BuildingWell Podcast - 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Ecology, Inc./buildingwell-podcast-list/Fri, 30 May 2025 15:51:30 +0000en-USSite-Server [email protected]@ (http://www.squarespace.com)Episode 12: SEASON FINALE! Does that Window Plastic Actually Work? & Other Questions (AMA, Homes Edition) with Rebecca Arnold & Alex HaworthMichelle MoranThu, 27 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e1267507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67bce85ab0979369cf09e639In this special season finale episode, our hosts Alina and Michelle hold a call-in style question and answer panel with 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Ecology guests Rebecca Arnold, Project Manager and Alex Haworth, Senior Energy Rater. They explore the importance of understanding building systems for energy efficiency, cost savings, and improved health. This knowledge is valuable for both individuals and the broader community, with the potential to empower people to create more resilient and equitable living spaces. The episode aims to provide valuable information to help people understand and improve the places and communities in which we live.

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Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Hydronic heating system: A hydronic heating system uses hot water to heat a home. The system includes a boiler, pumps, pipes, and radiators or baseboard heaters.

Stack effect (aka chimney effect): The movement of air into and out of a building due to differences in air pressure and temperature.


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Episode 12: SEASON FINALE! Does that Window Plastic Actually Work? & Other Questions (AMA, Homes Edition) with Rebecca Arnold & Alex Haworth
Episode 11: Who Can Afford to Live in Greater Boston? with Aja Kennedy & Katherine Levine EinsteinMichelle MoranThu, 30 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e1167507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67869f214fd09b1d425d5214Join hosts Alina and Michelle as they speak with Aja Kennedy, Racial Wealth Gap Research Fellow with Boston Indicators and Ph.D. Candidate at Tufts University, and Katherine Levine Einstein, Associate Professor of Political Science at Boston University, about the Boston Foundation鈥檚 latest Greater Boston Housing Report Card. They discuss the severe crisis facing the housing market in Greater Boston due to exorbitant housing costs and limited housing availability, disproportionately effecting lower and moderate-income families. What are the challenges facing those living and working in Greater Boston? What are the roadblocks facing developers trying to build housing? How can public land offer a possible solution to this housing crisis? Learn this and more in this exciting episode! This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.


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Episode 11: Who Can Afford to Live in Greater Boston? with Aja Kennedy & Katherine Levine Einstein
Episode 10: Pivoting Into Clean Energy Workforce Opportunities with Edward Hsieh of Mass CECMichelle MoranThu, 19 Dec 2024 21:21:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e1067507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67803dcc479be546d1deac43Hosts Alina and Michelle talk with Edward Hsieh, Program Director for Adult Training and Minority and Women Business Enterprise Support at Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. They discuss the exciting opportunities that the clean energy sector can offer for workers in traditional trades like construction and electrical work, how to pivot into working in the clean energy sector, as well as the importance of training and education in preparing businesses and workers to transition into a clean energy economy. This episode is made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

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Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

MWBE: Minority and/or Women-Owned Business Enterprise

EPA: US Environmental Protection Agency

DOE: US Department of Energy

EV: Electric vehicle

DOL: US Department of Labor

CBO: Community-based organization

RFP: Request for Proposals

EJ neighborhoods:


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Episode 10: Pivoting Into Clean Energy Workforce Opportunities with Edward Hsieh of Mass CEC
Episode 9: Pathways to Equitable Energy Efficiency with James CollinsMichelle MoranThu, 21 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e967507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67804197c8c4d128390d076cJoin hosts Michelle and Alina as they talk with James Collins, Director of the Climate Equity & Impact Department at ABCD, a non-profit community action agency that builds pathways out of poverty in partnership with families and communities in Massachusetts. We chat about the goals and challenges of running large energy, electrification, decarbonization, renewable energy and resiliency programs in the Commonwealth, including a discussion on ensuring these programs are as accessible and equitable as possible for low-income residents. This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

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Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Decarbonization: for more information on what decarbonization is and the goals of decarbonization, listen to BuildingWell Episode 4: The Role of Existing Buildings in a Green World (or Functional Medicine for Buildings)


