The Flow Lab

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The Flow Lab

Ben Walker & Sam Myers

15 episodes

3 weeks ago

High school students are building real, high-performance homes… and hitting 0.9 ACH50. Matt Blomquist joins The Flow Lab to unpack how his class builds tighter houses than most pros, why blower-door testing is a game-changer, and how hands-on education is shaping the next generation of builders. If you care about building science, air sealing, or the future of the trades, this episode hits hard. Matt Blomquist's Journey into Teaching and House Building (0:00) Starting the House Building Pro...

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High school students are building real, high-performance homes… and hitting 0.9 ACH50. Matt Blomquist joins The Flow Lab to unpack how his class builds tighter houses than most pros, why blower-door testing is a game-changer, and how hands-on education is shaping the next generation of builders. If you care about building science, air sealing, or the future of the trades, this episode hits hard. Matt Blomquist's Journey into Teaching and House Building (0:00) Starting the House Building Pro...

Show more...

Episodes (15/15)

The Flow Lab

How student built homes hit 0.9 ACH50

High school students are building real, high-performance homes… and hitting 0.9 ACH50. Matt Blomquist joins The Flow Lab to unpack how his class builds tighter houses than most pros, why blower-door testing is a game-changer, and how hands-on education is shaping the next generation of builders. If you care about building science, air sealing, or the future of the trades, this episode hits hard. Matt Blomquist's Journey into Teaching and House Building (0:00) Starting the House Building Pro...

3 weeks ago

43 minutes

The Flow Lab

Rewiring the Trades Pipeline: Inside Grit’s Hands-On Youth HVAC Camps

On this episode of Flow Lab, Ben Walker and Sam Myers sit down with Leilani Orr and Ty Branaman from the Grit Foundation to talk about a very practical way to grow the trades pipeline: youth camps where kids actually do the work. Instead of PowerPoints and lectures, these camps drop 12–17-year-olds into escape-room-style challenges with real tools, real wiring, and real jobsite scenarios. Mentors don’t just “show and tell," they use a Socratic, question-first approach so kids learn to think,...

1 month ago

54 minutes

The Flow Lab

Solar & Heat Pumps: Get the Math Right (feat. Brent Davidson)

Solar & heat pumps can be a dream team or a challenge when time‑of‑use rates and sloppy sizing collide. Brent Davidson joins Ben Walker and Sam Myers to share a contractor‑first playbook: fix the enclosure, model the real load, then pair PV, storage, and controls so bills go down and stay down. We discuss home battery technology, how TOU windows change design decisions, and why rules of thumb (500‑sq‑ft‑per‑ton) still wreck outcomes. Brent also previews the US Heat Pump Summit happening i...

2 months ago

48 minutes

The Flow Lab

How Contractors Can Overcome Air Leakage Problems Without Codes Using DIY Tools – John Konstantakopoulos & Joseph Cheung

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉 https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook -------------------------------- In this episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers are joined by John Konstantakopoulos and Joseph Cheung to discuss the challenges of improving airtightness and energy efficiency in Australian homes. The conversation explores the nuances of building construction in Australia, where airtightnes...

6 months ago

40 minutes

The Flow Lab

How Australian Homes Leak Energy for Builders to Improve Airtightness & Ventilation with Sean Maxwell

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉 https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook -------------------------------- In this episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers sit down with Sean Maxwell, Scheme Manager at ATTMA Australia & New Zealand, to discuss airtightness in buildings and the challenges of improving energy efficiency. From working with builders on airtightness practices to improve building ...

6 months ago

52 minutes

The Flow Lab

How Large Buildings Fail Air Tightness Tests for Contractors to Fix with ASTM E3158 – Denali Jones

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉 https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook -------------------------------- In this episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers sit down with Denali Jones, Technical Director at the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA), to talk about how large buildings are tested for air tightness and where things often go wrong.Denali walks us through his journey from starting ou...

