Co-hosts Ian and Ginger spread the word that utilizing sustainable, green-building principles in construction, design, and urban development is not just morally and environmentally good, but also good business!
New methods, materials and technologies to bring down costs and increase productivity are already here, creating a huge opportunity for anyone savvy enough to invest in venturing beyond the current status quo.
We at Sustainable Homes of the Future are excited to dive into the details of the green-building ”boom” and share our sustainability conversations and interviews with listeners here in Los Angeles and across the globe.
The podcast Building the Future: Green Building in the New Millennium is created by Sustainable Homes of the Future. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
Picking up where we left off last episode...today's electrification deep dive takes us inside the mind of a designer or contractor looking to swap out gas furnaces and water heaters for all-electric systems and appliances. But wait - there are a few things to consider before signing on the dotted line: insulation, ducts, and breaker boxes, just to name a few!
Did you know that until just a few years ago it was actually illegal to build a home in CA without hooking up to natural gas?! What environmental, social, and public health benefits could we achieve with nationwide adoption of all-electric buildings? Listen to find out!
Show Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Show Notes:
Electrify Everything - https://www.vox.com/2016/9/19/12938086/electrify-everything
Redwood Energy - https://redwoodenergy.net/research/
California Energy Commission (Title 24) - https://www.energy.ca.gov/media/3950
DSIRE (State Incentives) - https://www.dsireusa.org/
Clean Energy Connection - https://www.cleanenergyconnection.org/find-contractor
Energy + Environmental Economics (E3) - https://www.ethree.com/e3-quantifies-the-consumer-and-emissions-impacts-of-electrifying-california-homes/
Electrify Everything FB Group - https://www.facebook.com/Electrify-Everything-482071985522368
The first installment in a 3-part "Series" on All-Electric Buildings, we explain why the push for electrification of the built environment has only just begun. We also explore some of the local regulation in California and shine some light on how energy mandates and "reach codes" are being used to inspire proliferation of the #electrifyeverything movement here in the US.
Did you know that until just a few years ago it was actually illegal to build a home in CA without hooking up to natural gas?! What environmental, social, and public health benefits could we achieve with nationwide adoption of all-electric buildings? Listen to find out!
Show Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Show Notes:
Electrify Everything - https://www.vox.com/2016/9/19/12938086/electrify-everything
Redwood Energy - https://redwoodenergy.net/research/
California Energy Commission (Title 24) - https://www.energy.ca.gov/media/3950
DSIRE (State Incentives) - https://www.dsireusa.org/
Clean Energy Connection - https://www.cleanenergyconnection.org/find-contractor
Energy + Environmental Economics (E3) - https://www.ethree.com/e3-quantifies-the-consumer-and-emissions-impacts-of-electrifying-california-homes/
Electrify Everything FB Group - https://www.facebook.com/Electrify-Everything-482071985522368
Our first Season 2 "deep-dive" into the emerging practice of building with laminated, pre-fabricated beams and assemblies explains how engineered timber paves the way for much taller wood buildings to be constructed across the globe. Tune in to learn about all the environmental and sustainability benefits of swapping in structural wood in lieu of concrete and steel.
Find out what's been holding things back in the US and how important sustainable forestry practices are if this building method truly ends up "catching fire". Oh, and what happens when "mass timber" structures actually do catch fire? Listen to the episode to find out...it's not what you think!
Show Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Show Notes:
Bessie Surtees House - https://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/visit/bessie-surtees-house/
River Beech Tower - https://perkinswill.com/project/river-beech-tower/
Forestry Stewardship Council - https://fsc.org/en
Sustainable Forestry Initiative - https://www.forests.org/
Bruce King - https://www.ecobuildnetwork.org/projects/new-carbon-architecture
Michael Green (T3) - http://mg-architecture.ca/work/t3-minneapolis/
Think Wood - https://www.thinkwood.com/mass-timber
Wow! Matt (DiBara Masonry) decided to run his family's concrete/masonry business in a way that benefits both his clients and the environment, and he has started a campaign (www.theundercovercontractor.com) to increase transparency in the construction business and save homeowners money.
Matt and I discuss how the shift toward "eco-conscious" practices and products requires a discussion of long-term value vs. upfront price. Also, find out how design-based solutions can often have the added benefit of lowering project costs. If this is where the industry is headed I'm excited for the future of the built environment!
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Matt:
Fourth generation mason Matt DiBara mixed his first bag of concrete at age 9 and went on to spend most of his childhood learning the trade, eventually placing first in the national SkillsUSA masonry competition. From there, he branched out to attend the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he earned a degree in Construction Management and Environmental Design.
