Podcast · Arts & Books

The Building Science Podcast

by Positive Energy · English · Arts & Books

The Building Science Podcast is a show hosted by MEP engineering firm Positive Energy principal Kristof Irwin. The show covers everything from the basics of building science to adjacent scientific disciplines to more fully understand how the built environment shapes our lives as human beings on plan

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 1 hr 15 min
Latest: 22 Jul 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

22 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

The Progress Paradox: How Codes Create Carbon

Why do our building codes encourage carbon pollution? How have we landed in a "progress paradox," where older buildings often outperform new ones in both operational and embodied energy? In this episode, we sit down with Kelly Alvarez Doran, co-founder of Ha/f Climate Design, to unpack the hidden impacts of the built environment—a sector responsible for nearly 40% of global emissions. The good news is that architects and planners can use their agency to stop these "right now" pollutants. Meaningful decarbonization doesn’t have to cost a premium: Kelly shares how simple material swaps…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S10 · E163 · 18 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Demystifying Decarbonization: Data Driven Design
In this episode, Kristof sits down with sustainability expert Josh Jacobs to demystify the ins and outs of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Product Category Rules (PCRs) and ISO Standards that are causing a decarbonization to happen around the world. Translating the complex data of an LCA into a standardized format, EPDs function as 'nutrition labels' for building materials, helping designers and specifiers count the 'carbon calories' of everything from steel girders to heat pumps. Josh and Kristof explore the critical shift from focusing exclusively…
S11 · E162 · 25 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
Perspectives on Hydronics in the Real World
An interview with Robert Bean and Lance MacNevin In this episode we unpack the rapidly transforming world of hydronic heating and cooling. We are joined by two seasoned veterans of the industry, Robert Bean and Lance MacNevin. With many decades of real-world experience and hard-earned perspective between them, they offer a thoughtful and engaging look into why hydronics is at the forefront of modern, highly efficient building practices. Robert is (attempting to be) a retired engineering technology professional and ASHRAE Fellow, while Lance brings his extensive background serving as the…
S11 · E154 · 8 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 16 min
(Un)Healthy Homes
An interview with Dr. Eva King Our homes are indoor environments of our own making. These environments exist to make our lives better but often unintentionally expose us to contaminants—chemical and microbial—that harm our health and wellbeing. For genetically susceptible individuals, these routine exposures can trigger a breakdown in the body's natural tolerance, leading to chronic inflammatory and neurological symptoms such as CIRS, TILT, and PANS/PANDAS. In a sadly apt metaphor, we are the canaries and our home is the coal mine. Today, we are joined by a frontline expert in this field,…
S10 · E161 · 23 Mar 2026 · 17 min
Our Second PSA, The Humid Climate Conference in Austin May 4th & 5th!
The Humid Climate Conference (HCC) is officially back in Austin this May 4th & 5th, and we have a fantastic line up of speakers and topics for our 10th anniversary. It’s time to step away from the Zoom screen and have some live 3D human interaction! Today’s episode is a public service announcement to join us in Austin to recharge our collective motivation and determination. We often talk about the system lens of building science, but we tend to forget that we ourselves are part of a larger system. This conference is an energy boost that charges us up with understanding, perspective and…
S11 · E160 · 12 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Our Hidden Roommates
An interview with Dr. Sarah Haines The Indoor Microbiome is the complex, invisible world of trillions of microorganisms living within indoor environments. Its residents include bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses. We live immersed in this ecological niche, for good or ill. A typical home can host between 500 and 1000 different species of bacteria in household dust alone, and thousands of species of mold, yeast and viruses are in the air and on the surfaces around us. Together they serve as the primary ecological interface through which buildings influence human biology. In this light, we…
S10 · E159 · 27 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 22 min
Hydronics: The OG HVAC - Part 2
This is Part 2 of our latest series to familiarize our industry with the world of hydronics systems and air-to-water heat pumps. In Part 2 we’re rejoining the conversation to look at controls - the "central nervous systems" of these hydronics. We’re moving beyond old-school mechanical switches to a new class of microprocessor based systems that prioritize "outcomes"—like thermal comfort and air quality—rather than just reacting to thermostat calls. This shift is about adding intelligence that anticipates comfort needs and makes the system more stable and predictable for both the installer…