6 months ago

52 minutes

The Flow Lab

How ATTMA Revolutionized Airtightness Testing for Building Experts Using Lodgment Systems – Barry Cope

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉 https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook -------------------------------- In this episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers are joined by Barry Cope, Managing Director of ATTMA (Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association), affectionately known as "Mr. Blower Door" in the UK. Barry discusses how ATTMA grew from a small group of enthusiasts into a global leader...

7 months ago

58 minutes

The Flow Lab

How Smart Sensors Are Replacing IAQ Gimmicks for HVAC Experts to Rebuild Customer Trust with Kevin Hart

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉 https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook In this episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, hosts Ben Walker, Co-CEO of RetroTec and Sam Myers, building science specialist and RetroTec trainer, sit down with Kevin Hart, Founder and CEO of HavenIAQ, a company focused on transforming the way we monitor and control indoor air quality (IAQ). From his roots as an electrician in the trades to pionee...

7 months ago

55 minutes

The Flow Lab

How Air Pressure Technology is Saving Lives in Warships and Homes with Niek-Jan Bink

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook In this episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, hosts Ben Walker, Co-CEO of RetroTec, and Sam Myers, building science specialist and RetroTec trainer, sit down with Niek-Jan Bink, Director/co-owner at ACIN instrumenten and mastermind behind innovative tools like the Flow Finder Mk2+ and the ADT. Niek shares his fascinating journey from climate resear...

8 months ago

1 hour 6 minutes

The Flow Lab

Fixing HVAC Air Leaks to Cut Energy Waste and Improve System Performance with Aeroseal’s Amit Gupta

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook In this episode of The Flow Lab, hosts Ben Walker, Co-CEO of RetroTec, and Sam Myers, building science specialist and RetroTec trainer, are joined by Amit Gupta, the CEO of Aeroseal. Together, they explain the innovative world of air sealing technology, focusing on ductwork and building envelope sealing. The conversation examines into the challen...

8 months ago

40 minutes

The Flow Lab

How Blower Door Testing Became the HVAC Industry Standard for Air Tightness with Brendan Reid

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook In this episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers continue their conversation with Brendan Reid, a pioneer in home performance and HVAC sales. Brendan shares expert knowledge into ductwork efficiency, sales strategies, and the science of customer communication. He explains why smaller HVAC systems often perform better, the r...

9 months ago

38 minutes

The Flow Lab

How HVAC Experts Make Millions Selling Comfort, Not Energy Savings, with Brendan Reid

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook In this episode of The Flow Lab, hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers sit down with Brendan Reid, an industry veteran and founder of Retrotec, to look into the history and evolution of blower door testing, energy auditing, and building performance. Brendan shares his journey from chimney sweeping in high school to pioneering the blower door industry, d...

9 months ago

50 minutes

The Flow Lab

How Blower Door Testing Revolutionized Energy Efficiency and Built an Industry with Colin Genge

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook In this episode of The Flow Lab, hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers sit down with Colin Genge, founder of RetroTec and a pioneer in building science and HVAC innovation. They take a look at the origins of blower doors, the evolution of air tightness testing, and the future of energy conservation. Collin shares fascinating observations of the early da...

10 months ago

51 minutes

The Flow Lab

The First Airtight Home That Started the Energy Efficiency Revolution with Harold Orr

The basics to help you understand homes as a system. Download our FREE ebook and start solving problems like a pro. 👉https://bit.ly/flow-lab-ebook Welcome to the very first and special episode of The Flow Lab, where hosts Ben Walker and Sam Myers sit down with Harold Orr, a pioneering figure in building science and energy efficiency. Harold shares the fascinating story behind the invention of the blower door, the groundbreaking Saskatchewan Conservation House, and how these innovations shaped...

10 months ago

57 minutes

The Flow Lab

The Flow Lab Podcast Coming Soon!

Welcome to The Flow Lab Podcast by Retrotec! This is a project that Ben and Sam have been working on for a while. The goal is to provide education and news on technology advancements in the industry through a new platform. In each episode, we interview industry leaders and innovators whether they have been in the industry for a while or are up-and-coming pros. Our first episode drops next week with special guest Harold Orr: Inventor of the blower door. Follow Hosts: Ben Walker (Co-CEO, R...

10 months ago