What happens when you try to turn a 100-year-old home into a high-performance, sustainable space - without touching the exterior?

Many of our cities are filled with buildings that are over a hundred years old. The question is no longer whether we keep them - but how we make them work for the future.

Jenny Peysin, is an architect in New York who specializes in renovating historic homes while bringing them up to modern performance standards like Passive House.

In this conversation, you’ll hear what it actually takes to turn an old building into something that feels healthier, quieter, more efficient, and more comfortable to live in. 

We talk about the tension between preservation and performance, how to make smart decisions when every inch and every dollar matters, and why sustainability is often just as much about quality of life as it is about energy use.

If you’re renovating an older home, thinking about buying one, or designing residential spaces yourself, this episode will give you a much clearer sense of what to protect, what to upgrade, and where sustainability really starts.

To explore more about Jenny Peysin and her work, you can follow her on ⁠Linkedin⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ @jennypeysinarchitecture, or visit her website ⁠jpeysin-architecture.com⁠

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

What if surfboard waste could actually become the construction blocks of the homes we live in?

David Sellers didn’t always believe climate change would be something he’d feel in his own lifetime.

As an architect in Hawaii, he’d spent years thinking about sustainability as a future problem… Until one moment changed everything.

Standing in the ashes of Lahaina after the fires - David realized something that most architects never fully confront… That they’re not just designing individual homes… they’re shaping entire communities, entire systems… and ultimately, the future.

That moment forced him to rethink his role as an architect and led to the creation of Hawaii Off Grid - a company designing fully self-sufficient homes powered by renewable energy, built to operate independently from traditional systems.

But what makes David’s work different is how far he’s willing to go - turning surfboard waste and construction trash into construction blocks, creating a circular system where one house quite literally becomes the next.

Because for him, this isn’t just about sustainability. It’s about redesigning how we live - from the ground up.

To explore more about David Sellers and his work, you can follow him on Linkedin, Instagram @hawaiioffgrid, or visit his website hawaiioffgrid.com. You can also watch his movie Journey Beyond the Grid and read Dezeen’s article on how his team is turning surfboard waste into sustainable construction materials in Hawaii.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

What if the only thing holding you back is… not being visible?

In this episode, Maria shares how she went from a student with “not enough knowledge” to building a platform, interviewing real architects, and getting opportunities just by putting her work out there. She talks about why “visibility matters,” how to learn faster by asking questions, and why sustainable architecture should start with reusing what already exists.

If you’re a student, creative, or just starting out, this is your reminder: you don’t need to know everything - you just need to start.

To explore more about Maria Stasevich and her work, you can follow her on Linkedin, Instagram @mari_architecture and @media_oblik, subscribe to her Youtube channel, or visit her agency website media-oblik.tilda.ws.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

Why do great designs fail - even when everything is done right?

Ariane Laxo, Director of Sustainability at HGA Architects & Engineers, has seen it firsthand: “people take their own customization into a space,” often reshaping even the most well-intended designs. In this conversation, she reveals why sustainability isn’t just about better materials or technology - but about behavior, trust, and the everyday choices people make inside a space.

From testing ideas in small ways to understanding why “no one likes to be told what to do,” Ariane explains how real change happens - and why we are no longer designing for one predictable future. If you’ve never stopped to ask, “how could the changing climate impact my project?” - this episode might be the shift you didn’t know you needed.

Resources mentioned in this episode

- National Climate Assessment https://toolkit.climate.gov/NCA5

- Resilient MA https://resilient.mass.gov/

- Cal-Adapt https://cal-adapt.org/

- University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP) https://climate.umn.edu/

- First Street https://firststreet.org/

- AIA Trust Climate Factsheet https://theaiatrust.com/home/climate-factsheet/

- Class 3 Technologies climate risk assessment https://www.class3technologies.com/

- LOCA downscaled climate projections for North America https://loca.ucsd.edu/

- WeatherShift https://weathershift.com/

- Victor Insurance webinar: Navigating climate-related risks: Legal and practical strategies for design firms

- HGA and MCAP study on the use of climate data in design https://hga.com/climate-forward/

- Six Classes Approach to Reducing Chemical Harm https://www.sixclasses.org/

- State and county climate action plans, resilience plans, and hazard mitigation plans

To explore more about Ariane Laxo and her work, you can follow her on Linkedin or visit her website at hga.com.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

What if the most “sustainable” building is still harming the planet? 

