Better Buildings For Humans

Many of our listeners know Adrian Lowenstein from his excellent building envelope videos and his new “All Things Façade” podcast. Adrian is passionate about the need to do proper inspections and testing on building facades - the best designs can still yield poor results if installation is not executed properly. In this episode, he makes the argument that proper installation can be even more powerful than new products. Of course, there is also lots of discussion about technological trends with emphasis on new building envelope technologies.

Interior Design plays a major role in driving comfort, wellness, productivity, and overall satisfaction with the spaces we occupy. This episode is a real departure from hardcore building science. Samantha Frew  of Think Curious, takes Joe to school about the ways that interior design can impact all aspects of IEQ. Her work as a journalist allows her to share some insight into important modern trends in interior design. The entire episode is worth a listen just to hear Sam’s take on what makes a great building!

Can architects and buildings scientists learn anything from the world of anthropology? The answer is “yes, we can learn far more than most of us imagined!”. Marcel Harmon is a sustainability consultant with Branch Pattern in Overland Park, Kansas. He is an engineer with a PhD in anthropology. He applies the skills, knowledge and wisdom of these two professions to help create sustainable, healthy, intelligently designed buildings. His work truly embodies the idea of better buildings for humans.

The power behind Better Buildings for Humans, Advanced Glazings, recently announced a partnership with world-class insulated metal panel manufacturer, Norbec. In this episode, Joe speaks with Alexandre Belisle, the R&D director for Norbec, about the strategic importance of this new relationship. The ultimate goal is to create better buildings through higher performing, fully-integrated facades that bring in controlled natural light in a cost-effective manner delivering extraordinary energy efficiency.

Lila Allen is the Senior Editor of AD Pro at Architectural Digest. In this episode, we finally get to talk about style! We get a glimpse of how the art of building design impacts our wellness and our motivation. It’s not just about air turnovers and solar heat gain coefficients – humans also crave beauty. In this episode, you can hear a truly joyful human articulate magnificently about current design trends and the way the art of architecture fills our lives.

Steve Kemp is a true pro! Through decades of experience as an energy consultant, Steve has formed some strong opinions. Listen as he sheds light on our inadvertent missteps toward good intentions. In this episode, we talk about the pivotal role of the building envelope in energy management. We learn why embodied carbon is becoming more important and Steve has some
surprises about the tradeoffs between embodied carbon and ongoing energy consumption. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to design truly sustainable buildings rather than just
“checking boxes."

Improving the energy performance and sustainability of our buildings will require both new techniques and new materials. In this episode, Peter Dushenski from GlasCurtain explains how we can dramatically improve the energy performance of glazing systems by using FRP framing. The energy leak points in most buildings are at the interfaces – the seams where two different systems or materials come together. The glass framing is one such interface and it can have a profound impact on overall building envelope thermal performance. Peter explains how GlasCurtain used the right materials, the right way, to radically improve the insulation on glazing systems and drive higher window-to-wall ratios.

Students in public schools across America are feeling more isolated, while simultaneously feeling overwhelmed. Students, teachers and school administrators are struggling to manage the challenges in our modern education system. When we fail to manage these challenges, the results can be catastrophic. In this episode, we speak with Sonny Thadani, the CEO and co-founder of Robin, an organization that has developed programs to help students, faculty and staff develop the skills to thrive in today’s educational environment. The built environment has a profound impact on student’s academic success – but the way we operate within that environment is also extremely important. Tune into this episode to learn what the managers of our schools can do and are doing to help protect our children’s mental health and well being. 

Dr. Alejandra Menchaca is a master practitioner of passive design. You may know her as the co-creator of the famous “thermal comfort tool”. Listen to this expert in daylighting as well as passive heating and cooling explain why she gave up being a rocket scientist to help create better buildings for humans!

A pioneer when it comes to sustainable design, Keith Robertson was known as a 'tree hugger' in his early days as an architect. Keith wasn’t a ‘tree hugger’, he was and still is, a pragmatic idealist. Nowadays, the architectural world has caught up to his ideals and is embracing his way of thinking. This conversation is a must listen if you value sustainability.