Join us on April 25th, 2024 for the next Bay Area Building Science Collaborative meeting session titled, “Exploring the vast landscape of Green Building Rating Systems”.
Space is limited to 50 people, please RSVP today!
The session will be a panel discussion represented by several Bay Area architects who will explain and guide you through today’s world of green building rating systems. After this session, you will have a better understanding of the different rating systems and the following:
• What they are and why they are important?
• How are they similar and how are they different?
• What are their advantages and/or disadvantages?
For this session we will start by briefly introducing everyone to the plethora of rating systems that exist around the world. After an initial introduction of the many green building rating system out there, we will zoom in and focus our attention to discuss the following rating systems that are most common for projects in the United States, and more specifically, the Bay Area. We will also examine how each rating system works, and we’ll delve into how a project team decides on which rating system to use:
• USGBC’s LEED NC, LEED Homes, et al
• ILBI’s Living Building Challenge
• WELL
• Fitwell
• Passive House
And much more…!
Thursday, April 25th– 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Location: Los Altos Community Center Los Altos Community Center, 97 Hillview Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94022
Join us for the March session titled "Is Site-Built Construction Dead?”
Is Modular and Prefab the inevitable future for all construction projects or just the promise of yet another technological improvement nobody wants?
Have we been thinking about construction all wrong for the last century, fruitlessly trying to optimize an inherently inefficient, in-exact process of building homes and buildings?
In this third Bay Area Building Science Collaborative (BABSC) meeting of the year, we will investigate a cradle-to-grave discussion of new construction where our existing paradigms are challenged every step of the way.
First, we start with an in-depth discussion of the cost-effective deconstruction of existing, but un-reusable buildings. Roderick Cooper of Rebuild Green, a local deconstruction contractor, will talk about deconstruction, the process of carefully "un-building" a house, and its financial and environmental benefits over bull-dozing and dumping a house in the landfill.
Next, we have Shil Patel of Zs2, an innovative construction materials manufacturer, who will challenge the paradigm that North American construction is composed of either wood or concrete and steel and will discuss some of the available technologies and approaches, that are based on atypical materials that have an advantage on our current building materials defaults.
Lastly, Architect Brad Gunkel of Gunkel Architecture has developed a career out of designing projects for Prefab and is one of the foremost local authorities on the reasons people may choose to design for pre-fab as well as some of the challenges and successes of this approach.
We are super excited to hear these gentlemen speak about how we can change not only the materials we use but our very understanding of the value proposition of what we consider “normal” and how that can open our minds in how we create value for our clients and ourselves, in this rapidly evolving industry.
Join us for February’s session titled "Deep Dive Case Study into the Cereza Passive House and Living Breathing Challenge House” All our Best Green Building Ideas in One House!
The Cereza Passive House is a paradigm shift in home building in the Bay Area. New materials, new methods, new goals, new challenges, less impact.
Join us as Kevin Yingst, Project Manager with Arkin Tilt Architects, Anthony Dente, Principle with Verdant Structural Engineering and Dave Edwards with Earth Bound Homes discuss the architectural and structural design, challenges, successes, lessons learned, mistakes made and minds changed.
Be prepared for a fast paced, information packed talk that will blow your mind and help you change how you design and build, forever.
Join us for January’s session titled "40 Affordable Ways to Create a Great House" – a dynamic session inspired by the fast-paced format of PechaKucha presentations.
Imagine tapping into centuries of collective knowledge in home construction and design to uncover ingenious, budget-friendly ways to transform a living space. That's precisely what our upcoming workshop is all about!
In this engaging session, participants will have a maximum of three minutes each to stand before the group, free to employ slides or any visual aids they prefer. During their brief presentation, they will share their innovative strategies for building or renovating a home that achieves excellence without breaking the bank. Every idea is valuable, and we encourage anyone with insights to contribute and share their wisdom with the group.
If you have a brilliant idea, please email Dave at dave@myearthboundhome.com to ensure we don’t duplicate topics, and to secure your three minutes in the spotlight. Additionally, if you know someone brimming with creative and budget-conscious ideas, don't hesitate to reach out to them and encourage them to join us. Together, we can all help one another while better understanding how we enhance our own homes, and our clients’ homes and create more affordable living spaces for our community.
Send ideas here: Dave@myearthboundhome.com
Thursday, October 26th, 2023 workshop
Note: The location for this meeting is the Mountain View Community Center
Topic:
Do you know the difference between embodied carbon and operational Carbon? Can you define which materials have the greatest impact on Embodied carbon and what methods and strategies you have available to you to affect the embodied carbon of the buildings we design?
In this panel discussion, we will hear from two architects, Mateo Gonzalez of Steinberg Hart and Sharon Refvem, from Hawley Peterson Snyder, both of whom are deeply invested in reducing the embodied carbon impact of the buildings they design and a builder, Emi LaFountain, from Turner Construction, whose company is at the forefront of building structures that reduce their impact on the environment from an embodied and operational standpoint.
