Settle in during your drive or with a coffee at home for this episode because it’s a bit of a longer one.

In this conversation, I interview Dr Nicole Bijslma about her extensive 30+year journey in building biology and her personal experiences with environmental health issues. Nicole shares how her struggles with miscarriages led her to explore the impact of homes on health, sparking a deep dive into environmental exposures, geopathic stress, and the connection between feng shui and building biology. A key focus of our chat is the critical role of mould in chronic illnesses, its remediation, and the importance of education in preventing mould-related problems in our homes. We discuss advice for homeowners and builders, emphasising timely drying after water events, carefully considered construction practices, and the urgent need for greater awareness of mould’s health impacts. With mould being alarmingly prevalent in Australian homes, it’s so important to understand proactive measures to ensure healthier living environments so I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Thanks for listening! Please leave a comment to let me know what you thought or if you have any questions!

Useful links from our chat

ACES - Australian College of Natural Sciences website

Healthy Home Healthy Family - Nicole’s best selling book

CIRS & Mould Medical Testing Information

S520 - IICRC S520 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mould Remediation

S500 - NSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration

Mould in the Home 101 - excellent website / resource

Mould - scroll through for information on the HEPA sandwich cleaning method and more

Von Pohl - The man who has been described as the modern 'father' of geopathic stress.

Timestamps

00:00 The Journey Begins: Building Biology and Personal Experience

03:26 Environmental Impact on Health: The Role of Chemicals and EMFs

09:51 Understanding Geopathic Stress and Its Effects

16:34 Feng Shui and Building Biology: The Connection to Well-Being

20:30 Mold: The Silent Health Threat

24:16 Navigating Environmental Challenges in Modern Living

26:58 Introduction to Mould in Building Biology

29:22 Mold Remediation Techniques

32.37 Understanding Mold Conditions and Standards

35.14 Health Impacts of Mold Exposure

37.54 The Role of Construction Practices

41.16 The Importance of Education and Awareness

43.54 Practical Tips for a Healthy Home

Follow Building Sciology on the⁠ ⁠gram⁠⁠ or get in touch as jess@buildingsciology.net!

Visit the⁠ ⁠website⁠⁠ for show notes and a full transcript and sign up to the mailing list⁠ ⁠here⁠⁠!

In this conversation, Dr. Sarah Feiss shares her journey in building a passive house, discussing the principles of passive house design, the importance of energy efficiency in building codes, and the challenges faced in the Australian construction industry. She emphasises the need for better education and training for builders and designers, as well as the growing influence of homeowners in driving sustainable building practices. The discussion highlights the potential for improvement in building standards and the importance of understanding building physics for creating healthy living environments.

Thanks for listening! Please leave a comment to let me know what you thought or if you have any questions!

Useful links from our chat

Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings - ⁠https://www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/energy-efficiency/buildings/trajectory-low-energy-buildings⁠

Sustainable Builders Alliance - https://www.thesba.com.au/

Net Zero Ready Homes - https://netzeroenergybuilder.com.au/netzero/welcome

Tools app - https://buildingtools.co/

Little Pot of Gold - https://www.envirotecture.com.au/little-pot-of-gold/

Sarah’s Insta account - https://www.instagram.com/sarahfiess_architect/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Passive House and Sarah's Journey

02:48 Building a Passive House: The Process and Principles

05:42 Understanding Passive House Certification and Standards

08:07 The Role of Building Codes in Energy Efficiency

10:49 Challenges in Australian Building Practices

12:53 The Importance of Education in Sustainable Building

15:56 The Future of Building: Going Beyond Minimum Standards

21:18 Building Healthy Structures

23:32 Navigating the National Construction Code

27:24 Future of Sustainable Building in Australia

Follow Building Sciology on the ⁠gram⁠ or get in touch as jess@buildingsciology.net!

Visit the ⁠website⁠ for show notes and a full transcript and sign up to the mailing list ⁠here⁠!

In this conversation, I interview Ben Walsham, an energy efficiency consultant, about his journey from architecture to energy consulting. We discuss the importance of sustainable building practices, the impact of evolving building codes, and the need for collaboration between architects and energy consultants. Ben emphasises a human-centered approach to energy efficiency, focusing on how buildings affect the occupants' comfort and well-being. We also touch on trends in renovations, compliance pathways for energy efficiency, and the future of energy standards in the building industry.

Thank for listening! Please leave a comment to let me know what you thought or if you have any questions!

Useful Links from our Chat

www.arkata.au

TED Talk - Unfortunately I couldn't find the exact video we talked about in this episode but here are some other great TED talks!

What's a McMansion and how can we prevent more of them?

How architecture can create dignity for all
Ministerial Building Standard 013

Follow Building Sciology on the ⁠gram ⁠or get in touch at jess@buildingsciology.net!

Visit the ⁠website ⁠for show notes and full transcript and sign up to the mailing list here!