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EP96 The State of Sustainable Building 2022 with Sara Gutterman

RESTalk

Release Date: 05/09/2022

EP157 See Something, Say Something: Why HERS Raters Belong in the Code Conversation With Phil Crone (LBA) and Paulette McGhie (RESNET®) (September 2026) show art EP157 See Something, Say Something: Why HERS Raters Belong in the Code Conversation With Phil Crone (LBA) and Paulette McGhie (RESNET®) (September 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode: “A well-run permitting system treats time as a part of affordability.” — Phil Crone “If we hadn't had our ears to the ground, we might not have even known that was going to happen.” — Paulette McGhie, on preserving blower door testing in Utah  “Be yourself. Be the constituent that they want to hear from.” — Phil Crone What role can HERS® Raters play in shaping better energy codes and housing policy? More than they may realize.   In this episode of RESTalk, Bill Spohn talks with Phil Crone, Vice President of Leading Builders of America...

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EP156 RESNET®’s Next Chapter: Listening, Learning and Growing With Shelby Gatlin and John Hensley (August 2026) show art EP156 RESNET®’s Next Chapter: Listening, Learning and Growing With Shelby Gatlin and John Hensley (August 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode: “The HERS Index isn’t just a score. It’s somebody out there in that home throughout the build, making sure that the promises are proven. — Shelby    “The better our rating industry does, the better our boots-on-the-ground rating companies and RFIs and modelers are doing their job, RESNET®wins. We all win.” — John    “RESNET® needs to look at themselves and say, ‘How can we do this better?’ And do that often.  — John  RESNET®is entering a new chapter. With Shelby Gatlin stepping into the executive director role and...

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EP155 5 Million HERS Ratings: What This Milestone Really Means (July 2026) show art EP155 5 Million HERS Ratings: What This Milestone Really Means (July 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode: "We're not just checking boxes. We're helping builders build better homes." – Matthew Cooper "The conversation needs to shift from price per square foot to value per square foot." – Steve Byers "Professionalism, curiosity, and partnership are what make great HERS Raters." "Five million homes is impressive, but it's the quality behind those ratings that really matters." Five million HERS-rated homes is more than a milestone. It represents decades of collaboration between builders, HERS Raters, Rating Providers, manufacturers, and RESNET® to improve the quality,...

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EP154 Every Drop Counts: The Evolution of HERSH2O® (June 2026) show art EP154 Every Drop Counts: The Evolution of HERSH2O® (June 2026)

RESTalk

“Water efficiency is moving from a nice feature to a development necessity.” “HERSH2O® helps turn water conservation into something builders can measure, verify, and communicate.” “Water is a precious resource—and unlike energy, we cannot simply produce more of it.” Water efficiency is becoming an increasingly important part of homebuilding, particularly in regions facing drought, rising tap fees, and development restrictions. In this episode of RESTalk, Bill Spohn speaks with Ryan Meres and Jacob Atalla about the continued evolution of HERSH2O® and the expansion of the...

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EP153 How Energy Codes Really Get Made, and Why Raters Should Have a Seat at the Table (May 2026) show art EP153 How Energy Codes Really Get Made, and Why Raters Should Have a Seat at the Table (May 2026)

RESTalk

  QUOTES from the episode: “The people closest to the work often have the clearest view of what needs to change.”   “Codes do not become practical until field experience finds its way into the conversation.”   “Better data leads to better codes, and HERS® Raters are sitting on some of the most useful data in the industry.”   “The future of energy codes will be shaped not only in committee rooms, but also in crawlspaces, attics, and blower door tests.” In this episode of RESTalk, host Bill Spohn welcomes Nathan Kahre of the National Association of Home...

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EP152 Powering ENERGY STAR Multifamily in the Southwest: SRP & Copa Health’s Blueprint for High-Performance Housing (April 2026) show art EP152 Powering ENERGY STAR Multifamily in the Southwest: SRP & Copa Health’s Blueprint for High-Performance Housing (April 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode: “Utilities are no longer just incentive providers. They are becoming design partners.” “High performance is not a luxury in affordable housing. It is a necessity for predictable living costs.” “If you want this to scale, it starts with early coordination and shared goals.”  In this episode of RESTalk, we head to Tempe, Arizona, where extreme heat, rising energy costs, and housing needs are converging, and where a standout project is redefining what ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction can look like in a hot, dry climate. Bill is joined by Rebecca...

