Shows
Passive House Podcast195: How Passive Buildings Propel the Energy TransitionIn this episode of the Passive House Podcast Zack Semke welcomes back Lisa White, Associate Director of Phius. A renowned thought leader in the intersection of buildings and the clean energy transition, Lisa shares insights from her work, especially the Architect's Guide to Ultra-Low Energy Buildings, Microgrids, and Direct Current. She and Zack also discuss Phius's exciting revision of its Revive retrofit standard. https://xenetwork.org/ets/episodes/episode-225-demand-side-solutions/https://www.phius.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/Architect_Guide_v2.1_3mar24.pdfhttps://www.phius.org/phius-revive-2024-standard-documenthttps://passivehouseaccelerator.com/podcast/passive-house-podcast-ep-110...
2024-07-161h 06
Passive House Podcast161: Creating the 3 Passive Homes that Caught the WSJ’s AttentionPassive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke sits down with Mike Dellefave, architect and senior project designer with RODE architects. RODE has garnered recent acclaim with a notable feature in the Wall Street Journal. The article spotlights Brucewood homes, a trio of single-family Passive House residences located in Boston. They discuss the significance of the article, not only on RODE Architects but also on the broader architectural industry.RODE Architects:https://www.rodearchitects.com/Brucewood Project Link:https://www.rodearchitects.com/PROJECTS/Brucewood-by-the-ParkChart from Nat...
2023-10-161h 05
Passive House Podcast160: Sustainable Futures: Shefali Sanghvi on Equitable, Resilient BuildingPassive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Shefali Sanghvi, Director of Sustainability at Dattner Architects. Shefali discusses her commitment to facilitating equitable access to climate-resilient, healthy buildings. She shares insights into the recent Vital Brookdale project and elaborates on her role as a Director of Sustainability at a prominent architecture firm, exploring how her work is forging a path towards a better building future.Dattner Architects: https://www.dattner.com/ Vital Brookdale Project: https://www.dattner.com/projects/view/vital-brookdale/ Link to the chart that Zack mentions in the intro: ...
2023-10-101h 03
Passive House Podcast157: Dave Fox, RDH Building SciencePassive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Dave Fox, Senior Project Manager at RDH. Their conversation focuses on Passive House code development in both Massachusetts and Washington state. During their discussion, Zack and Dave explore the diverse approaches and pathways to code development, shedding light on the challenges and innovations that each region brings to the table. Dave emphasizes the paramount importance of prioritizing the building enclosure when designing high-efficiency structures, underscoring how this focus can drive massive energy efficiency outcomes.RDH Building Science:https://www.rdh.com/about/Upcoming Events:
2023-09-1944 min
Passive House PodcastLauren Thomsen – Lauren Thomsen DesignPassive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Lauren Thomsen, architect and principal at Lauren Thomsen Design. The two discuss Lauren's attraction to architecture at a young age, her fine arts training in Paris, and her journey to Passive House as an architect, including the Northern Liberties Passive House in Philadelphia. Link to the Grand Designs New Zealand episode that co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh shares in the intro: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/grand-designs/130537676/grand-designs-nz-aucklanders-swap-city-rental-for-good-life-passive-house Link to video of the Northern Liberties Passive House presentation at the Passive House Accelerator LIVE! Project Showcase: https://pass...
2022-11-281h 07
Passive House PodcastCarmel Pratt – Bright PowerPassive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Carmel Pratt, VP at Bright Power in New York City. Carmel discusses her firm's work delivering affordable multifamily Passive House projects, including the recently-completed Park Avenue Green project, as well as two projects underway, Chestnut Commons and Vital Brookdale, all in NYC. Carmel and Zack also discuss the state of building energy policy in New York and Bright Power's collaboration with several other NYC groups in gathering data and putting together a report to demonstrate to lenders that Passive House energy savings bring real and predictable financial savings for building owners.
2022-10-101h 00
Passive House PodcastScott Kennedy – Cornerstone ArchitecturePassive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Scott Kennedy, Partner at Cornerstone Architecture in Vancouver, British Columbia. Trained as an engineer and an architect, Scott is a leading exponent of multifamily Passive House design, trailblazing the approach in Vancouver and championing the adoption of Passive House across Canada. He's also a longtime member of the Board of Directors of Passive House Canada. In the interview, Scott speaks about his discovery of Passive House, the parallel evolution of his practice and building energy policy in Vancouver, the projects and the design puzzles that excite him the most these days, and...
2022-09-1957 min
Passive House PodcastJon Iliffe – eHausCohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Jon Iliffe, a Director and co-founder of eHaus, the nationwide building company in New Zealand focussing on delivering Certified Passive Houses and high-performance homes. Jon discusses some of his previous experiences, including working for Rolls Royce in the UK and the exciting times ahead as demand grows for healthier, more efficient and lower carbon buildings in New Zealand. Matthew and Cohost Zack Semke discuss Passive House news item at the top of the show, including: HalifACT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfv_xnMM-AQ https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/en...
2022-09-1251 min
Passive House PodcastRichard Yancey — Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex)Matthew Cutler-Welsh and Zack Semke kick off Season 3 of the Passive House Podcast with an interview of Richard Yancey, Executive Director of Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex) based in New York City. Richard shares his early training in high-performance building in Seattle in the 90s and early 00s, his introduction to Passive House during a visit to Brussels, and his work advancing building decarbonization in NYC. At the top of the episode, Zack references the Inflation Reduction Act incentive calculator at Rewiring America: https://www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator. At the end of the episode, Zack shares info a...
2022-08-221h 01
Passive House PodcastMichael Ingui — Baxt Ingui ArchitectsTo mark the Passive House Podcast's 100th episode, cohosts Matthew Cutler-Welsh, Mary James, and Zack Semke interview Passive House Accelerator's founder, Michael Ingui. Michael shares why he founded the Accelerator, the precursor networks that inspired the effort, and how the Accelerator has grown. At the end of the episode, Zack shares info about the on-demand "Passive House Summer School" being offered by Building Energy Exchange. Take any on-demand course free until August 31st with the coupon code "PH SUMMER". View courses here: https://be-exchange.org/Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To l...
