In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we sit down with Ramune Bartuskaite, architect and CEO of Spec Matters. Originally from Lithuania and now based in Philadelphia, Ramune shares her inspiring journey through architecture, from her academic experiences at Miami University, Penn, and international studies in Copenhagen and London, to found…

In this special component spotlight episode of the Passive House Podcast Ilka Cassidy chats with Source 2050 Co-founders Michael Ingui and John Knapp and Passive House expert Shannon Pendleton. They discuss how Source 2050 simplifies sourcing innovative, sustainable products, bridging design and construction to accelerate better building practices.…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Jay Fox and Mary James talk with Crystal Ng, Director of Sustainability at Curtis + Ginsberg. Crystal discusses her first-hand experiences with Passive House projects, the future of geothermal and domestic hot water systems, and the innovative strategies her team is employing to achieve net-zero goals. …

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Zack Semke talks with Chris Magwood of RMI. Chris shares his journey from running a design-build company and school in Ontario to becoming a leading voice in embodied carbon and sustainable building practices. The conversation delves into the evolution of green building, the importance of upfront carbon…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-host Ilka Cassidy sits down with Chelsey Effinger from GO Logic, Angie Horner and Abby Xerri of Quantum Passivhaus, and Jonah Stanford from B.Public Prefab to explore the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) process. Together, they discuss the critical intersection of architectural design, en…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Matthew Cutler-Welsh talks with Stephan Mausli, co-owner of Hector Egger New Zealand. Stephan reflects on adapting to the New Zealand housing industry and redefining construction practices. Sharing the stark contrasts between European and New Zealand building standards, the challenges of prefabrication i…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Mary James talks with David Komet about the journey of turning an underutilized urban site into a state-of-the-art pickleball facility designed with sustainability, community value, and innovative engineering at its core. David shares how a chance proposal led to a pivot from residential development to c…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we sit down with James Clarke, General Manager of NZSIP, to explore his journey from high-end construction in London to leading sustainable building innovations in New Zealand. James shares his passion for creating healthier, more resilient homes after a personal encounter with New Zealand's housing cha…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James and Ilka Cassidy talk with Joanna Lockhart of Tetra Tech Europe. As the Associate Director of Architecture, Joanna leads a specialized team focused on net zero, whole-life carbon, and circular building approaches. She shares her experience in designing sustainable, low-carbon buildings for th…

In this special component episode of the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler-Welsh interviews Hugh Whiriskey of Partel. Hugh shares insights into Partel’s approach to energy-efficient building, including updates on their popular ExoPerm 250 membrane and the company’s move towards more sustainable, durable building solutions. They also dive into t…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Lloyd Alter shares stories from his recent trip to New Zealand. We dive into the "missed opportunities" he saw in Christchurch's post-earthquake rebuild and the broader evolution of Passive House standards. Lloyd discusses the impact of thoughtful building design, sufficiency in architecture, and what c…

In this Component Spotlight episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-host Jay Fox sits down with Aaron Frazier from Longboard to dive into innovative cladding solutions, with a special focus on the Hitch System. Discover how Longboard's extruded aluminum products, from tongue-and-groove siding to their advanced cladding attachment systems, enhance …

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Jesse Hunt of Emergent Development joins the podcast to share his journey of developing Houston's first Passive House. He discusses his passion for passive building and the how taking the leap to develop his own project has changed everything for him. https://www.emergentdev.co/ Thank you for listening …

This week on the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler-Welsh takes us inside PHINZ 2024 for insightful conversations with Alex Slater, Delia Bellaby, Dr. Emina Kristina Petrovic, Lloyd Alter, and Nikki Kruger. Together, they explore the future of sustainable architecture, from the health impacts of building materials to the intricacies of the Passi…

In this special component spotlight episode of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke caught up with Adam White, CEO and co-founder of Intelligent Membranes. Adam shares exciting updates on the company’s innovative Passive Purple products, their recent rebranding Net Zero Heroes, and global expansion. Discover how Intelligent Membranes is revol…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Co-host Zack Semke sits down with James Ortega, the Certification Program Director at Phius. James shares insights on the evolving role of Phius, the shift from small-scale homes to larger multifamily and high-rise buildings, and the exponential growth of certified square footage in passive buildings. H…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-host Zack Semke is joined by Kim Davis, Programs Manager, and Michael Ingui, Founder of Passive House Accelerator. The team dives into exciting new developments at the Accelerator, from survey-driven programming changes to a sneak peek of the upcoming Reimagined Buildings Collective. Tune in for a be…

