Hugh Seaton is CEO of The Link, a software company that's changing the way specifications are managed and used on site. Hugh spent over two years at the Construction Specifications Institute, and prior to that founded another AI-powered construction tech startup. Hugh spent the first half of his career in technology marketing at places like Sony, AOL, Philips and Google.   In this episode we talk technology that is changing the industry, why your construction job is secure even with the technology that is being developed, and two skills you need to learn as the owner of a construction company.  

1:37 Intro into Construction

10:00 What is the Link?

14:00 How it Works? 

18:40 New Technologies

31:15 Sales & Advertising 

For More From Hugh and The Link:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/theconstructionlink/ 

https://www.thelink.ai/

 

Sheridan Foster spent the first half of her career designing computers before moving into executive management. After experiencing the frustration of trying to build her own green home, Sheridan left corporate America and founded Elemental Green, a digital media company focused on demystifying green home building and design.

In this episode we discuss why addressing poverty may be the best thing for the environment, ways to futureproof your home, and why long term thinking is always better.

1:28 Intro

2:55 Sheridan’s first Build

7:30 Sheridan's current home 

8:00 What is green 

14:20 Elemental Green

20:00 Future Proofing

24:30 What can we do

32:00 Zero Energy Project and Element Green Collaboration

For More From Sheridan:

• http://elemental.green
• https://zeroenergyproject.com
• Instagram @elemental.green @zeroenergyproject
• Facebook @ElementalGreenBuild. @ZEnergyProject
• Twitter @elementalgreen @Zerohomes
• Pinterest @elemental.green
• LinkedIn @elemental-green @zeroenergyproject

Originating from the DC metropolitan area, Jesse stumbled on a process that was broken and backed up with no solution in sight: Government oversight and construction or permitting.

He started doing the work part-time while working at a local bar and restaurant in the evenings and nights until he became so busy with the permitting work that it became his full-time venture.

There's a massive need for quality expediting services to unclog the pipeline and get these projects into production!

In this episode, we chat about how government involvement drives up costs, how to pull permits more quickly and how properly planned incentives could actually speed up the permitting process while maintaining existing costs or even lowering them. 

 

1:53 Intro

4:00 Permit process 

14:40 How does it work where you are

21:10 where they provide services 

23:15 How to speed up the process

32:00 Incentives 

head over to https://www.citypermit.us/contact to put in your name, phone number, and email for a free estimate.

For more from Jesse:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/citypermit/

https://www.instagram.com/citypermit/

https://www.facebook.com/citypermitdc

Paul Grahovac joins the podcast this week to discuss benefits of passive house, how to market passive houses and how both passive house and prefabrication can save you time and money.

Paul holds degrees in Economics and Law from the University of Kansas. He has been active in the construction industry for 30 years -- first as a construction defects trial lawyer and later as corporate counsel and an expert in Passive House prefabricated wall and window assemblies and in air barrier technology. He  spent ten years in technology development and licensing at a U.S Department of Energy Research & Development Laboratory. He is active in the Air Barrier Association of America and the Passive House Alliance US.

Paul works for Build SMART, LLC and PROSOCO, Inc. where he holds positions handling legal, marketing, risk management, and codes, standards, testing and field support.

2:00 Intro into Construction 

3:39 Law School

5:29 Building Defects 

7:20  Build Smart Products 

21:50 Marketing Tactics 

27:00 Benefits of Passive house 

30:50 Financial Case for Passive House 

For more from Paul and Build Smart: 

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/build-smart-north-america/
• https://twitter.com/BuildSmartNA
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfWa3bcP5eIKMBi_JkhR4Mg
• https://www.instagram.com/build_smartna/

MORE FROM THE CONSCIOUS BUILDER:

Academy: https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com

Website: https://www.theconsciousbuilder.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_conscious_builder

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theconsciousbuilder

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-conscious-builder

 

Virginia Cinquemani is the founder and director of Green Gorilla Consultants Ltd (www.thegreengorilla.co.uk), a unique training and coaching company focusing exclusively on empowering sustainability professionals to become the most confident and assertive version of themselves, and to successfully accomplish their sustainability projects even when their stakeholders think sustainability is a waste of time and money!

Virginia is a qualified architect, project manager, BREEAM AP, ISO14001 Lead Auditor and Practitioner Coach, with a lifelong passion for sustainability. She is the author of SustainABLE: How to Find Success as a Sustainability Professional in a Rapidly Changing World, a practical guide for those that have a passion for sustainability but cannot make an impact.

Virginia is also an Assistant Lecturer in Sustainability and Environmental Management at Coventry University. During her previous long career at BRE, Virginia was the author of Integrating BREEAM throughout the Design Process (the best-selling publication that for the first time helped assessors tackle BREEAM assessments strategically), and of BREEAM Healthcare (on behalf of the NHS) and BREEAM Higher Education (on behalf of AUDE and HEFCE); additionally, she managed the BRE Innovation Park and the BRE Academy membership scheme. Virginia's book:

https://www.thegreengorilla.co.uk/sustainable-the-book

More from Virginia:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginiacinquemani/

1:30 Introduction

3:20 How do you define sustainability? 