2022-08-1544 min
Passive House PodcastMichelle Apigian – ICON ArchitectureIn the latest installment from his recent visit to Massachusetts, cohost Zack Semke visits the Cambridge Finch Passive House affordable project to interview Michelle Apigian, Associate Principal at ICON Architecture, a leader in the boom of Passive House development underway in Massachusetts today. Michelle guides a tour of the building as she discusses her Passive House work at ICON.Zack and cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh discuss upcoming Passive House events at the end of the episode. Links to those can be found here:https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-weekly-july-18-2022 Read/view Michelle's "Passive House Divas"...
2022-07-1851 min
Passive House PodcastJulia Klump – POAHAs part of his recent visit to Massachusetts, cohost Zack Semke visits the Salem Heights Passive House retrofit project to interview Julie Klump, Vice President for Design and Building Performance at POAH (Preservation of Affordable Housing). The two discuss the details of the Salem Heights project, as well as Julie's extensive portfolio of Passive House work. Zack and cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh discuss upcoming Passive House events at the end of the episode. Links to those can be found here:https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-weekly-july-11-2022Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! T...
2022-07-1137 min
Passive House PodcastBrad Mahoney – MP BostonIn this Fourth of July episode, cohost Zack Semke interviews Brad Mahoney, Director of Sustainable Development at MP Boston, about his firm's revolutionary development work in the heart of Boston. The two recorded the interview on the 19th floor of the iconic Winthrop Center, a 691-foot tall, 1.8 million square foot high-rise project that will house the world's largest Passive House (PHI) commercial office space once it's completed in early 2023. Brad shares technical details about the project, the performance and health benefits that it will confer to tenants, and why Passive House makes sense for this $1.3 billion development. ...
2022-07-0441 min
Passive House PodcastAJ Patton – 548 CapitalPassive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews AJ Patton, Managing Partner & CEO of 548 Capital and 2019 recipient of the Energy News 40 Under 40 Award for his impact on America’s transition to a clean economy. They discuss AJ's mission at 548 Capital, his work on two of Chicago's most significant Passive House developments (3831 W Chicago Avenue and Galleria 89), and his green building development plans for the future. A special "thank you" to Steven Winter Associates for being Passive House Accelerator's Sponsor of the Week this week! Steven Winter Associates provides research, consulting, and advisory services to improve commercial, residential, and mul...
2022-06-1955 min
Passive House PodcastRyan Cassidy – RiseBoro Community PartnershipPassive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Ryan Cassidy, Director of Sustainability & Construction for RiseBoro Community Partnership. Ryan discusses supervising the construction of the first multi-family affordable Passive House buildings in NYC, his current work renovating existing buildings to the Passive House standard, and his insights around mainstreaming Passive House as standard practice.Zack and cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh discuss upcoming Passive House events at the end of the episode. Links to those can be found here: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-weekly-may-16-2022 Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about P...
2022-05-1659 min
Passive House PodcastEvan Anderson – Zola Windows (Special PH Component Episode)In this special Passive House Component Episode, Passive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Evan Anderson, general manager of Zola Windows, a longtime supporter of North America's Passive House movement and the first Founding Sponsor of Passive House Accelerator. Evan shares his path to Passive House and the world of high performance windows, talks about how Zola Windows are being applied in the field, including in a recent project in Antarctica, and gives a preview of Zola's brand new steel frame line. Zack and cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh discuss the May 16, 2022 Passive House Component Spotlight event f...
2022-05-1244 min
Passive House PodcastMarine Sanchez – RDH Building SciencePassive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Marine Sanchez, Senior Passive House Consultant at RDH Building Science. A chartered, bilingual building science engineer, Passive House designer, and certifier, Marine leads RDH's Passive House services on the east coast of the US and Canada. Marine and Zack discuss the state of Passive House in Toronto and Ontario, the impact of the Toronto Green Standard and carbon tax policy on developer decision-making about incorporating Passive House in their projects, and more. Zack and cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh discuss upcoming Passive House events at the end of the episode. Links to t...
2022-05-0958 min
Passive House PodcastRoberto Pecora – ZEBxPassive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Roberto Pecora, Director of ZEBx, the Zero Emissions Building Exchange based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Zack and Roberto discuss the role that Passive House is playing in policymaking and market transformation in the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia, and beyond. Zack and co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh discuss upcoming Passive House events near the end of the episode, link to which can be found here: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-weekly-april-18-2022Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and...
2022-04-181h 13
Passive House PodcastSloan Ritchie – Cascade BuiltSloan Ritchie, owner of builder/developer Cascade Built, is a pioneer in the Passive House movement in Seattle, responsible for several major multifamily Passive House projects in the city. His mission is to demonstrate the scalability and feasibility of using Passive House construction techniques to build cost-competitive high-performance projects, establishing Seattle as a leader in the nation and changing the way people think about where they live and work. He's making good progress at it, and Passive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke explores this and more with him during their interview. After the interview, Matthew and cohost Z...
2022-02-1449 min
Passive House PodcastJuhee Lee-Hartford + James Hartford – River ArchitectsCohost Zack Semke interviews Juhee Lee-Hartford and James Hartford of River Architects, the Hudson Valley-based architecture firm that has been pioneering Passive House design for over a decade. Juhee and James share how they met, how both building science and design excellence motivate their work, and the community of practice that they have been part of building in New York State. Cohost Mathew Cutler-Welsh and Zack discuss upcoming Passive House events, links to which can be found at: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-week-in-preview-january-31To view James Hartford's Scottish small pipes tribute to the late Sam Ha...
2022-01-3151 min
Passive House PodcastKevin Brennan – Brennan Brennan Insulation and AirtightnessPassive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Kevin Brennan, co-owner at Brennan Brennan Insulation and Airtightness, firefighter with the New York City Fire Department, and cohost of Passive House Accelerator's popular Construction Tech program. Kevin shares how he got involved in both high performance construction and firefighting, insights gleaned from his years participating in the home energy performance boom, his introduction to Passive House by Tomás O'Leary, and how it all led to his current role as a leading Passive House tradesperson and educator in New York. At the end of the episode, cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh a...
2022-01-1156 min
Passive House PodcastSkylar Swinford – Energy Systems ConsultantsSkylar Swinford, principal of Energy Systems Consultants and longtime member of the Phius Technical Committee, is a widely recognized North American Passive House consultant and thought leader based in Boise, Idaho. Podcast cohost Zack Semke, who worked with Skylar at Hammer & Hand when that Pacific NW builder was playing a pioneering role in Passive House, spoke with Skylar about his unique pathway to Passive House, his experience building and consulting on his own recently-completed Passive House home in Boise, and the how Passive House fits with the exciting new "electrify everything" movement that is gaining traction in the US.
