The Building Science Podcast

Our Second PSA, The Humid Climate Conference in Austin May 4th & 5th!

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Our Hidden Roommates

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Kristof interviews Dr. Sarah HainesThe Indoor Microbiome is the complex, invisible world of microorganisms living within our daily surroundings, servi...

Hydronics: The OG HVAC - Part 2

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Kristof interviews Benjamin Jewell.This is Part 2 of our latest series to familiarize our industry with the world of hydronics systems and air-to-wate...

Buildings as Habitat: Biodiversity-Informed Investments in Public Health

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

“First we shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.” - Winston Churchill (attributed)The natural world is humanity's original habitat. T...

AWHPs, GSHPs, and Hydronic Systems, Why Now?

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Beyond the View

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Windows are pivotal to the lived experience of a home. They impact the basic aesthetic and provide natural light, views, ventilation, and safety. Howe...

Cementing Carbon

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a crossover episode with the Spring Street Passive House education and advocacy series.Welcome to a pivotal conversation on the future of our ...

Systems Thinking to Save the World - 50 years of Serious Commotion

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This may be the ultimate systems thinking interview. Beyond building science at the site scale, this is systems thinking to save the world. Gail ...

Navigating the Path to Passive

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is a crossover episode with the Spring Street Passive House education and advocacy series.How do Passive House enclosure decisions actually happe...

Blurring the Edges Between Inside and Out

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 e...

Commissioning Matters

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Commissioning Matter - Establishing a Culture of CollaborationWho on the AEC team can deliver strategic guidance, direction, and leadership for the fu...

Architectural Epidemiology

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Design Matters: Aesthetics, Ethics and Architectural Impact

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“It’s time to rethink the idea that architecture does not sully itself with social or ecological ills.”Jonathan Feldman (in conversation w/ KI)T...

Architecture of Risk: Managing Liability & Uncertainty in the AEC

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Building the Movement

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 a...

Sustainability & Climate Wordcraft

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Understanding climate action through the words we useKeep an ear out for an easter egg after the outro on this one.The words we use matter. Terms like...

Telling Better Stories

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“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 s...

Architecture Out of Balance

07 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The tension between aesthetics and performance in architecture is a critical and complex issue in contemporary design. Architects are increasingly and...

An Architectural Optimist Wrote a Book - Part 3, Causing Good Design to Happen

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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,...

Designer Desiccants, Molecular Filters, and the Prospects of Dehumidification

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ene...

Unlocking Electrification with Passive Buildings

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Passive house has become synonymous with the rapidly arriving new normal for our homes and buildings and offers layers of positive outcomes. Thermal c...

More Influence, More Impact, More Satisfaction

08 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Empowering the practice of architecture to achieve consistent, predictable, positive impacts on human well-being and planetary health is perhaps one o...

Tools For a Habitable Future

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Rethinking The Wood Supply Chain

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 “...

Modular Part 2 - Working Skillfully Within Constraint

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re continuing the conversation on modular construction w/ Rommel Sulit and Chris Krager. Buckle up for some quotable quotes and impactful i...

Modular Part 1 - It doesn't have to be so *$%! Hard!

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 realis...

Pickleball Goes Passive

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who knew that an indoor pickleball facility could become a touchstone for high performance construction based on passive house principles? The backsto...

Is There a Passive House Aesthetic?

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At a fundamental level, passive house practitioners are engaged in a rebellion against poor quality design and construction. It’s becoming quite cle...

Our First PSA, Humid Climate Conference in Austin, May 6-7!

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Big news! The Humid Climate Conference is coming back to ATX and it’s time for some appropriate FOMO. We’re just two weeks out. You will be so gla...

Ultrasonics Comes to Market

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode opens up the system of systems that delivers the materials, equipment and tools we use to deliver high quality homes and buildings t...

Next Level Leverage

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What if it’s true that “We can not solve our problems using the same level of thinking that created them”? - Attributed to Albert EinsteinCould ...

Houses are Made of Stories

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Josh SalingerJoshua Salinger is CEO and Founder of Birdsmouth Design Build, a residential Design Build company located in Portland OR. In 1999 Josh gr...

Entropy, Insight and Our Time to Shine

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Luke LeungLuke is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Fellow; He is also a Centennial Fellow from The Pennsylvania State University...

Wood is Good?

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chris MagwoodChris works with the Embodied Carbon Team in the Carbon Free Buildings Program. He brings focus on carbon-storing material and the reside...

Circles All the Way Down

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do we design and build affordable net-zero, carbon-negative homes? That important goal is the subject of today’s episode and is the focus of a m...

Air-To-Water: Hydronic Hype or the Future?

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You don’t have to be a building nerd or an engineer for a question like this to be relevant and important to consider. There are many reasons why AW...

Not Your Grandpa's Home Improvement Show

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We spend the vast majority of our time inside yet we actually know very little about what it means to live indoors. This is the case even though what ...