After graduating, Matt took over his family’s construction business and relocated to Los Angeles, where he went on to be mentored by the likes of marketing guru Jay Abraham and business tycoon Mike Agugilaro of CEO Warrior fame. Since then, he has built up DiBara Masonry to become the leading masonry and concrete company in the country, working on some of the most prestigious and well known celebrity homes in the city, in addition to restoring a number of Hollywood’s most famous cultural landmarks.
Matt’s true passion, however, rests in educating homeowners by empowering them with in-depth industry insight, much of which can be found in his upcoming book The Undercover Contractor: How To Avoid Getting F*cked By Your Contractor and his recent podcast, The Undercover Contractor Podcast.
Show Notes:
DiBara Masonry - https://www.dibaramasonry.com/
The Undercover Contractor - https://www.theundercovercontractor.com/
Listen in as Susan Inglis and I talk about her organization’s mission to merge Health, Environment, and Profitability in the interior furnishings space. SFC advocates for eco-friendly products and educates consumers, retailers, and manufacturers about better practices in the industry.
Other fun topics of conversation include: sustainable forestry, regenerative business practices, market-driven solutions to environmental toxins, and the circular economy. Why should we care about a circular economy? Hint: It can often save money!
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Susan:
Susan Inglis is Executive Director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, and resident expert with the organization she helped found in 2006. She has led SFC to work with industry leaders to establish criteria to gauge the sustainability of furniture products and practices; develop programs for educating all sectors of the industry; and attract hundreds of companies to membership. Inglis is also founder and owner of From The Mountain, a company that imports hand spun cashmere yarn from Afghanistan, providing safe income for over 100 women there. Inglis serves on the Board of the American Sustainable Business Council and was awarded a 2017 Visionary Leadership award by the NC Business Council. She lives in North Carolina.
Show Notes:
Sustainable Furnishings Council - https://sustainablefurnishings.org/
High Point Furniture Market - https://www.highpointmarket.org/
Forest Stewardship Council - https://fsc.org/en
Sustainable Forestry Initiative - https://www.forests.org/
Architecture 2030 - https://architecture2030.org/
John Semmelhack is a Passive House consultant, energy-efficiency expert and Founder of Think-Little in Charlottesville, VA. He works in a specific region of the country where 75% of new homes (2014) opted to receive a HERS energy rating despite the lack of local and state incentives for "high-performing" buildings.
John and I discuss many of the benefits and challenges involved with the Passive House approach as well as nuances related to climate-specific and client-specific design. Fact: Three huge benefits of Passive House are increased Comfort, Health, & Efficiency!
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About John:
John Semmelhack is the owner of Think Little. He is a Certified Passive House Consultant, a member of the Passive House Institute U.S. (PHIUS) Technical Committee, and is a PHIUS Trainer for the Certified Passive House Consultant and PHIUS+ Rater training programs. He sits on the boards of the Passive House Alliance U.S. (PHAUS) and the Passive House Alliance U.S. – Capital Chapter.
John is also a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rater, a Technical Advisor to builders in the EarthCraft House Virginia green building program, and a BPI-certified Building Analyst. He is a graduate of the Leeds School of Business (no, not that “LEED”) at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Show Notes:
Comparetto Comfort Solutions - https://comparetto-comfort-solutions.business.site/
Passive House U.S. - https://www.phius.org/home-page
Electrify Everything - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1854210748209867/
Jesse Russell, a "tiny home developer" in Bend, Oregon, and I discuss how efficiency and minimalism can go hand in hand when it comes to designing a space to live. Find out how many of the good ideas out there about smaller living are actually illegal and how Jesse was able to work within the system to create a one-of-a-kind community with shared interests and values.
Fact: Smaller homes can help us reduce waste and embodied emissions while creating a space that encourages home-ownership and outdoor adventure!
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Jesse:
Jesse Russell grew up in Bend, OR and after spending some time working in the TV industry in Los Angeles and New York, he decided to sell most of his possessions, return to Bend, and focus on building a tiny house. Hiatus Homes started as Tongue and Groove Tiny Homes in 2015 when Jesse built the first “Hiatus” as a tiny home on wheels in a friend’s backyard. After participating in the Bend Design Conference, they had the dream to build an innovative community focused on small home design. Leading up to the launch of Hiatus Homes, the team at Tongue and Groove experimented with building tiny taverns on wheels, including two mini pubs for 10 Barrel Brewing Co. and a food truck and tavern for Brasada Ranch. After 3 years of hard work with the city, Jesse was the first to use the new cottage code which made the development of the first Hiatus Homes community project possible. A dream realized.
Show Notes:
Hiatus Homes - https://hiatushomes.com
Ross Chapin - https://pocket-neighborhoods.net/thebook.html
Phil Torchio & The Broomsmen - http://www.thebroomsmen.com/
Architect Chris Kempel and I discuss adaptive reuse of old buildings and how his studies in Berlin, Germany, informed his desire to mix the old with the new. We touch on daylighting in older buildings, using the natural environment to inform design, and whether or not technology can replace humans when it comes to intuitive architecture (It can't!)