2021-12-131h 16
Passive House PodcastHugh Whiriskey – Partel (Special PH Component Episode)In this special Passive House Component Episode, Passive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Hugh Whiriskey, founder and Technical Director of Partel, the Galway, Ireland-based developer and manufacturer of high-performance airtight and windtight systems with distribution throughout Ireland, the UK, North America, and mainland Europe.Hugh is an engineer, a former practitioner of high performance building, and now a designer and leader in the manufacture of high performance buildings products that are key to Passive House practice. In his conversation with Zack, Hugh shares his motivations for founding Partel, the role that building regulations in the UK...
2021-10-2139 min
Passive House PodcastKatrin Klingenberg – PhiusPassive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Katrin Klingenberg, co-founder and Executive Director of Phius. Katrin and Zack discuss this week's upcoming PhiusCon conference in Tarrytown, New York, the rebrand that Phius recently unveiled, the new slate of passive building certifications that Phius offers, the ways that Phius is engaging with questions of operational carbon emissions, embodied carbon, and electrification, and the challenges and opportunities for scaling up deep energy retrofits and new passive buildings over the next decade. Check out these links from Phius' Klingenblog for more detail on the topics that Katrin and Zack talked...
2021-10-1156 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Giorgia Tzar at the 25th International Passive House ConferenceIn this special bonus episode recorded at the 25th International Passive House Conference presented online by Passive House Institute in September 2021, Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Giorgia Tzar, Association Management and Communications at the International Passive House Association (iPHA). Giorgia shares the latest about iPHA's Efficiency First campaign, her impressions of the conference, and iPHA's plans for the upcoming COP26 conference in Glasgow.For a special video version of this episode, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMXrhB214r8iPHA's website: https://www.passivehouse-international.org/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company...
2021-10-0615 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Benjamin Krick at the 25th International Passive House ConferenceIn this special bonus episode recorded at the 25th International Passive House Conference presented online by Passive House Institute in September 2021, Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Passive House Institute researcher and Managing Director Benjamin Krick. Benjamin shares his impressions of the conference as well as key insights about embodied energy, embodied carbon, and Passive House practice.For a video version of this episode, visit: https://youtu.be/3y3XFHYfY7cThank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming...
2021-10-0416 min
Passive House PodcastShannon Pendleton – Sanderson Sustainable DesignPassive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Shannon Pendleton, principal of Sanderson Sustainable Design and co-host of Passive House Accelerator Construction Tech. Shannon shares about her practice and how the Passive House approach has shaped it, the recent history of green building community building in Philadelphia, and the potential for an open-source approach to sharing building models (aka "digital twins") to help accelerate the transition to Passive House and high performance building. For links to the events that Zack and co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh discuss at the end of the episode, visit: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-week-in-preview-october-4
2021-10-0458 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Susanne Winkel + Aisha Liebehenz at the 25th International Passive House ConferenceIn this special bonus episode recorded at the 25th International Passive House Conference presented online by Passive House Institute in September 2021, Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Susanne Winkel, Head of Training and Education at Passive House Institute, and Aisha Liebehenz, Associate Manager of Training and Education at Passive House Institute. They dive into the latest developments around training certifications and marks available to Passive House tradespeople and designers.For a video version of this episode, visit https://youtu.be/8y5oskIgBj0Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more...
2021-10-0219 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Rainer Pfluger at the 25th International Passive House ConferenceIn this special bonus episode recorded at the 25th International Passive House Conference presented online by Passive House Institute in September 2021, Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Rainer Pfluger, a professor at the University of Innsbruck and a key player in the OutPHit initiative. Rainer explains this effort to deliver EnerPHit-level retrofits at scale. For a video version of this episode, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih7QOLcV1jgThank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming...
2021-10-0120 min
Passive House PodcastJason Quinn – Sustainable Engineering Ltd.Passive House Podcast co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Jason Quinn, founding director of Sustainable Engineering Ltd. Jason spent a decade as a rocket scientist at NASA before he and his family relocated to New Zealand in 2009. He soon became one of New Zealand’s first certified Passive House designers and in 2016 traveled to Germany for further training and exams to become the country’s first Passive House certifier. Jason is an internationally-known thought leader, communicator, and practitioner whose work focuses on the intersection of physics and building design. Matthew and Jason's conversation ranges from the compendium of building details that Jaso...
2021-09-2749 min
Passive House PodcastMaria Callau – SUR ArchitecturePassive House Podcast co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Maria Callau, Director of SUR Architecture in Dunedin, New Zealand. The conversation delves into Callau's research into fuel poverty in New Zealand, the Passive House High Street Co-housing Development that she and her family are residents of, and her architectural practice at SUR. For links to the events that Matthew and co-host Zack Semke discuss at the end of the episode, visit: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-week-in-preview-september-20Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our...
2021-09-2056 min
Passive House PodcastMark Siddall – LEAPPassive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Mark Siddall, architect, founder, and director of low energy architecture at LEAP (http://leap4.it/). He’s passionate about enabling people to lead happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives by helping them create a comfortable lifestyle in beautiful, quality assured, ultra low energy homes, workplaces and communities.Prof. Wolfgang Feist says of Mark, “... he is one of the pioneers to introduce Passivhaus to the UK. His experience and ongoing research into building performance makes him one of the UK’s most skilled and knowledgeable Passivhaus Architects. ...I have no doubt that M...
2021-09-1346 min
Passive House PodcastEncore: Gaby Brainard & Nina SharifiIn this Encore Episode of the Passive House Podcast (originally aired as Episode 29 on International Women's Day, March 7, 2021), guest co-hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy interview two exciting guests who are collaborating on a retrofit guide for common building typologies found in cold climates. Nina Sharifi is an assistant professor at Syracuse University’s School of Architecture and the Director of the Applied Sciences and Technology Research and Architecture Lab. Gabrielle Brainard is an architect, facade specialist, and educator. She consults on Passive House projects, conducts academic research, and teaches architecture and building science at Pratt Institute an...
