Better Buildings For Humans

In this deep dive into the science of sleep, circadian rhythms and their impact on human health, Joe speaks with Dr. Russell Foster, Professor of Circadian Neuroscience at the University of Oxford. Listen to learn about the need to bring natural light into buildings to reset our internal clock and maintain the integrity and alignment of our circadian system. The conversation takes an extraordinary journey into Russell’s two main areas of research: How is environmental light detected and processed for the regulation of circadian rhythms? How are circadian rhythms generated and what happens when these systems break down in disease and under normal environmental conditions? Don’t miss this amazing episode on a critical topic that affects all of us, explained by the leading expert in the field. Thanks for joining us!

This episode is as much a business lesson in entrepreneurialism as it is a conversation about healthy buildings. Chuck Morrison is the Founder and CEO of INVZBL. A serial entrepreneur, Chuck’s latest venture provides disinfecting/sanitizing equipment and services for laptops and tablets – but in the wake of COVID 19, he has created systems to purify indoor air. INVZBL focuses primarily on schools with the objective of providing clean air for kids so as to minimize the transmittance of disease and to provide a comfortable learning environment. Their simple, intuitive monitoring systems will make air quality a priority for everyone.

In our most forward-looking episode yet, we explore the new materials and techniques that will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce our dependence on materials that end up in landfills, and discover what will allow us to create healthier buildings for occupants with guest Blaine Brownell, an architect and the Director of the David R. Ravin School of Architecture at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. Blaine studies emerging materials and sustainable building technologies. He also shares his well-informed opinions on the lack of design in “green design."

In this special two-guest episode, the CEO of Advanced Glazings, James Satterwhite talks about how the miracle material, aerogel, has allowed translucent glazings to achieve insulation levels that are comparable to opaque walls. This is vitally important because architects can continue to create large glass facades that bring in lots of natural light, provide those critical views to building occupants, and still meet building energy codes. Then, Joe interviews Janelle Penny, the Editor-in-Chief of Buildings Magazine. Janelle shares the steps that building owners are taking to entice their workers to get back to the office post COVID-19. There is also an important discussion about how owners view modern building codes and how these codes could lead architects to design buildings differently.

In this episode, Joe interviews Vicki Worden, CEO of The Green Building Initiative, providers of the Green Globes Building Certification program. Vicki explains GBI's mission, the objectives of Green Globes Certification, and the ways in which Green Globes is different. This conversation is valuable for anyone seeking to better understand the valuable features of this certification program, that has seen widespread adoption for its sustainable design and occupant health and wellness standards for the multi-family building sector. Learn how GBI stays connected with the latest research in building science, the importance of indoor environment quality, and the occasional trade offs between energy efficiency and occupant wellness.

This conversation challenges many common myths. Do you know the best way to predict glare? Do you understand non-image forming light? Do you understand how to design to account for circadian rhythms? What about the best way to counter the urban heat island effect? Alstan Jakubiec, an Assistant Professor in both the Faculty of Design and the School of Environment at the University of Toronto, answers these questions and more. Alstan studies visual and thermal human comfort, environmental performance simulation, and the interaction between the two. Join us for this insightful conversation.

Stefano Schiavon is a world leading expert on building occupant comfort. His research is showing that so much of our conventional wisdom and current practices are just plain wrong. Joe talks with Stefano about methodologies for discovering which factors most affect comfort. Stefano also makes the case for measuring and controlling comfort factors to suit individual needs.

In this episode, Joe speaks with Dr. David Geisler-Moroder from University of Innsbruck about advancements in research in the field of daylighting and energy modeling and what software tools are available to architects and researchers.

Daylight and views are critical to the well being of building occupants. The world's leading researchers are confirming this fact and learning more about why every single day.