Our expectations of the performance of houses has changed faster than how we build to achieve that performance. So, at the beginning of a conversation in the construction industry, when I hear, “I have been building for 30 years” I think to myself, there are only two outcomes from this conversation. First, the person is putting up a guard and will not be receptive to an applied building science approach. You know, houses have to breath or you’re telling me to tighten up the house and then punch a hole in it for ventilation. On the other hand, the person may have amazing insights and experiences to share.
When I step back, I realize that I’ve almost been working in this industry for 30 years. With an emphasis on sustainable high-performance building, I still struggle to integrate what I do into mainstream building, yet I tend to learn something new every day that takes me one step closer. Having these difficult yet enlightening conversation is often where I learn the most.
At BuildTank, my mission is to use what I learn by applying building science in the field to affect meaningful change in the construction industry. This buildCAST is the next step. By having broad conversations with different players in the industry I learn something new from their story that will move us forward toward taking sustainable buildings to mainstream building.
I hope you will learn something as well. Enjoy!
Ed Fronapfel is a forensic engineer who I first met when he taught a thermography class I attended. Later he became the student when he participated in an Energy Rater class I taught. Ed has built and sold several successful engineering companies on the back of his ability to distill information and present it in…
Read MoreIt doesn’t matter the size of the house that’s built, Builders are passionate about what they do. Zack Giffin demonstrates that in this conversation about tiny homes. In 2018 I happened to be at the code hearing where Appendix Q for tiny homes was adopted for the International Residential Code. This year I was asked…
Read MoreJake Bruton owner of Arrow Building continues to push the home building industry forward. As a carpenter running a business and helping to mature an industry, Jake’s skill and enthusiasm has brought him national attention and a platform to continue his effort to educate our industry through online content, publications, and speaking events. He is…
Read MoreEd Fronapfel is a forensic engineer who I first met when he taught a thermography class I attended. Later he became the student when he participated in an Energy Rater class I taught. Ed has built and sold several successful engineering companies on the back of his ability to distill information and present it in…
Read MoreIt doesn’t matter the size of the house that’s built, Builders are passionate about what they do. Zack Giffin demonstrates that in this conversation about tiny homes. In 2018 I happened to be at the code hearing where Appendix Q for tiny homes was adopted for the International Residential Code. This year I was asked…
Read MoreJake Bruton owner of Arrow Building continues to push the home building industry forward. As a carpenter running a business and helping to mature an industry, Jake’s skill and enthusiasm has brought him national attention and a platform to continue his effort to educate our industry through online content, publications, and speaking events. He is…
Read MoreGene Myers is the Founder of Thrive Home builders. I went into our conversation focused on learning more about ESG or Environmental, Social, and Governance and how this new way of looking at business is affecting the construction industry, especially for those who are not national Wall Street Builders. As soon as we began, I…
Read MoreGary Nelson, cofounder of the Energy Conservatory, is an engineer who turned his attention to residential efficiency in the 1980’s. He is often referred to as the father of the blower door, but did not invent the technology. He did, however, strive to make a blower door that was light, easy to use, accurate, and…
Read MoreRick Schultz is the Water Efficiency Supervisor for the Town of Castle Rock Colorado. We spoke regarding some of the impacts that draught conditions are having in the west and what his town is implementing to conserve water that may begin to affect residentiual construction across the country. Over the past 20 years, an average…
Read More