S11 · E157 · 20 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
Buildings as Habitat: Biodiversity-Informed Investments in Public Health
“First we shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.” - Winston Churchill (attributed) The natural world is humanity's original habitat. This habitat supports our physiological energy efficiency and is an important health intervention for the AEC industry. These are core perspectives that Helena van Vliet shares in this joint PHA-Building Science Podcast interview. Helena makes the clear case that we are “open systems” - we take in our environments, both physically and with our perceptions. Whether outdoors or indoors, our physical selves have their own experience of each environment we…
S10 · E155 · 23 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 24 min
Hydronics: The OG HVAC - Part 1
In this episode we are once again diving into the world of hydronics systems and air-to-water heat pumps. These systems are poised to transform how we heat and cool homes and buildings in the US. In this Part 1 of a two part series, we’ll be tracing the historical "divergence" that pushed the US toward forced-air ducting while Europe stayed with the efficiency of water to move heat around inside buildings - remember that “moving heat” includes cooling. We basic components and function of hydronic systems in a guided component-level tour. We explain the potential to combine space heating and…
S10 · E153 · 1 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 31 min
Beyond the View
Windows are pivotal to the lived experience of a home. They impact the basic aesthetic and provide natural light, views, ventilation, and safety. However, they are also nearly always the largest single source of heat loss and gain - it's hard to overstate the importance of getting windows right, as they play a huge role in a building's energy use. Today, we're going to take a deep dive into high-performance architectural windows, exploring the technology that lets us control unwanted heat flow through conduction, convection, and radiation. We'll be looking at the technical specs U-factor,…
S10 · E152 · 31 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Cementing Carbon
Welcome to a pivotal conversation on the future of our built world. The concrete industry, indispensable for modern infrastructure, is facing an urgent mandate: reconcile its foundational role (pun) with its role as a source of environmental pollution. The scale of the emissions are staggering - if global concrete manufacturing were a country it would be the 3rd largest emitter, behind only China and the US (!). The good news is that with this a motivation the global concrete industry is now rethinking its entire lifecycle. In this episode, host Kristof sits down with John Mead, one of the…
S10 · E151 · 21 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 25 min
Systems Thinking to Save the World - 50 years of Serious Commotion
This may be the ultimate systems thinking interview. Beyond building science at the site scale, this is systems thinking to save the world. Gail Vittori and Pliny Fisk III have their fingerprints all over the structural ideologies for ways of thinking that underlie what we now think of as the fields of sustainability, greenbuilding, indoor health and well-being and more. Enjoy this thoughtful unpacking of ideas that span from systems thinking at the scale of the planet to human society to industry, products and materials. If you’re not familiar with Pliny Fisk III and Gaily Vittori, Max’s…
S10 · E150 · 27 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
Navigating the Path to Passive
This is a crossover episode with the Spring Street Passive House education and advocacy series. How do Passive House enclosure decisions actually happen? There’s a stubborn storyline that passive house designs go “too far” and result in a wholly different, and painful, design and construction process. The reality is that designing and building a Passive House is not all the different from building any project. In both cases you are working with a blend of the rigor of building science, the skill and craftsmanship of the construction team, the realities of project specifics like site,…
S10 · E149 · 18 Aug 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
Blurring the Edges Between Inside and Out
Why do we design indoor spaces the way we do? What are the unseen socio-cultural impacts involved and how do they impact other aspects of the indoor environment that we can not see? Today, we're unpacking the idea that our indoor environments are not just passive shelters - they are complex, multifaceted situations with competing goals and perspectives. As our guest, Dr. Liz McCormick shares, our relationship with indoor space is a rich, interdependent web of circumstances that stretches well beyond the boundaries of any single discipline. We'll be bringing together insights from…
S10 · E147 · 4 Aug 2025 · 1 hr 15 min
Commissioning Matters
Commissioning Matter - Establishing a Culture of Collaboration Who on the AEC team can deliver strategic guidance, direction, and leadership for the functional aspects of homes and buildings? This is the role of a Commissioning Agent (CxA) and it’s a role that matters now more than ever. The term "commissioning" itself means to "entrust into the safekeeping of someone", with its origins dating back to the mid-14th century, signifying "authority entrusted to someone, delegated authority or power". When it comes to home and buildings, who do we entrust to make sure everything functions as…