Together, this panel discussion and active learning session will help to educate and motivate you to understand the global impact of embodied carbon in the built environment and give you the tools to track and reduce the impacts of your projects and buildings on the planet.
Learning Objectives:
Understand the difference between Embodied and Operational Carbon
Establishing a baseline + understanding context
Understand the tools available to Architects for calculating and measuring Embodied Carbon
Where to start, strategies + what’s coming our way
Who are the stakeholders and what role do each of them play
A builders thoughts on the procurement and implementation side of embodied carbon
How do you sell this/get buy in from your clients, architects, staff and Subs?
Is it possible with resistance from one stakeholder?
Thursday, September 28th, 2023 workshop
Note: The location for this meeting is the Mountain View Community Center
Topic: Build New or Remodel? Remodeling is green, but when does it NOT make financial sense? Our panel of experts will help you understand the challenges, costs, and consequences of remodeling vs. building a new home in Silicon Valley.
Our Panel of Speakers:
Architect: Jon Klopf of Klopf Architecture Klopf Architecture | Home
Builder: Mathew Harrigan, CEO of Timeline Design + Build Timeline Design+Build
Realtor: Matt Griffis, Vice-President Development & Construction, DeLeon Realty Matt Griffis - DeLeon Realty
As always, there will be delicious food, great company, and inspiration aplenty! We look forward to learning with you.
Thursday, June 22, 2023 workshop
(Note: new location for this meeting- The Computer History Museum )
The Key to Everything: The Building Envelope
The key to a comfortable home, office, store and any place we seek shelter, is the building envelope. It provides protection from the elements, the noisy neighbor and yes, even the occasional wild animal. (rodents, racoons, possums, etc..)
It keeps us warm in the winter, cool in the summer, protects our families, our possessions and the very house itself.
In this talk, we get geeky, defining the 5 functions of the building envelope, and discussing new materials and how we can build better buildings.
Our June Panel of Speakers:
Expert: John C. Stuart, P.E. of SIMPSON GUMPERTZ & HEGER
Architect: Bronwyn Barry, RA, CPHD. of Passive House BB
Builder: David Edwards, PhD, CEO of Earth Bound Homes, Inc.
As always, there will be delicious food, great company, and inspiration aplenty! We look forward to learning with you.
Wednesday, May 31st, 2023 workshop: Mountain View Community Center
(Note: new day and location for this meeting)
Topic: Building Science Roundtable
Homeowner, Architect, Builder, Tradesperson, Engineer, Environmentalist, Skeptic…we want to hear from you!
Do you have any of the following?
Crazy ideas
Brilliant Innovations
Small Changes with Huge Impacts
Past Wins
Questions
Please join us for a new format for this month’s meeting as we expand on April’s amazing conversation on ‘the power of questions on how we win people over and sell green.’
We will break out into groups and share ideas that will transform our actions and behaviors, how we build, design and live in our homes, and think about our place on this planet.
If you would like learn more in two hours than in two years of reading and working, you need to come to this meeting with an open mind and an idea to share, big or small, but something that you have done to make the world a better place.
As always, there will be delicious food, great company, and inspiration aplenty! We look forward to learning with you.
April 27th, 2023 workshop
Topic: Selling Green - The Art and Science of Listening and Asking Questions.
Selling the benefits of green to owners in their language.
Sustainable building begins with educating ourselves and our communities on the importance of Building Science.
Speak in a “language” that is more easily understood by anyone (clients/homeowners, tradespeople, media, employees, etc.) who may be interested in learning more about the importance of Building Science in residential and commercial building.
How to address client/owner objections to new building codes/green/aesthetic/design/functional/pragmatic needs.
Group and panel discussion (open forum) discussing best practices and what has worked and what has not. Let’s hear from you!
Speakers:
Jon Klopf, Founder and Principal, Klopf Architecture
John Klopf is a licensed architect and member of the AIA with 30 years in this field. He is the Founding Principal of Klopf Architecture, which he started in 2001 after working for a few other firms. John, along with his wife and their two sons, lives in San Francisco and enjoys walking his dogs to work, skiing, and playing competitive backgammon.
John was born in Cleveland Ohio, and is a graduate of both Harvard (Bachelor, 1993) and Berkeley (Master of Architecture, 2000). While at Berkeley, he won the highly competitive Branner travel fellowship for nine months of independent architectural study in Japan, Europe, and Scandinavia. While at Harvard he studied abroad one semester in Nanjing, China.
In addition to practicing architecture, John has taught design at the University of San Francisco as an adjunct professor, taught introductory design classes at Berkeley as a lecturer and graduate student instructor, and managed a sustainability research project for the architecture department at Berkeley. John also taught martial arts on a volunteer basis for many years.
