UnBuild It Podcast

167 - Vented Over-Roofs & Double-Stud Walls: Building Science Tradeoffs

Are vented over-roofs and double-stud walls worth the added complexity? Steve, Jake, and Pete debate two high-performance building assemblies where moisture management, t

166 - Why Is Steve So Angry? High-Performance Building Frustrations

Why is building a high-performance home so frustrating? Steve Baczek has some strong opinions about the challenges facing architects and builders who are trying to delive

165 - High-Performance Homes: Do They Really Cost More?

Do high-performance homes have to be expensive? Steve and Jake tackle one of the most persistent misconceptions in building science: that better-performing homes are only

164 - Back to Basics: Thermal Control Layers Explained

R-value is only part of the story. In the final episode of the Back to Basics series, Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle the thermal control layer—and why good insulation means

Back to Basics: Vapor Control Layers Explained | UnBuild It Podcast #163

Vapor is one of the most misunderstood parts of building science—and in many assemblies, it helps buildings dry rather than making them wet. In Part 3 of the Back to Basi

162 - Back to Basics: Air Control Layers Explained

Airtightness is one of the most important—and most measurable—parts of building performance. In Part 2 of the Back to Basics series, Steve, Jake, and Pete break down how

161 - Back to Basics: Water Control Layers Explained

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

160 - Designing Homes for Extreme Weather & Natural Disasters

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

159 - Climate Zone 7 Ceilings, Universal Design & Alternative Foundations

Three listener questions lead to three very different building science discussions—from cold-climate roof assemblies to aging-in-place design and innovative foundation sy

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity & Building Performance - 158

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 re

157 - Four Building Science Puzzles: Expansive Soils, Radiant Barriers & More

Four listener questions. Four very different building science challenges. One highly technical episode. Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle a collection of building puzzles tha

156 - Building Standards vs Better Buildings?

Do certifications, standards, and professional credentials actually lead to better buildings—or just more paperwork? Steve, Jake, and Pete tackle one of the more uncomfor

155 - ZIP-R on the Roof? Structural, Hygrothermal & Durability Tradeoffs

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.

154 - Wildfire Zone Rainscreens & Smarter ZIP Sheathing Use

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

153 - Wall Details That Actually Work: Water, Air & Rainscreens

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 f

152 - Thermal & Structural Loads: Insulation, Wood, and Concrete

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 therma

151 - Where Matters: Climate

Climate drives building performance. In the first episode of a three-part series, Pete, Steve, and Jake explore why climate matters so much in building science. Steve ki

150 - Social Media: The Best and Worst of Building Science

Is social media helping the building industry—or hurting it? Matt Risinger joins Jake and Steve as the Three Social Media Amigos to roast Pete, the resident social media

149 - I’ll Tell You Where to Stick That Opinion

Who really matters most on a building project—and can the team actually work together? In this episode, the crew digs into the five “gears” of the building process: desig

148 - Dumb Ideas? Vented Crawlspaces & Over-Insulating Window Frames

Are vented crawlspaces really a bad idea—and can you actually over-insulate a window frame? The crew gets fired up tackling two topics that refuse to die in building scie