One of the biggest ways we can affect climate change is to use existing buildings rather than tearing them down, and Chris and his firm work tirelessly to bring clever design ideas to developers to maximize beauty and efficiency.
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Chris:
Chris Kempel (AIA, NCARB) channeled his lifelong fascination with the arts into the pursuit of architecture, landing him in his current role as Design Partner for RKA. A graduate of The UCLA Master of Architecture program, Chris also studied at the Kunsthochechule Weissense in Berlin, an international program that values an interdisciplinary approach, viewing society and art as having a symbiotic relationship.
Since childhood, Chris has admired the juxtaposition between natural and manmade environments, and in the confluence of his drawing, building, and visionary skills. He emphasizes excellence in craft, understanding that to fully tailor a family’s home or a new office building, it’s the finest of details that heightens the experience. His greatest passion lies within designing residential spaces. The notion that a well-designed home can positively affect someone’s well-being is what drives him to think of every last detail—he once spent several days living on a family’s land to better understand the way sunlight changed throughout the course of a day, all to better inform the design of its future dwelling.
Show Notes:
Hammer & Hand - https://hammerandhand.com/high-performance-building-101/
Rockefeller/Kempel - https://rockefellerkempel.com/
Broad Museum - https://www.thebroad.org/about
No one in Los Angeles is tackling the affordable housing quite like Habitat for Humanity LA! Erin (CEO) & Darrell (SVP of Community Development) discuss their 20-year tenure with "green-building", LEED certification, and other innovations in the single-family and community development space.
From denim insulation and drought-tolerant landscaping to new partnership initiatives with for-profit developers, you'll be impressed and encouraged by how HabitatLA has used sustainability to encourage lower energy costs for first-time homeowners as well as those needing renovation and weatherization of their existing homes.
Episode Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
Erin Rank (President, CEO):
Erin Rank began her service with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) as a volunteer in 1995 and became the affiliate’s first employee in 1998. When Erin began her tenure, the affiliate was building one or two homes a year. Since she became president and CEO, Habitat LA has built, renovated or repaired more than 900 homes. Her ability to develop and implement strategies for success and her ability to understand market trends and respond strategically has helped the affiliate maintain its production goals despite fluctuating economic and real estate markets over the years. She has served on Habitat for Humanity International’s U.S. Council, which oversees policy making for all U.S. affiliates of Habitat for Humanity, including the top position that can be held by an affiliate leader, Vice Chair. She has also served as the Chair of the Board of Housing CA. Her accolades include being named among the “Top 100 Irish Americans” by Irish American Magazine and she was named as “Alumni of the Year” by Pepperdine University in 2013. She received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Missouri and a Master of Arts from Pepperdine University.
Darrell Simien (SVP of Community Development):
Darrell Simien is the Senior Vice President of Community Development of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. Joining the Habitat LA team in 2010, Darrell has the responsibility of managing the construction, real estate, and forward planning efforts for the Affiliate. With over 20 years of experience in the construction and real estate industry, both in the public and private sector, Darrell has been responsible for the development and construction of over 1,000 affordable housing units in the Los Angeles County area. In addition, Darrell created and managed programs aimed to increase access and affordability for first time homebuyers while working for the City of Long Beach. A native of Los Angeles, Darrell holds a Bachelor’s degree with the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master’s degree
with the University of Southern California.
Show Notes:
Habitat for Humanity LA: https://www.habitatla.org/
Habitat for Humanity International: https://www.habitat.org/
Nate and I discuss everything HVAC in this fun and informative interview with "The House Whisperer" himself! Electrification of the home, including the use of electric air-source heat pumps, sets us up for an in-depth conversation about Comfort & Health rather than simply focusing on efficiency. Nate developed a system called HVAC 2.0 that helps educate homeowners and contractors alike about the many benefits of a right-sized heating/cooling system.
It's worth mentioning that among his many other talents, Nate is also the King of Metaphors. We hope you enjoy this engaging interview and the many laughs along the way!
Episode Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
About Nate:
Hi, I'm Nate! I help everyday homeowners fix frustrating comfort and health problems in their homes.
What makes our business kinda unique is we provide these solutions with incredibly high success rates, without government or utility programs which typically get in the way of truly solving homeowner issues.
I believe in radical transparency. Every project is a case study. You can see our case studies on our Energy Smart Ohio website.
Frustrated by the lack of good consumer information I took on the thankless task of writing a book, naive about how much work this would entail. What comes next is over two years of my life, and a shocking investment in illustrations. I really hope you enjoy them and share!
