PODCAST · science
The BS* + Beer Show
by Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Welcome to the BS + Beer Show Podcast, where BS stands for building science. This podcast is a recorded version of our live show, hosted every Thursday night at 6pm Eastern, on Zoom. To register for the live show, visit www.thebsandbeershow.com. What you won’t get in the podcast are the visual presentations given by the professionals from all walks of residential construction who join us each week. If you’d like to watch the full presentation, visit greenbuildingadvisor.com or find us on YouTube.
Episodes
-
Controlling Air and Vapor
Two of the four control layers in a building envelope, air barriers andvapor retarders are frequently misunderstood by builders, architects andeveryone else. Why are they important? Building science experts Steven Baczek and Brian Pontolilo join us to discuss this topic. If you'd like a primer,...
-
The Fascinating World of Exterior Finishes
What is there to exterior finishes besides grabbing a can of exterior latex paint and spraying or brushing it on? A lot! This episode, two friends of BS*+ Beer join us to talk about exterior finishes. Fine Homebuilding senior editor Patrick McCombe shares insights from his experience and research...
-
The Green Police: What's Good? What's Bad? What the Hell are we Doing?
In this episode of the BS* + Beer Show, we're joined by our pals Michael Anschel and Carl Seville, née The Green Police, for a lighthearted discussion withon the state of their businesses, the state of the industry and the state of the world. This could be an ominous, spooky or even terrifying...
-
Sound Spaces: How to Quiet Your Home
Once you have been in a home designed for sound control, it may be hard to go back to spaces with echoes and intrusive street noise. Join us and our guest experts to learn about the different ways that sound is transferred and the latest techniques and materials to limit it in your homes and...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 49: A Deep Dive into Dehumidification
Why is there no "D" in "HVAC?" There should be, and few people are more knowledgeable on the topic (or better at explaining the concepts) than our guest this week, Nikki Krueger.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 44: High Performance Hydronics
Few people, if any, know more about hyrdonic heat--John Siegenthaler literally wrote the book(s) on the subject. John will explain how to use air-to-water heat pump technology to heat low-load homes, and the discussion is sure to venture into related areas as well.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Halloween Special: Green Police Returns
For the third year, our spooky pals Michael Anschel and Carl Seville—aka The Green Police—join us for a Halloween special episode. This time they aren't giving us any clues about the topic, only mysteriously that it will be "another wildly entertaining yet substantive discussion." Will it be a...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 42: New Developments in Masonry Heaters
This traditional northern European approach to heating with wood goes by many names including Russian fireplaces, Finnish fireplaces, and mass wood heaters. No matter the name, the concept remains the same: burn briefly and slow the escape of flue gasses. Our guests this week have decades of...
-
The BS* + Beer Show at IBS: What has Changed in Our Industry and Where are We Headed?
The Brew Crew discuss change in the trades industry — from building science and construction best practices to our more recent challenges with material and labor shortages, transportation issues, rises in fuel costs and more. They also share highlights and lessons learned at the 2022…
more -
The BS* + Beer Show at IBS: A Home's Four Control Layers
The Brew Crew take a deep dive into the four control layers within a building envelope -- water, air, vapor and thermal -- that must be addressed in order to build a durable home. They discuss climate zones and how these layers are affected utilizing different assemblies and products, as well as...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 41: Understanding the Residential Water Heating System
Mention hot water, and most people immediately think of the water heater. But water heating is a system, and the piece of equipment that makes hot water is but one part of that system. In this show, we'll discuss the whole water heating system: the water heater, its inputs, and its outputs.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 40: Foamed Glass Aggregates
Have you heard about the new-to-market material that is lightweight, insulating and made from 100% recycled glass? The material is valued for its low unit weight, inertness, high permeability, and insulating properties. Experts from the two major US suppliers join us to discuss the types of...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 39: High Performance Business Models
This week we talk about building successful triple-bottom-line construction, architecture, and design/build businesses with guests Mel Baiser and Kate Stephenson from HELM Construction Solutions, and John Abrams and Deirdre Bohan from South Mountain Company.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 38: A Look at Refrigerants
GBA contributor Jon Harrod and Bryan Orr of HVAC School join us to discuss refrigerants including what makes a good refrigerant separate from the regulatory environment, how oil types and their properties are a big deal with refrigerants, real life recovery challenges in the age of refrigerant...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 37: Developers Who Do Good
Can real estate development be a way to support people and our environment or does it always have to be all about the money? This week we are joined by two experts—an architect/builder/developer, and an energy and sustainability consultant—for a discussion on how development can be a good thing.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 36: Building Science Fight Club
As founder of Building Science Fight Club, Christine Williamson provides technical design consulting services to architects assisting with design development and reviewing details and specifications to improve durability, comfort, and energy efficiency. Join us for an open-ended discussion about...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 35: Building Science Conspiracy Theories
What better way to celebrate Halloween this year than with returning pranksters Michael Anschel and Carl Seville, also known as the Green Police? They will regale us with spooky stories of building science "Conspiracy Theories" which is sure to lead into some dark rabbit holes of conversation.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 34: Builder Education and Training: Construction Instruction
How do we address the shortage of skilled tradespeople and help them keep up to date on the constantly evolving ways we build? This week the principals of Construction Instruction join us to share their thoughts.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 33: Photovoltaics: Harnessing Solar Energy Effectively
This week the Brew Crew and guests Will Field, Sam Brown, and Joseph Barry have a conversation around harnessing solar energy effectively.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 32: Sheet Goods as Air Barriers
In this episode—with surprise guest Jake Bruton—we tackle the topic of sheet goods as air barriers. The consensus is that, yes, sheet goods can make good air barriers, although there are many different approaches, and some are more reliable than others.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 31: Addressing the Climate Crisis
This week we are joined by Dr. Jonathan Foley, executive director of Drawdown, "the world's leading source for climate solutions." Arguably, the richest resource for real-world tactics designed to reverse greenhouse gas emissions, Drawdown breaks its offerings into categories that include...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 30: Flashing Details
The first rule of building science is keep bulk water out, which requires good flashing details. As simple as that sounds, if you've ever remodeled a house, you know that it's rarely done as well as it should be. Hear from builders—you might say they're the Big Dogs of the flashing game—who know...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 29: All About Rainscreens
This week industry expert Dr. John Straube joins us for the topic, "All About Rainscreens." After defining the water management system, he explains where and when to use a rainscreen before answering questions.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 28: Avoiding Mold and Fungus in Our Buildings
Why do we need to worry about mold and fungus? What can we do to reduce the risk? How do we deal with buildings that are already infested? Special guests and experts Cheryl Ciecko and Bill Robinson discuss how to design and build to minimize microbial growth.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 27: Energy Modeling vs. Load Calculations: What's the Point?
Building science all-stars Allison Bailes, Ed May, Marc Rosenbaum, and John Loecher join us for a discussion about energy modeling and load calculations. What's the difference? Who should perform them? What software should be used? Tune in to find out.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 26: High Performance in the City
Discussions about high-performance homes disproportionately center around single-family projects in suburban or rural areas—where there is space to spread out, regulations are often lax, and commercial and institutional buildings are rarely high-performance structures. When you compare that...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 25: Commercial to Residential: What Can We Learn?
Commercial construction projects are often much larger and more complicated than residential builds, with different priorities and stakeholders involved. Are there lessons residential designers, builders, and clients can learn from the commercial building industry? Our panel says yes and…
more -
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 24: The Science of Concrete
This week we discuss the science of concrete: what are the components that go into this durable yet brittle material? Guests Helen Watts and Trevor Acorn, both structural engineers, and precast expert Christopher Genest share their knowledge.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 23: Offsite Panelization
This episode of the BS* + Beer show features Alan Gibson, Ace McArelton, Steve Hessler, and Ilka Cassidy discussing off-site panelization. The group touts the method's benefits as applied to both single- and multi-family projects. They address questions that include: Is panelization the solution…
more -
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 22: Wood Fiber Insulation
This week we take a look at wood fiber insulation, a product class relatively new to the market with many unique features. Our guests, Scott Dionne, Shaun St-Amour, Will Grupenhoff and Jim Muhaw, each representing a different manufacturer, share their expertise about the various wood fiber...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 21: Playing With Fire
This episode of the BS* + Beer show features engineers Sonia Barrantes, Kristof Irwin, and Brian Ault discussing the topic of indoor combustion—particularly wood-burning—in super-tight homes. Their bottom line? Don't do it. However, if unavoidable, you'll want to see their presentation, as it...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 20: Advancements in Framing
Builder Andy Engel, architect Alexandra Baczek, and Tstud representative Mark Wille join the Brew Crew to discuss the industry's progression from timber framing to balloon framing to platform framing to advanced framing, including related materials.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 19: Unbuild It Takeover
Steve Baczek, Peter Yost, and Jake Bruton, the hosts of the Unbuild It podcast, take over the BS + Beer Show to impart their building science wisdom with guaranteed shenanigans.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 18: Essential Building Science: Understanding Energy & Moisture in High Performance House Design
This week we hosted a Book Club discussion of Jacob Racusin's Essential Building Science: Understanding Energy and Moisture in High Performance House Design. The book is aimed at anyone looking to gain a basic understanding of green building principles; the level of information is meant to be...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 17: Presenting the Elite Eight: #WallAssemblySweet16
The Kansas City chapter of BS* + Beer is co-hosting the 2nd Annual Wall Assembly Design Competition for students. Guests Connor Malloy, Joe Cook—both founders of the competition—and Christine Williamson, who is one of the judges, explain how the contest came to be, what it entails, and how the...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 16: Aesthetic vs Performance
How do aesthetics affect building performance? How do performance goals influence design decisions? Three architects—James Hartford, Meri Tepper, and Robert "Bob" Swinburne—join the Brew Crew to discuss their approach to creating good-looking high-performance homes.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 15: Building Monitoring: Show Me the Data
This week, the Brew Crew is joined by Kohta Ueno, Ben Bogie, and Doug Horgan. They discuss building sensors and data logging. The conversation centers around two key questions: What should we be measuring? And how should it be measured?
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 14: Lighting for the Rest of Us
Our last lighting episode was so popular that we wanted to continue the conversation with practical applications in mind. This week features returning guests David Warfel and Jeff Calkins, as well as Ben Parra. We hear about affordable strategies for improving what we are doing with lighting....
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 13: Deep Energy Retrofits: Two Case Studies
Join us this week for a discussion of deep-energy retrofits with Jesper Kruse and Anna Heath from Maine Passive House (mainepassivehouse.com). They share two projects—one is the Oxbow Brewery, a 200-year-old barn that they turned into a high-performance structure while preserving historic…
more -
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 12: Fine Homebuilding 40th Anniversary
This week we are joined by an all-star Fine Homebuilding magazine guest list. Mason Lord, founder of the Connecticut chapter of BS*+ Beer, came up with the idea to celebrate FHB's 40th Anniversary with a look back at the industry, the magazine, and the people who have helmed it.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 11: Communicating High-Performance Details
It's no secret that builders are regularly frustrated with the drawings they are handed. Often there's either not enough or too much information, which leads them to working through the details on their own. Our guests Steve Baczek, Armando Cobo, and Barry Price take a more hands-on approach to...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 10: Roof Venting: When, Where, Why, and How?
Roof venting is a perennially hot topic in building science, starting with whether a roof should be vented at all and with many fine points to consider depending on climate, assemblies, performance goals and other variables. Martin Holladay, Ben Bogie, and the Brew Crew will delve into the hows,...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 9: Lighting Design Strategies
The Brew Crew is joined by lighting expert David Warfel and Jeff Calkins for a conversation about energy-efficient lighting options, design strategies and best practices, and how lighting affects occupant health.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 8: Heating with Wood
Brew Crew is joined by John Siegenthaler, Albie Barden, and Patrick McCombe for a conversation around the idea of heating with wood, which is something of a loaded topic in the green building community. The discussion revolves around making the most efficient use of wood as a fuel source, and...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 7: Craftsmanship and Building
The hosts of The Modern Craftsman Podcast join the Brew Crew to discuss the idea of craftsmanship in conjunction with building science. They will share a bit about their professions and how they have woven building science methods, technologies, and products into their work as craftsmen.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 6: A Living Building Challenge Case Study
Michael Klement, Amanda Webb and Bob Burnside, the team behind Burh Becc at Beacon Springs Farm, the world's second Living Building Challenge−certified home, give us an in-depth look at the complex project. In this episode, learn about what earning a LBC certification entails and the ways in…
more -
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 5: The Pretty Good House Approach
This week, we thought we'd share the Pretty Good House presentation from the Fine Homebuilding 2020 Summit. Mike Maines walks through a way to use the Pretty Good House concepts to design and build a high-performance home, and architect Bob Swinburne shares a recent project that meets Passive…
more -
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 4: Who We Are
Learn a bit about The Brew Crew. Michael Maines, Emily Mottram, Travis Brungardt, and Kiley Jacques share their personal and professional backgrounds, explaining their interest in building science, how they landed where they are, and where they hope to go.
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 3: "Healthy Buildings" Book Club Discussion
Whether or not you've already read Healthy Buildings by Allen and Macomber you're sure to gain some perspective and insight into the role our indoor environmental conditions play in human health and performance. This week we are joined by an excellent panel of guests with backgrounds in writing,...
-
The BS* + Beer Show Ep. 2: DIY and High Performance
Anyone buying/building a new house or doing remodels wants their home to perform as well as possible, but money is always tight. So, what are some things any homeowner can take on when remodeling/building their home to boost their performance but still manage their budget? Guest hosts Nick Burger...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the BS + Beer Show Podcast, where BS stands for building science. This podcast is a recorded version of our live show, hosted every Thursday night at 6pm Eastern, on Zoom. To register for the live show, visit www.thebsandbeershow.com. What you won’t get in the podcast are the visual presentations given by the professionals from all walks of residential construction who join us each week. If you’d like to watch the full presentation, visit greenbuildingadvisor.com or find us on YouTube.
HOSTED BY
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The BS* + Beer Show have?
The BS* + Beer Show currently has 51 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The BS* + Beer Show about?
Welcome to the BS + Beer Show Podcast, where BS stands for building science. This podcast is a recorded version of our live show, hosted every Thursday night at 6pm Eastern, on Zoom. To register for the live show, visit www.thebsandbeershow.com. What you won’t get in the podcast are the visual...
How often does The BS* + Beer Show release new episodes?
The BS* + Beer Show has 51 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The BS* + Beer Show?
You can listen to The BS* + Beer Show on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The BS* + Beer Show?
The BS* + Beer Show is created and hosted by Fine Homebuilding Magazine.
URL copied to clipboard!