David Heslam is the Executive Director of Earth Advantage. A nonprofit based in Portland Oregon that works to ensure the U.S. housing market recognizes the elements of a home that create climate risk and values the characteristics of a homes that provide climate solutions. David spent 15 years designing, building, and remodeling homes in Portland. His award-winning company, Coho Construction Services, became known as a local and national leader for adopting new technologies and striving for high levels of sustainability. As his company migrated to working on more existing homes, he helped found Earth Advantage and became their director, where he has become a national leader in the effort to develop and deploy energy labeling systems into the residential market. Home performance labeling system put data in the consumers hands helping them better understand what they are purchasing and the value of better performing homes. 

As you will hear toward the end of your conversation, David and I went down a rabbit hole of if the IECC requires a builder to heat or cool a house because of its hyper focus on the building thermal envelope.  I was able to find on Section R325.8 Required heating of the IRC where there is a requirement to every dwelling unit is required to maintain a room temperature of not less than 68 degrees.  There is no requirement in the IRC for cooling of a home

David Heslam on LinkedIn

Earth Advantage

The Green Building Registry

Appraisals Will Look Very Different in the Near Future—AreYou Ready?