Show Notes:
Nate's Website: http://www.natethehousewhisperer.com/
Nate's (other) Website: http://energysmartohio.com/
Nate's (other other) Website: https://www.hvac20.com/
GreenHome Institute: https://greenhomeinstitute.org/
Cooking w/ Gas: https://www.treehugger.com/yet-another-report-looks-health-effects-gas-stove-pollution-4847935
Kicking off Season 2 with Amber Richane, Senior Design Manager for the City of Santa Monica and the now-complete City Hall East - recently dubbed the "greenest" building in the world!!!
We discuss the ins and outs of designing and building the first municipal "Living Building" in Southern California, including on-site water & energy systems, how to make a building "breathe", edible landscape design, and a deep dive into how sanitary foam-flush toilets can be!
Episode Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
About Amber:
Amber is a Senior Design Manager for the City of Santa Monica in the Architecture Services division of Public Works. She has over 20 years of experience in sustainability, wellness, and deep green projects. Currently she is the Project Manager for the City Services Building in Santa Monica that is seeking full Living Building Challenge certification with construction completed in April of this year. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and empowering women in the green building industry to reach new heights as well as designing and creating spaces that are beautiful and biophilic.
Show Notes:
Virtual Tour of SaMo City Hall East - https://youtu.be/W2Fvnyu6_PY
International Living Future Institute - https://living-future.org/
Urban Land Institute - https://uli.org/
Fact: Reducing Embodied Carbon in our buildings and building products is the number one way we can stop climate change in its tracks! First we need to know what it is and how it's been contributing to the rapid environmental degradation of our People & Planet. Then we can work together (quickly!) to turn things around.
Did you know? The average residential solar panel takes a full year to offset the amount of carbon emitted during its production.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Season Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
From Triple Bottom-Line Accounting to Human-centered and nature-inspired (biophilic) principles in design to Indoor Air Quality and Embodied Carbon, this Season Finale is a look back at all we've learned and a look forward at where the built environment is headed when it comes to prioritizing Sustainable solutions to environmental and social justice.
We (still) strongly believe that collaboration is the key to inspiring future innovation in the Design/Build space. Join the conversation today!
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/VZ6qXsByD_4
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Season Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
Tune in as Brett Little and I talk innovations in building science, electric heat pump retrofits, building certification programs, and how to be a "sustainability ninja" when it comes to proving cost savings. We also discuss IAQ (indoor air quality) and how we've had the answers for stopping viruses, VOCs, and indoor contaminants for many years...perhaps now the world will choose to listen!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SyNonxPcxMM
Episode Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
About Brett:
Brett Lives with his wife and son in Grand Rapids MI in a GreenStar Bronze Certified remodeled home that is 90 years old. He is passionate about sustainable business and helping people make their lives more sustainable. He has been a volunteer with GHI since 2008 prior to becoming the executive director. He is a Home Energy Magazine entrepreneur 30 under 30 recipient and loves to Kayak and drink craft beer when not greening homes. Credentials: LEED APH, LFA and GHP
Show Notes:
GreenHome Institute - https://greenhomeinstitute.org/
How do you design a sustainable single-family home for a luxury market? Just bump into a sustainable architect at your local Starbucks! Listen in as Drew Pedrick, Ginger Matthews, and I delve into project specs on energy modeling, passive heating/cooling, triple-pane windows, greywater recycling, rain screen technology, home automation, stone selection, carbon and more!
Fact: You can have a team of highly-skilled experts with analytical minds and great ideas and you'll still run into some problems along the way. How you learn from those mistakes and adapt to site and project environment will ultimately determine your level of success. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hXy0XlKTFWQ Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com Contact Host - [email protected] Show Notes: Project Specs - www.shfbuild.com/currentprojects/About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
From visiting Earthships in New Mexico to watching marble blasts in Italy, Aly and I take a virtual trek across the globe to talk about the health of the materials we choose to use in our buildings. We also discuss the importance of educating clients, lawmakers, and others in the industry about healthier and more sustainable practices so we can pass a thriving planet on to the next generation of humans!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pzjD-ZTfP7A
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Aly Daly (www.alydaly.com) is an American Interior designer who founded her own firm in 2004 based in Los Angeles, CA. For over 20 years, Daly has been designing and creating residential and commercial environments worldwide for TV personalities, models, musicians, high-level executives and fashion designers such as Herve Leger, BCBG MAXAZRIA, Calvin Klein Inc., Gianni Versace, Perry Ellis and more. Her most notable project has been the total redesign of the 30,000 square-foot estate of Max and Lubov Azria, which has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor and many more publications worldwide. Additionally, she was profiled in Design Bureau magazine’s special edition publication “Inspiring Interiors” featuring a “collection of the best interior design around the world.”
