Passive House Podcast

Matthew Cutler-Welsh, Zack Semke, Mary James, and Ilka Cassidy

Interviews with the leaders, practitioners, and change-makers in the global Passive House movement. A production of Passive House Accelerator.

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31 episodes
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Avg 54 min
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Thursday · 1 hr
Bonus Episode: What's Scaling at the ZEB Summit
In this bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, Michael Ingui is live on the expo floor of the ZEB Summit in Dublin, Michael chats with attendees about what's scaling Passive House in their world. Guests explain how Passive House reached 7% of residential output in the Republic of Ireland, what post-occupancy data shows for Scottish social housing, and why Cairn Homes uses AeroBarrier to protect its construction schedule. Thank you to Aeroseal for sponsoring this episode and supporting the team's trip to Dublin. https://www.zebsummit.com/ Featured in this episode: Hugh Franklin, Aeroseal UK and AeroBarrier Ireland, and Roy O'Brien, Aeroseal Hugh Whiriskey, Founder and Director, Partel Dr. Barry Mc Carron, Managing Director, KORE Retrofit Leighanne Fay-Crowe, KORE Retrofit Steven Magee, KORE Retrofit Dr. Wolfgang Feist, Passive House Institute Caroline Ashe Brady, Passive House Association of Ireland Emma Fletcher, Octopus Energy James York, Principal Energy Consultant, Collective Architecture Ryan Daly, Daly Renewables Ann-Marie Fallon, Co-Director, Passivhaus Trust Matt Risinger, The Build Show Julie Torres Moskowitz, Certified Passive House Consultant and Architect Ingrid Yancey, Certified Passive House Designer Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com.
S6 · E308
Tuesday · 1 hr 8 min
308: Putting Pride Back in Construction with Tomás O'Leary
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Michael Ingui talks with Tomás O'Leary of the mosart Group about scaling Passive House across massive residential developments in Ireland and the UK. Fresh off a tour of Cairn Homes' Passive House neighborhood outside Dublin, Tomás shares the approach behind delivering certified Passive House at scale — from early benchmarking and training contractors directly, to building a team of certifiers with a direct line to the Passive House Institute. The conversation also touches on post-occupancy monitoring, tenant feedback, and Tomás's upcoming visits to Massachusetts and New York this October to share lessons with US developers and architects. This episode was made possible with the support of Aeroseal: https://aeroseal.com/ https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/podcast/250-enhancing-lives-and-cutting-carbon-in-ireland https://mosartgroup.com/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S6 · E307
September 29 · 55 min
307: Josh Dorfman on Building Carbon-Negative Materials
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Michael Ingui talks with Josh Dorfman, co-founder of Plantd and host of the Supercool podcast. Josh and Michael dig into some of the most exciting solutions Josh has covered on Supercool and discuss the growing recognition among lenders and insurers that high-performance buildings are simply lower-risk investments. https://www.plantdmaterials.com/ https://getsuper.cool/podcast/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S6 · E306
September 22 · 1 hr
306: Scaling Straw Panel Construction with New Frameworks
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy talks with Ace McArleton and Jacob Deva Racusin, co-founders of New Frameworks. Ace and Jacob share how their paths through natural building and site-based straw bale construction led them to develop panelized straw wall systems, and reflect on the industry's need to break down silos between design, fabrication, and construction. Ace and Jacob also preview the Reimagine Buildings Collective's month-long bio-based panelization lab, featuring manufacturers from across North America. Podcast with Jay and Ace: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/podcast/247-natural-materials-and-collective-power Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
September 17 · 46 min
Bonus Episode: Resilience, Retrofits, and the Road to PhiusCon 2026
In this bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, Zack Semke talks with Katrin Klingenberg, co-founder and co-executive director of Phius, about the origins of the organization to today's growing national movement. The conversation looks ahead to PhiusCon 2026 in Phoenix, October 8-10. Attend PhiusCon: https://phius1.zohobackstage.com/PhiusCon2026 Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S6 · E305
September 15 · 57 min
305: Michael Jemtrud on Prefabrication, Education, and the Future of Architecture
