
About this episode
In this episode of The Passive House Podcast, Ilka Cassidy and Jacob Racusin are at the BuildingEnergy Boston 2026 Conference (Sponsored by New Energy Works).
Ilka and Jacob recap day 2 of the conference including a keynote by Melissa O’Mara and Kevin Stack, “Unstoppable Inner Resilience and Generational Leadership,” which guided attendees through a meditation connecting to ancestors and future generations, highlighting accountability, leadership, and the “knowing-doing gap” via the Inner Development Goals. Ilka then interviews architect Phil Kaplan about a deep energy retrofit of a mid-century Acorn Deck House involving unexpected conditions, major structural changes, and questions about cost and embodied carbon versus rebuilding. The day’s highlights also include sessions on tools and strategies to balance operational and embodied carbon, evaluate deep versus moderate retrofits, and push manufacturers toward healthier, lower-impact materials.
Episode with Rachel White & Michael Hindle: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/podcast/building-energy-boston-with-rachel-white-michael-hindle
Meditation that is similar to the one described in the episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-time-academy/id1589516917
Episode with Melissa O'Mara and Kevin Stack: https://passivehouseaccelerator.com/podcast/180-inner-development-goals-idgs-and-buildings-with-kevin-stack-and-melissa-omara
Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
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