Daly, who grew up in Litchfield County, finds inspiration at every turn, through nature, travel, architecture and the ability of seeing the wonder of the world through her son’s eyes.
With a fine art painter as a mother, and later becoming a student at The University of the Arts, most of Daly’s life was centered around the power of art. Still, she initially chose a slightly different route when it came to her career.
Daly was a professional ballerina with the Pennsylvania Ballet before deciding to pursue a life of design.
Daly credits her decision in switching careers to the gratifying process of evoking emotion within a space through artistic creation, curating environments full of beauty and wonder, and the challenge of making something magnificent out of nothing special.
Show Notes:
Earthship Homes - www.earthshipglobal.com
Basically a primer on the different certification options out there, we use this episode to discuss the history, how-to, and pros/cons of our Top 5 programs (in no particular order): LEED, EnergyStar, PassiveHaus, Living Building Challenge, and WELL.
Hint: It should be no surprise that a good project team and integrated approach to design yield the best results no matter which program you choose!!!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hTaW6tmRCaE
Season Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Show Notes:
LEED - https://www.usgbc.org/leed
EnergyStar - https://www.energystar.gov/
Passive House US - https://www.phius.org/home-page
Living Building Challenge - https://living-future.org/lbc/
"Citizen-architect" Angie Brooks (FAIA) joins the podcast to discuss the importance of beauty and equity in our pursuit of sustainability. She recounts the high honor of receiving an award from Michelle Obama, talks about gender diversity in architecture, and explains why we need federal leadership here in the US to create a smartgrid rather than the "stupidgrid" we have today!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k1Ieup4ajy0
Episode Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
Angela Brooks, FAIA, LEED AP, BD+C, ENV SP
Principal, Brooks + Scarpa
Angela Brooks is a recognized leader in the field of environmental and social-equity design and is responsible for firm development in the area of housing and policy, leading the firm’s sustainable initiatives and overall design staff management.
Angela believes that it is not enough to create great buildings and has worked to create complete neighborhoods- she co-founded a non-profit called Livable Places to promote good policy, density and livable communities, lectures extensively on these topics and was 2018 Chair of the National AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE), developing programs and advocating for policy changes at the Federal level-promoting design that achieves high levels of performance.
Ms. Brook’s firm BROOKS + SCARPA has received over fifty major design awards including five AIA COTE “Top Ten Green Building” Awards. In 2009 Ms. Brooks received the National American Institute of Architects Young Architects Award. In 2010, Angela’s firm was awarded the National and State Architecture Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects and she received the USA Network “Character Approved” Award for her innovative work in the field of architecture. In 2014, her firm was awarded the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award in Architecture.
Show Notes:
DSIRE (Database for State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency) - www.dsireusa.org
NEST Toolkit - https://brooksscarpa.com/the-nest-toolkit
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) matters quite a bit for encouraging productivity, ecological sustainability, and human health. How do we get there? By focusing design efforts not only on the materials inside our buildings but the materials that we actually use to build! We highlight design tools and processes that can help us build with healthier materials, better manufacturing, and a lighter carbon footprint.
Season Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
Show Notes:
Red List - https://living-future.org/declare/declare-about/red-list/
Mindful Materials - http://www.mindfulmaterials.com/
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Josh is an Energy Service Technician for a federal weatherization program making homes safer, healthier, and more comfortable. His work in the energy and weatherization space has helped him focus on efficiency in his own home in addition to his work helping the lower-income population of Buncombe County, NC. Tune in to learn what a blower-door test is and why blown fiberglass insulation may sometimes be a more sustainable option than cellulose!
Episode Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
Show Notes:
Community Action Opportunities - www.communityactionopportunities.org
Weatherization Assistance Program - https://www.energy.gov/eere/wap/weatherization-assistance-program
Blue Horizons Project - https://bluehorizonsproject.com/
PACE - https://www.energy.gov/eere/slsc/property-assessed-clean-energy-programs
Sean, a cost-efficiency expert and self-proclaimed climate activist, joins the podcast to talk about all-electric construction and the endemic problems with natural gas infrastructure here in California. He shares a very moving story about the personal ramifications of decades of fossil fuel use (thank you Sean!) and we eventually get around to brainstorming some ways to fix what's broken by focusing on universal goals like human health and building efficiency.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IGx_ZwdZrpg
Episode Sponsor: www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host: [email protected]
Sean Armstrong taught net-zero design at a demonstration house at Humboldt State University from 1999-2002, and has 12,000+ hours of experience as staff Project Manager with affordable housing developers The Pacific Companies, Danco Communities, and the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Arcata. Sean was the first developer to use the California Utility Allowance Calculator (CUAC).