2021-08-3049 min
Passive House PodcastEncore: Katherine Faulkner, WestFaulknerIn this Encore Episode of the Passive House Podcast (originally aired as Episode 37 on May 3, 2021), guest co-hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy interview Katie Faulkner, founder of WestFaulkner, an office with a mission for sustainable design. She is also a director at PT-Tech, a division of Placetailor in Boston whose initial focus is on the design and prefabrication of retrofit panels for triple-decker homes.Katie has been working as an architect for more than 20 years and was named to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 2020. Her work is motivated by an interest in sustainable...
2021-08-2359 min
Passive House PodcastEncore: Daniel Kress, Smart Plus AcademyIn this Encore Episode of the Passive House Podcast (originally aired as Episode 20 on January 4, 2021), cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Daniel Kress. Daniel is a prolific Passive House educator, having trained over half of Australia’s certified Passive House professionals. Matthew and Daniel discuss his work at Smart Plus Academy, the educational consultancy that Daniel founded and directs, as well as his work promulgating Passive House in Australia and beyond. At the end of the episode, Mathew and Co-host Zack Semke discuss major Passive House conferences and events coming up in Fall 2021: 25th International Passive House Conference (Pass...
2021-08-1650 min
Passive House PodcastEncore: Robyn Wark, BC HydroIn this Encore Episode of the Passive House Podcast (originally aired as Episode 36 on April 26, 2021). cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Robyn Wark, Manager of Advanced Demand Side Management at BC Hydro about the groundbreaking Energy Step Code in British Columbia. Robyn is a sustainability strategist, partnership builder, and coach on low carbon communities. Her sustainability work has won awards from Real Estate Foundation of BC, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian Institute of Planners, and the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC). In 2013 she was awarded the PIBC Individual Award for Leadership in Advocacy & Innovation. The...
2021-08-0941 min
Passive House PodcastJeremy Avellino – Bright Common Architecture & DesignIn this 50th regular episode of the Passive House Podcast (and the last installment of Season 1), cohost Zack Semke interviews Jeremy Avellino, founder and principal of Philadelphia-based Bright Common Architecture & Design, the 2021 recipient of the prestigious Design Vanguard award from Architectural Record. Jeremy talks about his firm's practice and shares his perspectives about the work of centering equity in housing and Passive House design.Bright Common website: https://www.brightcommon.com/Architectural Record piece about Bright Common and the Design Vanguard 2021 award:https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/15160-design-vanguard-2021-bright-commonWeek in Preview for links t...
2021-08-021h 01
Passive House PodcastBonus: Sophia Rini at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #18)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 18th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Sophia Rini of ROCKWOOL North America.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on W...
2021-08-0117 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Mikhail Haramati and Bronwyn Barry at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #17)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 17th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Mikhail Haramati of NYSERDA and Bronwyn Barry of NAPHN.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE...
2021-07-3131 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Lori Atwater at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #16)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 16th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Lori Atwater of Transformation Village.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wedn...
2021-07-3018 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Mary Anne Akers at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #15)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 15th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Mary Anne Akers, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at Morgan State University.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...
2021-07-2910 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Zack Semke at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #14)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 14th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, Kevin Brennan flips the script and interviews Zack Semke, Director of Passive House Accelerator and cohost of the Passive House Podcast.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 a...
2021-07-2707 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Kevin Brennan at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #13)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 13th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Kevin Brennan of Brennan Brennan Airtightness and Insulation and cohost of Passive House Accelerator Construction Tech.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 o...
2021-07-2614 min
Passive House PodcastMark Wille – Tstud & PHAccelerator Construction TechPassive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Mark Wille, Carpenter and Storyteller at Tstud and cohost of Passive House Accelerator's Construction Tech program every Tuesday. Mark shares his childhood growing up a stone's throw from the lumberyard his dad managed, his early adoption of green building principles and materials, and the opportunities for scaling up Passive House construction.Near the end of the episode, Matthew and cohost Zack Semke refer to upcoming events and programming. Find links to those here: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-week-in-preview-july-26.Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To...
2021-07-2655 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Eddy Voltaire at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #12)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 12th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Eddy Voltaire of Design Construction & Sustainability, Inc., and of the NAPHN Board of Directors.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 o...
2021-07-2315 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Ken Levenson at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #11)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 11th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Ken Levenson of NAPHN.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
2021-07-2219 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Craig Stevenson at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #10)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 10th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Craig Stevenson of Auros Group and NAPHN.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gath...
2021-07-2109 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Shannon Pendleton at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #9)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 9th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Shannon Pendleton, principal of Sanderson Sustainable Design.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gath...
2021-07-2017 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Bronwyn Barry at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #8)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 8th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Bronwyn Barry, outgoing Board Chair of NAPHN and principal at Passive House BB.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...
2021-07-1923 min
Passive House PodcastNorm Horn – EnvinityPassive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Norm Horn, CPHC, CPHT and Design+Build Project Manager at Envinity in State College, Pennsylvania. They discuss Norm's path from landscape architecture student to builder to reluctant energy efficient building practitioner to full bore Passive House tradesperson and consultant. They also dive into Norm's current project, an EnerPHit Passive House retrofit of a 12,000 square foot, 3-storey masonry building in State College. Near the end of the episode, Matthew and cohost Zack Semke refer to upcoming events and programming. Find links to those here: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-week-in-preview-july-19...
2021-07-1943 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: In Cho at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #7)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 7th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews In Cho, founding principal at ChoShields Studio.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gath...
2021-07-1813 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Derrick Tillman at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #6)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 6th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Derrick Tillman, President and CEO of Bridging the Gap Development.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 Passive House Acce...
2021-07-1712 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: José Sosa at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #5)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 5th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews José Sosa, founder of the Panama Passivhaus Chapter at Latin American Passivhaus Institute.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 P...
2021-07-1613 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Beth Eckenrode at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #4)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 4th of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Beth Eckenrode Co-Founder of Auros Group.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on W...
2021-07-1609 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Edie Dillman at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #3)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 3rd of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Edie Dillman, CEO and Co-Founder of B.Public Prefab.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE...
2021-07-1410 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Lois Arena at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #2)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 2nd of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Lois Arena, director of Passive House Services at Steven Winter Associates. 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 Passive House...
2021-07-1308 min
Passive House PodcastBonus: Michael Ingui at Passive House For All Conference (Interview #1)Catch this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, recorded at North American Passive House Network’s conference, “Passive House for All", in June 2021 in New York City. In this, the 1st of 18 interviews we recorded amidst the hustle and bustle of the conference hall floor, cohost Zack Semke interviews Michael Ingui, principal at Baxt Ingui Architects and founder of Passive House Accelerator.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...
