The Conscious Builder Show with Casey Grey

David Dodge is an environmental journalist and a photojournalist who has worked for newspapers, published magazines, produced radio, and was the production manager for a Canadian nature publisher. He produced more than 350 award-winning EcoFile radio programs on sustainability for the CKUA Radio network.

David has worked for not-for-profit organizations such as the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and the Pembina Institute. He served as a founding co-chair of Edmonton's Energy Transition Advisory Committee and is also involved with Evansdale Community League in his neighbourhood where he's led solar and energy efficiency projects. His community league gets all of its electricity from solar energy on a net annual basis.

​​Green Energy Futures https://greenenergyfutures.ca/ is a multi-media storytelling project that is documenting the clean energy revolution that's already underway. It tells the stories of inspiring green energy pioneers who are moving forward in their homes, businesses, and communities

For more on high performance building:

https://consciousbuilderacademy.com

For high performance house plans:

https://www.theconsciousbuilder.com/pdsplans

0:00 Casey Introduction

2:21 David Dodge Intro

8:20 Lithium Batteries

10:50 Recycling Solar Panels

14:53 Solar Farmland put to good use

22:46 Energiesprong - Dutch Inspired

28:00 Transitioning from fossil fuels:

39:46 What can we do to help transition

In this episode we talk sustainability, Passive House Australia, closed loop economies and global green tag, a valuable resource for learning about the products we're using on site. Dick challenges us to change our mindset on conventional demolition to have a significant positive impact on sustainability.

Dick Clarke is principal of Envirotecture, is an Accredited Building Designer with 45 years experience focusing exclusively on ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate buildings as well as sustainable design in vehicles and vessels, and he has received many Design Awards.

He is Director of Sustainability and Past President of the NSW Chapter of the Building Designers Association of Australia. He is also a Past President and Board Member of the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA), and is on the Board of Renew (Alternative Technology Association).

Dick sat on the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), the peak body representing industries committed to a sustainable built environment.

Links:

• https://www.globalgreentag.com/
• https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/12/sustainable-development-goals-kick-off-with-start-of-new-year/
• https://www.envirotecture.com.au/sustainability-consultants/
• ​​https://good-design.org/projects/sdg-align-tools-for-sustainable-development/

2:45 intro Dick Clarke

7:58 what is sustainable

10:26 generational sustainability

13:35 solar panels question casey

15:25 fossil fools

15:42 global green tag - database with tracing, silver, golden status, very good resource

17:36 culturally appropriate buildings 1) natural and 2) cultural

23:00 passive house criteria in Australia, interest growing in Australia

27:00 Australia winter: glorified tents

28:00 casey quote - canadians are the weird ones metric/imperial

34:50 closed loop economy - plastic kids toys are the worst, products that don't end up in a landfill

36:00 aluminum - ex. When demolishing - deconstruction, concrete aggregate

38:00 landfills australia

39:00 perception sustainability moving forward, reality shows, industry education, consumer education

MazumaGo began as a payment service for small businesses, but speaking with business owners in the construction industry made Matthew Smith and his Co-Founder realize which industry needed it the most!

Regardless of size, most construction businesses were still using checks to send and receive payments, resulting in long payment delays and cash flow issues along the construction supply chain.

Their team kept asking, "Why is it so hard for contractors to send large payments online?" and decided to focus exclusively on digitizing construction payments. It is their mission to enable all construction companies to move money instantly and freely, without the barriers of traditional banking.

Plans - Passive Design Solutions - The Conscious Builder

The Conscious Builder Promo (mazumago.com)

2:40 Background - software engineer

3:30 Why are we still using cheques?

3:55 System built in the 70's

8:12 How does Mazumago work

12:00 Surcharges

20:58 Operations costs

At age 19, Jim Gale first learned about the power of writing his goals. From the practice of inspired visioning, he became a 4-time All American and National Champion wrestler. After college, he moved to Hawaii, backpacked through 37 countries, lived with the Maasai, explored cultures, and searched for his next inspired vision. He wrote his goals again at age 29, which included being retired in 3 years. Jim went on to create a mortgage company that reached $1.3B in sales in 3 years, leading him to early retirement and the achievement of another life goal. He bought a boat, lived on the ocean for a year, and then moved to Costa Rica to build eco-villages where he discovered permaculture. It changed his life and he realized he needed to bring it to every household in the world. The idea whose time has come became Food Forest Abundance. Jim speaks about sovereignty, entrepreneurship, mindset, and freedom. 1:54 inspired vision (goal setting) - enjoying the process 4:55 mindset (belief) psychology of winning 8:45 3 million in 3 years, starting a mortgage company 11:40 Costa Rica 18:35 Food Forest Abundance 31:00 Healing Nature - we only have a couple of generations of soil left 34:00 How Permaculture works For more from Jim:

https://foodforestabundance.com

@foodforestabundance on all major social media accounts!

