RESTalk
“Anytime we step boldly to make changes, we take a chance that we might fail. But the only way to get better is to try.“ -Joyce Meyer How do you define sustainable home building? What will sustainable home building look like in 2022? Where can you get a handle on data to help drive your decisions in this area? What are the bold steps you can take? RESTALK is pleased to welcome back Sara Gutterman, co-founder and CEO of Green Builder Media to give us insights about the state of sustainable building for 2022. Sara highlights how over nearly two years, the pandemic has acted...
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“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, Not by the desire to beat others “ -Ayn Rand What’s it like in the rating world north of our border? What are some of things that the Canadian Raters do that parallel or differ from what is done in the US? What can we learn from our neighbors to the north though a cross border challenge? The Cross Border Challenge is an annual event sponsored by RESNET and the Canadian Residential Energy Services Network (CRESNET) to recognize U.S. and Canadian builders who are pioneering the path to high-energy performance homes....
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“Science does not know its debt to imagination. “ -Ralph Waldo Emerson More and more we hear of the impact of carbon on our society and environment. Recent data says that operational carbon (the carbon that comes from energy, heat, lighting, etc. ) is becoming less of a factor. Now. attention is now shifting to embodied carbon - the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions associated with materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building or infrastructure. Today we are joined by Andy Buccino (Stephens & Company), Mike Browne (Advanced...
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“Leaders don’t create followers; they create more leaders. “ -Tom Peters Employee retention is a hot topic as 1/3 of new employees leave their job after about 6 months. Additionally, over 70% of employers are having a tough time recruiting skilled candidates. How does RESNET’s Emerging Leadership Council (ELC) work to address these challenges? How can membership in the ELC help to shape someone’s career? Today’s podcast will attempt to answer these questions with the help of Dylan Tindall and Jacob Kamen, the new Chair and Vice Chair-elect, respectively, of the RESNET...
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“I hope to continue to inspire our nation’s youth to pursue careers in science, technology engineering, and math so they, too, may reach for the stars.“ -Ellen Ochoa (American engineer, former astronaut, and former director of the Johnson Space Center) The percentage of women in the construction industry grew from 9.9 percent in 2018, to 10.9 percent in 2020 marking a recent steady increase in women's employment. Women now take on more roles in the industry that range from work in the trades to project management. In honor of Women's History Month, we asked: "So what’s it like...
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“You can have data without information, but you cannot have information without data. -Daniel Keys Moran Time marches on. And so do the changes in the demographics of buyers. What are the characteristics of home buyers, especially those that buy HERS rated homes? How can those in the HERS industry align with the factors important to the new wave of home buyers? We are back with Ryan Meres, Program Manager at RESNET, who is known for doing his research, collecting the data and turning that data into useful information for us. Listen in as Ryan dives into the characteristics and culture...
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“The fun for me in collaboration is, one, working with other people just makes you smarter; that’s proven.” -Lin-Manuel Miranda There are some distinct megatrends that will increase the number of NetZero homes. How is the ICC facilitating the drive to Net Zero homes? How is RESNET collaborating with ICC on this topic? We are joined today by two executives from the International Code Council (ICC) to discuss NetZero homes and collaboration with RESNET. Dominic Sims, CEO shares with us his insights into the research and trends that led the ICC down the Net Zero road. Learn more...
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“Collaboration is a key part of the success of any organization, executed through a clearly defined vision and mission and based on transparency and constant communication." -Dinesh Paliwal In simplest terms, what path is RESNET on? What is the RESNET mission? How are the goals crafted that align with and fulfill the mission? How are priorities and budgets set so these goals are achieved? Both John Hensley, President of the RESNET Board of Directors, and Steve Baden, RESNET Executive Director join us to describe the priorities for RESNET’s activities in 2022. We learn the process of...
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“For me, conferences are like little mental vacations: a chance to go visit an interesting place for a couple of days, and come back rested and refreshed with new ideas and perspectives.” -Erin McKean Con-fer-ence: a large official meeting, usually lasting for a few days, at which people with the same work or interests come together to discuss their views. Check. From the Latin conferre or ‘bring together’. Ok, check. How will the team at RESNET fulfill the goals of, and definition of a conference, actually 2...
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“Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, It’s the only time we’ve got.” - Art Buchwald 23 episodes, 23 topics and 22 different guests. We covered a lot of ground in the RESTalk podcast in 2021. We hope we stimulated your thinking and moved you into action in this sometimes complex world of home energy ratings. If you’d like to dig a little deeper into the topics covered in these episodes, see the list mentioned in each section below. PART A: Organization. Systems & PeopleEP64 RESNET 2021 Conference with Steve Baden and Emma BennettEP66 A Conversation...
info_outline“I hope to continue to inspire our nation’s youth to pursue careers in science, technology engineering, and math so they, too, may reach for the stars.“
-Ellen Ochoa (American engineer, former astronaut, and former director of the Johnson Space Center)
The percentage of women in the construction industry grew from 9.9 percent in 2018, to 10.9 percent in 2020 marking a recent steady increase in women's employment. Women now take on more roles in the industry that range from work in the trades to project management.
In honor of Women's History Month, we asked: "So what’s it like to be a woman working in the HERS industry? What inspires women to take this career path?"
In today’s podcast, we hear from Elizabeth Sanfelippo of Brayn Consulting, and Beth Ainsworth of Performance Point about their career journeys leading to roles in the HERS world.
They share their stories both coming from aspects of the fields of art and design. We learn of some of the challenges, large and small, as well as how they manage self-doubt and bias.
Elizabeth attended Middlebury College in Vermont where she received her BA with a major in studio art. While attending Samford University for a Masters in Environmental Management, she homed in on her passion for residential energy efficiency and home performance. She became a HERS Rater in 2016 (not really knowing much about HERS) and now works as a senior engineering associate for Brayn Consulting where she focuses on the 45L tax credit for energy-efficient new construction homes. She was a 2019 RESNET ELC Fellow and recently received the Jo-Ann Golden Humanitarian Award in 2021 from the National Association of Women in Construction Southeast Region.
Beth attended Appalachian State University, where she obtained a master’s degree in building science. After being immersed in the sustainable environment of Boone, NC for 10 years, she decided to follow her passion and pursue a career in green building design. She began working for Performance Point in 2010 and has been in the industry as a HERS rater for almost 15 years. She specializes in the modeling and design of custom housing and assists in the plan review phase and design for multifamily projects with her NGBS Verifier certification. In recent years, she has become a Quality Assurance Designee.
We wrap up the conversation by sharing thoughts on how the concept of women in the trades needs to be made “normal” in society’s thinking.
You can also hear more perspectives on this topic by listening to RESTalk Episode 85: “The House that She built.”
You can get in touch with our guests here:
Elizabeth Sanfelippo: [email protected]
Beth Ainsworth: [email protected]
RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.
Learn more at www.RESNET.us
Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]