Since his start in development in 2004, he has led the design of 6000 residences in more than 200 developments, focusing on all-electric, 100% solar offset design. All-electric cuts costs, and adding solar has a 4-8 year payback, hence the rapid uptake of Zero Net Energy by the market--it's profitable. It's a challenge, but so is all the rest of building a development. Sean and his business partner, Michael Winkler, won the Grand Prize awards from the United Nations in 2017 and the PCBC Gold Nuggets in 2016, but he is perhaps most proud of the award from the Southern California Building Industry Association--they are unapologetically business-minded, and recognized Redwood with their first Sustainability Award in 2017 because their work to end fossil fuel use in buildings also happens to lower construction costs, and increase profits. Sean delights in ruthless capitalists realizing that fossil fuel infrastructure is an additional cost, and not at all "cheap."
Show Notes:
All-Electric Research/Publications - https://www.redwoodenergy.tech/research/
We knew 50 years ago that humans needed to curb pollution in order to save our planet. Today's discussion is about tools, programs, and an all-electric approach to reducing "embodied" carbon in construction...the only real way to stop the climate crisis.
Also, find out how efficiency in building design could save us the equivalent of 13 million cars driving on the road for a year and why methane doesn't just come from cows!!!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MOYKLbDNt9A
Season Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Show Notes:
Carbon Leadership Forum - www.carbonleadershipforum.org
2030 Challenge - www.architecture2030.org
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Join in as we discuss Energy-saving (and cost-saving) design strategies, a necessary follow-up to our last episode on water conservation. As long as the building industry remains addicted to fossil fuels there are few ways to avoid the ongoing damage done to our waterways and other "renewable" natural resources. We need to learn to design buildings with energy-efficiency as our top priority and advocate for an energy-positive future.
Translation: It's not enough to just slap solar panels on the roof and call that building "green". It takes a lot of work on the design side to ensure a building is designed to integrate solar panels with a smart, NetZero-ready design.
Show Notes:
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WYHiPJ2Ts7I
EnergyStar - www.energystar.gov
ZEB White Paper - https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy06osti/39833.pdf
Season Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Learn how Drew Pedrick (AIA, LEED AP), Founding Principal of McTigue Architecture, figured out how to use cost savings as leverage for energy savings before efficiency was even a thing. He and I discuss his work designing everything from award-winning cruise ship terminals in Hong Kong to the LEED Gold-certified LAPD headquarters in downtown LA (and everything in between!)
How can we design buildings with a higher purpose in mind? What does building “flow” really mean? How do we work together with city officials and legislators to push for cleaner energy, materials, and better-performing buildings? What tools and technologies are available today for creating a positive user experience? How can we use silkworms to organically grow buildings? Listen and find out!
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2V8eCd2NTsQ
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Drew:
With a career spanning 35+ years, I've learned much from my clients, benefited from each team and enjoyed the process and results of each commission. All projects have their unique conditions, journey and outcome. I enjoy my clients and value their needs, goals and all that they invite us to consider together. My greatest enrichment comes from collaborating, discovering and innovating in order to create and witness people responding positively. The results of an inspired team with great talent and ingenuity are long-lasting. (www.mctigue.net)
Show Notes:
Conscious Capitalism - www.consciouscapitalism.org
Cooper-Hewitt Museum - www.cooperhewitt.org
MIT Mediated Matter - https://mediatedmattergroup.com/neri-oxman
NEWS FLASH: Water is the lifeblood of our planet!!! Despite being close to 80% water, only 1% of the Earth's water is drinkable. We use this episode to discuss where that water comes from, what it's used for, and where it goes after we use it.
There are many ways to conserve water...but to truly guarantee this all-important natural resource is protected will require a shift from centralized infrastructure to on-site water systems. We lay out some basic water-use principles anyone can follow, and we focus on innovation and integration when it comes to water recycling and re-use.
Show Notes:
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XyvUqK1JIac
WaterSense - www.epa.gov/watersense
Season Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Meet Michael Strong, Senior Project Manager at Pankow Builders, and find out how a summer construction job turned into a 20+ year career in green-building! From NetZero schools in California to prefabricated custom homes, Michael is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all building and project types.
We discuss the environmental, health, and cost benefits of a truly integrative approach to building that is vastly different than the traditional Design/Bid/Build method. Michael gives examples of how he’s been able to work with owners and clients to develop smarter, healthier, higher-performing homes and buildings and what it means to think "Beyond the Building".
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZTUB-zKEads
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Michael's Bio:
Flip the Curve. Transform the Industry. See the Possibilities. Be a Lean Leader. These are my “Whys”.
As the Sr. Project Manager, I am the quintessential project Team Leader. I collaborate; work tirelessly as a Client Advocate, I put people first and focus on changing the process to serve the stakeholders. There are no sacred cows as I strive to achieve the impossible, the “never before considered”, to beat the budget and meet the schedule.