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Episode 9: Pathways to Equitable Energy Efficiency with James Collins
Episode 8: The Expanding Influence of Spray Foam Insulation with Kevin CollinsMichelle MoranThu, 31 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e867507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67814a17c332c84cd4342893In this episode, our hosts have a frank conversation about spray foam insulation. Project Manager Kevin Collins talks about his own experience using spray foam in practice and in design. We discuss the technical ins and outs of spray foam, carbon considerations, best practices, and when and where you might use it in your own home. This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

鈥淏uilding Science Corporation did some great testing where they looked at the impact of insulation in assemblies where you have that air gap, because I think folks were concerned that, you know, if you have a layer of air, isn鈥檛 that defeating the point of insulation?鈥�[1]

Kristin鈥檚 episode on healthy homes

[1] https://buildingscience.com/documents/reports/rr-1207-vancouver-field-exposure-facility/view


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Episode 8: The Expanding Influence of Spray Foam Insulation with Kevin Collins
BONUS! Episode 7 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWellMichelle MoranThu, 10 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e7b67507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:678155eede5624612bc976beJoin hosts Michelle Moran and Alina Michelewicz for Bonus Banter by BuildingWell; a quick post-episode discussion and recap of Episode 7. How important is insulation? It鈥檚 something that we tend to think about when the weather gets colder, but many don鈥檛 give it a second thought the rest of the year. As the climate changes and we begin to experience more severe weather events, how will your insulation (or lack thereof) help or hurt you? In the latest episode of Bonus Banter by BuildingWell, hosts Michelle and Alina discuss this and more.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Investigating the Impacts of Climate Change on an Affordable Multifamily Building in Boston, Massachusetts鈥� Hsiao, Goswami

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BONUS! Episode 7 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWell
Episode 7: Is Boston the 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Memphis? Energy Modeling for an Uncertain Future with Ching-Wen Hsiao & Paul EddowesMichelle MoranThu, 26 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e767507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:678156c22643b30d4a4b4a8eFor many, predicting the future seems like a task reserved for prophets and clairvoyants. It鈥檚 no wonder, then, that energy modelers, lacking such all-seeing abilities, struggle to forecast a building鈥檚 future performance. Join hosts Alina and Michelle as they engage in a conversation with Senior Energy Modeler Ching-Wen Hsiao and Paul Eddowes, Director of Green Building Services. They鈥檒l delve into the challenges, limitations, and thought processes involved in building energy modeling. The discussion covers a wide range of factors, from shower lengths to climate change predictions. This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here

Paper published as a part of ACEEE Summer Study 2024: Investigating the Impacts of Climate Change on an Affordable Multifamily Building in Boston, Massachusetts

Benchmarking: Measuring and tracking energy use in buildings to better understand energy performance compared to similar buildings

Building envelope: All building components separating indoors from outdoors. (Exterior walls, foundations, roof, windows, doors, etc.)

Heat island effect: When urban areas are hotter than the surrounding areas because they absorb and retain more heat and have fewer natural landscape features.

LITCH (ly-tech): Low-income Housing Tax Credit

Energy burden: the percentage of total income that is paid towards energy bills.

Electric resistance heating

Episode 5 about DHW


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Episode 7: Is Boston the 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Memphis? Energy Modeling for an Uncertain Future with Ching-Wen Hsiao & Paul Eddowes
BONUS! Episode 6 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWellMichelle MoranThu, 12 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e6b67507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:678157ab7c534679935834bcJoin hosts Michelle Moran and Alina Michelewicz for Bonus Banter by BuildingWell; a quick post-episode discussion and recap of Episode 6. Should you be afraid of your house? Can you trust the products you buy for and use in your home? What can anyone do to prevent negative health impacts from home health hazards and materials? Which populations are most vulnerable to sick building symptoms and issues? Find out in this Bonus episode!

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Old Colony Case Study regarding building and occupant health

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BONUS! Episode 6 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWell
Episode 6: The Connection Between Home & Health with Kristin GlossnerMichelle MoranThu, 29 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e667507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:6781583c6af06658beb9a313Is your home making you sick? In this episode, healthy homes expert Kristin Glossner explains the importance of healthy materials and the incorporation of nature into the built environment鈥攖he place where we spend 90% of our time. Kristin takes hosts Michelle and Alina room-by-room through a home to explain the associated health risks in each space. How can designers start prioritizing occupant health and mitigate the effects of unhealthy buildings? Every little detail, whether it be natural lighting, fresh air, nontoxic materials, or water quality, all have an impact on human health and should be considered alongside other principals of environmentalism and sustainability. This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Notes from this episode:

Old Colony case study

References on Kristin鈥檚 research:

Cede帽o-Laurent, J.G., Williams, A., MacNaughton, P., Cao, X., Eitland, E., Spengler, J. and Allen, J. (2018). Building Evidence for Health: Green Buildings, Current Science, and Future Challenges. Annual Review of Public Health, [online] 39(1), pp.291鈥�308.

