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Breaking the Carbon Bond a 2023-24 podcast Season 1, the House of the Future, is pod created for Climate Smart by hosts Rick Craig and Wren Cilimburg. All seven episodes of S1 are full of practical advice as we move to Electrify Missoula. January 2024 - the final episode has just been published (scroll down). Listen below or find & subscribe via your favorite streaming service. To listen to any episode, click on the "+" in the green bars below. Thanks for listening and sharing! Scroll down for Clear the Air, our 2021-22 five-part podcast series on a wide range of local climate issues. |
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episode one: The carbon free house
Rick and Wren discuss the reasons to electrify your personal infrastructure and the challenges of eliminating carbon emissions from our homes. Rick introduces the house we’ll be working on, as well the house next door, an all-electric, net zero home built in 2019, that models what we’re trying to achieve with our retrofit.
episode two: Planning Your Carbon-free Home retrofit
We look at how a Home Energy Audit is done and how it can guide you through the decisions involved in eliminating fossil fuel use from your home. Rick reports on the energy audit he did on the house; what was good, what was bad and what was overlooked in its construction. From there we look at how the information from the audit can help you prioritize the work, including how to decide if specific energy saving improvements will be worth their cost. Project scope and costs are discussed
Episode three: The work begins
Wren quizzes Rick on the first steps in the retrofit; the energy-saving improvements that will reduce the house’s energy use to save money and time in the next phase
episode four: electrification begins
Rick talks about his first win in the electrification process—replacing the gas stove with an electric one—and uses it as an example of the ways a home’s electrical system may need to be upgraded to handle electrification. We discuss the requirements for a home’s electrical service, its load center and the individual circuits that will be needed for the new machines that will be replacing the fossil-fuel powered ones.
episode five: the HVAC challenge
For most homes, especially those in cold climates, converting the HVAC system from fossil fuels to electricity is the most difficult aspect of going carbon-free. We dedicate this whole episode to the HVAC conversion, with a special focus on cold climate heating. We discuss the strengths, weaknesses and operating costs of heat pumps, which are emerging as the most popular option for electric heating and cooling.
episode six: intro to home solar
Rick interviews Orion Thornton of OnSite Energy who uses the expertise he’s gleaned from years in the solar industry to help homeowners through the process of selecting and installing a solar PV system. Orion makes recommendations about preparing to meet with solar installers; what to know in advance, what to ask, and how to get the system you want.
EPISODE seven: the results!
In this final episode from season 1, Rick and recap the results of this whole home retrofit and electrification. The episode you have all been waiting for!
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House of the Future show notes:
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Wren & Rick recording the final episode!
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Clear the Air is a five-part podcast series about how Missoula is stepping up to address climate change. It was produced in the summer & fall of 2021 by our amazing intern Devin and then Program Director Kelli. |
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Episode 1/2: Wildfire smoke
In this episode, we speak with Robin Saha, PhD, the director of the Environmental Studies Program at the University of Montana, and Sarah Coefield, the Missoula County Air Quality Specialist, about how wildfire smoke and poor air quality are negatively impacting our community. We also hear from Amy Cilimburg, Climate Smart's Director, Diana Manetta, Missoula County's Energy Conservation and Sustainability Coordinator, and Caroline Lauer, Missoula County's Climate Resilience Coordinator.
Episode 1: Residential Buildings
In this episode, we speak with Rick Craig, a contractor here in Missoula, and Kalle Fox, the University of Montana F.L.A.T. Co-Director, about how they make their homes more energy efficient and what sort of techniques you can employ in your home.
Learn more about ways to reduce your electricity use here.
Read more about Missoula goal for 100% clean electricity by 2030 here.
Read about the dangers of natural gas stoves here.
Read about the electrify everything movement here.
For more on weatherization visit here.
Learn more about financing options here.
Learn more about the F.L.A.T. here.
Learn more about ways to reduce your electricity use here.
Read more about Missoula goal for 100% clean electricity by 2030 here.
Read about the dangers of natural gas stoves here.
Read about the electrify everything movement here.
For more on weatherization visit here.
Learn more about financing options here.
Learn more about the F.L.A.T. here.
Episode 2: Green is Good for business
In this episode, we speak with Aimee McQuilkin, the founder of Betty's Divine, and Paul Herendeen, the Director of Impact Market Development at Clearwater Credit Union, about how going green is good for the triple bottom line (people, profits, and the planet).
Learn more about Betty's Divine here.
Check out Aimee's other projects (Divine Trash Vintage and Clark Fork Yacht Club).
Read about B Corp Certification here.
Learn more about financing clean energy here.
Learn about Clearwater Credit Union's home energy loans here.
Check out Aimee's other projects (Divine Trash Vintage and Clark Fork Yacht Club).
Read about B Corp Certification here.
Learn more about financing clean energy here.
Learn about Clearwater Credit Union's home energy loans here.
episode 3: The Green workforce
In this episode, we speak with Andrew Valainis, the Executive Director of the Montana Renewable Energy Association, John Freer, the Sustainable Construction Technology Program Director at the University of Montana, Sarah Ayers, Principal Architect and owner of LOCI Architecture, and Eva Rocke, the Sustainability Director at the University of Montana, about what the green workforce really is.
Learn more about the Montana Renewable Energy Association here.
Check out the Sustainable Construction Technology Program at Missoula College here.
Visit LOCI Architecture's page here.
Read about UMT Sustainability here.
Learn more about the Montana Renewable Energy Association here.
Check out the Sustainable Construction Technology Program at Missoula College here.
Visit LOCI Architecture's page here.
Read about UMT Sustainability here.
Episode 4: Climate change & mental health
In this episode, we speak with Jen Robohm, PhD, a clinical psychologist here in Missoula. We discuss the complex relationship between climate change and mental health.
Episode 5: MIssoula parks & recreation
In this episode, we speak with Donna Gaukler, the Director of Missoula Parks and Recreation, Marie Anderson, the Urban Forestry Specialist, and TJ Machado, the Parks and Trails Superintendent, about the ongoing efforts within the City of Missoula's Parks and Recreation department to address climate change in a meaningful way.
Explore Trees for Missoula here.
Visit the City of Missoula Parks and Recreation webpage here.
Read about the "Environmental Impact and Management of Phosphogypsum" here.
Explore Trees for Missoula here.
Visit the City of Missoula Parks and Recreation webpage here.
Read about the "Environmental Impact and Management of Phosphogypsum" here.