Today, his architectural practice consumes all of John’s professional time. He focuses on modernist homes, net-zero energy homes, and mid-century modern buildings in general. A certified Passive House Designer, he is excited to be working on more net-zero energy modern houses and modern style, indoor-outdoor, Passive House homes that blend design and functionality.
Rob Nicely, President and Partner, Carmel Building and Design
Rob studied art at the University of California, Davis, and has been in the construction industry since 1980. His rare combination of technical expertise and artistic sensibility enables him to provide clients with a unique and exceptional experience. As president, Rob leads by example. He is dedicated to the highest quality and customer service standards and to using the latest techniques and technologies to create environmentally mindful homes.
Rob is a Certified Green Building Professional (Build It Green) and Certified Passive House Consultant (Passive House Institute). He has served on the Passive House California board of directors since January 2018. Over the years, Rob has garnered several accreditations. He participates in a variety of advocacy efforts; all focused on improving the quality of homes that Carmel Building & Design produces and increasing the ecological sustainability of the building industry in general. In his leisure time, Rob enjoys sculpting and painting.
Dave Cowan, Founder and CEO of Silicon Valley Sales Group
Dave Cowan, award-winning Sandler Trainer and Founder & CEO of Silicon Valley Sales Group is dedicated to helping clients dramatically accelerate revenue growth and profitability. Business Owners, Sales Leaders, and Professionals hungry for a competitive edge but uncertain about the best way to achieve it turn to Dave for high-impact results.
Whether struggling to get your business to consistent sales revenue and profitability or accelerating an already aggressive growth plan, Dave can help improve the performance of your revenue engine with his focus on developing the sales process and methodology you need to be successful. Dave provides Sales, Sales Management, and Executive Leadership development through consulting, executive coaching, and Sandler® Training. Dave has extensive experience developing markets, managing direct and channel sales, and building high-performance teams in the US, Asia, and Europe for SaaS platforms, software development tools, embedded systems, and IoT device networks.
Dave holds both BA and MBA degrees from the University of California at Berkeley.
Sandler Training in Northern California, Santa Clara, CA by Silicon Valley Sales Group
March 23, 2023 workshop
Topic: Cost effective whole building electrification in high performance buildings, small and large.
Sean Armstrong, from Redwood Energy, and an Architect and Builder (currently waiting for confirmation of schedules) will be discussing the systems and costs associated with electrifying buildings, from tiny homes to massive multi-family buildings. The goal of this meeting is to develop a full understanding of all the different ways, materials and budgets that can allow all of our clients to get to an all-electric building without breaking the bank or changing the buildings to hyper-insulated, ugly white boxes with no windows.
Our highly collaborative and interactive speaker panel format emphasizes knowledge sharing, lots and lots of questions and sharing of relevant experiences. We encourage you to join us for dinner and beverages (wine, beer, still and sparkling water and coffee), networking, community and partnership building starting at 5:30 pm and formally ending at 8pm. We have the room until 9pm and welcome you to stay and chat with the speakers and one another!
Speakers:
Sean Armstrong, Managing Principal at Redwood Energy
Sean is the co-founder (with Michael Winkler) of Redwood Energy, North America’s #1 producer (per NBI/NZEC master list) of all-electric, 100+ percent solar housing.
Since they struck out on their own in 2011, they’ve worked on 7,000 units of housing, and succeed in close to 2,000 true zero net energy (ZNE) residences—all electric and 100+ percent solar powered. Most of their work is in the easier domain of new construction, but as passionate advocates of fuel switching they focus most of their personal energy on retrofit ZNE construction strategies and informing policy makers.
They emphasize the lower development costs of all-electric construction and the higher financial benefit to owners and residents of buying low-cost and financed energy at bulk wholesale (e.g., installing solar panels) vs. buying retail from utilities. Their work is mostly in California’s affordable housing market, but they’ve also worked on retrofits in Florida and Tennessee. Affordable Housing in California is the juncture of financially savvy and well-capitalized developers, and steady IRS financing of affordable housing, in a solar-supportive state. To lift projects up to ZNE and higher profits, they perform mechanical system specifications and cost estimates, solar bid reviews, and energy modeling with a variety of software; invest heavily in monitoring; and educate their clients.
RMI (Redwood Energy)
Jennifer Kretschmer, Principal Architect, J Kretschmer Architecture and Art
The principal architect, Jennifer is licensed in California and has over 25 years experience in the field of architecture. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, she is a member of the American Institute of Architects where she has served at the local and state board of directors. She also holds an NCARB certificate.
Jennifer is credentialed as a LEED Green Associate. As a LEED professional she guides the firm in creating zero net energy, LEED Certified, energy efficient, and green home practices. She is currently on the Board of Directors for the AIA Silicon Valley Chapter and has been elected 2020 Vice President and 2021 President of the Chapter. Since 2016 she has been the chairperson for the AIASVC CRAN (Custom Residential Architect Network).
