Sustainability alone won't protect your home from Mother Nature. In this episode, Izumi Tanaka talks with Albert Slap — environmental attorney turned founder of RiskFootprint.com — about why resilience and sustainability are two sides of the same coin. Albert breaks down why FEMA flood maps miss huge amounts of real flood risk (120,000 homes flooded outside the FEMA zone during Hurricane Harvey), why he pays $5,000/year just for hurricane wind coverage on his own home, and how a $5,000 roof-to-wall tie-down saved him from a $30,000 re-roof — and actually lowered his risk. We also get into wildfire vegetation management, the 34+ natural hazards RiskFootprint evaluates property-by-property, and why "caveat emptor" due diligence should start well before you sign an agreement of sale. Whether you're buying, selling, or staying put, this episode is a reminder that a green home and a resilient home are the same goal. 🔗 Learn more: https://riskfootprint.com

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro: sustainability + resilience, two sides of one coin

01:20 Albert's pivot from environmental law to RiskFootprint

02:59 What "caveat emptor" really means for buyers

05:32 Why FEMA flood maps don't capture rainfall flooding

07:19 Albert's own $5,000/year hurricane wind insurance bill

12:10 The roof-to-wall tie-down that saved $25K

16:54 How RiskFootprint evaluates 34+ natural hazards by address

23:39 Who actually uses RiskFootprint: buyers, realtors, lenders

28:16 Disclosure laws: Hawaii, Florida, Colorado and beyond

29:04 Climate trends vs. day-to-day natural hazard risk

34:25 Where to find RiskFootprint.com Home Green Homes is a podcast about the people building — and buying — greener, more resilient homes.

#HomeGreenHomes #GreenBuilding #ClimateResilience #RealEstate #SustainableLiving

What does it actually look like to flip a house the green way — and make the numbers work?

In this episode, Izumi sits down with Mary Love, a North Carolina-based green realtor, building scientist, and project manager who has been doing eco-conscious real estate investment long before "green homes" was a mainstream term. Mary shares hard-won lessons from decades of rehabbing and renting energy-efficient properties — from wrangling reluctant HVAC contractors to educating appraisers on the value of sustainable upgrades.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why insulation and air sealing are always the first priority — and how to do it without gutting the walls
• How to use blower door and duct blaster tests to document before and after performance (and use it as a marketing tool)
• What appraisers actually need to see to give green upgrades their proper value
• How rebates and incentives can make eco-flipping cost-competitive with standard rehabs
• Why the conversation has shifted from energy savings to safety and resilience — and what that means for investors
• The "Fortified Standards" framework for disaster-resilient construction
• Mary's motto: "A little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing"

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting to think about greener rehabs, Mary's practical, no-nonsense approach will show you that eco-flipping isn't just good for the planet — it's a smart business model.

📬 Connect with Mary Love: [email protected] | lovethegreen.org

Are homes really built to last… or just built to sell?

In this eye-opening episode, Izumi sits down with documentary filmmaker George Siegal, creator of Built to Last: Buyer Beware, to uncover the uncomfortable truth about how most homes are actually built—and why so many fail when disaster strikes.

From hurricanes in Florida to wildfires in California, George shares heartbreaking stories of homeowners who lost everything—and the common patterns behind those losses. The biggest takeaway? Most homes are built to the minimum code, not for long-term resilience.

If you’re a homeowner, buyer, investor, or real estate professional, this conversation may completely change how you look at homes.

• Why “built to code” often means built to the bare minimum
• The biggest mistakes homebuyers make when evaluating a property
• How disasters reveal hidden weaknesses in our homes
• Why rebuilding after a disaster can take years—not months
• The surprising connection between resilience and sustainability
• What questions you must ask before buying or building a home
• How insurance, building practices, and human behavior all play a role

George also shares practical tips—including how one simple correction saved him $1,000/year on insurance—and why homeowners need to take responsibility for understanding the true quality of their homes.

🎬 Watch the film: Built to Last: Buyer Beware
📄 Free resource: Essential questions to ask before buying a home

Bottom line:
Don’t just fall in love with the finishes—the countertops, the floors, the “wow” factor.
Understand the bones of the house… because that’s what determines whether it survives.

In this episode of Home Green Homes, Izumi Tanaka talks with Nick Grimm — a father, homeowner, and sustainability professional who is gradually transforming his 1953 Los Angeles home into a healthier and more energy-efficient space.

Nick didn’t begin with a master sustainability plan. Like many homeowners, his journey started with basic maintenance: replacing appliances when they broke and making upgrades when necessary. But as he learned more about sustainability, each decision became an opportunity to choose better options.

