Featuring
Robb Aldrich
Robb focuses on building energy systems: researching new technologies, monitoring performance, and helping practitioners create better, healthier, more efficient buildings.
Maureen Mahle
As Managing Director of the Sustainable Building Services team at Steven Winter Associates, Maureen leads a multi-faceted team dedicated to providing sustainable design and construction consulting for a variety of project types including community developments, residential, commercial, institutional, and mixed-use buildings.
Andrea Foss
As Sustainability Director at Steven Winter Associates and Washington, DC resident, Andrea leads a multi-faceted team dedicated to providing sustainable design and construction consulting for a variety of project types including community developments, residential and mixed-use buildings.
Gayathri Vijayakumar
Gayathri Vijayakumar is a Principal Mechanical Engineer at Steven Winter Associates, Inc, with over 18 years of experience supporting high-performance multifamily buildings. She graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Engineering Science and from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a MS in Mechanical Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Energy Policy and Management. Gayathri currently provides technical support to the EPA's Indoor airPLUS program and ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction programs. She currently is a voting member of the 2024 IECC Residential Consensus Committee and Chair of RESNET’s Standards Development Committee, SDC300.
We talk a lot about sustainability at a large scale; this typically includes large building projects or grid-level issues, like energy affordability and access to renewables. But how about the small-scale? What type of sustainability initiatives are people passionate about in their everyday lives?
To answer this question, Robb assembled a group of sustainability professionals from Steven Winter Associates and asked them to share some best practices for living a more sustainable lifestyle. Each guest responds with one topic they are passionate about and explains how they turned a common challenge into a sustainable solution.
Here's the breakdown of topics by guest:
* Maureen Mahle - Eliminating combustion and going all-electric [0:03:25]
* Andrea Foss - Water conservation in toilets [0:24:15]
* Robb Aldrich - Walkability and proximity to transit [0:41:10]
* Gayathri Vijayakumar - Duct sealing [0:59:00]
Episode Resources
Eliminating combustion and going all-electric:
Video - Samantha Bee’s take on cooking with gas (with RMI):
*
Here's Why Your Gas Stove is Killing You [YouTube]
Images - Before and after photos of Maureen's transition to an all-electric home:
Vintage Chambers Gas Range, Model 61C
Wood Burning Fireplace Insert
Combustion-free Induction Range and Faux Fireplace
Walkability and proximity to transit:
