagan once said, “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch you must first invent the universe.” What Sagan was pointing at is the fact that for us to really do anything from scratch, we have to understand the system in which we exist.The planet and all its inhabitants exists as a massive, complex system of interconnected systems that we don’t always see. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly shown us that public health is part of a global web, inextricably linked. On a smaller scale, the ma...
2021-11-091h 12The Building Science PodcastKeep It Dry !Do we really need dehumidifiers when we’ve got VRF units? How do dehumidifiers work? Why do we need dehumidifiers now when we’ve never had them before? These are valid questions that deserve scientific answers and we’re here to dig in. Join Kristof as he interviews David Treleven and Nikki Krueger of Madison Industries (makers of dehumidifiers, ERVs, and many other innovative indoor air quality products). TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited and Produced by M. Walker
2021-11-041h 09The Building Science PodcastPFAS In Building ProductsOne of the most uncomfortable topics for anybody to wade through is the nearly ubiquitous and constant exposures to hazardous chemicals and compounds which we all encounter in daily products. The construction industry is no different - many building products are chock full of chemicals that are known health hazards to humans. As the body of scientific knowledge about these chemicals and their health impacts grows, it’s important that professionals and consumers have a sufficient understanding of their presence and purpose. Join Kristof as he interviews Dr. Tom Bruton, Senior Hazardous Substances Engineer at California Department of...
2021-11-0453 min
The Build Show PodcastEpisode 16: Disaster ResiliencyOn today’s episode, things are slightly different. We’ve got a part two and are following on from las week’s episode all about building science.
This week we’re creating a whole new definition of building science is for a new generation of well-built houses and I’m joined, once again, by Kristof Irwin from Positive Energy – a thought leader in his field and a good friend.
Kristof gives us a recap about how and why systems and building science is so crucial to any build before we discuss building resilient systems.
Tags: systems thinking, building science, resilient systems, deve...
2021-07-1637 min
The Build Show PodcastEpisode 14: Building Science and Systems ThinkingToday on the Build Show, we’re talking all about the future of Building Science and Systems Thinking with my very special guest; a long-time friend, colleague, and one of THE brightest minds in the Industry, Kristof Irwin from Positive Energy.
We’re going to be covering A LOT today in a short amount of time and Kristof is super excited to be talking us through the concept of building science. He describes as “using architecture, engineering and systems thinking to design and build beautiful buildings that are practical,” because, let’s face it, if we build something ugly, it’s not going...
2021-07-0231 minThe Building Science PodcastZen & The Art of Continuous IAQ ModelingThe world of indoor air quality monitoring can feel like the Wild West and it’s high time we sort it out. Join Kristof as he interviews Stanton Wong, President of RESET Standard, about the landscape of sensor technology, accuracy, data reliability, how SARS2 moves around public spaces, and a range of other indoor air quality topics. You may be surprised by how deep this field of applied science can go.TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited and Produced by M. Walker
2021-06-2359 minThe Building Science PodcastTo Grow A Home, To Grow A FutureIndustrial hemp is poised to proliferate across many verticals in the construction materials marketplace. It’s a raw material with an unfortunately politicized history and so many potential applications it’ll make your head spin. Join Kristof and Miguel in conversation with Mattie Mead and Henry Valles as we explore the many intersections of industrial hemp and the built environment. TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited and Produced by M. Walker
2021-05-031h 22
The BS* + Beer ShowThe BS* + Beer Show: Playing With FireThis episode of the BS* + Beer show features engineers Sonia Barrantes, Kristof Irwin, and Brian Ault discussing the topic of indoor combustion—particularly wood-burning—in super-tight homes. Their bottom line? Don’t do it. However, if unavoidable, you’ll want to see their presentation, as it explains the finer points of doing it right.
2021-04-281h 26The Building Science PodcastOne Wheel Down & The Axle Dragging: The Texas Grid Failure ExplainedValentines Day 2021 began a hellacious week for Texans as not one, but multiple critical infrastructure grids failed amidst prolonged record low temps. Join Kristof as he interviews Dr. Joshua Rhodes and Dr. Charles Upshaw, of IdeaSmiths (and of Positive Energy if you don't mind the bragging). In this episode we discuss what happened in Texas, separating myth from fact and understanding the role of buildings in the equation.TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited and Produced by M. Walker
2021-03-101h 11The Building Science PodcastWhat Would This Old House Say?This Old House has been the gateway experience for countless numbers of building science enthusiasts and we’d wager many of you listeners have intersected with the show at some point in your life and career. Media, whether television or podcasting, is about so much more than sharing information - it’s about telling stories. And the important stories are the ones that change paradigms and facilitate progress in the world. Join Kristof as he interviews Chris Ermides of This Old House and the Ask This Old House podcast about leveraging stories to create meaning and context for anyone buil...
2020-11-2058 minThe Building Science Podcast"Faster Horses" & The Future Of HVACWhen Ken Gehring began his career servicing dairy equipment, who would have guessed that he would go on to pioneer some of the most important equipment to hit the HVAC market? But that’s exactly what he did, leading the charge in the development and creation of the Therma-stor product lines, which include the Santa Fe and Ultra-Aire dehumidifiers that you’ve heard us talk about many times. Join Kristof as he and Ken explore a range of topics on human health, indoor air quality, dehumidification, ventilation, building envelope leakage, and more. Just FYI, we curse a little on this...
2020-10-231h 17
Podcasts Archive | Steven Winter Associates, Inc.Human Psychology and the Built Environment with Kristof Irwin
Featuring
Kristof Irwin, PE, M. Eng.
Kristof Irwin, P.E., M Eng., is the visionary principal of Positive Energy. Kristof’s background includes 12 years of experience as a custom builder (including deep energy retrofits and zero-net energy projects) and 11 years as a building science consultant. He worked for 14 years as an engineer, research scientist, and physicist for government and university research labs. He is active in the local and national high-performance building community including his role as the Chair of AIA Austin’s Building Enclosure Committee, several ASHRAE committees – ASHRAE TC-2.1 (Physiology & Human Enviro...
2019-07-1840 min
Edifice Complex Podcast#015 – Kristof Irwin – Resetting Our ExpectationsOur guest this episode is host of the Building Science Podcast, Kristof Irwin, talking about resetting our collective expectations of buildings.
If you enjoy this episode, share it with friends and give as a review on iTunes.
In this episode, we discuss;
1. How energy is a technology, not just a fuel,
2. Air filters can be a poignant moment in life!
3. How “health is the new green”
And much more……
For more information on Kristof and his work;
Website: https://positiveenergy.pro
Twitter: @kwhgeek
Li...
2018-08-151h 03The Building Science PodcastStucco - (Much) More Than Meets The EyeSpecial Edition - Just Released. Listen and learn why you don't want to miss this event! Coming up next Friday 10/13/2017 here in Austin. Join Kristof Irwin and guest experts Matt Carlton and Brian Roeder for lively discussion on the surprisingly rich topic of stucco cladding systems. You'll never look at a stucco wall the same way again.Special thanks to UltraAire for their generous support.Symposium Details Hosted by: AIA BEC: Austin & RCI, Central TexasDate & Time: Friday, October 13th, 8:30am-5:30am, registration opens at 8:00amLocation: JJ Pickle Res...
2017-10-0658 min
the Building Performance Podcast#53 A/C CAN BE SEXY: Kristof Irwin on the Magic of Variable Refrigerant CapacityToday we talk with Kristof "Handsome" Irwin, founder of Positive Energy in Austin Texas, about why your air conditioner is probably an idiot (bless its heart) and HVAC heaven that you might not have heard about.
2014-04-2317 min