For MazumaGO promo: https://www.mazumago.com/tcb

Conscious Builder Academy: https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com

Peter is a Canadian engineer from Toronto that moved to Auckland New Zealand 3 years ago and is now working to educate and innovate the building envelope industry in NZ. Working with oculus architectural engineering, he works on new builds, investigations, and retrofits, and also generates educational content for oculus' website and social media platforms.

In this episode,

For MazumaGO promo: https://www.mazumago.com/tcb

For more from Peter:

Website: oculusltd.co.nz

IG: @pink.moose

4:00 New Zealand Climate

5:0 Building Code

12:19 Most exciting project

15:00 Passive House

16:30 Asthma, indoor air quality people live with windows open the entire time, no screens on windows (north america only)

19:00 Arguments against passive

22:07 Where is the construction industry going in NZ

24:10 Embodied carbon, blower door should be required

Unlike most other tech entrepreneurs, Rob Bartko started his career getting his hands dirty as a Framer. He saw firsthand the issues surrounding the community.

FixIt, Rob's first venture into construction technology, gave him his second insight into the possibilities that are out there for improving the lives of tradespeople and construction organizations. After 2 years, a plan was formed and he was ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work. That's when Rob and Sam Beaudoin officially formed TradesLink, a professional network for the trades, built for tradespeople by tradespeople. With his vision, community insight, and entrepreneurial spirit, Rob continues to push the boundaries of what's possible for the trades community and the people within.

• If you are a Tradesperson you can download the app now! https://members.gettradeslink.com/
• Learn More https://www.gettradeslink.com/

https://globalnews.ca/video/8484505/tradeslink-app-created-by-edmontonians-connects- tradespeople

1:03 Introduction

1:45 Rob intro - family, residential framing, corporate

2:30 Fix it - Service App

3:11 Tradeslink - Linkedin for Trades

4:07 Business Fails

5:40 Purpose of tradeslink - commercial- industrial side

7:15 how it works

12:00 rate the homeowner

Bill Spohn is President and owner of TruTechTools.com, an award-winning reseller of tools and test instruments. He holds a BS & MS in Mechanical Engineering and is a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in Pennsylvania. Over the last 30 years, Bill has built his career on creating, designing, and marketing a wide array of test and measurement products that work for technicians in the field including 10 years each at Bacharach and Testo. Bill is all about Science – Comfort, health and energy efficiency. He has worked on BPI, RESNET, GAMA, AHRI, OMA, RSES, NATE, and ACCA Technical Committees, and holds four US patents in instrumentation design. He regularly consults, teaches and writes on product applications in HVACR, building science, healthy homes, Indoor Air Quality, and weatherization. Bill sits on the boards of the Building Performance Association (BPA), the Green Home Institute (GHI) and Solar United Neighbors of Pennsylvania (SUN-PA) He and his wife have built and live in a modular, high-performance, "Net-Zero" home near Pittsburgh, PA. Keep tabs on the details at www.SpohnHome.com

For more from Bill:

Tour Bill Spohn's New Modular Net Zero Home - YouTube

www.TruTechTools.com

To check out MazumaGo and get your free credit: MazumaGo.com/TCB

2:00 introduction Bill

3:10 Trutech tools start up - hvac, building performance tools

4:30 types of tools for HVAC - if you're not testing you're just guessing

6:35 duct leak testing - standard test, bluetooth testing, higher end diagnostic tools

9:00 Indoor air quality - what you can and should measure, what can you do, ventilation, filtration and humidity control solutions

16:10 Net Zero Home

18:30 cost to go passive, phpp model completed

19:15 US tax credit, co op program deal on solar

20:20 modular design - eco craft homes

22:55 custom design, factory and site constraints

23:45 blower door test, thermal imaging,

Chris Magwood is obsessed with making the best, most energy efficient and carbon-storing, beautiful and inspiring buildings without wrecking the whole darn planet in the attempt. Since 2011, Chris has been a director and teacher at The Endeavour Centre, a not-for-profit sustainable building school in Peterborough, Ontario where he enjoys sharing what he's learned over his 25-year building career and inspiring others to take this stuff seriously and do it well.

