Passive House Podcast

In this episode of the Passive House Podcast, Mary James is joined by UK-based architects Dominic O'Riordan and Alan Budden, both Passive House designers who opened their homes for the UK's Passive House Open Days during a record-breaking heat wave. Dominic and Alan discuss how their buildings performed under extreme heat, the shading strategies they wish they'd fought harder for at planning stage, and why attitudes toward mechanical cooling in the UK are shifting fast after decades of treating air conditioning as unnecessary.

 EcoDesign Consultants: https://www.ecodesignconsultants.co.uk/
Article mentioned by Zack: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/opinion/heat-wave-europe-america.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xlA.5iqJ._hKPg0bjq_M_&smid=url-share
Join us on the Reimagine Buildings Collective: https://collective.reimaginebuildings.com/

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.

What is Passive House Podcast?

Interviews with the leaders, practitioners, and change-makers in the global Passive House movement. A production of Passive House Accelerator.