Welcome back for part 2 of Jacob's lecture from the PassivhausMAINE lecture series on addressing embodied carbon in our built environment. We close the episode with a song from one of the bands Jacob records with; Fantasma by Mal Maiz! Enjoy! Cheers!

Chris and Phil were not only lucky enough to attend a lecture by Jacob Racusin, but they were also able to record it! Our friends at PassivhausMAINE invited Jacob to share his insights on low-impact, high-performance building technologies and discuss some of the ground-breaking work he has been involved in lately regarding plant-based construction and carbon sequestration in our built environment. He's a wonderful speaker with contagious passion for combating climate change through better building. This is part one of his lecture, be sure to check out part two which will be released in about a week. Also be sure to visit our lame facebook page for cocktail recipes and links to Jacob's slide deck. Visuals help, but the the audio holds up on its own as well. Also, new theme song. Cheers!

So many people are talking about offsite construction as an inevitable next step to solve the myriad housing issues we currently face, and we can't help but envision high-performance as going hand in hand with this movement. We discuss the evolution of these systems from the Sears Kit Homes of the 20's, to the race-to-the-bottom Post-war Mobile Home industry, to the Dwell Prefab dreams of the oughts, to the realities of today - both in the USA and in Europe. We'll discuss how the companies currently innovating in the space (including Phil's own BrightBuilt Home) are faring with their various business models, and what are the challenges and limitations are being faced by the different approaches.

We know. You want a sustainable siding that is maintenance free and affordable. The problem is that there are just so many options from which to choose and it's difficult to wade through the ocean of literature and opinion to find the perfect siding for your sustainable home. Lucky for you, Chris and Phil have hit the record button on an in-depth conversation about siding (as well as a cocktail for the fleeting summer, the Montenegroni). Be sure to look for an upcoming article with GreenBuildingAdvisor.com and the article Chris authored for Green & Healthy Maine Homes magazine! Pro-tip it contains the chart mentioned in the podcast which can also be found at our lame Facebook page. Cheers.

Phil and Chris define and discuss embodied carbon in buildings, and make an impassioned case for understanding why this is absolutely the most urgent issue we face in the design and construction industry today - even ahead of zero energy building - as we work together to combat a fast-approaching climate crisis.

In this episode, Chris and Phil head over to the Portland Pod to record because they have not one, but two guests (Geoff Sparrow and Fred Greenhalgh of Revision Energy) to talk about Solar Storage! With lithium ion batteries hitting the market at ever more affordable prices, perhaps you've considered adding them to a project. The whole gang will sip fancy sunny cocktails and talk about the pros and cons of solar storage, when to consider them, and your options for installation.

Phil and Chris talk about Living Building Challenge, a certification program that aims to transform the market place, with all its joys and challenges. Collaborating for the first time, their firms are working on an "LBC" project, The Ecology School in Saco, Maine. They discuss how this process has fundamentally changed how they practice as architects.

In cold climates, Multi-zone heat pump systems (or multi-split systems) are developing a reputation for greatly under-performing , in terms of energy efficiency. Don't freak out! Chris and Phil have special guest, Dana Fischer of Mitsubishi, over to share a beverage and get to the bottom of this "problem" and how to properly approach the design of multi-zone heat pumps for your energy efficient house (or building).

The Green Architects' Lounge is BACK! After a long hiatus, Chris and Phil are reuniting for a fresh new season of the podcast They're kicking it of with a LIVE recording at the PassivhausMAINE 2018 Fall Forum at the Mechanics' Hall in Portland Maine. The topic: Passive House Schools! They (and the hyperbollically massive) audience will sip cocktails and discuss the hows, whys, and why-nots of getting our schools to this high level of energy-efficiency.

An architect's guide to help you decide which organization should certify your Passive House

Our guest, Sonia Barrantes, continues the conversation about the best options for a healthy, comfortable ventilation system

Now that your house is tight, getting your ventilation system correct is vital

Phil and I have freshened up our drinks and now we’re ready to tackle Items 8 through 15. Be sure to go back to Part 1 to listen to Items 1 through 7.

Fifteen ‘Top 10’ things that you don’t want to blow on your next project.

Do you really need to have a basement? Fine — then we had better talk about the right way to build one.

How your house meets the ground, and the many ways to improve your foundation details

A commonsense approach to designing and building a green home

A commonsense approach to designing and building a green home.

Part Two of this episode brings us to construction details for high-performance affordable homes. Again, I feel the need to point out that we are not talking about low-income housing or housing that makes a difference between shelter and non-shelter. I’m talking about high-performance homes that will compete, on a financial level, with those cheap vinyl boxes that litter suburbia and urban areas alike. Phil and I have refreshed our drinks and are ready to talk about building envelope construction from the bottom up. Let’s get started.

A simple house is best: four corners, two roof slopes, and no boogie-woogie