Passive House Podcast

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James sits down with Hugh Pierce, architect and Passive House lead at the UK-based firm Architype. Known for trailblazing sustainable educational design, Archetype is behind landmark projects like the UK’s first Passive House secondary school. Hugh shares insights into the London Docks Secondary School—an ambitious, airtight, biodiversity-rich oasis in the heart of London’s urban density. Tune in for a deep dive into Passive House design for schools. https://www.architype.co.uk/

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Ilka is at McGill University for the Reconstruct Workshop, a workshop bringing together students, researchers, and industry leaders to tackle the future of deep energy retrofits. Ilka sits down with emerging voices from architecture and engineering to unpack prefab innovation, the Single Integrated Manufacturing (SIM) model, and real-world pilot projects aimed at decarbonizing existing buildings. It's a behind-the-scenes look at how the next generation is shaping retrofit strategies that are scalable, sustainable, and socially impactful. https://aeechair.research.mcgill.ca/en/initiatives/the-reconstruct-initiative

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Matthew Cutler-Welsh sits down with Joseph Lyth an Associate Registered Architect, Certified Passive House Designer based in New Zealand. Joesph walks Matthew through his decision to build a passive house to create a healthier environment for his family. Believing that healthier, lower energy and affordable buildings are possible for everyone in New Zealand, at standard budgets. Lower Saddle Passive House Tāhekeroa: https://nzgbc.org.nz/case-studies/lower-saddle-passive-house-t%C4%81hekeroa

In this special episode of the Passive House Podcast Ilka Cassidy is joined by Kristoff Irwin of Positive Energy at NESEA's BuildingEnergy Boston '25. Ilka and Kristoff are joined by the following inspiring speakers and organizers of NESEA 25: They dive in to the conferences main take aways, lessons learned, and calls to action. Speaker links: https://www.newframeworks.com/ https://carbonleadershipforum.org/ https://www.vtrural.org/ https://www.prismdesignlab.org/ https://positiveenergy.pro/ https://positiveenergy.pro/building-science-podcast Ilkas call to action resources: https://www.echo-project.info/ https://www.greencommons.net/peer-networks https://www.climateheritage.org/ https://www.mep2040.org/ https://nesea.org/about-buildingenergy-bottom-lines http://massdesigngroup.org/work/research/bio-based-materials-collective https://www.buildersforclimateaction.org/ https://se2050.org/

In this fifth episode of The Reimagine Edit (TRE) series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Ryan Abendroth (how to get into PH consulting), Michael Ingui (how to sell Passive Hosue), Kristof Irwin (paradigms in high performance building), and Tom Bassett-Dilley (retrofits and embodied carbon). The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our membership community of building professionals stepping up to tackle climate change. Learn more about the Reimagine Buildings Collective at https://www.reimaginebuildings.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.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James and Jay Fox sit down with Tonje Wold-Switzer, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz County Long Term Recovery Group. Tonje shares her personal journey of losing her home, navigating the recovery process, and advocating for fire-resilient, sustainable rebuilding solutions—including Passive House design. Tune in for insights on disaster response, and how communities can prepare for future wildfires. How This Family Rebuilt Their Home Stronger after Wild Fire video: https://youtu.be/becjK7WMNXA Santa Cruz County Long Term Recovery Group: https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/OR3/Recovery/LongTermRecoveryGroup.aspx

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we welcome Barry Cope, Group Managing Director of the Building Compliance Testers Association (BCTA). Barry shares insights into airtightness testing, certification, and how the UK became a leader in 100% blower door testing for new buildings. He discusses the role of ATTMA, the evolution of the industry, and how airtightness impacts building performance, moisture control, and energy efficiency. The Building Performance Hub: https://www.bcta.group/tbph/ The Building Performance Hub Podcast: https://www.bcta.group/tbph/tbph-podcasts/

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler-Welsh sits down with Kirstie Wolf of Shelter Building Design. Based in Australia’s Blue Mountains, Kirstie shares how she built her own hempcrete home, the benefits of this natural material, and how it stands up to fire, floods, and extreme weather. If you’re curious about sustainable building, passive house principles, or just love a great career change story, this one’s for you! https://shelterbuildingdesign.com.au/

In this fourth episode of The Reimagine Edit series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Andrew Michler (fire hardening), Tim Lock (designing beyond Passive House), Ed May (modeling), and Michelle Jacobson and Maria Lomanto (healthy interiors). The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our membership community of building professionals stepping up to tackle climate change. Learn more about the Reimagine Buildings Collective at https://www.reimaginebuildings.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.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we sit down with Chef Chris Galarza—founder of Forward Dining Solutions, co-founder of EcoChef, and author of Understanding the Green Industrial Revolution—to explore the powerful intersection of food, sustainability, and energy efficiency. Chris shares his journey from skeptic to advocate for kitchen electrification, highlighting how induction cooking transforms commercial kitchens by improving air quality, reducing costs, and boosting efficiency. We dive into his groundbreaking cooking demonstration for the U.S. Congress, the hidden economics of electrified kitchens, and how chefs can lead the charge toward a more responsible and sustainable future. https://forwarddiningsolutions.com/ecochef