2021-07-1310 min
Passive House PodcastChris Ballard — Passive House CanadaPassive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Chris Ballard, CEO of Passive House Canada. Chris took the helm of PHC in 2019 and he brings a timely skillset to the role: deep knowledge of and experience with the levers of policy and government action. He has a strong history of climate-related work, most recently as Ontario’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change. He also served as the Minister of Housing, the Minister responsible for Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, and the Executive Director of the 60,000 member Consumers’ Association of Canada (Ontario), among many other leadership roles during his career. Chris...
2021-07-121h 04
Passive House PodcastGrace Park-Bradbury — BlocpowerMary James and Ilka Cassidy interview Grace Park-Bradbury, general manager west and head of strategic initiatives for Blocpower. Since Blocpower’s founding in 2014, the company has retrofitted more than 1,000 buildings in disadvantaged communities in New York City, with projects underway in 24 cities. Grace discusses her role in stitching together financing incentives for their customers, ensuring that health and comfort are not exclusively available to those with money.To access the links for upcoming events that cohost Zack Semke mentions, visit https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/passive-house-week-in-preview-july-5Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To le...
2021-07-051h 04
Passive House PodcastShaun St-Amour – 475 High Performance Building SupplyCo-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Shaun St-Amour, education and outreach expert at 475 High Performance Building Supply, Passive House evangelist, and a frequent fixture at Passive House Accelerator as Q&A Concierge at the Global Passive House Happy Hour and Co-host of Construction Tech Tuesday. Matthew and Shaun discuss Shaun's family legacy in construction, his background in prefab, his journey to Passive House, his work establishing the Ice Box Challenge in Vancouver and its subsequent tour across North America, and much more. Watch this video of Shaun St-Amour and the Ice Box Challenge team in Seattle, WA for the 2017 i...
2021-06-281h 03
Passive House PodcastKylie Mills – BluKube ArchitectureIn this episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews architect Kyle Mills, Director of BluKube Architecture in Sydney, Australia, and pioneer of both Passive House practice and education Down Under. Their conversation touches on Kylie's early builder apprenticeship with her father and the insights that has brought to her work with tradespeople onsite, her experience watching the trades in Australia ramp up on Passive House practice enough to start enabling deeper Passive House retrofits, and her thoughts about the future of Passive House in Australia.Near the end of the episode, Matthew and cohost...
2021-06-2143 min
Passive House PodcastRob Conboy – Glavel (Special PH Component Episode)In this, the first special Passive House Component episode of the Passive House Podcast, cohost Zack Semke speaks with Rob Conboy, CEO of Glavel, an industry innovator and founding sponsor of Passive House Accelerator. Rob and Zack dive into Glavel’s origin story, its commitment to 100% clean energy use in the production of its foam glass gravel, the firm's moves to weave equity and inclusion into its company DNA, and its quest to eliminate operational and embodied carbon emissions from buildings throughout North America. Glavel takes recycled glass and transforms it into a low embodied carbon, insulative gravel that re...
2021-06-1737 min
Passive House PodcastBrian Guinan — ISMART Building GroupPassive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Brian Guinan, Certified Passive House Consultant, Certified Passive House Tradesperson, and Owner/Director of ISMART Building Group in Perth, Australia. The two discuss Brian’s apprenticeship as a builder in his native Ireland, his time in construction in New York City, and his journey to Passive House construction in Western Australia. Brian shares his insights around transforming industry practice, and the importance of focusing on improvements to existing technologies and construction approaches in order to achieve the most rapid change. He shares lots more about his work to build awareness about Passive Ho...
2021-06-0755 min
Passive House PodcastPetra Wörner – wörner traxler richterGuest co-hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy talk with architect Petra Wörner, managing partner of wörner traxler richter, about heading up the design of the world’s first hospital targeting the international Passive House standard. Klinikum Frankfurt Höchst, currently under construction in Frankfurt, Germany, will open its doors next year. The 839,585sf facility recently passed the all-important airtightness test with an impressive result of 0.13 ACH50, bringing the hospital a giant step closer to certification.Mary, Ilka, Matthew Cutler-Welsh, and Zack Semke refer to upcoming Passive House events at the end of the episode, which can be...
2021-05-2449 min
Passive House PodcastBomee Jung – Topsight AdvisorsIn this episode, Passive House Podcast cohost Zack Semke interviews Bomee Jung, recently of NYCHA (NY City Housing Authority) and now principal of Topsight Advisors. Bomee discusses her involvement in early efforts to address climate action and buildings, the role that affordable housing providers are playing to reset our collective understanding of what “housing quality” should mean (ie. Passive House), and the ways that Passive House practitioners and organizations can help advance racial equity both in the AEC industry and in the built environment. Don’t miss Bomee’s contributions to our Passive House Policy Summit and her recent intervie...
2021-05-1749 min
Passive House PodcastJohn Palmer – Passivhaus TrustSixteen years in the UK Royal Navy not only gave John Palmer a sounds background in engineering, he also gained leadership and management experience within a large and structured institution. When he made the decision to leave his Commander role, he retrained and applied his technical and management skills to building and then energy efficiency. It was only a matter of time that he came across and then fully embraced the building science of Passive House. In 2018 he left his role as Managing Director of Enhabit to become the Research and Policy Director for Passivhaus Trust. During this interview...
2021-05-1054 min
Passive House PodcastKatherine Faulkner — WestFaulknerOn Episode 37 of the Passive House Podcast, guest co-hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy interview Katie Faulkner, founder of WestFaulkner, an office with a mission for sustainable design. She is also a director at PT-Tech, a division of Placetailor in Boston whose initial focus is on the design and prefabrication of retrofit panels for triple decker homes.Katie has been working as an architect for more than 20 years and was named to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 2020. Her work is motivated by an interest in sustainable, modular construction, centered on the intention to...
2021-05-031h 02
Passive House PodcastRobyn Wark — BC HydroOn Episode 36 of the Passive House Podcast. cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Robyn Wark, Manager of Advanced Demand Side Management at BC Hydro about the groundbreaking Energy Step Code in British Columbia. Robyn is a sustainability strategist, partnership builder, and coach on low carbon communities. Her sustainability work has won awards from Real Estate Foundation of BC, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian Institute of Planners, and the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC). In 2013 she was awarded the PIBC Individual Award for Leadership in Advocacy & Innovation. The BC Step Code provides a roadmap of 5 ste...