J Kretschmer Architecture and Art
Lucio Villasenor, CEO, MEC Electric
Lucio founded Master Electric Corporation in 2010. He earned his Electrical Engineering degree in Morelia, Mexico and brought his knowledge to Chicago, Illinois in 1999, where he began his career as an Electrician. Lucio then took what he had learned to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001 and built on his growing foundation of knowledge. He then ended up in the East Bay, where he worked for multiple local electrical contractors before starting his own Electrical Company. In 2010 when Lucio finally started his company, it grew continuously for two and a half years, mostly by word of mouth. Master Electric Corporation grew into the company it is today due to the relationships and trust that Lucio built with local residents and general contractors in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley.
February 22, 2023 workshop
Topic: Wildfire Smoke - Building Systems to Protect Indoor Air Quality
We are excited to announce our first official speaker panel meeting of 2023. We offer our thanks to Dan Garber FAIA and Luke Morton, both of Fergus Garber Architects, and Cathy Haire from Residential Heating and Air Conditioning, all strong leaders in their fields, for stepping up to make our February meeting outstanding. This panel is an extension of Dan and Luke’s talk from the 2022 AIA conference and is going to delve into one of the most important aspects of Building Resiliency: Protecting the health and safety of building inhabitants, and more specifically for us in the Western US, where we are surrounded by fire and smoke.
Join us for an in-depth panel discussion and Q & A about the West's new reality of frequent forest fires and the resultant poor OUTDOOR air quality and how this changes the existing understanding that bringing fresh outside air solves indoor air quality problems.
You will learn:
The physical and chemical characteristics of poor air quality
The health consequences of these chemicals and particulates
The mechanical systems, key elements and associated costs of the solutions to these problems
Sources for solutions/experts to help solve your next building project IAQ challenge
A better way to serve your occupants, residents and building owners by protecting their health and building value for decades to come
Speakers:
Dan Garber, FAIA, Co-founder and Principle, Fergus Garber Architects: Daniel Garber is a partner at Fergus Garber Architects, a 36-year-old firm that focuses exclusively on the design of the single-family home. The firm has been dedicated to sustainability from its inception in large part because its clients typically live in the homes the firm has designed for them for more than 25 years. Their mission is supported by having a dedicated sustainability manager who is involved in all of the firm's projects and organizes their research efforts, affiliations with like-minded organizations, their active interest in historic preservation and renovation projects in addition to the design of new homes, and speaking engagements on both sustainability and architectural history locally and nationally.
Luke Morton, Sustainability Manager, Fergus Garber Architects: Luke’s background includes positions with the U.S. Green Building Council in Washington D.C.; the Rocky Mountain Institute in Boulder; the Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta; and Viron Energy Services in Oakland. During that time, he was instrumental in supporting a carbon-based standard that will be incorporated into the LEED criteria, evaluating the effectiveness of the “smart” thermostat, and serving as a HERS rater inspecting more than 500 new single-family houses for ENERGY STAR and EarthCraft House certifications. He also led the energy audit of the entire Community College District of San Mateo.
Studio | Fergus Garber Architects
Cathy Haire, President, Residential Heating and Air-Conditioning: Cathy Haire has worked in the HVAC industry since 1976. She began her career in the HVAC industry at Westco Heating and A/C, Inc. (her father’s company). When he retired in 1995, Cathy established Residential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Trained by her father to do things right and explain price once rather than having to later explain poor quality, Cathy has built an excellent reputation in the HVAC industry for top quality, state of the art design & installation of home comfort systems and superior customer service. Residential Heating is the home comfort provider for numerous quality-focused high-end custom home builders around the Bay Area. In 2010, Cathy expanded the business to include Home Performance Contracting and shares her extensive knowledge of a house as a system and green building practices with existing homeowners to help them claim rebates through the Bay Area Regional Energy Network existing home energy upgrade program. In 2016 the business was further expanded to provide radiant heating installations on new construction projects as well as rebate-qualifying high-efficiency and heat pump water heater replacements in existing homes.
Residential Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.
During our February meeting/workshop, we thought it would be interesting to learn what we do and don’t know about Indoor Air Quality. And because Dr. Dave Edwards, a former scientist, and professor loves a good quiz; each attendee was given the opportunity to test their knowledge about indoor Air Quality before and after the workshop - see the results below or click anywhere on the graph below to take you to the test results in real-time!
During our February meeting/workshop, we thought it would be interesting to learn what we do and don’t know about Indoor Air Quality. And because Dr. Dave Edwards, a former scientist, and professor, loves a good quiz, each attendee was given the opportunity to test their knowledge about indoor Air Quality before and after the workshop - see the results below or click anywhere on the graph below to take you to the test results in real-time!