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James and Ilka Cassidy sit down with Michael Marsh, Principal of Sidekick Architecture in Los Angeles. Michael shares his journey into architecture and Passive House design, discusses the challenges of promoting energy efficiency in California’s mild climate, and explores the intersection of fire-resistant construction and sustainable building. From innovative ADUs to rebuilding fire-damaged homes, Michael provides insights on designing for the future while balancing aesthetics, cost, and performance. https://sidekickarchitects.com/home-1

In this third episode of The Reimagine Edit series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Skylar Swinford (modeling); Ed May, Lois Arena, and Marine Sanchez (Passive House consulting); and Mary James and Steve Quarles (fire resilience). The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our membership community of building professionals stepping up to tackle climate change. Learn more about the Reimagine Buildings Collective at https://www.reimaginebuildings.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.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we chat with Nick Sowden of Sowden Building Solutions about the electrification of homes in Sydney, the shift away from gas, and deep energy retrofits. Nick shares insights on insulation upgrades, solar adoption, and how heritage homes can be transformed into high-performance, energy-efficient spaces. Plus, we discuss Australia’s growing incentives for electrification and why the transition to clean energy is becoming easier than ever. https://www.sowdenbuildingsolutions.com.au/

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Ilka Cassidy and Mary James sit down for part 2 of their deconstruction roundtable with Megan Stringer of Holmes, Eric Law of Urban Machine, and Katrina Lund & Imani Hamilton of Ramboll. In Part 2 of our series, we dive deeper into the role of structural engineering in deconstruction and material reuse. They discuss overcoming industry hesitations, innovative connection technologies, and real-world applications of design for deconstruction. And also explore Urban Machine’s groundbreaking robotics, which automate lumber reclamation, making reused materials more accessible and cost-competitive. https://www.ramboll.com/ https://www.holmes.us/ https://urbanmachine.build/ https://www.allforreuse.org/ecosystem-map

In this second episode of The Reimagine Edit series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Dan Whitmore of Blackbird Builders and Sara Bayer of Magnusson Architecture and Planning. The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our membership community of building professionals stepping up to tackle climate change. Learn more about the Reimagine Buildings Collective at https://www.reimaginebuildings.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.

In this bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, Zack introduces Reimagine Buildings News, our sister podcast and the official podcast of the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://www.reimaginebuildings.com/ Like what you hear? Please subscribe to Reimagine Buildings News on your favorite platform: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reimagine-buildings-news/id1792737989 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2pLTH73E07EZl8C8OrwIT3 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/25040100-6ca2-46ca-bd1c-7ec4cf7c6e32/reimagine-buildings-news YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPa_Ba3MrSNvo7SHFzysnpHeKfoA4GjU7 Is your favorite platform not listed above? Search for the Reimagine Buildings News channel and you'll likely find it. It's everywhere! 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.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Ilka Cassidy and Mary James sit down for a deconstruction roundtable with Megan Stringer of Holmes, Eric Law of Urban Machine, and Katrina Lund & Imani Hamilton of Ramboll. In Part one of this series we dive into the transformative potential of deconstruction and circular economy practices in the building industry. Exploring designing for adaptability, reclaiming valuable materials like old-growth lumber, and leveraging new technologies to reduce embodied carbon. From regulations to real-world case studies, discover how these innovations are driving sustainability, economic benefits, and a new era for the built environment. 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.

In this episode, of the Passive House Podcast Matthew Cutler Welsh chats with Trent Clark of Red Cedar Constructions about the evolution of his Sydney-based construction business and its focus on sustainable building practices. Trent shares his journey into Passive House design, the challenges and successes of pioneering projects like the Thornleigh house, and the growing trend toward electrification and energy-efficient homes in Australia. Tune in to hear how Red Cedar Constructions is shaping the future of green building while celebrating two decades of innovation. https://www.redcedarconstructions.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.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast host Mary James talks with Chris Swinburn, director of Beyond Carbon, about the complexities of applying Passive House principles to large-scale and commercial buildings. Discover how Beyond Carbon became a leader in sustainable design, tackling projects like the largest Passive House development in the UK—a student accommodation complex at UWE Bristol. From overcoming challenges in mechanical systems to addressing overheating risks and future-proofing against climate change, this episode dives deep into practical solutions for all-electric buildings. https://www.beyondcarbon.org/ 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.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Jay Fox speaks with Raphael Vibert, Passive House Certifier and Senior Designer at Herz Lang, about the Museum of Bavarian History in Regensburg, Germany. Discover how this stunning riverside museum became the largest Passive House-certified museum in the world, the unique challenges of balancing artifact preservation with energy efficiency, and the innovative systems that make it a landmark of sustainable design. https://www.museum.bayern/en/museum.html https://www.herz-lang.de/de/ 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.