2021-04-2654 min
Passive House PodcastTom Eisele — NYPH Policy AdvisorIn Episode 35 of the Passive House Podcast, cohost Zack Semke interviews architect Tom Eisele, recently of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Resiliency, and current policy advisor with New York Passive House. Zack and Tom discuss the momentous New York City Local Law 97 which caps greenhouse gas emissions for all buildings in New York that are 25,000 or larger—over 50,000 buildings. The caps step down to 80% reduction in GHGs by 2050, with hefty fines to be levied on building owners for buildings that do not comply. Local Law 97, assuming it persists, will compel all significant buil...
2021-04-191h 02
Passive House PodcastBeverly Craig – Massachusetts Clean Energy CenterIn Episode 34 of the Passive House Podcast, cohost Zack Semke interviews Passive House policy leader and accelerator Beverly Craig, Senior Project Manager of Low and Moderate Income Programs at Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (Mass CEC). Zack and Beverly discuss the pivotal role that policy progress can play in spurring widespread adoption of Passive House design and construction. Beverly shares her firsthand experience instigating rapid Passive House uptake in her state, spurred along by programs like Mass CEC’s Passive House Design Challenge, Mass CEC’s Triple Decker Challenge, Mass Save’s Passive House incentives, and Massachusetts’ recently-passed climate law, and more...
2021-04-1256 min
Passive House PodcastYa'el Santopinto – ERA ArchitectsYa’el Santopinto is an architect and associate at ERA Architects, where she leads ERA’s affordable housing retrofit practice. She is also the director of research and partnerships with the Tower Renewal Partnership, a non-profit sister organization to ERA that advocates for supportive policy frameworks around the preservation of Canada’s affordable apartment housing supply. Ya’el is the project architect on the inspiring Passive House retrofit of the Ken Soble apartment tower in Hamilton, Ontario—the largest EnerPHit outside of Europe.Mary James and Ilka Cassidy spoke with Ya’el about urban policies and the shape of cit...
2021-04-0557 min
Passive House PodcastKate Nason – Atelier TenKate Nason is a certified passive house designer in Melbourne, Australia. She works for the international environmental design consultancy, Atelier Ten. She's also a director of partnerships and major events on the board of the Australian Passive House Association and a part-time tutor at the University of Melbourne.Having had various architectural roles since graduating from her master's degree, Kate has collected a range of experiences, including working on some of Australia's earliest Passive House projects. Passive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh caught up with Kate to talk about her journey into architecture, how she discovered Passive...
2021-03-2946 min
Passive House PodcastClare Parry – HIP V. HYPEMost Australians who know a bit about Passive House will know a bit about Clare Parry. If they haven’t met her personally, they will have been impacted by her leadership. In this interview, Clare shares with Passive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh how she had to travel to New Zealand to attend Passive House training because there wasn’t any available in Australia when she first became interested. And there wasn’t any Australia-based Passive House training until Clare herself set it up. She went on to become the founding Chair of the now well-established Australian Passive House Associ...
2021-03-2244 min
Passive House PodcastLaura Nettleton – Thoughtful BalanceLaura Nettleton is the founder of Thoughtful Balance, an architectural and consulting firm based in Pittsburgh devoted to cutting-edge sustainable and high-performance design solutions. The firm has pioneered some of the most significant Passive House retrofit projects in the United States. Laura is dedicated to the idea that architecture should be simple, affordable, and available to everyone. She is actively involved in green initiatives in Pittsburgh, and in spreading the word about Passive House. She founded the PHWPA (Passive House of Western Pennsylvania) and was its first president. In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Nettleton...
2021-03-1554 min
Passive House PodcastTalina Edwards – Talina Edwards ArchitectureTalina Edwards is a leader in regenerative architecture and Passive House design in Australia. She’s a leader of Australian Architects Declare as well as a board member of Australian Passive House Association. In 2013 she established her architectural studio, Talina Edwards Architecture, which has gone on to win numerous sustainable design awards, most recently for the striking Owl Woods Passive House project. In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Talina joins cohost Matthew-Cutler Welsh to discuss her journey as an architect and Passive House pioneer. This conversation takes us through Talina’s education at Melbourne University, her e...
2021-03-0159 min
Passive House PodcastBen Adam-Smith – House Planning HelpPassive House podcaster extraordinaire and personality Ben Adam-Smith of House Planning Help joins Passive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh for an entertaining conversation about how Ben came to his focus on Passive House, his burgeoning communications treasure trove at House Planning Help's "The Hub", his observations about Passive House adoption in the UK, and the secrets behind his Passive House communications superpowers. Ben started his career in radio and TV production, including a stint as a radio presenter. But when he embarked on a journey to create an "eco" home for his family, he recognized the need f...
2021-02-2249 min
Passive House PodcastPrudence Ferreira – BR+A Consulting EngineersYou may know Prudence Ferreira through her role as cohost of Passive House Accelerator’s Global Passive House Happy Hour. Or perhaps you’ve been her student, learning the ins and outs of Passive House design and building science in one of Prudence’s many teaching engagements. She’s one of North America’s top Passive House innovators and a global leader in high-performance building practice. Now based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she’s Senior Associate with the Carbon Neutral Group at BR+A Consulting Engineers.In this episode, Passive House Podcast cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Prudence about her pathway...
2021-02-151h 03
Passive House PodcastSian Taylor – Team Green ArchitectsSian Taylor was one of the first certified Passive House designers in New Zealand and has played a pivotal role in Passive House adoption there. She first trained as an architect in the United Kingdom, at the University of Wales in Cardiff. She currently lives in Otago, where she started her practice, Team Green Architects. Her architectural practice has helped show a pathway for fusing high-performance building with design excellence and has helped raise the profile of Passive House design and construction in New Zealand.In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Sian joins cohost Matthew...
2021-02-081h 06
Passive House PodcastAnton Dobrevski – Passive House SchoolAnton Dobrevski was born and raised in Bulgaria, where he says that houses are generally not built well or well insulated. Nevertheless, Anton was introduced to Passive House at an early age by his father, a pioneering Passive House builder in Bulgaria. Upon graduating from high school, Anton moved to the Netherlands to study architecture at Delft University of Technology. During one of his first assignments as a student, his class was advised to follow the Passive House standard. While eager to do so, he found that was hard to find practical information and resources about how to practically...