16:38 How do you sell sustainability?

22:37 Effective Communication 

25:07 Sustainable  - Virginia Cinquemani's latest book 

Jacob Deva Racusin (Ra-Q-Son) is Director of Building Science and Sustainability with New Frameworks Natural Design/Build, offering services in renovation, new construction, consultation, and education. As a builder, consultant, designer, and educator, Jacob is able to merge his passions for ecological stewardship, relationship to place, and social justice. Jacob has authored two books and numerous articles, and regularly instructs on topics of building science and climate impact. An active member of the Carbon Leadership Forum, Jacob is engaged in code and policy development, professional training, and other initiatives supporting the transition to a more just industry.

 

Download and use the new BEAM tool: https://www.buildersforclimateaction.org/beam-estimator.html

 

FOR MORE FROM JACOB

httpsp://newframeworks.com/

https://www.instagram.com/newframeworks/

https://www.facebook.com/newframeworks

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-racusin-7a41603/

 

0:00 Introduction Background  

5:00 Technology Natural?

7:20 Straw Bale Assembly 

16:20 Finishing Straw Bale 

18:10 Range of Projects/Products 

21:20 Insulation Options 

27:20 Operating a Co op 

35:20 Possible solutions to the housing crisis 

 

Sigi Koko is the principal designer at Down to Earth Design, which she founded in 1998 to help people achieve their dreams of living in natural, healthy homes. She translates each client’s vision into a unique building design that reflects their personality and lifestyle, while responding to the surrounding landscape and climate. Sigi’s uniquely collaborative design process provides a high level of information and support, encouraging her clients to engage fully throughout design and construction. Sigi also teaches natural building workshops that empower her clients to contribute meaningfully during the construction of their own home.

 

MORE FROM SIGI: 

 https://buildnaturally.com

https://buildnaturally.com/workshops.html

• https://www.instagram.com/buildnaturally/
• https://www.facebook.com/buildnaturally
• https://www.youtube.com/user/sigikoko

2:07 Interest in natural building 

5:25 Background 

7:00 Insulation Choices

10:00 Straw bale 

12:00 Air Barrier 

15:40 Heating and Cooling 

16:00 Passive Solar 

25:00 Code Compliance 

32:00 Custom home vs custom natural 

37:00 Future of natural building 

As we hit 200 podcast episodes, Casey reflects on what it has taken to get here and introduces more of the team! It's a new era as Casey's finally moving to working more remotely on the business while the crew have things covered on site.

MORE FROM THE CONSCIOUS BUILDER: Academy: https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com Website: https://www.theconsciousbuilder.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_conscious_builder/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theconsciousbuilder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-conscious-builder/?viewAsMember=true Twitter: https://twitter.com/BuildConscious

SHOP TCB APPAREL: https://www.theconsciousbuilder.com/shop

5:00 7 Tips for a better, leader, husband, business owner

16:24 Meet the on site team

28:00 Head of Operations 

37:00 Chainsaw Retrofit 

44: Business Growth the hardest Part 

Eric Anderton is a consultant who helps Commercial Construction Executives increase profits, reduce overhead/expenses and increase team effectiveness. He helps people to think critically about their challenges, and draws out answers from people that they would not have got by themselves. He enables businesses to uniquely describe their purpose and values, and craft clear action plans.

Eric has just released a new book which can be found here: 

Free chapter: https://constructiongenius.pages.ontraport.net/freechapter

• Book: www.constructiongeniusbook.com 

• https://www.amazon.com/Construction-Genius-Effective-Hands-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0BGYQBB2C/ 

For more from eric: 

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/andertoneric
• Www.constructiongenius.com

2:20 - Experience in Leadership 

4:10 - Profit 

7:40 - Conflict Resolution 

13:40 Improving team Dynamic and Benchmarking 

24:10 Achieving High Performance 

28:10 Running an effective meeting

Matt Daigle is the Founder and CEO of Rise - an education-first online home improvement store that sells only vetted sustainable products and materials. While Matt always had a love of renovations, it was the birth of his first child and the challenges he faced in his home renovations, along with his innate desire to build social impact companies that led to the creation of Rise. 

For More from Matt:

https://www.facebook.com//buildwithrise https://www.instagram.com/buildwithrise/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildwithrise https://www.youtube.com/c/RiseYouTube https://www.pinterest.ca/buildwithrise/_created/ https://twitter.com/buildwithrise

For More from The Conscious Builder:

https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com

https://www.theconsciousbuilder.com

 

1:11 Intro

1:34 Start of rise

4:50 What is sustainable? 

13:30 What are some popular products?

23:19 Future of construction

24:00 Changes to industry-innovation

26:00 Reducing construction waste

28:344  Matt’s Victorian home reno 

35:00 Matt’s current team and plans for the future