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EP151 Emerging Leaders, Real Talk: The Future of HERS® Starts Here (March 2026) show art EP151 Emerging Leaders, Real Talk: The Future of HERS® Starts Here (March 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode: “You can’t fix what you didn’t catch early. Thoroughness upfront saves everything downstream.” “It’s a young industry. That’s what makes it exciting, we’re still shaping what it becomes.” “If you don’t have a reason for being in this work, it’s going to be hard to stay in it.” In this episode of RESTalk, Bill sits down with 2026 Emerging Leader Fellows Courtney Holland and Hayden Cantoni fresh off their experience at the RESNET® Conference. Both guests share how they found their way into the HERS® and building performance industry, often...

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EP150 Women Building the Future: Voices from the RESNET® Community (March 2026) show art EP150 Women Building the Future: Voices from the RESNET® Community (March 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode:   “You absolutely belong here. There are many paths into this industry, and there’s room for everyone to thrive.” - Cindy Zeis   “Patience, facts, and science always win the day.” - Sharla Riead   “The future of women in building science is unlimited.” - Nancy St. Hilaire   In this milestone 150th episode of RESTalk, host Bill Spohn marks Women’s History Month by highlighting the voices of women from across the RESNET® community. Through a series of short conversations, industry leaders share how they entered the world of building...

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EP149 Inside the 2026 RESNET® Conference: The Next Era of HERS® (January 2026) show art EP149 Inside the 2026 RESNET® Conference: The Next Era of HERS® (January 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode: “The RESNET® Conference is where experience meets fresh perspective, and that’s where the real progress happens.” “This isn’t just another conference. It’s about shaping the next era of the HERS© industry.” “If you want to understand where the industry is headed, this is where the conversations are happening.” In this episode of RESTalk, Bill Spohn sits down with Noah Kibbe from RESNET® to preview the 2026 RESNET® Conference coming to San Antonio’s Riverwalk. Noah shares what goes into planning the event, from selecting the location and shaping...

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EP148 A New Chapter for RESNET: A Conversation with Executive Director Shelby Gatlin (January 2026) show art EP148 A New Chapter for RESNET: A Conversation with Executive Director Shelby Gatlin (January 2026)

RESTalk

QUOTES from the episode: “What raters do makes the difference. Supporting them protects the credibility of the entire ecosystem.” “Energy and water performance are not abstract. They are measurable, verifiable, and they matter to families.” “My role is to protect what works, listen carefully, and help RESNET adapt without losing what makes it special.” In the first RESTalk episode of 2026, Bill Spohn welcomes Shelby Gatlin, the new Executive Director of RESNET©, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, credibility, and the future of home energy ratings. Shelby shares her...

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“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 like a surprise jolt upon the building industry. She reflects on how this has changed the landscape.

 

She helps us understand that to create a meaningful impact on runaway Climate Change, we need to set our sights on the full-scale decarbonization of our economy, reaching net zero emissions across all sectors as boldly and quickly as possible. 

 

She highlights this “perfect storm” of limited housing inventory, high material costs and labor shortages which have pushed competent building companies into high demand. 

 

Sara also notes analysts expect the storm to continue in 2022—at first. Economic experts are forecasting early in the year growth in single-family home construction, sales and pricing at a pace that is about 40 percent to 50 percent the levels seen in 2021. 

 

Look toward Green Builder Media’s COGNITION smart data (www.greenbuildermedia.com/cognition-smart-data) for more depth of detail on the forecasts we discuss. 

 

Sara has also published a blog post on this topic that can be found here:

https://www.greenbuildermedia.com/blog/the-state-of-sustainable-building-2022

 

While the Sustainability Symposium 2022: Roadmap to Decarbonization happened last month, you can still learn more at the comprehensive Housing2.0 Program found here: 

https://www.greenbuildermedia.com/housing-2.0

 

 

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 INFO@RESNET.US