2021-02-0141 min
Passive House PodcastDennis Wedlick – BarlisWedlick ArchitectsThis week’s Passive House Podcast serves double-duty: first, as a fascinating conversation with the accomplished Passive House architect and deep thinker Dennis Wedlick; and second, as a preview to this Tuesday’s (January 26) webcast produced by Dennis on behalf of AIANY CRAN that will feature a “mini film festival” of residential Passive House practice from four teams, followed by a panel discussion moderated by the Accelerator’s Zack Semke.Dennis is the founder of BarlisWedlick Architects, a firm he originally founded as Dennis Wedlick Architect in 1992. He began his architectural career with a 12-year apprenticeship to the master...
2021-01-2559 min
Passive House PodcastBrett Seriani – Seriani DesignsWhile Brett Seriani began his career in Canada, he is now a Passive House pioneer in Australia. Before becoming a Certified Passive House Designer, Brett trained and qualified as both a structural engineer and an architect. With this powerhouse of experience and knowledge, he is well placed to offer a range of technical design services through his company, Seriani Designs.In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Brett joins cohost Matthew Cutler-Welsh to discuss his relatively recent discovery of Passive House and his current graduate work examining the interplay between the operational carbon emissions savings of...
2021-01-1842 min
Passive House PodcastLois Arena – Steven Winter AssociatesLois Arena is one of North America’s top Passive House practitioners and has worked on many of the continent’s most significant Passive House buildings. In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Lois joins cohost Zack Semke to discuss her journey to Passive House as well as to offer a teaser for the Global Passive House Happy Hour presentation about VRF lessons learned on January 20. The conversation takes us from her days as a remodeling contractor, her work as a building engineering researcher and trainer, to her practice of Passive House design on large-scale projects as di...
2021-01-1136 min
Passive House PodcastSangeetha Sambandam - WRTIn this episode of the Passive House Podcast Sangeetha Sambandam joins podcast co-host Zack Semke to talk about her journey to Passive House and the major projects she has underway. Sangeetha, a designer at WRT in Philadelphia, completed her architectural training in India with an undergraduate background in physics. After working in Sri Lanka and India she moved to Philadelphia where her interest in the sustainable side of architecture took off. Sangeetha is certified as a Passive House designer by both Passive House Institute and Passive House Institute US, and holds a myriad of other sustainable design certifications and...
2020-12-2844 min
Passive House PodcastLuc Plowman - Detail Green in AustraliaIn 2014, Luc Plowman’s consulting practice had just 2 Passive House projects on the books. Now, just over 6 years later, he has 40 underway. He’s witnessed Australia’s Passive House growth firsthand. Luc is the founder and director of Detail Green in Beechworth, Australia, and one of a small cadre of Passive House certifiers in the country. Before his work at Detail Green, Luc worked as a senior sustainability engineer and project engineer. In this episode of Passive House Podcast, co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh talks with Luc about his perspectives on the Australia Passive House scene, the power of experien...
2020-12-2144 min
Passive House PodcastJulie Torres Moskowitz - Fete Nature ArchitectureJulie Torres Moskovitz, principal at Fete Nature Architecture, joins Passive House Podcast intern/producer Sydney Fishman and co-host Zack Semke on this week’s episod. Bringing refreshing perspectives to the table, Julie talks with the co-hosts about thermal imaging as a guide to practice, resilience and social justice, blower door testing during construction, and more. Julies portfolio is expansive, including new construction to residential retrofits, FEMA flood resiliency and non-profit projects. In addition to being a practicing architect, Julie is the author of ‘The Greenest Home: Superinsulated and Passive House Design’, and an educator. Julie teaches the Eco Urba...
2020-12-1457 min
Passive House PodcastCillian Collins - Perkins+Will Architects in VancouverIn the run-up to this week’s Passive House Canada Summit (Dec 8-10), Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Vancouver-based Cillian Collins about his path to Passive House, the groundbreaking Passive House projects Cillian has in the works, and the Passive House educational programming on tap at the Summit. (Registration for the Summit is open until 12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern today, Monday, December 7.)Cillian is a Senior Architect with Perkins&Will Architects and a Certified Passive House Designer with over 10 years of experience across a range of project types, including Passive House projects in Canada and Ir...
2020-12-0750 min
Passive House PodcastAndy Marlow - Passivhaus Design & ConstructIn this week's episode of the Passive House Podcast, host Matthew Cutler Welsh interviews Andy Marlow. Andy is passionate about design, sustainability and affordability. He trained as an architect at the University of New South Wales in Australia and throughout his professional career, he’s been working to incorporate ideas about sustainability into his work. As a Director at Envirotecture, Andy has been influential in providing design and consulting services for people who want buildings that work well, feel good, and are culturally appropriate. At the beginning of 2020, some of the team at Envirotecture created Passivhaus Design & Con...
2020-11-301h 02
Passive House PodcastTessa Bradley (Smith), Artisans GroupThis week host of the Passive House Podcast Zack Semke interviews Tessa Bradley (previously Smith), a pioneer of Passive House in the Pacific Northwest. In her 20s Tessa became co-owner of the Artisans Group, at the time a design-build firm, now a design-only firm. Artisans Group quickly became a leading designer and builder of beautiful, modernist, yet financially accessible Passive House homes in the Northwest, winning many design awards in the process. Tessa has won multiple Best Project by a Young Professional Under 35 awards from PHIUS. Beyond being a talented designer, Tessa is a great communicator about P...
2020-11-2353 min
Passive House PodcastDr. Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)In this episode, Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Dr. Diana Ürge-Vorsatz of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They dive into the findings of Ürge-Vorsatz's recent paper, "Advances Toward a Net-Zero Global Building Sector", including implications for both new construction and deep energy retrofits as parts of the transition to zero emissions in buildings. Visit the Accelerator's Week in Preview article for links to most of the events that Zack mentions near the end of the show. Here are the links to the Pattern Language from Passive House course and NAPHN's save the date announcement for...