Dovjak, M. and Kukec, A. (2019). Creating Healthy and Sustainable Buildings: An Assessment of Health Risk Factors.

Frumkin, H., Bratman, G.N., Breslow, S.J., Cochran, B., Kahn Jr, P.H., Lawler, J.J., Levin, P.S., Tandon, P.S., Varanasi, U., Wolf, K.L. and Wood, S.A. (2017). Nature Contact and Human Health: A Research Agenda. Environmental Health Perspectives, [online] 125(7).

Huang, L., Fantke, P., Ritscher, A. and Jolliet, O. (2022). Chemicals of concern in building materials: a high-throughput screening. Journal of Hazardous Materials, [online] 424. Available at: . [Accessed 1 Aug. 2022]

Kim, D.H. and Bluyssen, P.M. (2020). Clustering of office workers from the OFFICAIR study in The Netherlands based on their self-reported health and comfort. Building and Environment, [online] 176, p.106860.

National Center for Healthy Housing (2008). Background on the Importance of Healthy Housing for Older Adults Prepared by the National Center for Healthy Housing. [online] Available at: https://nchh.org/resource-library/fact-sheet_background-on-the-importance-of-healthy-housing-for-older-adults.pdf [Accessed 14 Aug. 2024].

Petrovic, E.K., Vale, B. and Pedersen Zari, M. (2017). Materials for a Healthy, Ecological and Sustainable Built Environment: Principles for Evaluation. [online] Duxford, United Kingdom; Cambridge, Ma, United States: Woodhead Publishing Elsevier. Available at: [Accessed 12 Mar. 2022].

The 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 School: Healthy Materials Lab (n.d.). Why Healthy Materials. [online] Healthy Materials Lab. Available at: [Accessed 3 Apr. 2022].

U.S. Green Building Council (n.d.). Better Building Materials. [online] Available at: [Accessed 20 Apr. 2022].

U.S. Green Building Council (n.d.). Better Building Materials. [online] Available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014- 08/documents/sick_building_factsheet.pdf [Accessed 29 Apr. 2022].

Welch, L.S. (1991). Severity of health effects associated with building-related illness. Environmental Health Perspectives. [online] Available at: [Accessed 5 Mar. 2022].

Valette, J., Schettler, T. and Wolfe, M. (2014). Asthamagens in Building Materials: The Problem & Solutions. [online] Healthy Building Network. Available at: [Accessed 6 May 2022].


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Episode 6: The Connection Between Home & Health with Kristin Glossner
BONUS! Episode 5 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWellMichelle MoranThu, 01 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e5b67507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:678158dba4f1456521f9d0b5Join hosts Michelle Moran and Alina Michelewicz for Bonus Banter by BuildingWell; a quick post-episode discussion and recap of Episode 5. Are we using hot water in buildings differently now than we were 40 years ago? How can owners use real data to prepare for upcoming regulations and electrify their properties? And how does this relate to Tik Tok trends? Find out in this Bonus episode!

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Especially after 2020, I believe that people are now spending 62% of their lives indoors since 2020, when it used to be 50% and in hotter places it鈥檚 up to 90%.[1]

[1] Allen, Joseph G., and John D. Macomber. Healthy buildings: How indoor spaces drive performance and productivity. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2020.