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy talks with Michael Jemtrud, professor of architecture at McGill University and chair in Architecture, Energy, and Environment, about his interdisciplinary research lab's work bridging design education and offsite construction. Michael discusses McGill's Reconstruct program and the development of tools to close the "over the wall" gap between architects and manufacturers. The conversation explores how teaching students to think like "virtual framers" could give the next generation of architects a real advantage entering the workforce. https://aeechair.research.mcgill.ca/en/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S6 · E304
September 8 · 1 hr 8 min
304: Prefabricated HVAC for Multifamily Retrofits with Tom King
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James and Jay Fox talk with Tom King, founder and CEO of TKF, about his all-in-one factory-built HVAC and hot water system, the Hydropod. Tom traces the company's origins, highlighting NYSERDA-funded pilot projects at Syracuse University and a low-to-moderate income housing community in Phoenix, New York. The conversation covers the practical realities of retrofitting very different building types and how TKF has redesigned the Hydropod for its commercial launch based on lessons learned from two years of real-world installation and monitoring. www.tkfabricate.com https://www.energiesprong.org/ https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/articles/comprehensive-pod-solutions-on-the-way Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S6 · E303
September 2 · 1 hr 11 min
303: Scaling Affordable High-Performance Prefab with Rob Leonard
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy talks with Rob Leonard, a longtime builder and prefabrication specialist who helped develop the BuildSmart panel system and now leads PHIUS's Trades Training Program. Rob traces his path from decades in the field to pioneering panelized construction. Rob also shares what's next for industrialized offsite construction, from micro-factories to AI-assisted quality control, and reflects on workforce development as one of the most urgent challenges facing the building industry. Beeson Acres Resources LLC: https://www.beesonacresresources.com/ Phius Trades Training Program to Help Shape the Future of Building: https://www.phius.org/phius-trades-training-program-help-shape-future-building Virginia Tech Housing Innovation Challenge: https://arch.vt.edu/experiential-learning/FutureHAUS/housing-innovation-challenge.html Expanding Industrialized Offsite Construction in Central Appalachia: https://cece.vt.edu/content/dam/cece_vt_edu/projects/Expanding%20industrialized%20offsite%20construction%20%28IOC%29%20in%20Central%20Appalachia.pdf Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-leonard-b2873010 https://www.phius.org/our-people/rob-leonard Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
August 31 · 25 min
Bonus Episode: The Heat Pump Conversation You Don’t Want to Miss
In this bonus episode of the Passive House Podcast, Brent Davidson and Brynn Cooksey discuss what’s changed in the heat-pump world, what architects, engineers, and contractors need to understand, and where the industry still needs to improve. They preview the U.S. Heat Pump Summit and why bringing the right people together could be key to getting heat pumps right at scale. The conversation also sets the stage for Passive House Accelerator’s upcoming Heat Pump Solutions initiative, where collaborative Labs will help shape a public Heat Pump Solutions Symposium this October. https://www.usheatpumpsummit.com/ https://www.airdoctorshvacservice.com/ Brent Davidson:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentdavidson/ Brynn Cooksey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theairdoctor/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S6 · E302
August 26 · 59 min
302: Bringing Passive Building Principles to Schools with Evan Greulich
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy talks with Evan Greulich, project architect and manager at Quinn Evans, about his work bringing high-performance building strategies to affordable housing and, increasingly, to schools. Evan and Ilka chat about The Hammond at Greenmount Park, a new 109-unit affordable housing project in Baltimore and John Burroughs Elementary School in Washington, DC. The conversation covers the practical tradeoffs of building near-Passive performance without certification, the challenges of balancing historic preservation with airtightness and insulation strategies, and why Evan believes the biggest opportunity for passive building growth lies beyond housing. The Hammond at Greenmount Park and The Johnston Square Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library The Hammond at Greenmount Park – Baltimore, Maryland – Living Design Johnston Square Branch Library – Baltimore, Maryland – Learning Design Integrating Services Within Communities: Libraries as Superconnectors John Burroughs Elementary School (Modernization) Renewing Historic Schools, Part 1: Renovation Burroughs ES | dcps Green Building Advisory Council | doee Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S6 · E301
