Better Buildings For Humans

Views and daylight are critical to occupant wellness, comfort, and productivity. Everyone who is familiar with commercial glazing knows that much of the energy loss occurs through the window framing system. This energy loss is putting pressure on architects to reduce glazed area, which isolates building occupants from the natural environment. In this episode, Joe goes on a deep dive with the people who are changing our world by reducing energy loss in the framing systems. Steve St. Pierre and Kurt Miglas from Ensinger explain how thermal breaks and convection breaking technologies can dramatically reduce heat loss through the aluminum frames. They’re playing a huge role in keeping us connected to the outside world!

What is the connection between architecture and music? Can simple changes in a design improve the occupant’s dignity as well as their comfort? How did good design bring families of former prison inmates closer together and lower recidivism? In this extraordinary episode, Joe speaks with James Garrett Jr., an award-winning architect from 4RM+ULA in St. Paul, MN. James talks about his journey, his influences, and his design philosophy in this engaging and inspiring episode. This is a must hear episode for people who love architecture and want to learn more about design as a force for change!

Patrick Flannery is a journalist with Glass Canada Magazine. He has his finger on the pulse of the glass and glazing industry and he pulls no punches when he talks about the state of that industry. Joe and Patrick enjoy a lively discussion about topics like the 30% window to wall ratio and the general micromanagement of design through modern codes. Patrick also gets us up to speed on the many actions the industry is taking to reduce embodied carbon as well as operating carbon and of course, the actions being taken to improve occupant comfort, health and safety.

Nothing makes you appreciate natural light like removing a lot of it from your life! Paula Longato moved from Sao Paulo, Brasil to Berlin, Germany in 2006 to study architectural lighting design. The dramatic change in the amount of sunlight she experienced opened her eyes to the importance of daylight. She ended up doing her thesis on daylighting in office spaces. In this episode, Paula helps us to understand the process of designing for the interplay between natural light and artificial light. Joe and Paula talk about “the 24 things everyone should learn about daylight” from aboutdaylight.org. Paula also speaks passionately about our need to connect with the natural world and how potential premiums associated with providing those connections are far outweighed by the long-term health, well-being and productivity of building occupants.

In this episode, Joe discusses the impact of natural and artificial light on human health and well-being with Jennifer Brons, the research director from the Mount Sinai Light and Health Center. She explains the importance of natural light for adolescents and provides strategies for improving lighting in schools. Jennifer also discusses the interplay between natural and artificial light and the research being done to optimize lighting design. Tune in for insights on alertness and performance in relation to lighting and learn about the work being done with government agencies to improve the lighted environment. Jennifer will also highlight the online certificate course in light and human health and the collaboration with the American Lighting Association to develop better lighting products for homes.

Lisa Heschong is a legend in the world of sustainable and human-centered design. She has been promoting the value of daylighting for more than 40 years and developed the now universally accepted “Spatial Daylight Autonomy” methodology. In this amazing episode, Lisa talks about her early years as one of the lone voices promoting human-centered design as well as energy efficiency. She talks about the latest research related to the value of views and the potential correlation between the myopia epidemic and a shortage of natural light in schools and buildings occupied by children. Every architect and building owner should listen to this episode!

In this episode, Joe interviews Megan Sykes, the energy manager for Sobeys, one of the largest grocery retailers in Canada. Megan shares her perspective on what makes a great building, and discusses her background and role within Sobeys, as well as, the company's commitment to reducing emissions and their comprehensive Climate Action Plan. She also highlights the importance of connecting shoppers to natural light in retail spaces and explores new technologies for sustainable design. Megan emphasizes the value of networking and community engagement in staying current on new technologies. The conversation also covers energy efficiency, cost considerations, government incentives, and collaboration in the green building industry. Finally, she invites listeners to the Build Green Atlantic Conference.

Chris Ballard is the CEO of Passive House Canada. Chris helps us to understand Canada’s role in creating the modern passive house standards and how those standards were driven by logic and common sense. Listen to this episode to understand how Passive House standards provide design freedom while ensuring the creation of energy efficient, comfortable, healthy homes and buildings. You will also hear how Passive House Canada is leading the way in adding embodied carbon goals to Passive House’s famous operating standards. Chris is passionate, articulate, and 100% laser focused on creating Better Buildings for Humans!

Christoph Reinhart is one of the most respected people in the world of building science. Dr. Reinhart leads the sustainable design lab at MIT. He is a managing member at Harvard Spinoff Solemma and co-founder of MIT spinoff mapdwell.  He is a physicist by training but holds a doctorate in Architecture from the University of Karlsruhe. In other words, he’s a building science rockstar! In this episode we hear Christoph talk about ultra-fast daylight simulation tools, the interpretation of daylight metrics (yes you can reach different conclusions with the same data), urban building energy models (UBEM), automated floor plan generation, daylighting with light diffusing glazings, and so much more! 

Architecture as Activism? BNIM is an architecture and design firm from Kansas City that has been a leader in sustainable design since 1970. In this episode Joe has a conversation with their Director of Sustainability and Regenerative Design, Jeremy Knoll. Jeremy is passionate, knowledgeable, articulate, optimistic, and full of joy! This is a wonderful episode where the topics range from practical sustainable design to occupant wellness to environmental justice.