Excuse Me, Your Coil is Leaking

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Moving heat with a heat pump is an unsung superhero in the global energy transition. Chances are nearly 100% that you’re using a heat pump right now...

Healthy Home Revolution

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a society we are learning, slowly but surely, how to design and build healthy indoor spaces for ourselves and our loved ones. Seeing the need to bo...

Green Glop & Hair Shirts - Perspectives on Client Communication

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Designing and building a sustainable passive house is a powerful moment for all involved - the client, the architect, and the planet. For the owners t...

An Architectural Optimist Wrote a Book Part 2 - Design Excellence through Practice

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Stated another way: Why is it that some firms produce a consistent stream of high-performing buildings, while others have trouble crafting a single pr...

Filter Feast Part 2

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Topics include the basics of particulate capture, the tradeoffs between filtration efficiency, clean air delivery rate, and energy use, filter media t...

Filter Feast Part 1

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Topics include the basics of particulate capture, the tradeoffs between filtration efficiency, clean air delivery rate, and energy use, filter media t...

The “Roaring 20s” for IAQ

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The 2020’s have so far been a decade of abundance and progress for society’s awareness and understanding of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Beyond and b...

An Architectural Optimist Wrote a Book

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are few roles in society with the broad and lasting power of Architecture. Architecture both reflects and directs the story of a civilization an...

Making Quality Homes A(a)ffordable?

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a Seattle neighborhood, close to public transportation, Dan Whitmore and his associates are putting the money where their ideals are and making aff...

The Future of Homes

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are going to dig into The Future of Homes with two home builders intent on delivering that future in the present. How do we make truly health...

Hempcrete Homes: A Growing Industry

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why is the AEC industry still mostly ignoring hempcrete? There are a host of good reasons to use this renewable and low environmental impact material ...

Architectural Solar: A New Normal

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The best place to generate electrical power is where it’s used. We all know that solar PV adds value for both owners and society by improving resili...

Build. Not too much. Mostly with plants.

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There has never been a better time or opportunity to completely rethink the way we approach the practice of architecture and construction. With climat...

Building Science Journalism

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We live in the information age. The quality of the information we receive determines the quality of our decisions and the effectiveness of our actions...

Low Carbon Buildings - What’s Next? Wow. Just Wow

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You’re in for a feast of ideas here. Join us as Kristof talks with Bruce King about his work as a stubborn optimist and powerful motive force in the...

Direct DC-to-LED Lighting (Bonus Short Episode)

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Producer’s note: after a regrettably long COVID-19 disruption, this fun bonus short episode (recorded live in 2018) finally gets to see the light of...

An Introduction to Embodied Carbon & Buildings

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is a building more like a river or a rock? A building seems to just sit there*, so in that sense it seems to be more like a rock. But in reality every...

Do you like it hot? Do you want it now? Do you want it to last forever?

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gary Klein is in hot water and that’s a good thing. Hot water is the often-overlooked aspect of energy use in our homes and buildings and that makes...

Building Passion For Passive

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Knowing how to build fantastic high performing buildings is not enough; we need to cause that to actually happen. We need high performance buildings t...

Proving Passive House Is Practical, Possible, & Promising (In Climate Zone 2A)

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Join Kristof as he interviews architect and Passive House nerd, Trey Farmer, in a wide ranging discussion about remodeling his personal residence. The...

The Business of Building Science

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year! Welcome back to the 8th season of our little show. We can hardly believe it. In this episode, we ask the question “what is it actual...

Energy With Memory

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The famous astronomer and educator Carl Sagan once said, “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch you must first invent the universe.” What ...

Keep It Dry !

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do we really need dehumidifiers when we’ve got VRF units? How do dehumidifiers work? Why do we need dehumidifiers now when we’ve never had them be...

PFAS In Building Products

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most uncomfortable topics for anybody to wade through is the nearly ubiquitous and constant exposures to hazardous chemicals and compounds ...

Zen & The Art of Continuous IAQ Monitoring

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The world of indoor air quality monitoring can feel like the Wild West and it’s high time we sort it out. Join Kristof as he interviews Stanton Wong...

To Grow A Home, To Grow A Future

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Industrial hemp is poised to proliferate across many verticals in the construction materials marketplace. It’s a raw material with an unfortunately ...

One Wheel Down and The Axle Dragging: The Texas Grid Failure Explained

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Valentines Day 2021 began a hellacious week for Texans as not one, but multiple critical infrastructure grids failed amidst prolonged record low temps...

Indoor Data Quality

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve talked a lot about indoor environmental quality on this show, but what how do we measure that and how do we know that our measurements were co...

What Would This Old House Say?

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This Old House has been the gateway experience for countless numbers of building science enthusiasts and we’d wager many of you listeners have inter...

"Faster Horses" & The Future Of HVAC

23 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Ken Gehring began his career servicing dairy equipment, who would have guessed that he would go on to pioneer some of the most important equipmen...

Through The Looking Glass Of High Performance Windows

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What do we actually know and have available to us in the United States market when it comes to high performance windows? The answers may surprise you....