August 19 · 1 hr 5 min
301: Building the Next Generation of Passive House Professionals with John Loercher
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy talks with John Loercher, Passive House consultant, architect, and longtime Phius instructor with Northeast Projects. The conversation covers how the Phius standard has evolved since 2015 as well as growing industry attention to embodied carbon, hygrothermal modeling, and materials like straw bale construction. John also reflects on his years building the Phius Alliance New York chapter, the value of regional Passive House communities, and what excites him about expanding into new climates like Colorado's high elevation and PhiusCon's move to Phoenix. www.ne-projects.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/northeast-projects Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E300
August 12 · 54 min
300: Rethinking Cooling in the UK, with Dominic O'Riordan and Alan Budden
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James is joined by UK-based architects Dominic O'Riordan and Alan Budden, both Passive House designers who opened their homes for the UK's Passive House Open Days during a record-breaking heat wave. Dominic and Alan discuss how their buildings performed under extreme heat, the shading strategies they wish they'd fought harder for at planning stage, and why attitudes toward mechanical cooling in the UK are shifting fast after decades of treating air conditioning as unnecessary. EcoDesign Consultants: https://www.ecodesignconsultants.co.uk/ Article mentioned by Zack: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/opinion/heat-wave-europe-america.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xlA.5iqJ._hKPg0bjq_M_&smid=url-share Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E299
August 5 · 46 min
299: The Missing Standard for Panelized Construction with Johann Betz
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler Welsh talks with Johann Betz, founder of Christchurch-based Offsite Design Ltd and a board member of OffsiteNZ. Johann's work focuses on helping designers, manufacturers, and builders deliver high-performance timber buildings through design-for-manufacture-and-assembly (DfMA) and offsite construction principles. The conversation traces the history of panelized construction in New Zealand, why past attempts at large-scale prefab factories have struggled without a pipeline of designs built for manufacture and assembly, and why a shared framework for offsite delivery could improve quality, reduce risk, and make Passive House-level performance more scalable and repeatable across the industry. https://www.offsitedesign.co.nz/ https://www.osm3604.nz/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E298
July 30 · 46 min
298: The Potential for Passive House at Scale in Australia with Sven Maxa
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, we speak with Sven Maxa, founder and co-director of Melbourne-based Maxa Design, an award-winning practice specialising in high-performance, sustainable homes and Passive House design. A Certified Passive House Designer, Sven has been at the forefront of energy-efficient residential design in Australia for more than two decades, helping demonstrate that healthy, comfortable, low-energy homes can also be beautiful and practical. Sven shares his key takeaways from the THRIVE Passive House Conference in Melbourne, reflecting on the growing momentum behind high-performance building across Australia. We discuss the significance of major volume builder Metricon’s presence at the event and what it could signal for the mainstream adoption of Passive House principles in the Australian residential sector. https://www.metricon.com.au/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E297
July 22 · 55 min
297: Nakita Reed on Preservation, Equity, and High-Performance Retrofits
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Jay Fox talks with Nakita Reed, Senior Director for Preservation Operations at the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Nakita discusses her new role bridging preservation, equity, and sustainability, the Action Fund's work funding projects like conserving Black modernism and stewarding sites such as Nina Simone's childhood home, and the ongoing tension between historic commissions and building owners pursuing energy retrofits. The conversation dives into practical guidance for practitioners tackling historic building and closes with a look at where the field is headed as deep energy retrofits of historic buildings become more routine. https://savingplaces.org/stories/building-performance-standards https://www.builtbuildings.org/dbth Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E297