So far, Nick and his family have:

• Replaced a gas cooktop with an induction stove
• Installed a heat pump washer/dryer
• Upgraded their electric panel
• Installed solar panels
• Purchased an EV and charger
• Begun planning for heat pump HVAC and water heating
• Started thinking about drought-resilient landscaping

One turning point came when Nick used an indoor air quality monitor while cooking on a gas stove — and saw pollution levels spike inside his home. With a young child experiencing asthma, it accelerated their switch to induction cooking.

Nick also discusses the real barriers to electrification, including the complexity of rebates and the financial realities many homeowners face.

Despite those challenges, he believes individual choices still matter. For Nick, the ability to take action — even one appliance at a time — is empowering.

If you're a homeowner wondering whether it’s time to replace gas appliances with electric alternatives — this episode is for you.

In Episode 102 of Home Green Homes, Izumi chats with Akanksha Mathur, General Manager for Southern California at Elephant Energy, to discuss what it really takes to electrify your home.

From heat pumps and induction cooking to rebates, incentives, and indoor air quality — we break down the electrification process step-by-step.

Elephant Energy is a Certified B-Corp focused on making the switch from gas to electric simple, seamless, and climate-friendly. Akanksha shares her journey from mechanical engineer to climate advocate, and why education is the missing link in helping homeowners make confident decisions.

If you live in Southern California — or anywhere thinking about clean energy upgrades — this conversation will help you understand:

• What “home electrification” actually means
• How heat pumps work
• What incentives are available
• Why indoor air quality matters
• The biggest challenges homeowners face
• How to make sustainable choices easier

The future is electric. The question is — are you ready?

🎧 Listen now and learn how to make your home cleaner, healthier, and more energy-efficient.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Elephant Energy

05:19 Akanksha's Journey to Elephant Energy

10:15 The Process of Electrification

15:44 Challenges in the Electrification Process

20:59 Educating Homeowners on Electrification

26:16 Personal Reflections and Future Aspirations

More Resources:

• Switch-is On
• TECH Clean California

What does it really take to build homes that are beautiful, efficient, resilient, and responsible?

In this special 100th episode of Home Green Homes, Izumi Tanaka welcomes Steve Glenn, founder and CEO of Plant Prefab, for an in-depth conversation that weaves together architecture, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and climate action.

Steve traces his path from an early love of architecture to founding LivingHomes and later Plant Prefab—companies created to challenge the waste, inefficiency, and environmental impact of conventional construction. He explains what truly sets Plant Prefab apart: customized architectural design, a purpose-built factory capable of both panelized and modular construction, and a mission-driven commitment as a certified B Corp and public benefit corporation.

The conversation also dives into Plant Prefab’s work supporting communities rebuilding after devastating Southern California wildfires, and why prefab construction can offer faster, more predictable, and often more cost-effective rebuilding solutions.

Along the way, Steve addresses common misconceptions about prefab homes, shares what homeowners should prioritize when designing for climate resilience, and reflects on leadership, scaling a values-driven company, and what he hopes the future of housing can become.

This episode is especially relevant for homeowners, home dwellers, architects, builders, developers, and anyone curious about how housing can be part of the climate solution.

• Prefab ≠ mobile homes: Plant Prefab homes are legally and structurally equivalent to site-built homes and cannot be excluded from zoning, financing, or insurance.
• Energy matters most: Over a home’s lifetime, operational energy use has a bigger climate impact than materials—efficiency and solar should be top priorities.
• Time is money: Faster, parallel construction can significantly reduce carrying costs, rent, and uncertainty—especially important in rebuild scenarios.
• Design and sustainability go together: High-quality architecture and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
• Rebuilding after disaster is an opportunity: Prefab can help communities recover faster while building more resilient, future-ready homes.
• Mission-driven businesses face real challenges: Scaling sustainably takes persistence, patience, and long-term vision—but the impact compounds over time.

Chapters

• 00:00 Personal Impact and Vision for the Future

“So when I think about a future that is solving climate, I think about raising our quality of life. I think about more inclusive cities with wonderful parks, and it's a fantastic mass transportation that's really considered a luxury good because whether you're the wealthiest person in that city or the poorest, you all want to be on the same subway or the same bus because it's simply the best way to get around and everyone enjoys these types of amenities.There are examples of that all over the world.  We try and bring those to light. And that is my vision for what the future starts to look like.”

Josh Dorfman spent time in China in the 1990s, which opened his eyes to  environmental issues and the impact of rapid industrialization and consumerism. When he returned to the U.S. and went through a phase of environmental activism before deciding to focus on shifting consumption towards more sustainable products.  He started an eco-friendly furniture company called VivaVie in 2004, which led to the creation of his "Lazy Environmentalist" media brand.

