# building science (audio feeds) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 3 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover building science. Page: Feed: --- ## 161 - Back to Basics: Water Control Layers Explained _2026-08-06 · UnBuild It Podcast_ Water is the number one enemy of building durability—and the first control layer every builder, architect, and designer needs to understand. In Part 1 of a four-part Back to Basics series, Steve, Jake, and Pete break down the principles of water management that every high-performance building depends on. The conversation starts where most rain begins: the roof. From roof design and drainage to… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19610605-161-back-to-basics-water-control-layers-explained.mp3) ## 160 - Designing Homes for Extreme Weather & Natural Disasters _2026-07-16 · UnBuild It Podcast_ How do you design a home for floods, wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, or ice storms? In this episode, Steve, Jake, and Pete explore what it really means to build for extreme events—and why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Drawing from real-world experience, Steve and Jake discuss how high-performance homes can be adapted to withstand the specific hazards of a site’s climate and… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19494124-160-designing-homes-for-extreme-weather-natural-disasters.mp3) ## 159 - Climate Zone 7 Ceilings, Universal Design & Alternative Foundations _2026-07-02 · UnBuild It Podcast_ Three listener questions lead to three very different building science discussions—from cold-climate roof assemblies to aging-in-place design and innovative foundation systems. The episode begins with a Climate Zone 7 tongue-and-groove ceiling question, comparing ZIP sheathing and smart vapor retarders for airtightness and moisture control beneath a vented attic. From there, a question about… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19437603-159-climate-zone-7-ceilings-universal-design-alternative-foundations.mp3) ## [S8E5: Pretty Good Curriculum](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/pghcurriculum) _2026-06-30 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/6a43ece58edd47424422b88e/1782836464200/PrettyGoodCurriculum.mp3) ## Multiple Chemical Sensitivity & Building Performance - 158 _2026-06-18 · UnBuild It Podcast_ How much can a building affect human health—and what happens when occupants become highly sensitive to their environment? In this episode, Steve and Pete are joined by retired building scientist and pulmonary physician Nathan Yost for a thoughtful discussion on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and its relationship to building performance. Nathan shares insights from decades of experience… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19357159-multiple-chemical-sensitivity-building-performance-158.mp3) ## 157 - Four Building Science Puzzles: Expansive Soils, Radiant Barriers & More _2026-06-04 · UnBuild It Podcast_ Four listener questions. Four very different building science challenges. One highly technical episode. Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle a collection of building puzzles that span foundations, roofs, wall assemblies, and moisture management. The discussion starts with expansive soils and why successful construction often depends on engineered foundation systems designed to accommodate soil movement.… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19294882-157-four-building-science-puzzles-expansive-soils-radiant-barriers-more.mp3) ## [S8E4: Serving Communities in a Changing Climate](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/charityfain) _2026-06-03 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/6a2036697e4b33120d74a493/1782836428478/Charity+Fain+Podcast.m4a) ## 156 - Building Standards vs Better Buildings? _2026-05-21 · UnBuild It Podcast_ Do certifications, standards, and professional credentials actually lead to better buildings—or just more paperwork? Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle one of the more uncomfortable questions in the building industry: why so many standards fail to consistently produce better outcomes in the real world. The conversation ranges from ASTM standards and manufacturer testing to architectural credentials and… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19210104-156-building-standards-vs-better-buildings.mp3) ## [Solar-Powered Attic Fans](https://sevenminutesofbs.podbean.com/e/solar-powered-attic-fans/) _2026-05-08 · 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience w/a BEAT)_ Today's guest is Peter Yost, of Building-Wright, talking about the problems that attic fans set out to solve, whether they solve the problems, and how to do it, regardless of whether you use an attic fan. [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/w8pbhkkcmrpvuf9n/solar-attic-fans.mp3) ## 155 - ZIP-R on the Roof? Structural, Hygrothermal & Durability Tradeoffs _2026-05-07 · UnBuild It Podcast_ Can ZIP-R panels work on a roof—and should they? Steve, Jake, and Nick Sabol from Huber’s Technical team dig into a topic that’s getting a lot of attention in the field. This episode breaks down the full set of considerations behind putting insulated sheathing on the roof deck: structural loading, fastening and shear, hygrothermal behavior, condensation risk, and long-term durability. The crew… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19135815-155-zip-r-on-the-roof-structural-hygrothermal-durability-tradeoffs.mp3) ## [Point a Domain, Start a Pit (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/2sKs9xu5tWd9) _2026-05-07 · **Sponsored**_ Point any domain to a blacked-out, poison-green coming-soon page with an email waitlist. ## 154 - Wildfire Zone Rainscreens & Smarter ZIP Sheathing Use _2026-04-16 · UnBuild It Podcast_ Do wildfire zones actually change how rainscreens should be detailed—and where does conventional thinking fall short? Nick Sabol from Huber’s Product Engineering team is back with Steve and Pete to continue the deep dive into wall details that actually work. This episode focuses on rainscreen strategies in wildfire-prone areas