2020-11-0951 min
Passive House PodcastKimberly Llewellyn, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC USIn this episode, Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke interviews Kimberly Llewellyn of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US, a founding sponsor of Passive House Accelerator. An engineer by training, Kimberly spent 5 years with Positive Energy, a highly regarded engineering and consulting firm that specializes in Passive House work as part of a broad portfolio. Zack and Kimberly discuss her journey to Passive House, the "in the dirt" training she received while in the field at Positive Energy, and her pivot to Mitsubishi Electric, where she works to accelerate a virtuous circle of Passive House-friendly product development, Passive House adoption i...
2020-10-2643 min
Passive House PodcastHarley Weston, Solaire Properties in BrisbaneIn this episode, Passive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Harley Weston of Solaire Properties. Harley spent twelve years drilling and exploring for minerals beneath the earth, mostly around the North Eastern part of Australia. When he wasn’t operating a drill himself, he was managing people who did. Mineral exploration is big business in Australia. It’s made a lot of people very wealthy, but doesn’t exactly conjure up images of sustainability, healthy and well being or even energy efficiency. Harley has also spent time flying around in a helicopter. After gaining his license, he establi...
2020-10-1949 min
Passive House PodcastBronwyn Barry, North American Passive House NetworkIn this episode, Passive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Bronwyn Barry, board chair of North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) and the “International Keynote” speaker for the upcoming South Pacific Passive House Conference. Bronwyn recounts how she first discovered Passive House, her stint (post-Great Recession) selling European high performance windows to architects by educating them first about Passive House design, and her leadership in the North Passive House movement, including tireless policy advocacy work.Matthew and co-host Zack Semke discussed upcoming events and trainings:This Wednesday (Oct 14), Amy Egerter and Martha Campbell from the Rocky Moun...
2020-10-1256 min
Passive House PodcastGiorgia Tzar, International Passive House AssociationIn this episode, Passive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Giorgia Tzar from the International Passive House Association (iPHA). Giorgia and Matthew catch up on the world-class content at the (ongoing) 24th International Passive House Conference and virtual “matchmaking” networking opportunities. Giorgia reflects on recent conferences in China and Germany, and talks about the ups and downs of going virtual. Hear about iPHA’s “global and local” approach to information and knowledge sharing, as well as the virtual Open Days Passive House project tours coming up in November.Matthew and co-host Zack Semke discussed upcoming events and trainings...
2020-10-0543 min
Passive House PodcastSimone Schenkel, Grün Eco in AustraliaIn this episode, Passive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Simone Schenkel, director and Certified Passive House Designer at Grün Eco Design in Victoria, Australia. Schenkel is the Victorian Chapter lead of Australia Passive House Association and an advocate for moving the building industry toward energy efficient, high performance buildings. Matthew and Simone touch on the importance of production builders in this transformation and the role of regulation to help spread high performance building to all segments of the housing market. podcast@passivehouseaccelerator.comMatthew and co-host Zack Semke discussed upcoming events and trainings, wh...
2020-09-2845 min
Passive House PodcastAndrew Peel, Peel Passive House Consulting in TorontoPassive House Podcast's Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Andrew Peel, Passive House innovator, educator, certifier, consultant, and owner of Peel Passive House Consulting in Toronto. Check out:Video of Andrew's Global Passive House Happy Hour presentation about his work on the world's first Passive House certified car dealership. Our Q&A interview with Andrew in February 2020.Matthew and co-host Zack Semke discussed a bunch of upcoming events and trainings, which can be found in the Accelerator's "Passive House Week In Preview" for September 21, 2020. Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn mo...
2020-09-2148 min
Passive House PodcastChris Benedict and Henry Gifford in NYCPassive House Podcast's Sydney Fishman and Zack Semke interview Chris Benedict and Henry Gifford, the pioneering pair of practitioners behind some of New York City's most exciting high performance buildings, Passive House projects, and deep energy retrofits. Check out:Henry's book, Buildings Don't Lie.Chris' "Singing Into Darkness" article .Video Chris and Henry's play, "The Perfect Energy Code."Upcoming events and trainings:WED: Global Passive House Happy Hour with Marine SanchezFeaturing University of Toronto's latest student housing project. Join us.SAVE THE DATE: PHIUS Hootenannies...
2020-09-1445 min
Passive House PodcastGraeme Verhulst and a Passive House HQ for BC Tech FirmIn this episode, Passive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Graeme Verhulst, principal of Waymark Architecture. Graeme was one of the earliest adopters of Passive House design in Canada. In his conversation with Matthew, Graeme shares the story of striking out on his own, early in his architectural career, to build a Passive House practice when larger firms were still slow to embrace it. He also discusses the recent Passive House headquarters that Waymark designed for the technology firm Charter Telecom, in Victoria, British Columbia. That striking project won the 2020 Canadian Green Building Commercial/Industrial (Small) award. ...
2020-09-0747 min
Passive House PodcastJohn Beurle and his PHI Low Energy Building made of pre-fab straw bale panels.Passive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews John Beurle, board member of Australian Passive House Association and principal of Passive House Services, about his unique PHI Low Energy Building home made of a straw panel system. Also, view John's video tour of his home at https://youtu.be/WAQ0uyakJH8.In the interview, John mentions Stuart Lee of Craftsmen Quality Builders and Andreas Luzzi of Laros Technologies as among the key players in the project. The pre-fab straw bale panels, or SITUPS (super insulated tilt-up panel system), come from Huff 'n' Puff Strawbale Constructions.After...
2020-08-3143 min
Passive House PodcastJames Goodlet, Altereco Design in Melbourne, AustraliaPassive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews James Goodlet of Altereco Design about his mission-driven architectural practice and the role of Passive House design in delivering on that mission. After the interview, Matthew and co-host Zack Semke reflect on the interview and share upcoming Passive House events and trainings:NAPHN Lunchtime Special: an Introduction to Passive HouseKen Levenson: Every Thursday, alternating between 12:30pm EST and Noon PST https://www.naphnetwork.orgPHIUS Certified Passive House Builders TrainingStarts August 31https://www.phius.org/become-a-professional...
2020-08-2444 min
Passive House PodcastIntroducing the Passive House PodcastJoin hosts Matthew Cutler-Welsh and Zack Semke, as well as Passive House Accelerator founder Michael Ingui, for a conversation about the Passive House community, the Passive House Accelerator, and this new podcast exploring high performance, low carbon building design and construction.Questions or interview ideas? Email podcast@passivehouseaccelerator.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 Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
2020-08-1425 min