Ventilation & Virus Transmission Prevention (And Other Topics Too)

07 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How well do we understand the behavior of the novel coronavirus in our homes? What can we do to make our homes healthier? What is a CERV? These questi...

The Westford Summer Camp Blues

03 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time in its 24 year history, the Westford Symposium on Building Science was forced to take a hiatus by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (it would...

Obsessed With Humidity

18 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The world’s climate is changing and so the way we think about design needs to change with it. But before we know what that looks like, let’s dig i...

Constructal Law Meets Building Science - Flow Systems Are Everywhere

05 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not often that you get to have a discussion with someone who has uncovered a fundamental physical law of the universe, but that’s exactly wha...

Stewardship & The Future of Engineering

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Engineers can fulfill a vital role in their communities through civic activism, proactive engagement in shaping public policy and leading in the civic...

Passive House Accelerator

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Join Kristof as he interviews Zack Semke and Michael Ingui of Passive House Accelerator on all the great work they’re doing to build community in th...

A House Needs To Breathe... Or Does It?

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Allison Bailes is writing a book! Allison writes the popular Energy Vanguard Blog. With a PhD in physics and thousands of hours spent in attics and cr...

The 5 Principles Of A Healthy Home - Start With A Good Enclosure

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Now, more than ever, there is a tremendous amount of attention on how interconnected we are to our immediate environmental conditions (and to each oth...

2019: Looking Back & Looking Forward

20 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It’s been an incredible year. Let’s unpack it together and take a look at what’s coming your way in Season 6 of...

Death Of The Suburbs: An Urban Manifesto

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time to fundamentally reevaluate the way we build - not just at the level of detailing, but at the scale of the city. What are the decisions we...

Carbon Fluency

23 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Architects and engineers have great power because they make decisions that influence resource and energy use in their buildings. With great power come...

The Insulation Decision

09 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

While insulation and airtightness are critical elements of a high performance building, they also can significantly increase the risk of health and mo...

The V In HVAC - Part 2

05 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As houses get tighter, we know they need to be ventilated (hopefully). But many in the building industry don’t understand ventilation well. We know ...

The V In HVAC - Part 1

19 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As houses get tighter, we know they need to be ventilated (hopefully). But many in the building industry don’t understand ventilation well. We know ...

That's How The Light Gets In

14 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Architecture that interacts skillfully w/ the sun is needed now more than ever. Beyond just light and heat there are broader implications and deeper r...

Fix-A-Flat For Houses?

07 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Join Kristof as he interviews Amit Gupta, CEO of AeroBarrier and Aeroseal Technologies. The discussion dives into the particulars of a unique and fasc...

Don't Just Build A House. Build A Legacy.

05 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

David Escobedo is a fascinating character with a deep connection to his own heritage in the construction industry. Join Kristof as he interviews David...

Just Don't Tell Them It's Passive House!

22 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re ever wondered what kind of salt it takes to move the needle for multi-family passive house projects, look no further than the story of arc...

End Game Refrigerants

08 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Refrigerants are all around us and we barely ever notice. They are a hidden force in creating the comforts we have grown to think of as normal and yet...

You Don't Know What You Don't Know, You Know?

15 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The state of our current housing industry’s understanding and treatment of HVAC systems in in quiet crisis. Systems are routinely installed incorrec...

Texas Goes Passive

31 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is Dallas, Texas ready for the state’s first internationally certified Passive House? Kyle and Connor Fagin think so and they’re betting on it. Jo...

There's What In This Building?!

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Modern building materials are generally feats of engineering marvel - we’ve managed to manufacture countless high performing systems, yet it has oft...

Breathe Like You Mean It

21 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Live from The HIVE Conference held in Austin, TX in 2018, we’re proud to bring you one of the brightest minds in the discipline of indoor air qualit...

Season 5 Preview

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We just wrapped an unthinkable season 4 of The Building Science Podcast. We hope you'll join us for season 5 in 2019. Hear more about what we'll be di...

Do You Have 2030 Commitment Issues?

07 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

To support the 2030 Challenge, the American Institute of Architects created the 2030 Commitment Program, aimed at transforming the practice of archite...

3 Hot Topics Served Crunchy

16 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What do heat pump water heaters, ERVs, and low static VRF systems have in common? You’re picturing them and we’re talking about them! Join Kristof...

What Do Spec Homes Dream Of?

26 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If your house could go down a highway at 70MPH, would you trust your architect and builder to make sure it’s not going to fall apart?Let’s face it...

Excuse Me, Your Building Is Leaking

05 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Healthy, efficient buildings shouldn't leak. Leaky buildings are unfortunately a staple of our industry norm. As you know, making change in the constr...

What The Heck Is HOMEChem?

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s episode features an interview with Corbett Lunsford on the HOMEChem experiments that were being conducted alongside the filming of a bra...

5 Principles Of A Healthy Home

31 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Health is the new green - this message is seemingly everywhere these days. It's clear that a shift is underway in the way we think about our homes and...