and challenges the assumption that every risk requires a completely… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/19027582-154-wildfire-zone-rainscreens-smarter-zip-sheathing-use.mp3) ## 153 - Wall Details That Actually Work: Water, Air & Rainscreens _2026-04-02 · UnBuild It Podcast_ What are the most critical wall details for managing water and air—and where do builders get them wrong? Nick Sabol from Huber’s Product Engineering team joins the crew for a technical deep dive into exterior wall assemblies that actually perform. Pete, Jake, and Nick focus on two of the most failure-prone areas in construction: bottom-of-wall-to-foundation connections and window rainscreen… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/18951665-153-wall-details-that-actually-work-water-air-rainscreens.mp3) ## [S8E3 Building Enclosures with Emily](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/emilyfulton) _2026-03-27 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/69c6532a923c061d7f63c7cf/1780495570684/Building+Enclosures+With+Emily.m4a) ## 152 - Thermal & Structural Loads: Insulation, Wood, and Concrete _2026-03-19 · UnBuild It Podcast_ How much load can insulation actually carry—and are we over-engineering residential buildings without realizing it? This episode goes deep into the structural and thermal realities behind common building materials. The crew breaks down compressive loading on rigid insulation, long-term creep behavior, and how these factors influence slab and foundation design. From there, the conversation expands… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/924220/episodes/18875436-152-thermal-structural-loads-insulation-wood-and-concrete.mp3) ## [Exterior Insulation Done Well: Best Systems for Deep Energy Retrofits](https://sevenminutesofbs.podbean.com/e/exterior-insulation-done-well-best-systems-for-deep-energy-retrofits/) _2026-03-12 · 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience w/a BEAT)_ In this episode of 7 Minutes of BS, we continue the discussion with engineer Jonathan Smegal of RDH Building Science Laboratories to break down the best exterior insulation retrofit systems based on real-world testing on five identical student housing units. Jonathan walks through what separates a good system from a great one — fewer layers, less thermal bridging, lightweight claddings, and a… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/2bvu379zjcn45ezr/7Min-Exterior-Insulation-Best-Options.mp3) ## [S8E2 Her Side of Mechanical with Ashley Murphree](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/ashleymurphree) _2026-02-27 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/69a19373feffad2bfd427cbc/1774604944881/Her+side+of+Mechanical+with+Ashley+Murphree.m4a) ## [S8E1 Building a Better Future Together](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/mottramandmaines) _2026-01-30 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/697cef91e4e0de473169b4fa/1772196346630/S8E1+Mottram+and+Maines.m4a) ## [Exterior Insulation Options](https://sevenminutesofbs.podbean.com/e/exterior-insulation-options/) _2026-01-05 · 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience w/a BEAT)_ Today, we are joined by Jonathan Smegal, an engineer with RDH Building Science in Waterloo, Ontario. Mr Smegal discusses the benefits of exterior insulation, then walks us through a recent study of five exterior insulation systems. [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/awx9jmtu63at3w5j/Exterior-Insulation-Options.mp3) ## [S7E12 - Jason Elmore](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/jasonelmore) _2025-12-26 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/694e6d4bb049a53b5ccd657e/1769795392300/S7E12+Jason+Elmore.m4a) ## [S7E11 - Danielle Maya](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/daniellemaya) _2025-11-28 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ Show Notes: Website: https://peak1.law/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellemaya [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/6929810a219060467f7e6112/1766747244977/S7E11+Danielle+Maya.m4a) ## [Auto-trade Cross-Exchange Gaps (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/6DJwoqXBSI99) _2025-11-28 · **Sponsored**_ Find cross-exchange spreads, backtest strategies, and execute automatically with risk controls. ## [S7E10 - Marcela Abrach](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/marcelaabrach) _2025-10-28 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ Content in English: https://www.youtube.com/@efficientbuild https://www.instagram.com/efficient\_build/ Content in Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/@LosEfficientBuilds https://www.instagram.com/losefficientbuilds/ [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/6900966afb8b3638fe1507df/1764327483173/S7E10+Marcela+Abrach.m4a) ## [S7E9 - Dr. Amy Randall](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/dramyrandall) _2025-10-01 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ Show Notes: URL: www.shurtapespecialty.com LinkedIn: Shurtape Technologies, LLC Instagram: @shurtapetech Facebook: Shurtape Technologies, LLC [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/68dd8a9551ba9a706741aee5/1761646022885/S7E9+Dr.+Amy+Randall.m4a) ## [S7E8 - Travis Brungardt & Joe Cook](https://www.mottramarch.com/e3-energy-efficiency-with-emily/travisbrungardtjoecook) _2025-08-25 · Emily Mottram · E3: Energy & Efficiency With Emily_ Show Notes: www.buildingsciencesymposium.com Dates: Kansas City Sept 9th/10th Philly Oct 7th/8th Cincinnati Nov 5th/6th [Listen](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c8bc93129f2cc13413a5b7e/t/68ac48be7af2a26944342295/1759349223700/E3_77_TravisJoe_1a.mp3) ## [Cool Roofs](https://sevenminutesofbs.podbean.com/e/cool-roofs/) _2024-11-05 · 7 Minutes of BS (#BuildingScience w/a BEAT)_ Dark roofs absorb heat, and light roofs reflect it. Light roof shingles—combined with more insulation in the attic— can go a LONG way towards reducing the heat stress people in southern climates experience three seasons of the year. [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/r5j3gzv0uiudolvd/stream_1931279843-7-minutes-cool-roofs.mp3)