In this episode, Dr. Wolfgang Feist ,founder of the Passive House Institute, joins me Jess Kismet to unpack why the Passive House standard continues to spark debate across the building world. Why does a building standard evoke such passion, loyalty, and even resistance?

We explore how innovation in architecture and building science is often misunderstood, and why new ideas, like Passive House, can feel revolutionary to some and incremental to others.

Wolfgang draws parallels to historical, scientific breakthroughs, reminding us that progress doesn’t always mean reinvention.

From the importance of critical thinking in evaluating standards to the human tendency to defend familiar ways of building, this episode takes a thoughtful look at how emotion, history, and science intersect in the pursuit of better buildings.

Useful Links

What is Passive House

Who is Dr Wolfgang Feist?

Who is Fridtjof Nansen?

Bo Adamon - Lund University - Co-creator of Passive House

The World's First Passive House - Darmstadt - Kranichstein, Germany

Who is Amory Lovins?

Who is Kara Rosemeier

Who is Ole Fanger

The Camel - a living air conditioner

Social Media Links

Building Sciology Instagram

Enduro Builders Instagram

Climasure Instagram