The Building Science Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Proving Passive House Is Practical, Possible, & Promising (In Climate Zone 2A) Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

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 for you to hear it.

About Trey

Trey Farmer, AIA received his M.Arch from The University of Texas at Austin and has 15 years of experience in sustainable design and construction. He came to Austin from New Hampshire via New Zealand and Northern California where he worked and studied English, architecture, permaculture and natural building. He is a LEED AP (BD+C) and a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) as well as a certified permaculture designer and teacher. Trey is on the Austin Passive House Alliance Board and the national Passive House Alliance Council. He spends his free time with his wife, son and fur-child on the greenbelt, in their garden or in their certified Passive House home.

Press & Media About Theresa Passive House

PHIUS project profile

AIA Austin design awards profile

Matt Risinger video about the HVAC system

Mitsubishi video about the HVAC system

Matt Risinger video about the insulation levels

Green Builder article about the house in the deep freeze

Texas Architect Magazine feature

Passive House Buildings feature article (on page 58)
Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

The Business of Building Science Jan 12, 2022

Show notes

Happy 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 interview appointments at the moment and it’s exciting).
Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

Energy With Memory Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

The 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 materials and energy that we use to build and operate our homes and cities rely on these natural interconnected ecosystems. Effortlessly spanning scales from the level of the planet, a vast forest or a single home, the science of Systems Ecology provides a powerful perspective and valuable set of tools that can inform skillful design and construction practices for homes, buildings and cities.

How do natural ecosystems provide us with all that we need for our lives, homes and cities? What are the basic ingredients that are “cooked” in this recipe? Join Kristof as he interviews Miaomiao Hou and Dr. Bill Braham for a fast and furious dive into the infinite complexity of emergy. You’ll never be able to un-hear this. We will unpack some of the terms and concepts needed to unlock this powerful, versatile, quantitative way to understand what matters most when it comes to resources and energy, and why. Along the way we will learn about energy that remembers where it comes from and the layers of transformations it goes through along the way to us, so we can make better decisions on how to use it wisely.

For complete show notes, please visit the episode’s webpage.
Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

Keep It Dry ! Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

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).
Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

PFAS In Building Products Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

One 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 Toxic Substances Control and formerly a Senior Scientist at the Green Science Policy Institute, on a class of chemicals called PFAS, which are present in many common building materials and making their way into our bodies through a variety of exposures that are easy to forget in day-to-day life.

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Dr. Bruton is a Senior Hazardous Substances Engineer at California Department of Toxic Substances Control. He works at the interface of science, business, and government to promote healthier products and a healthier environment. Trained as an environmental engineer and environmental chemist, Tom’s experience ranges from contaminated site remediation to chemicals management in supply chains to regulatory policy, with particular expertise on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
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PFAS

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of highly fluorinated synthetic chemicals notable for their non-stick, waterproof, and grease resistant properties and also for their extreme environmental persistence. Building materials are a high-volume use of PFAS that have received relatively little attention. PFAS have many uses in the building industry, including in roofing materials, flooring, paints and coatings, sealants, glass, and more. Annual sales of PFAS-containing building materials are more than $26 billion.

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Green Science Policy Institute

The Green Science Policy Institute was founded in 2008 in Berkeley, California, by Executive Director Arlene Blum after she learned that the same chlorinated tris flame retardant that her research had helped remove from children’s pajamas in the 1970s was back in furniture and baby products. Since its founding, Green Science Policy Institute’s scientific research and policy work has contributed to preventing the use of “Six Classes” of harmful chemicals in consumer products and building materials worldwide.
Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

Zen & The Art of Continuous IAQ Monitoring Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

The 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.

Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

To Grow A Home, To Grow A Future May 03, 2021

Show notes

Industrial 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.
Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

One Wheel Down and The Axle Dragging: The Texas Grid Failure Explained Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

Valentines 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.

Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

Indoor Data Quality Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

We’ve talked a lot about indoor environmental quality on this show, but what how do we measure that and how do we know that our measurements were consistent and accurate? Turns out, data quality in the built world can be quite opaque and challenging to reign in. But there’s hope. Join Kristof as he interviews Anjanette Green, Director of standards at RESET about the nature of data quality in the built world and how it impacts the daily lives of practitioners and occupants across the planet.

What Would This Old House Say? Nov 20, 2020

Show notes

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 building a home.

Chris Ermides:

Chris Ermides joined This Old House in December 2018 as the editor of pro content. Since then, he’s written and produced a wide array of digital content, including articles and videos geared towards professional tradesmen and women. He is the host of the Ask This Old House podcast, the Idea House Build series, and many interviews on This Old House: Live.

His interest in home improvement began at the age of 6 when he accompanied his dad to the local hardware store on the weekends and helped him on projects around the house. It was during this time that he also started watching This Old House and New Yankee Workshop. The trades have been a strong part of his family for several generations—Chris’s grandfather, an immigrant from Greece, was a cobbler and his great grandfather was a carpenter in Greece.

While studying English in college, Chris worked full-time at a local hardware store before graduating with a Master’s degree in teaching English. He went on to teach high school and middle school English while working as a house painter and repairman during the summers. After four years of teaching, Chris returned to the trades starting with a brief stint on a ranch in Wyoming.

His career path continued to evolve on jobsites, working his way up from a laborer to carpenter and eventually site supervisor for a custom home builder in upstate New York. He combined his love for the trades and writing chops with his jobsite experience and became an editor at Fine Homebuilding and Tools of the Trade. He’s been a contributor to JLC, Deck Builder, and ToolBox Buzz. Throughout his career he’s reported on many aspects of residential construction including how-to, tools, materials, and building science.

Follow Chris on Instagram @ChrisErmidesTOH.
Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited and Produced by M. Walker

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