During the pandemic when supply chain issues made it difficult to source sustainable materials for his previous furniture company, he developed Planted - Josh's current carbon-negative building materials company.  They identified fast-growing perennial grass as a potential replacement for traditional lumber and engineered wood products.  They worked to vertically integrate the entire supply chain, from growing the grass to manufacturing the building panels, and partnered with major homebuilder D.R. Horton to secure a large order for their carbon-negative panels.

Josh then launched a media company, Supercool, after stepping down as CEO of Planted to focus on sharing stories of climate innovation and solutions.  Supercool aims to highlight commercialized, scalable technologies and initiatives that are improving people's lives while addressing environmental challenges. He shares his vision for a "Supercool future" that involves raising quality of life through inclusive, sustainable cities and infrastructure.

“We’re always inspired by nature and using nature as a starting point. So we can use the most advanced technology whether it’s robotics or parametric design using algorithms, AI.  Regardless of the technologies our goal is to create something that’s beautiful and it’s just works as far as the simplicity.  And there’s kind of a synergy in the work we do.  So we’re hoping to use this advanced technology beautiful forms in the nature and having everything work together really well.”  - Joseph Sarfian

Joseph Sarafian and Ron Culver, are the founding partners of architectural firm Form Found Design. Joseph has a background in computational design and parametric modeling, while Ron has experience as an architect, contractor, and musician. They met in graduate school and decided to start their firm together, combining their complementary skillsets.

Form Found Design has developed several innovative construction techniques, including using robots to cast custom concrete structures and a computational framing system that allows for mass customization without added cost. They have used these methods for projects like a 15-foot tall concrete structure for Amazon, as well as residential homes.

In response to recent wildfires, Form Found Design has focused on designing fire-resilient homes using non-combustible materials like metal, insulated panels, and cross-laminated timber. Their goal is to create homes that are more durable, energy-efficient, and sustainable compared to traditional wood-framed construction.

The main challenge Form Found Design faces is educating contractors and homeowners about their innovative construction methods. However, they believe the demand is there, as people are increasingly seeking more resilient and sustainable building solutions. Their overall vision is to use advanced technology like robotics and parametric design to create beautiful, nature-inspired architecture that is also highly functional and efficient.

@FormFoundDesign

“I think there's a whole new awareness right now after these fires in LA, at least for people who live in California of like, just actually how toxic our whole houses are.  So, you know, the answer for some might be, “oh, I was going to buy a new couch and I'm going to buy a couch that's cotton instead of like plastic,” you know, just smaller things.  And, yeah, the more people that could be building a whole house out of natural materials right now, that's amazing.”  - Sasha Rabin

Sasha Rabin has a long history with natural building, stemming from her father's early interest in straw bale construction in the 1990s. This sparked Sasha's passion, leading her to study environmental design and eventually focus on earthen building methods like cob, adobe, and light straw clay. She founded Earthen Shelter as a platform to teach workshops on these techniques, which she sees as an important part of creating more sustainable and healthy built environments.

Sasha discussed the challenges of getting alternative building materials permitted, especially in high-seismic areas. While there are now code appendices for some natural building methods, Sasha and organizations like Quail Springs, where she is involved, have had to do extensive testing and work with local officials to demonstrate the safety and viability of these materials. Looking to the future, Sasha envisions a multi-pronged approach, from simple retrofits using earthen plasters to whole cob or adobe structures, as crucial for rebuilding more resilient communities.

“The secret is cost shifting.  That’s the secret. So we shift the cost from expensive mechanical systems into the quality of the building shell, of the building envelope.  We have what we call a super-insulated building envelope.  We have triple-glazed windows. We have insulated frames.  They get installed in a certain fashion.  And we basically take… we beef up the building envelope.  it’s super-insulated that means insulation is cheap.  Insulation is the cheapest building material on the planet.  It’s much less expensive than batts.  That’s really the issue.” - Joaquin Kar

Joaquin Karcher is a founder/owner/principal architect for Zero E Design based in Taos, New Mexico.  The discussion centered on Joaquin’s expertise in eco-architecture and his work with Zero E Design, particularly focusing on cold climate architecture in northern New Mexico. Karcher shares his journey from his early passion for eco-architecture in Germany to his current projects, emphasizing the importance of achieving carbon neutrality in buildings by 2030. He highlighted his collaboration with the Navajo tribe to improve housing using local materials and labor, as well as his insights gained from the Passive House Institute in Germany. The conversation also delved into the principles of passive house design, its affordability in California, and the benefits of enhancing building envelopes to create energy-efficient homes.

Karcher discussed the resilience of passive houses in extreme weather and fire-prone areas, suggesting specific materials and techniques for safety. Although he has not yet worked on redesigning homes affected by wildfires, he expressed a vision for affordable, resilient zero energy buildings, particularly through offsite construction methods like panelized construction.