Build It Forward

In this conversation on Build It Forward, Nick Falkoff of Auburndale Builders sits down with Ross Trethewey of TE2 Engineering and This Old House to talk about where HVAC systems are heading, and why that future looks different from what most builders are used to today.

They start with the Studio HPDC barn as a real-world testing lab and how it can function as a community mechanical room, then get into what's driving change in the industry. From rising energy costs to the limits of traditional systems, they discuss why air-to-water heat pumps are gaining traction in the US and what still stands in the way.

Ross explains why lab data and energy models only tell part of the story, and why measuring real-world performance is important to fill in the gaps. That leads into predictive controls, system behavior over time, and how thermal storage and phase change materials could reshape how buildings use energy.

The back half focuses on what this means in practice. