Building Science Summer Camp: The 3rd Annual Uncensored Twitterview with Joe Lstiburek
Comment Share
At the 15th Annual Westford Symposium on Building Science, otherwise known as Building Science Summer Camp, it's now an annual tradition to conduct a twitter interview with Camp Counselor and guru Joe Lstiburek. This takes place in the crawl space of Joe's super-insulated house. Twenty people sit on the floor in a circle, it's always oppressively hot, and red wine flows freely. Sourced from twitter and from the group, we ask Joe a variety of questions that typically span a range from quality buildings to french second growth to the finer points of snow in the rockies. It's always provocative, thoughtful and a helluva lot of fun. And, did I mention, the wine is really freaking good.
Joe, not normally a compliant type, is brilliant at keeping his answers within 140 characters.
Here are a few highlights from last night's twitterview, the full set of which can be found by searching the hashtag #bscamp on twitter.
Q: What part of green building annoys you the most? Joe: Green roofs.
Q: What will motivate change? Joe: Peak Oil is good. The sooner it happens the sooner we get our act together. I'm not waiting, I'm going off grid.
Q: How can builders succeed in this economic environment? Joe: Sophisticated builders are succeeding with high tech houses--it resonates. Comfortable, healthy. High tech.
Q: How do we transform the market? Joe: Steve Jobs didn't create the iPhone with focus groups. Let that be a lesson to us.
Q: Where's the market for low energy buildings? Joe: If I was a builder, I'd go for dynamically stable. My market segment would want that. But I say let the marketplace decide.
Q: What about the programs? Joe: I don't believe in any subsidized programs. People like systems because they can game them. So everybody loses.
Q: Is there hope for remodeling in building science? Yes, remodeling is the heart of building science. It's where we learn the most.
Q: Should builders/contractors do their own energy audits? Joe: You fill out your own taxes. What's the difference?
Q: Are architects still the boundary condition? Joe: Yes. The people who need to know the information don't know it.
Q: What can transform the market for low energy homes? Joe: Logic
Q: What is your plan for getting your house off grid? Joe: I haven't begun to squeeze the efficiency out of this building. First the barn envelope. Then the barn mechanicals. Then the main house. Then the outbuildings. This will take 2 years. Only then will we put up as much PV as we can afford, figure out storage on site, and use the electricity to make water hot and cold.
Q: Why are you doing it? Joe: My reason to go off grid is to show that you can do it. Pure vanity.
Thanks to the awesome twitter crew who participated in this: @EnergyVanguard, @MichaelAnschel, @EFL_guy, @BenjaminObdyke, @GreenCurmudgeon, @iJustinj and those who participated remotely. Sorry we didn't get everyone's question in.
And especially: thank you for hosting us, Joe. Summer camp has been intensely smart and a shitload of fun.
Comments
What can transform the market for low energy homes? Joe: Logic
Ever used an ROI calculator? How many people have a greater than 4% mortgage. How many people are going to save more than 4% of their money building past code? Logic, is you realizing the market demand and builder response is building science, not what some book nerd writes down. Spray foam is for idiots....try building more Joe, and talking less.
Posted by Anonymous on Mar 3, 2012 5:35amAnon--
Transforming the market for low energy homes is, to be sure, a complicated and not entirely logical topic. Too few understand ROI, and amongst those who do, exceptional payback economics can't overcome just not having any cash or borrowing capacity. On market demand, we're pushing a big rock, and progress is slow, but we are moving in the right direction. Persistence needs to be the watchword. Some markets are tipping. More will follow.
Posted by Peter Troast on Mar 3, 2012 12:06pm"low energy homes" like saying "peaceful gun" It ain't the homes using energy, that is the problem. I love going to a house where an old farmer heats solely off of dead trees, doesn't cool till the home hits like 88(if at all). With no insulation. Then you get to the city and see some nerd with a 3500sqft house covered in plastic(foams) talking about "green" through energy savings.@72 in the summer 78winter..while they ignore the plastic and the costs(overall losses annually), even worse when they take some "rebate" that costs the old farmer money like we are a welfare state now. Funny thing....every house is "offgrid" with a couple valves/switches. Also funny how the techno book nerd version of "offgrid" today requires so many more products and manufacturing they are just on a different "grid" !!! Its like a bunch of smart people pushing the wrong side of the rotating door telling us to follow, it's not the right direction. Thank god for the down to earth builders out there keeping real. When you push for air tightness standards like todays, you are not looking out for the health of the occupant and no energy savings will make mechanical ventilation reliable.
Posted by Anonymous on Mar 3, 2012 7:26pm