In this episode of the Passive House podcast, Co-Hosts Ilka and Mary chat with Sandra Rohler from Cornerstone Architecture. They explore creative approaches to addressing the housing supply crisis, focusing on co-housing as a model for sustainable, community-focused living. Sandra shares insights from her experience with the Little Mountain Co-hous…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Co-host Ilka Cassidy and Mary James talk with Christina Boyer, architect, and Matt Bolen, Managing Principal architect at McCallum Sather. They discuss their work in advancing high-performance housing in Ontario, particularly in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. With a focus on sustainable design, they sha…

In this episode of the Passive House Accelerator Podcast, Nathan St. Germain, founder of Studio St. Germain discusses his firm’s philosophy of “building to give back." Nathan explores the concept of aging in place and how Passive House design can create a therapeutic, livable environment for people as they age. He highlights his work on the Wilkins…

In our final episode of our Cooling and Summer Resiliency series we asked you our audience "What's your DIY cooling/summer resilience solution?". Co-Hosts Zack, Mary, Matthew and Ilka discuss your responses and dive into their own DIY solutions. From running bathroom fans all night to strategic shading solutions, hear practical advice from Passive …

In this fourth episode of our Cooling and Sumer Resiliency series, co-host Ilka Cassidy delves into the intricacies of cooling and resilience in building design with some of North America's leading energy modelers. Join us as Prudence Ferreira, Ryan Abendroth, and Christina Snyder share their experiences, challenges, and strategies for predicting a…

In this third episode of our Cooling and Sumer Resiliency series, we welcome back Andy Marlow to discuss the unique challenges of designing Passive Houses in Australia's increasingly hot and varied climate. We dive into the nuances of maintaining comfort in the face of rising temperatures, the importance of shading, and the evolving role of mechani…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast we revisit a previous episode with John Semmelhack, co-owner of the Comfort Squad based in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a member of the Phius Technical Committee. In their conversation Zack and John discuss the increasing impact of wildfire smoke on indoor air quality across North America. They explore…

In this episode of the Passive House Accelerator podcast, we're kicking off a special summer mini-series on cooling and summer resiliency. Host Mary James is joined by mechanical engineer, Galen Staengl and Tad Everhart of CertiPHIers Cooperative. Galen shares insights from his extensive experience in energy-efficient green building and Passive Hou…

In this episode of Passive House Podcast, co-host Mary James reconnects Bronwyn Barry in her new project in Sacramento, California during a Passive House Open House Days. Bronwyn emphasizes the importance of both operational energy efficiency and embodied carbon reduction. The episode highlights innovative building materials, such as dense pack cel…

In this episode of Passive House Podcast, co-host Matthew Cutler-Welsh reconnects with Alex Slater from Shared Spaces to delve into the latest advancements and challenges in sustainable design. Alex shares his recent work on the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) and its application in compliance with Australian building regulations. They discus…

In 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 al…

In the final part of our series on circular construction co-hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy are joined by Felix Heisel, an architect, professor at Cornell University, and director of the Circular Construction Lab. Learn about the principles of circular construction, urban mining, and the significance of deconstruction over demolition. Discover ho…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Passive House Canada Conference in Victoria, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Chris Ballard of Passive House Canada. https://conference.passivehousecanada.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Passive House Canada Conference in Victoria, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Morgan Wright and Christina Boyer of mcCallumSather. https://www.mccallumsather.com/ https://conference.passivehousecanada.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn m…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Passive House Canada Conference in Victoria, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews David Claus of UNBC. https://www.unbc.ca/ https://conference.passivehousecanada.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Passive House Canada Conference in Victoria, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Craig Edwards of the City of Vancouver. https://conference.passivehousecanada.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast o…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Passive House Canada Conference in Victoria, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Patrick Ropple of Evoke Buildings. https://conference.passivehousecanada.com/ https://www.evokebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive …

In the second part of our series on circular construction, we explore the intersection of sustainable building practices and carbon reduction. Co-hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy are joined by special guest Anja Rosen, of the Urban Mining Index based in Germany. Anja shares insights from her work in circular construction, emphasizing the importanc…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Retrofit Canada Conference in Vancouver, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Keith Burrows of The Atmospheric Fund (TAF). https://taf.ca/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, …

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Retrofit Canada Conference in Vancouver, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Darla Simpson of The Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC). https://www.zeic.ca/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of ou…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Retrofit Canada Conference in Vancouver, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Lorrie Rand of ReCover Initiative. https://www.recoverinitiative.ca/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest progr…

In the first of three episodes of our Circular Construction Series co-hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy sit down with Dominik Campanella, co-founder of Concular. They delve into the innovative practices transforming the construction industry. Dominik shares the inspiring journey of Concular, starting from the initial idea conceived in 2000 to the e…

In this special bonus episode recorded at the 2024 Retrofit Canada Conference in Vancouver, BC co-host of the Passive House Podcast Mary James interviews Andrea Linsky of Alberta Ecotrust. https://albertaecotrust.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programmin…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Matthew Cutler Welsh chats with Sue Connor of Gaea Architects based in Sydney, Australia. Sue chatted about her lifelong passion for architecture and sustainability. Sue delves into her work with Passive House standards, emphasizing the importance of non-toxic, ethical, and energy-efficient building mate…

In this episode, Matthew Cutler Welsh dives into the highlights of the 2024 Thrive Passivhaus Conference, in Melbourne Australia. Matthew chats with: Joe Karten of Built Emilia Lacovino of Detailed Green Kristie Wulf of the Australian Hemp Building Directory Talina Edwards of Envirotecture Hamish White of Sanctum Homes Andy Marlow of the Australian…

In this episode, co-host Mary James speaks with Angie Horner, co-founder of Quantum Passivhaus, based in Minden, Ontario. Angie shares the inspiring journey of how Quantum started as a husband-and-wife team in 2013, driven by a passion for sustainable building practices and the desire to address common construction issues. We dive into the developm…

In this bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-host Ilka Cassidy is at the Sustainability Symposium hosted by Green Building United. In the first interview Ilka talks with Robert Fleming, Brian Fullen, Carolina Downey and Sarah Harvey of FCA along with Kayla Reddington and Sarah Murphy of Turner Construction about their sustainability framw…

In this bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-host Ilka Cassidy is at the Sustainability Symposium hosted by Green Building United. Ilka talks with Paul Thompson of BluPath, Lauren Thomsen & Matt Gindlesparger of Lauren Thomsen Design, Justin Iovenitti & Norm Horn of New Ecology and David Gavin of Quinn Evans. Ilka talked to the presenters…

In this special bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-host Ilka Cassidy is at the Sustainability Symposium hosted by Green Building United. Ilka talks with Rich Freeh the Executive Director of GBU and Sangeetha Sambandam of WRT. They give insight into Green Building United and the Symposium, its history, goals, and strategic planning. And …

Passive House Podcast Co-Host Mary James and Ilka Cassidy had the pleasure of speaking with Cindy Wilson, co-founder of Intelligent City, a company based in British Columbia, Canada. Cindy shares the innovative journey of Intelligent City, which began with a vision to improve urban living through sustainable, efficient construction. She delves into…

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast co-host Zack Semke speaks with Tim McDonald of Onion Flats Architecture on the heels of Tim's involvement in the Reimagine Building PREFAB conference. Tim discusses his firm's current portfolio of passive deep energy retrofit projects and shares his growing realization that we need to fundamentally rethi…

In this episode, Passive House Podcast host Matthew Cutler Welsch talks with Darryn Parkinson of Eclipse Passive House. Darryn is a builder with a passion for sustainability and efficiency. From his early fascination with understanding how things work to his deep concern about environmental impact, Darryn shares his transition from traditional buil…

In this episode of the podcast, Co-Hosts Mary James and Ilka Cassidy speak with Heather Mott, Director of Architecture at Collective Carpentry. Heather provides an update on the progress of the company's pre-designed homes, known as Collective Homes. She delves into the refinements made to their building process, including advancements in communica…