Hello! This is Episode 419. This is Way #19 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and it’s the first episode in Section Five: The Building Envelope.

We’ve spent four sections of the ‘44 Ways’ series covering a lot of information for your sustainable renovation or new build. Site, orientation, breezes, passive design, energy and water selections, renewables, and the tools that help you model and measure how your home will actually perform. All of that work is most valuable when the building envelope itself is doing its job well.

This is Way #19: Build Tight, Ventilate Right.

[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/419]

Section Five is about creating a sustainable skin in your building envelope. The skin of your building (your floors, walls and roof) is supposed to protect and shelter you. There’s a science to how it can do this well. 

And when you understand how vapour, moisture and temperature move from the inside to the outside of your home (and vice versa), you’ll learn it’s important to design and build a building envelope that suits your climate, mitigates the risk of mould growth, helps maintain comfortable indoor air temperatures, and that is durable and long-lasting.

I want to start by taking on one of the most persistent myths in residential construction. The idea that homes need to breathe. Our homes don’t need to breathe. The people inside them do. And they need to ideally breathe fresh, unpolluted air, whatever the weather or conditions outside their home.

In this episode, I take you through what the phrase ‘build tight, ventilate right’ actually means, what a ‘breathing’ home is often confused with, what building tight looks like in practice (and how tight is tight), why relying on opening windows alone often isn’t enough, and what mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) adds in a high-performance home.

As always, if you'd like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to any resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/419.

Now, let's dive in!

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/419

Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways

Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/

Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.