It helps that I understand how to build a building–not just how a building is built. I have poured concrete, framed walls, floors, ceiling and roofs, windows & doors, laid shingles and brick, hung drywall, built cabinets, kicked carpet, pulled electrical and more. In short, I understand the limitations; pressures and challenges of working in the field. And I understand that successful communication in the field, as in the office, is one of the primary reasons project succeed.
Fortunately, communication remains the strongest of my assets. Having been a leading radio personality and TV actor, I am comfortable in front of a microphone or camera, on a job site speaking to 100+ laborers or on stage at a conference. I love motivating the project team at the punch stage of a project bringing it across the finish line! Teaching others is one of my greatest rewards!
Show Notes:
New Buildings Institute - https://newbuildings.org/
From native plant selection to solar lighting and permeable hardscape, we discuss actionable strategies to focus more early effort on sustainable landscape in any building design. Not only can you lower your ecological footprint, you can actually save some money!
One of the big takeaways from our personal experience and research into landscape architecture is making sure you've accounted for your project's climate zone, leading to smarter decisions around procurement of outdoor materials.
Quick question: Have you considered edible landscape or a green roof to increase project resiliency???
Show Notes:
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nymn7we4cSs
Season Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Steve Glenn, CEO of Plant Prefab and LivingHomes (right here in Santa Monica!) drops by the podcast to discuss factory-built modular homes and why he started a tech company instead of following his childhood dream to become an architect.
Prefab is unique in its ability to shorten the timeline for many building projects, including custom single-family homes, multi-family, and affordable housing. We also talk about other benefits of prefab, including reduced waste, lower labor costs and increased quality control.
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Steve Glenn is the founder and CEO of Plant Prefab, the first prefabricated home factory in the nation dedicated to sustainable construction, materials, processes, and operations. All Plant projects are prefabricated in the company’s 62,000-square-foot home factory in Rialto, CA, with a patented building system that reduces build time by at least 50% over traditional construction while minimizing construction’s negative impact the environment. Plant was born out of LivingHomes, the award-winning design agency Glenn founded in 2006 that now serves as Plant’s in-house studio. Glenn’s ultimate goal is to define a new standard in residential home design and construction, helping individuals, architects, and developers alike efficiently design and build high-quality, cost-efficient, healthy homes.
Glenn holds two patents and his company’s work has garnered many of the industry’s top honors, including the AIA Top Sustainable Award and the Sustainable Quality Awards Grand Prize. Twenty-seven LivingHomes have been certified LEED Platinum and five more LEED Gold, making the company one of the most experienced designers of homes at the highest level of LEED certification. The company has also received other awards including Architizer’s Jury andPeople Choice Awards, Green Builder Magazine’s “Home of theYear,” Business Week’s “Architectural Wonders of the World,” and Steve has been deemed Clean Tech “CEO of the Year,” “Environmental Entrepreneur of the Year” by LA City Council/Faith2Green, and Huffington Post “Greatest Person of the Day.”
Steve also sees prefab building as the solution to the country’s affordable housing crisis. Plant built seven single-family, LEED Platinum certified homes in LA’s Atwater Village and has also built homes for the Make It Right Foundation in New Orleans and the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. A recent collaboration with Brooks + Scarpa Architects was chosen as a winner in the LA County Housing Innovation Challenge, seeking scalable housing projects to address the county’s homeless population.
Before LivingHomes and Plant Prefab, Glenn was founder and CEO of PeopleLink, a leading provider of enterprise e-community solutions; founding partner of idealab, a business incubation firm that raised and invested $1 billion in a number of successful companies; co-director of the Virtual Reality Studio at Walt Disney Imagineering; and co-founder of Clearview Software, which was sold to Apple Computer in 1988.
Glenn is also a co-founder and chair of the Sustainable Business Council, co-founder of the Kaia Parker Dance Endowment, and a co-founder and former board member of Hope Street Group and the Brown University Entrepreneur Forum.
Glenn holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Brown University, studied Urban Planning at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and was a Coro Fellow.
Show Notes:
Nest Project w/ Brooks + Scarpa - https://www.plantprefab.com/models/brooks+scarpa-nest-livinghome-toolkit
Join us as we discuss the true level of creativity involved to achieve a passive, energy-efficient design while still taking project budget and environmental cost into account. Called "Triple Bottom-Line Accounting", it requires ingenuity, a good deal of energy-modeling, and a project leader brave enough to do a sustainable cost-benefit analysis.
Whatever building type or size, decreasing operational energy results in a healthier, more comfortable environment both inside and out, and we discuss the huge impact high-performing mixed-use and multi-family buildings can have given their larger size and scope.