S10 · E146 · 7 Jul 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
Architectural Epidemiology
How do we expand the positive impacts of our buildings? Now is the time. The building sector is looking at a once-in-a-generation opportunity to flip from being a major contributor to both chronic disease and climate disruption to becoming one of the primary solutions. The key is provide training and perspective to the professionals involved. Why is it that so few architects base design decisions on the known health impacts of buildings at both the personal and community levels? Similarly, why is it that the role of buildings as determinants of health and disease in society is so frequently…
S10 · E145 · 29 May 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
Design Matters: Aesthetics, Ethics and Architectural Impact
“It’s time to rethink the idea that architecture does not sully itself with social or ecological ills.” Jonathan Feldman (in conversation w/ KI) The practice of architecture is a place where ethics and aesthetics converge. We make decisions and lead our lives based on ethics. As such ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals and society. Aesthetics is a set of principles that are involved with the nature and appreciation of beauty - the aspect of an object that makes it pleasurable to perceive. Join us in this interview with two thought leaders whose work locates them at the…
S10 · E144 · 30 Apr 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
Architecture of Risk: Managing Liability & Uncertainty in the AEC
Risk is real in the AEC. True risk management isn't about avoidance, but about informed engagement. Homes and buildings today measure success in many ways, each of these represent a potential failure mode. Managing risk means recognizing and embracing it, this is a core message from our guest today. Joe Basham is a seasoned construction industry attorney with decades of experience, a keen mind, clever wit and the ability to cut to the heart of the matter. Join Kristof and Joe as they delve into the critical role of risk management in the design and construction process and unpack real world…
S10 · E143 · 10 Apr 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Building the Movement
In this special episode of the Building Science Podcast Kristof is joined by Ilka Cassidy of Passive House at NESEA's BuildingEnergy Boston '25. Ilka and Kristof 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.
S10 · E146 · 20 Mar 2025 · 1 hr 29 min
Sustainability & Climate Wordcraft
Understanding climate action through the words we use. *Keep an ear out for an easter egg after the outro on this one.* The words we use matter. Terms like "sustainability”, “net zero” and “resilience” signify our industry's evolving priorities and concerns. These “buzzwords” reflect current cultural circumstances within the AEC industry and larger society while also actively shaping how we approach and address these issues. In this episode will be exploring the meanings and relationships between many of the current buzzwords that are alive in the AEC today. If you’ve ever wanted to deepen…
S10 · E145 · 26 Feb 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
Telling Better Stories
“The world is not made of atoms, the world is made of stories” Muriel Rukeyser “Where do buildings come from?” is a question that comes with a story. Less often asked, “Where do buildings go?”. The evolving story human society tells itself in answer to those questions is worth unpacking thoughtfully. That’s what happens in this episode. Join Kristof as he shares a conversation with Greg Esparza on the power of storytelling and the connection between stories and the materiality of buildings. The power of storytelling is clear in the ability to connect people, foster empathy, and transmit…
S10 · E144 · 7 Dec 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
Architecture Out of Balance
The tension between aesthetics and performance in architecture is a critical and complex issue in contemporary design. Architects are increasingly and appropriately being tasked with designing buildings that are not only beautiful but also functional in terms of impacts on owners, occupants, resources, and planetary ecosystems. The contrasting view, one where architecture is principally form-making comes at its peril. As Juhani Pallasmaa cautions, following this path “The world becomes a hedonistic but meaningless visual journey” Navigating the path between form and function is central to…
S10 · E142 · 19 Nov 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
An Architectural Optimist Wrote a Book - Part 3, Causing Good Design to Happen
Join Kristof and Corey Squire in this third and final installment of their interview series discussing Corey’s book People Planet Design. In Part 1, they opened the discussion at the logical starting place of the important Why questions. Why design matters to society and Why architecture is the place to address so many important issues we face today. Part 2 addressed How to make good design happen by focusing on often overlooked dimensions of the design process. These include company culture, communication and information flow, and the importance of positive incentives. Here in Part 3 is…