In 1996, he built his family a house. It was the first permitted straw bale house in Ontario, Canada. ​In 2019, he helped to establish Builders for Climate Action, and has been leading development of the BEAM carbon estimator tool for low- rise construction. He is working closely with many levels of government to develop embodied carbon benchmarks and regulatory programs, and helping developers and builders figure out how to reverse climate change with their buildings. Chris has authored seven books on sustainable building and is co- editor of the Sustainable Building Essentials series from New Society Publishers. His new book, Building Beyond Zero: New Ideas for Carbon-Smart Architecture, is co-authored with Bruce King and will be available in June, 2022 from Island Press.

Chris is an active speaker and workshop instructor in Canada and internationally. For more from Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-magwood-8a8a9738/ https://www.chrismagwood.ca/

• https://endeavourcentre.org/
• https://healthybuilding.net/
• https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/eccc/documents/pdf/climate-change/erp/Canada-2030-Emissions-Reduction-Plan-eng.pdf
• https://www.buildersforclimateaction.org/uploads/1/5/9/3/15931000/bfca-enercan-report-web.pdf
• https://endeavourcentre.org/resources-for-building-green/free-encyclopedia-of-sustainable-building-materials/?v=e4b09f3f8402

1:25 Casey Introduction 2:33 Chris introduction 5:30 Straw bale construction 10:00 Pre- ab considerations 12:00 Hard property costs, development cost, services 14:40 Don't use brick, don't build a basement 18:30 Hempcrete not replacement for concrete 24:30 Nexcam - wood fiber ICF product - have a cork insulation option 26:30 BEAM - build emissions accounting materials, release end of april, free, just materials 38:00 Products to avoid - formaldehyde (glued wood particles), plastic and foam, flame retardants, voc's, no VOC paint, For more from The Conscious Builder and The Conscious Builder Academy: Conscious Builder Academy: www.consciousbuilderacademy.com How to Market and Sell Passive Houses PRE-SALE: https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com/course/market-and-sell-passive-houses

Chelsah Thomas is the founder of Sol Invictus Energy Services, located in Red Deer, Alberta. With a passion for sustainable construction and renewable energy, she founded her social enterprise in 2016. Chelsah's motivation to help others build better flowed from her own experience in constructing Central Alberta's first Net Zero, Passive Solar Home. Chelsah's firm now serves Western Canada for residential energy efficiency needs and recently won "Business of the Year, 2020" for Young Entrepreneur.

1:10 intro

4:30 - building their own net zero house, focus on consulting, getting to net zero, holistic approach

6:50 what is a social enterprise

12:15 What are earthships

15:00 What is a B - Corp

19:00 What is the Thomas House Project - solar panels and credits

23:40 Wall Assembly - windows, etc, architect?

32:20 what would you change, aging in place

For more from Chelsah and Sol Invictus:

www.solinvictusenergyservices.com

IG - @sol_invictus_energy_services

Twitter - @sol_invictus_es

FB - facebook.com/solinvictusenergyservices.com

For more from The Conscious Builder and The Conscious Builder Academy:

Conscious Builder Academy: www.consciousbuilderacademy.com How to Market and Sell Passive Houses PRE-SALE: https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com/course/market-and-sell-passive-houses The Conscious Builder: www.theconsciousbuilder.com

Natalie Leonard is the first Certified Passive House Consultant and Certified Passive House Builder in Canada. Her mission is to make sustainable, high-performance homes affordable for everyone. She leads the Passive Design Solutions team with a depth of experience in creating cost-effective, beautiful, and ultra-efficient homes. Natalie brings her engineering background, hands-on design, construction experience and a practical approach to building. Passive Design Solutions has completed over 100 Passive House projects in cold climates. They specialize in designing Net-Zero ready passive homesand the services needed to see projects through to completion, such as custom design, construction support, and energy consulting. 2:36 How Natalie got into the business 7:45 Is it worth getting certified? 9:45 What is a passive house certification? 11:45 Mistakes on Previous Passive House Builds 15:30 Working with more builders 19:00 Difference between PHIUS and PHI 23:45 Changing from ACH to leakage per sq. feet 25:00 Changes to Primary Energy Requirement to reward high density builds 31:30 Passive Solar House is not the same 35:00 Pre-Designed Passive Homes 40:50 Purchasing a Pre Designed Passive House Plan 48:00 Future of Construction For more from Natalie and Passive Design Solutions: A catalogue of pre-designed energy efficient home plans. Available Canada-wide, customized to order: https://www.passivedesign.ca/pages/plans https://www.instagram.com/passive_design/ https://www.facebook.com/passivedesignsolutions https://www.linkedin.com/company/passive-design-solutions/ For More from The Conscious Builder For Conflict Resolution Toolkit and Priming for Tough Conversations Handbook: https://www.consciousbuilderacademy.com/bundle/priming-handbook-and-conflict-resolution-toolkit-bundle 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/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BuildConscious