Passive House Podcast

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James sits down with Hugh Pearce, architect and Passive House lead at the UK-based firm Architype. Known for trailblazing sustainable educational design, Architype is behind landmark projects like the UK’s first Passive House secondary school. Hugh shares insights into the London Docks Secondary School—an ambitious, airtight, biodiversity-rich oasis in the heart of London’s urban density. Tune in for a deep dive into Passive House design for schools.

https://www.architype.co.uk/

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Ilka is at McGill University for the Reconstruct Workshop, a workshop bringing together students, researchers, and industry leaders to tackle the future of deep energy retrofits. Ilka sits down with emerging voices from architecture and engineering to unpack prefab innovation, the Single Integrated Manufacturing (SIM) model, and real-world pilot projects aimed at decarbonizing existing buildings. It's a behind-the-scenes look at how the next generation is shaping retrofit strategies that are scalable, sustainable, and socially impactful.

https://aeechair.research.mcgill.ca/en/initiatives/the-reconstruct-initiative

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast Matthew Cutler-Welsh sits down with Joseph Lyth an Associate Registered Architect, Certified Passive House Designer based in New Zealand. Joesph walks Matthew through his decision to build a passive house to create a healthier environment for his family.  Believing that healthier, lower energy and affordable buildings are possible for everyone in New Zealand, at standard budgets. 

Lower Saddle Passive House Tāhekeroa: https://nzgbc.org.nz/case-studies/lower-saddle-passive-house-t%C4%81hekeroa

In this special episode of the Passive House Podcast Ilka Cassidy is joined by Kristoff Irwin of Positive Energy at NESEA's BuildingEnergy Boston '25.

Ilka and Kristoff are joined by the following inspiring speakers and organizers of NESEA 25:

• Jacob Deva Racusin, New Frameworks Natural Design/Build
• Andrew Himes, Carbon Leadership Forum
• Laura Bailey, Vermont Council On Rural Development
• Heather Ferrell, Prism Design Lab

They dive in to the conferences main take aways, lessons learned, and calls to action.

Speaker links:

https://www.newframeworks.com/

https://carbonleadershipforum.org/

https://www.vtrural.org/

https://www.prismdesignlab.org/

https://positiveenergy.pro/
https://positiveenergy.pro/building-science-podcast

Ilkas call to action resources:

https://www.echo-project.info/

https://www.greencommons.net/peer-networks

https://www.climateheritage.org/

https://www.mep2040.org/

https://nesea.org/about-buildingenergy-bottom-lines

http://massdesigngroup.org/work/research/bio-based-materials-collective

https://www.buildersforclimateaction.org/

https://se2050.org/

In this fifth episode of The Reimagine Edit (TRE) series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Ryan Abendroth (how to get into PH consulting), Michael Ingui (how to sell Passive Hosue), Kristof Irwin (paradigms in high performance building), and Tom Bassett-Dilley (retrofits and embodied carbon).

The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our membership community of building professionals stepping up to tackle climate change. Learn more about the Reimagine Buildings Collective at https://www.reimaginebuildings.com

Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James and Jay Fox sit down with Tonje Wold-Switzer, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz County Long Term Recovery Group. Tonje shares her personal journey of losing her home, navigating the recovery process, and advocating for fire-resilient, sustainable rebuilding solutions—including Passive House design. Tune in for insights on disaster response,  and how communities can prepare for future wildfires.

How This Family Rebuilt Their Home Stronger after Wild Fire video: https://youtu.be/becjK7WMNXA

Santa Cruz County Long Term Recovery Group: https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/OR3/Recovery/LongTermRecoveryGroup.aspx

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we welcome Barry Cope, Group Managing Director of the Building Compliance Testers Association (BCTA). Barry shares insights into airtightness testing, certification, and how the UK became a leader in 100% blower door testing for new buildings. He discusses the role of ATTMA, the evolution of the industry, and how airtightness impacts building performance, moisture control, and energy efficiency. 

The Building Performance Hub: https://www.bcta.group/tbph/
The Building Performance Hub Podcast: https://www.bcta.group/tbph/tbph-podcasts/

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler-Welsh sits down with Kirstie Wulf of Shelter Building Design. Based in Australia’s Blue Mountains, Kirstie shares how she built her own hempcrete home, the benefits of this natural material, and how it stands up to fire, floods, and extreme weather. If you’re curious about sustainable building, passive house principles, or just love a great career change story, this one’s for you!

https://shelterbuildingdesign.com.au/

In this fourth episode of The Reimagine Edit (TRE) series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Andrew Michler (fire hardening), Tim Lock (designing beyond Passive House), Ed May (modeling), and Michelle Jacobson and Maria Lomanto (healthy interiors).

The Reimagine Edit is a special series of the Passive House Podcast that shares curated insights from our Experts-In-Residence at the Reimagine Buildings Collective, our membership community of building professionals stepping up to tackle climate change. Learn more about the Reimagine Buildings Collective at https://www.reimaginebuildings.com

Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we sit down with Chef Chris Galarza—founder of Forward Dining Solutions, co-founder of EcoChef, and author of Understanding the Green Industrial Revolution—to explore the powerful intersection of food, sustainability, and energy efficiency. Chris shares his journey from skeptic to advocate for kitchen electrification, highlighting how induction cooking transforms commercial kitchens by improving air quality, reducing costs, and boosting efficiency. We dive into his groundbreaking cooking demonstration for the U.S. Congress, the hidden economics of electrified kitchens, and how chefs can lead the charge toward a more responsible and sustainable future.

https://forwarddiningsolutions.com/ecochef