Episode 42: Passive House, Healthy Materials, and the Hierarchy of Healthy Building with Trey Far...

Send us a text with your questions, thoughts, and/or a love note regarding the podcast episode to help us know what to create more of! (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2470783/fa...) What does it actually mean to build a healthy home, and where do you start when everything feels equally important? In this episode, Ashley sits down with Trey Farmer, Austin-based architect, passive house advocate, and co-organizer of the Humid Climate Conference, for one of the most grounded and practically useful conversations this podcast has had on the intersection of building performance and human health. Trey brings a rare combination of credentials: passive house certification work, affordable housing and emerging tech projects, natural building experience, and a seat on the advisory board of Malachi's Message, a Texas-based mold awareness nonprofit. He is also just deeply fun to talk to. Together they unpack what passive house certification actually is, why it functions as such a reliable litmus test for the whole project team, and what it means in practice to build a home that controls its air, vapor, and thermal layers before worrying about anything else. Trey shares his hierarchy of healthy building priorities, from water control and airtightness all the way through materials and filtration, and why that sequence matters so much for homeowners trying to figure out where to put their limited time and budget. They also get into the gas versus induction debate, EMF considerations in context, the growing availability of red list free and declare-labeled materials, and why building smaller and better is often the most powerful financial decision a homeowner can make. This one ends with both Ashley and Trey agreeing that the healthy home space is only as strong as its community, and if you have been looking for your people, this episode will feel like coming home. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: • Contact Trey directly: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) • 2026 Humid Climate Conference (biennial, Austin, Texas) (https://humidclimateconference.org/) • PHIUS: Passive House Institute US certification (https://www.phius.org/) • HERS Index: Home Energy Rating System (https://www.hersindex.com/hers-index/...) • Building Science Corporation (host of Summer Camp) (https://buildingscience.com/sites/def...) • Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons New School (https://www.newschool.edu/centers-ins...) • ILFI Living Building Challenge and Safer Materials Shift Program (https://trimtab.living-future.org/aff...) • Declare Label and Red List Free certification (https://declare.living-future.org/) • Malachi's Message nonprofit (mold awareness and support, Texas) (https://www.malachismessage.org/) • Fastwall ICF (borate-impregnated wood chip ICF product) (https://faswall.com/) • Lutron Caseta smart switches with Pico RF remotes (https://www.casetawireless.com/us/en/...) • Eva King, forensic home inspector (referenced) (https://www.aura-enviroscience.com/ab...) • Stuart Brand, author of Whole Earth Catalog (new book on maintenance referenced) (https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com...) CONNECT WITH ASHLEY Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/awakeningsp...) | Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeningspac...) | Youtube (   / @awakeningspaces  ) | Website (https://awakeningspaces.com/) Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way. Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower and one on one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again! Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here. (https://awakeningspaces.com/offerings) CONNECT WITH GUEST Instagram (  / forgexcraft  ) | Instagram 2 (  / forgecrafthealthyhomies  ) | Website (https://forgexcraft.com/) Meet Trey Farmer, Partner and Principal at Forge Craft Architecture + Design. With nearly two decades of experience in sustainable design and construction, and as the firm’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Trey is passionate about projects that make life better for people and our planet. He is LEED AP Certified as well as a Certified Passive Hous...