S10 · E141 · 4 Nov 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
Designer Desiccants, Molecular Filters, and the Prospects of Dehumidification
What is the future of dehumidification? Turns out this simple question opens up an exciting view of the future of IAQ generally. The goal of a low energy method for removing water molecules from a flowing airstream boils down to some way of identifying, grabbing and holding onto them. Essentially we are talking about a designer desiccant or molecular filter that lets the air pass through while it filters out water molecules. If we can do this, the next logical question is “Why stop there?” Why not identify a broad range of pollutants and contaminants in the airstream and also select and…
S10 · E140 · 9 Oct 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
Unlocking Electrification with Passive Buildings
Passive house has become synonymous with the rapidly arriving new normal for our homes and buildings and offers layers of positive outcomes. Thermal comfort, IAQ/IEQ, durability, and low energy use are typically the incentives for owners, architects, builders and trades. As it turns out, there may be broader societal benefits tied to thoughtfully managing heat flows in and out of a building as well. Good ol’ thermodynamics isn’t getting the flashy attention of solar PV, wind turbines and batteries, but the demand side may well be where we win this fight to protect ourselves and our planet…
S10 · E139 · 8 Sep 2024 · 1 hr 25 min
More Influence, More Impact, More Satisfaction
Empowering the practice of architecture to achieve consistent, predictable, positive impacts on human well-being and planetary health is perhaps one of the most pressing topics in the AEC today. Starting with a review of the history of the search for Bioclimatic Law, this conversation with Dr Bill Braham, FAIA is an invitation to architects to reclaim their power. Bioclimatic Law is the relationship between architecture and life. In practice “life” is more narrowly defined by architecture as “comfort” or “comfort, health and well-being”. At its core bioclimatic design asks “What are the…
S10 · E136 · 16 Aug 2024 · 1 hr 20 min
Tools For a Habitable Future
The work of the AEC is broader than buildings. On a daily basis we, collectively and individually, make decisions that have broad and lasting impacts on our lives, our health, and our world. These impacts can be either positive or negative; the choice is ours. This is the perspective of Gina Ciganik and her brilliant and motivated team at Habitable. Armed with powerful minds and compelling data, they are working to help society rethink material supply chains altogether. Formerly the Healthy Building Network, Habitable exists to help people understand that we need to fundamentally shift the…
S10 · E134 · 29 Jul 2024 · 48 min
Rethinking The Wood Supply Chain
How can we build better supply chains for the built world? When it comes to the inconceivably vast amount of wood we use in our buildings, one “simple” way is to use less virgin material and use more wood that would otherwise not make it to market. Instead it would be destined to decompose and emit its carbon into the sky. What if, instead, the forgotten trees were salvaged and turned into valuable, usable lumber?This is a big idea whose time has come. Still, having a powerful idea is only the first step. Making it happen in the real world is the other side of the story. Starting with a…
S10 · E133 · 9 Jul 2024 · 47 min
Modular Part 2 - Working Skillfully Within Constraint
Today we’re continuing the conversation on modular construction w/ Rommel Sulit and Chris Krager. Buckle up for some quotable quotes and impactful ideas in this episode. A recurring theme from part 1 is present here. Could it be the case that because modular delivery must rethink basic assumptions, it may be the first area of the AEC to do what the rest of the AEC is not. At core, the role of architecture is to create the link between design intent and what is actually built. This is not easy, nor simple. It means managing multiple streams of expertise and action so that they are effectively…
S10 · E132 · 2 Jul 2024 · 52 min
Modular Part 1 - It doesn't have to be so *$%! Hard!
How often do you think about modular construction? Is it an idea whose time has come? There are those who view it as the only path forward that realistically checks all the boxes - are they right? The potential is clear, modular project delivery can save time, save money, and positively impact our current and looming labor and skills crunch on the construction side of the AEC. There is no doubt that relative to the current norm, the “holy triumvirate” of owner, architect builder*, modular delivery represents a disruptive force within the AEC. Modular may be exactly the solutions we need but…

About The Building Science Podcast

The Building Science Podcast is a English arts & books podcast from Positive Energy. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Positive Energy
Language: English
Category: Arts & Books
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 1 hr 15 min
Latest episode: 22 Jul 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id999167292
Rights: Ecoscience, LLC, DBA Positive Energy

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