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BONUS! Episode 5 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWell
Episode 5: The Juiciness of Decarbonizing Domestic Hot Water with Neil Donnelly & Charlie SimekMichelle MoranThu, 25 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e567507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:678159634e6218446e6ad5c3Join hosts Alina Michelewicz and Michelle Moran for their deep-dive into hot water. In this episode, Neil Donnelly and Charlie Simek, Energy Engineers at 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Ecology specializing in data-focused decarbonization planning and building system optimization, follow up on their recent NESEA BuildingEnergy Boston presentation, 鈥淓quitable, Data Driven, Domestic Hot Water Decarbonization鈥� to show how real data from real buildings can guide more efficient and lower-cost systems when its time to replace them. We explore the opportunities within recently monitored domestic hot water systems and the steps for owners, operators, engineers and utility program administrators. This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here

LEAN

Four step decarbonization process

slides 9, 10 & 24

25% of the multifamily building energy usage comes from DHW- A 鈥榡uicy piece鈥�   page 18

slide 5


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Episode 5: The Juiciness of Decarbonizing Domestic Hot Water with Neil Donnelly & Charlie Simek
BONUS! Episode 4 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWellMichelle MoranThu, 27 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e4b67507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67815a9605ef127db5bb2699Join hosts Michelle Moran and Alina Michelewicz for Bonus Banter by BuildingWell; a quick post-episode discussion and recap of Episode 4. Why is it important to decarbonize existing buildings? What tools do owners need to make the most significant environmental and impact? What drivers incentivize owners to decarbonize?

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

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BONUS! Episode 4 Recap: Bonus Banter by BuildingWell
Episode 4: The Role of Existing Buildings in a Green World (or Functional Medicine for Buildings) with Marty Josten & Pat ColemanMichelle MoranThu, 27 Jun 2024 08:58:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e467507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67815bc69ae35665242f0499Join host Michelle Moran and co-host Alina Michelewicz for a deep dive into decarbonization. In this episode, Marty Josten and Pat Coleman, two leaders at 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Ecology specializing in making existing buildings sustainable, explain what it takes to transform our existing building stock into efficient, healthy, affordable, and resilient homes. We explore the concepts of benchmarking, zero over time, and the energy auditing process. This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here

Decarbonization

Climate Smart Communities

鈥淭he unregulated stock is about 80% of affordable housing鈥�.鈥�


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Episode 4: The Role of Existing Buildings in a Green World (or Functional Medicine for Buildings) with Marty Josten & Pat Coleman
Episode 3: What Makes a Building Green? With Joshua Galloway & L.J. EldredgeMichelle MoranThu, 30 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e367507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67815ca2c70c0b35e27e18e6What exactly is a green building? What does it mean for a building to be green certified? How do building occupants and members of a community experience green and sustainable features? In this episode, host Alina Michelewicz and co-host Michelle Moran find the answers to these questions and more with two leaders of Green Building Services at 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Ecology, L.J. Eldredge and Joshua Galloway. Tune in for a comprehensive discussion on the state of green building and how it fits into the modern affordable housing market. This episode was made possible by a Mass Save Community Education Grant.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

鈥�38% of energy use in 2022 was the built environment鈥�*

  • *

  • *


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Episode 3: What Makes a Building Green? With Joshua Galloway & L.J. Eldredge
Episode 2: Pathways for Entering the Green Building Field with Lisa Reed & Michelle MoranMichelle MoranThu, 25 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e267507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67815d5f817e1233a2f434b2In this episode host Alina Michelewicz engages co-host Michelle Moran and 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Ecology Project Manager Lisa Reed in an open conversation about their journey into the green building industry. They share insights into the challenges they鈥檝e faced and reflect on their experiences as women in the field. Offering candid advice and tips, they provide valuable guidance for anyone considering a career in green building. This episode offers a relaxed and informal discussion on navigating entering the industry.

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Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here


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Episode 2: Pathways for Entering the Green Building Field with Lisa Reed & Michelle Moran
Episode 1: The Past, Present, and Future of Green Innovation & Sustainable Community Development with Ed ConnellyMichelle MoranThu, 28 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000/buildingwell-podcast-list/s1e167507f43e7ba3c7ec223759d:678039410379671faaff6ce0:67815e388fab9d44d1d82e18In our premier episode, we interviewed 亚星游戏(中国区)官网 Ecology President Ed Connelly upon his retirement about his experiences in sustainable development over the past 20 years, and how he sees the field progressing in the next 20 years. Recorded on December 21, 2023.

Listen on Spotify at the link above, or find us on any streaming platform!


Show Notes:

The transcript for this episode can be found here.

CDC: Community Development Corporation

Costs and Benefits of Green Affordable Housing

Naturally-Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH)

Charrette

State of Delaware Resilience Assessment

MBE: Minority Business Enterprise


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Episode 1: The Past, Present, and Future of Green Innovation & Sustainable Community Development with Ed Connelly