Bryn Davidson has spent the last two decades trying to make buildings better for people and the planet — not just through design, but through the boring-but-powerful stuff most architects avoid: policy, zoning, and building codes.

He explains why a “green” building can still be a climate disaster, talks about the idea of the “carbon iceberg” hiding under our nicest projects, and shares one simple rule about daylight that could make apartments feel instantly more livable. And then we get into the real controversy: why “protecting neighborhood character” can accidentally break housing, push sprawl, and lock cities into car-dependence.

If you’ve ever wondered why doing the right thing still feels hard - this episode will make you see the system behind it.

To explore more about Bryn Davidson and his work, you can follow him on Linkedin, Instagram @lanefab , or visit his website lanefab.com.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

How do you go from being rejected by Greenpeace to interviewing the Vice President of the United States?

Isaias Hernandez is an environmental influencer who’s built a huge platform by making climate topics feel human, clear, and actually worth paying attention to.

You’ll hear how he went from finishing his environmental science degree and landing in the corporate world, to creating his own online platform  not by trying to sound like a “perfect expert,” but by being very openly himself and letting that strong point of view attract the right people. We talk about what universities don’t teach you: how to explain climate to regular people without making it feel like homework — and why storytelling, humor, and culture can sometimes land harder than facts alone.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong in the room, this conversation might change how you see your voice, your impact, and your role in the climate movement.

To explore more about Isaias Hernandez and his work, you can follow him on Linkedin, Instagram, Youtube, or visit his website queerbrownvegan.com.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

Today’s guest is Ross O’Ceallaigh, and he’s here to ruin the idea that a green city is automatically a good one.

In this episode, you’ll hear why perfectly cut grass can be bad for nature, why some cities accidentally kill biodiversity while trying to “save the planet,” and how letting places get a bit messier can actually make cities cooler, healthier, and safer during heatwaves and floods. Ross also explains why people sometimes rebel against nature projects — and what happens when communities aren’t told what’s going on.

If you’ve ever thought trees on buildings look cool but wondered if they actually help… or if cities can fix climate problems without turning into jungles, this conversation will seriously change how you see urban life.

To explore more about Ross O’Ceallaigh and his work, you can visit his website urbanwildinghub.com, listen to The Green Urbanist podcast, and read his newsletter on greenurbanist.substack.com.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

What if our buildings could survive earthquakes, floods, and climate change by learning from nature?

Dr. Eugene Tssui explains why modern buildings are failing - and how studying creatures like the nearly indestructible tardigrade can lead to safer, stronger, and cleaner architecture. 

This episode challenges everything you think you know about concrete, glass, and the future of design.

To explore more about Dr. Eugene Tssui and his work, you can follow him on Facebook  or visit his website eugenetssui.com.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

What if the future of building isn’t cutting forests down - but harvesting a plant that grows back every year?

Jennifer Snyders, CEO of House of Bamboo and President of the Bamboo Society of Australia, shares why bamboo is an agricultural crop, (not like timber), how it regenerates itself, and why she believes sustainability only works when materials are beautiful and desirable.

We talk about myths, real projects, and how bamboo could help solve housing supply problems without harming the planet.

To explore more about Jennifer Snyders and her work, you can follow her on Linkedin, Instagram @house_of_bamboo_au, or visit her website houseofbamboo.com.au

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact:

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

Winka is the kind of architect who doesn’t just think in buildings—she thinks in systems, processes, performance, and the future. 

Trained in the Netherlands, and now leading the architecture studio Archi-Tectonics in the US, she’s spent three decades proving that design and sustainability aren’t separate disciplines—they're inseparable.

From the sponge city masterplan for the Asian Games in China to small residential projects in New York City, Winka creates projects that breathe, cool themselves, and even host wildlife.

What stands out most is her refusal to separate beauty from performance—or design from science.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to build architecture that collaborates with nature, why working with manufacturers before contractors can radically change a building, and why she once designed a stadium with 8,000 unique shingles—all laser-etched, numbered, and bent into place.

To explore more about Winka Dubbeldam and her work, you can follow her on Linkedin, Instagram, or visit their website www.archi-tectonics.com.

Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!

Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.

Contact: 

Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.com

Produced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