In a Seattle neighborhood, close to public transportation, Dan Whitmore and his associates are putting the money where their ideals are and making affordable housing happen.  Not just affordable but high-performance Passive House affordable per the Phius standards, plus they have an onsite PV array that unlocks the benefits of onsite power generation. This episode is an interview with Dan as he unpacks the topic and asks Why is this compelling social issue considered to be only one that can be addressed by governmental programs and non-profits? 

The need for affordable housing is indeed a compelling societal issue with wide-ranging impacts. In many cities in the US the cost of housing is rising faster than incomes and there is a growing racial homeownership gap. The lack of housing creates a lot burden, pain and turmoil in, and can have lasting impacts on people's lives, particularly children. On the flip side, studies have shown that investing in affordable housing can have a significant positive economic multiplier effect. So why is there not more affordable housing happening in the US? Perhaps the answer lies in investors taking this question seriously.

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Dan Whitmore

Dan Whitmore has worked in the construction industry since 1987 as a carpenter, general contractor, builder, and consultant with additional stints as a designer and FEMA Inspector.

His introduction to high-performance building came at an impressionable age when, in 1977, his family built an award-winning Solar Home in Oklahoma where he grew up. As designer, builder, and Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC®), he completed one of the first passive houses in Washington State in 2010. Since then, he has consulted on and/or built more than 20 passive house projects.

He now divides his time between Indicator, his new energy, durability, and constructability consulting firm, and Cascade Built, a builder/developer of sustainable multifamily projects in Seattle. Whitmore is also an Instructor at Phius, co-developer of the Phius Certified Builder Training program, Council Chair of the Phius Alliance, and a founding board member of Passive House Northwest.

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Team

Hosted by Kristof Irwin
Edited by Nico Mignardi
Produced by M. Walker