Building Sustainably

In this episode, host Tim O'Brien is joined by founder and president of Charis Homes, Glenna Wilson, to discuss High Performance Homes and breaking barriers to entry for women in the home building and construction industries.

For more information about Charis Homes, visit www.charishomes.com

In this episode, Tim O’Brien is joined by owner of Digitek Digital, Dave Mihalovic, to discuss home automation and how new homeowners can optimize their smart home technology. Dave provides insights on what to do and what to avoid as it relates to the technology in your new home.  

In this episode, Tim O’Brien talks about our process for surveying customers throughout their new home journey, including design, construction, and customer care. Through the use of third-party surveys from Avid Ratings, which is a comprehensive customer experience surveying platform, we have consistently improved on our commitment to deliver extraordinary experiences to our customers. 

In this episode, Tim O'Brien speaks with the Director of the Dane County of Energy and Climate Change, Kathy Kuntz, about their mission to design and implement collaborate initiatives that accelerate change and yield substantive results for energy use and climate change in Dane County and beyond.

For more information, visit https://daneclimateaction.org/

In this episode of the Building Sustainably Podcast, Tim O’Brien meets with the National Director of AeroBarrier, Paul Springer, to discuss the innovative way in which AeroSeal's innovative home sealing product aims to benefit both new and existing homes. Tim and Paul talk through the application process and the benefits of creating an airtight home.

For more information, visit aeroseal.com/aerobarrier/

 In this episode of the Building Sustainability Podcast, Tim O'Brien talks about the importance and benefits of using geothermal energy in homes. Geothermal energy is a renewable resource that is naturally produced in the earth’s core. By utilizing this energy source, you can reduce your energy costs, improve the comfort of your home, and extend the useful life of your equipment.

In this episode of the Building Sustainability Podcast, Tim O'Brien is joined by Melissa Songco, Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity, to discuss their story and efforts to help the Waukesha community. Habitat for Humanity has been building affordable housing for families for many years. Being a non-profit organization, Songco talks about how they benefit from the love and support within the community.

In this episode of the Building Sustainability Podcast, Tim O’Brien is joined by Ryan Hanna, Executive Vice President of Dave Jones, Inc, to discuss the advantages of building strong relationships with your coworkers, business partners, customers, and the community. They also dive into the significance of having a strong company culture, as well as the benefits of apprenticeship programs for high schools and universities to assist students in transitioning into the trades.

 In this episode of the Building Sustainability Podcast, Tim O'Brien is joined by Rachel Flint, Vice President of Hubbell Homes in Des Moines, Iowa, to discuss the advantages of participating in the Builder 20 Group through the National Home Builders Association. This diverse group of homebuilders across the country meets to discuss every aspect of their businesses. Through these transparent peer conversations and site visits, builders can gain insights and apply new processes and ideas to their own operations.

In the final part of this three-part episode, Tim finishes his conversation with president of TrueNorth Development, Scott Sedam, as they break down principles of lean construction as it relates to total quality within the homebuilding industry.