July 15 · 31 min
296: Inside Thrive 2026 with Andy Marlow
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Matthew Cutler Welsh talks with Andy Marlow, director at Envirotecture and Passive House Design and Construct, for a recap of Thrive 2026 in Melbourne. Andy shares his take on the growing presence of volume builders and even a retirement living provider at the conference, the ongoing challenge of scaling prefabrication despite its clear advantages, and how ventilation and airtightness are being marketed as premium upgrades in the broader housing market. The conversation also touches on Australia's patchy policy landscape around retrofits and property incentives, new products spotted at the conference, and what's next for Envirotecture as they relaunch their pre-designed home offering. https://www.envirotecture.com.au/ https://passivhausdc.com.au/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E295
July 8 · 1 hr 7 min
295: Finding Agency: Michelle Apigian on the Power of Architects
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy talks with Michelle Apigian, Managing Principal and ESG Director at ICON Architecture, about the moment that changed how she thinks about building design, Icon's path to becoming a high-performance practice in Massachusetts, and the unique challenges of bringing Passive House principles to occupied and existing buildings. Michelle also shares her wish list for the industry and where she believes architects have the most power to make a difference. https://www.iconarch.com/ Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E294
July 1 · 1 hr 4 min
294: Beyond Operational Carbon: Rethinking Cement, Steel, and Embodied Carbon
In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Jay Fox talks with Mikhail Haramati, NRDC's state industrial decarbonization lead, about her path from California energy efficiency programs and policy work at UC Berkeley and LBNL, through the California Energy Commission and NYSERDA, to her current focus on embodied carbon in building materials. They discuss the scale of the problem (cement and concrete alone account for about 8% of global emissions) and state-level policy momentum like Buy Clean initiatives and New York's Executive Order 22, which mandates EPDs and sets GWP limits for key materials. The conversation covers pathways to decarbonization—reuse and deconstruction, steel's reliance on recycled scrap and hydrogen-ready direct reduced iron, lower-clinker concrete mixes and SCMs, and mass timber—along with practical first steps for designers and policymakers: better data, smarter specs, and the right incentives and financing tools. https://www.nrdc.org/bio/mikhail-haramati https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E293
June 23 · 1 hr 11 min
293: Innovative Solutions for Affordable, Sustainable Living
In this Episode of the Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy shares on-the-ground interviews from Green Building United’s Sustainability Symposium in Philadelphia, highlighting regional policy, incentives, and high-performance affordable housing work. Ilka chats first with Rich Freeh and Emily Pugliese of Green Building United about Pennsylvania’s divided political landscape, lagging energy code adoption and advocacy opportunities including Philadelphia’s push to adopt 2021 IECC residential code. Ilka also chats with Justin Lovenitti and Norm Horn of New Ecology about Energize Delaware programs and case studies in Philadelphia. https://greenbuildingunited.org/event/2026-sustainability-symposium/ https://www.newecology.org/ https://energizedelaware.org/ https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
S5 · E292
June 16 · 58 min
292: Profit by Experience: Insights from the Passive House Network Conference
This episode of the Passive House Podcast was recorded during the Passive House Network conference in New Haven, Connecticut, hosted at the first certified Passive House hotel in the U.S. Hotel Marcel. Ilka Cassidy chatted with Ken Levenson about the theme “Profit by Experience” and Architect of Hotel Marcel Bruce Becker. Ilka also talked to other attendees like Timothy Lock, Beth Campbell, Karen Ramsey, and Cheryl Saldanha. They discuss Massachusetts code-driven Passive House growth, grid benefits, trade training access, community value, resilience, and the need to address cost, risk, and more in-person collaboration. https://www.hotelmarcel.com/ https://passivehousenetwork.org/the-passive-house-network-conference-2026/?utm_term=&utm_campaig... https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/ Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.

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