Passive House Podcast

In episode thirteen of The Reimagine Edit series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Al Mitchell, Kimberly Llewellyn, Greta Tjeltveit, Ya’el Santopinto, Wolfgang Feist, and Lisa White.

This episode is split between two topics. The first addresses one of the most common questions veteran members of the high-performance building community hear from those who are new to the indu...

In this episode of The Passive House Podcast, Mary James interviews James Hartford and Juhee Lee Hartford of River Architects in Hudson Valley. The discussion covers the firm's focus on Passive House projects, mostly single-family homes with a mix of new constructions and retrofits. They touch on their first retrofit project affected by Hurricane Sandy, the evolving client interest in Passive House standards, and the firm’...

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast co-host's Jay and Mary chat with Emily Mottram, founder of Mottram Architecture, about her architectural firm and her passion for building science and low-carbon residential architecture. Emily discusses her firm's focus on retrofits and new builds, explaining their approach to sustainable architecture using eco-friendly, bio-based materials. She shares insights on the complexit...

In this episode of The Passive House Podcast host Mary James meets with Katie Schwamb, Managing Director at Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex) to  discuss emissions reduction and compliance with Local Law 97 in New York City.  Local Law 97, sets carbon emissions limits for buildings over 25,000 square feet to help achieve near-zero emissions by 2050. Mary and Katie cover the importance of strategic planning, financial incent...

In this episode of The Passive House Podcast, host Jay Fox talks with Andrea Michael, an architect from Love Schack Architecture in Bozeman, Montana. They discuss Andrea's comprehensive home retrofit, aimed at improving energy efficiency and comfort. The retrofit included air sealing, adding insulation, installing a heat pump, ERVs, solar panels, and more. The conversation highlights Andrea's journey from initial DIY effor...

In the twelfth episode of The Reimagine Edit series of the Passive House Podcast, host Zack Semke shares selected clips of insights from Jake Bruton, Ben Bogie, Michael Ingui, Ed May, Kristof Irwin, and Ashley Wisse.

This episode explores how practitioners across the Reimagine Buildings Collective are evolving the language and practice of high-performance building—shifting the focus toward health, comfort, and durability; t...

In this episode of The Passive House Podcast, host Mary James speaks with Kara Haggerty Wilson, Design Director at Onion Flats. Kara discusses the company's focus on scaling up deep energy retrofits. She highlights their journey from initial projects in Pennsylvania to more extensive work in Massachusetts, including the challenges and successes of projects like the 130-year-old Hano Homes retrofit. Kara shares insights on ...

This week on the Passive House Podcast we welcome Ben Walsham, the founder and director of ARKATA, based in Brunswick, Victoria. Trained in architecture and now a registered NatHERS Accredited Energy Efficiency Assessor, Ben empowers architects—as well as homeowners, builders, and developers—across Australia to create homes that are not only energy‑efficient, but comfortable, healthy, and resilient 

With a backgroun...

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy and Kristof Irwin are at PhiusCon 2025, highlighting key sessions and interviews with industry experts. The conference explored a variety of themes including performance, purpose, and the power of community in the Passive House movement. Key takeaways included insights on air tightness, ventilation, innovative financing models, and the challenges and successes in s...

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler Welsh talks with Matthew Crucifix, Director of Development at Stonewater, they discusses the organization's efforts in providing affordable and sustainable housing in the UK. Crucifix outlines Stonewater's expansive reach, managing around 40,000 homes, and their current focus on retrofitting existing homes to improve energy efficiency. Highlighting the financial ...

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James and Ilka Cassidy interview Tony Lisanti, managing director at Integral Building and Design and QA/QC Manager for Phius. The discussion delves into various rating systems for high performance and passive houses, focusing on the HERS rating method, its standards, and applications. Tony explains his extensive experience in the energy and engineering fields and how he pr...

In the eleventh episode of The Reimagine Edit host Zack Semke strings together some pearls of wisdom from leading Passive House experts across three continents and include Martín Comas, Ed Ettinger, Lindsey Love, Joe Lstiburek, Tomas O’Leary, and Shefali Sanghvi. Each gem is selected from a conversation that took place inside the Reimagine Buildings Collective, either during one of the Reimagine Tuesday interviews or a Fri...

In this episode of The Passive House Podcast, join Jay Fox and Mary James as they dive deep into sustainable building systems with Greta Tjeltveit, a Building Science Consultant at 4EA Building Science and Board President of Passive House Northwest. Greta shares her inspiring journey from researching post-Katrina rebuilding efforts in high school to her current role, discussing her experiences and insights into the evolvin...

In this episode of The Passive House Podcast, join Ilka and Jay for their in-depth discussion with the members of the Reimagine Buildings Collective's innovative Summer Labs. The episode showcases the experiences and insights of various industry professionals who participated in these member-led groups. Featuring Paul Heron, Randall Anway, Lauren Shadid, Valerie Amor, Sandra Lester, Fabrizio Maso, Buck Moorehead, Lloyd Alt...

In this episode of The Passive House Podcast, Mary James interviews Az Rashid Head of Design at Barratt London. Az shares details about Barratt London's focus on large-scale, mixed-use, residential-led regeneration projects within London, and their collaboration with Transport for London (TfL) to develop properties near transit lines. He discusses his journey from architecture to his current role and explains Barratt Londo...

In this episode of the Passive House Accelerator Podcast, Ilka Cassidy and Mary James are joined by sustainability experts Amy Cornelius, Paul Thompson, and Joe Messier as they delve into a groundbreaking retrofit project in Philadelphia. This six-part demonstration series, hosted by Green Building United, examines a project aligning with the new Phius REVIVE standard and the Living Building Challenge core principles. List...

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, co-hosts Jay Fox and Mary James speak with Gaelen McKee, Founder of Brooklyn Solar Works. They dive in to the company's origins, current projects, including work with co-ops and commercial buildings, and their plans for expanding into ground-mounted solar installations. Galen also touches on the impacts of tariffs, permits for residential batteries, and the future of whole-home...

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler Welsh interviews Jessica, a high-performance building consultant at Climate Shore in Adelaide. They discuss Jessica's transition from energy efficiency compliance to specializing in high-performance building with a focus on mitigating moisture risks. Jessica emphasizes the importance of proper construction practices and ventilation in preventing mold, touching on...

In this episode of the Passive Hosue Podcast, Zack Semke welcomes Michael Quast, the new CEO of Passive House Canada. Michael shares his diverse background in construction, business development, and media, emphasizing his passion for sustainable building. They discuss Michael's journey to Passive House Canada, his experience with straw bale construction, and his focus on fostering collaboration and breaking down silos with...