Show Notes:
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hdP7oaHvi_M
Season Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Marika Erdely, energy-efficiency expert and founder of greeneconome.com, was kind enough to join us for a conversation about her company’s involvement in the push for energy-efficient buildings here in Los Angeles. We discuss local building codes, Marika’s favorite energy monitoring software, designing buildings for Title 24 & NetZero, sustainability grants, incentives, and the real value of building certification. We also talk about how difficult it is to get buy-in with the older generation of building owners and potential strategies to flip that trend.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uEx6rf1gYp8
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Marika Erdely (Linkedin) is the founder and CEO of Green EconoME, a full-service Energy Consulting and Construction Company located in Santa Monica, CA. Our mission is to provide clients with optimum energy efficiency and water saving solutions for building sustainability. Marika had been a financial professional for over thirty years. In her last position, Marika held the role of CFO/VP at New Millennium Homes, a major home builder and land developer of The Oaks of Calabasas. Marika acquired her Contractors License B (#1001368) in 2007 and C-10 in 2018. In 2009, Marika founded Green EconoME and became a LEED AP BD+C (Building Design and Construction). Marika became a Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) in 2016. Marika holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and a BA in Business Economics from UCSB. She is a frequent speaker on energy legislation and efficiency. Marika was nominated as LABJ’s Women CEO of the year in 2019.
Show Notes:
Green EconoME - www.greeneconome.com
Savings by Design Program - www.savingsbydesign.com
PACE Financing - www.energy.gov/eere/slsc/property-assessed-clean-energy-programs
After a brief recap of our first episode, we focus on the subtle differences between a traditional site analysis and one that considers the environment itself as a stakeholder in the project. Sustainability requires that we consider on-site assets (trees, sun, wind) and examine local climate before determining how and what to build.
If we lead with passive solar design and use modeling to minimize mechanical systems we have the opportunity to lower the carbon footprint of any building...paving the way for a better future for us all!
Show Notes:
YouTube link: htthttps://youtu.be/xm6zF206tTg
Season Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
About Ginger:
As CEO and founder of Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ginger's goal is to produce the finest examples of innovative sustainable architecture combined with the most futuristic engineering and construction standards to produce a truly Sustainable Home of the Future. With our Podcasts and YouTube Channel’s instructional materials, we are dedicated to inspiring current and future builders to design and construct in a way that is sustainable for our planet. Ginger has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and has worked in the Real Estate and Technology fields for over 15 years.
About Ian:
As the Managing Director of Development at Sustainable Homes of the Future, Ian has had the opportunity to break new creative and technical ground and learn the necessary skills to manage each project with an integrative, design-centered approach. He has an extensive creative background from a decade of working in marketing, communications, sales and the not-for-profit space, and loves bringing passion and collaborative expertise to the sustainable building landscape.
Big thanks to Brian Hennessey for coming on to talk about commercial real estate (CRE) and how new technologies and disruptions in the industry may play out given recent world events. We discuss developing investment trends in the commercial office and mixed-use space as well as the idea of multi-family tenants viewing Environmental Sustainability as a building amenity.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RwZ_ll3_2jQ
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
Brian Hennessey, SVP at Avison Young, is a CRE Broker specializing in Investment Sales. He is a 30+ year commercial real estate veteran who has managed every aspect of the real estate transaction, from developing acquisition and disposition strategies to conducting market and feasibility analyses and negotiating and executing leases and multi-state portfolio transactions totaling approximately 12 million square feet at values in excess of $2 Billion. He is the best-selling author of "The Due Diligence Handbook For Commercial Real Estate" and "The How To Add Value Handbook For Commercial Real Estate" available on Amazon, also available as audio books on Audible.com and iTunes. He is a speaker and trainer of how to conduct due diligence of investment properties. Brian is the Founder of Impact Coaching Systems (www.impactcoachingsystems.com) and The Due Diligence Video Course for Commercial Real Estate.
We kickoff Season 1 of our podcast series by walking you through the necessary steps to approaching a building through the lens of Sustainable Design, which differs greatly from the outdated building systems still being used today.
The Integrative Process gives architects, builders and others in the industry the opportunity to use new methods, technology and innovation to save money, protect the environment, and avoid costly mistakes and miscommunication during design and construction.
Hint: Green, sustainable building design is 90% preparation!!!
Show Notes:
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/3u95rbrLJSw
Season Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
The (unofficial) preamble to our brand new podcast on Sustainability in the built environment, this solocast episode looks at various definitions of sustainability and sets the stage for an ongoing discussion of how to encourage economic growth and development while lowering environmental impact.
We strongly believe that collaboration is the key to inspiring future innovation in the Design/Build space. Come along and join us as we start the conversation.
Show Notes:
"Where Good Ideas Come From" - Steven Johnson
Episode Sponsor - www.sustainablehomesofthefuture.com
Contact Host - [email protected]
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.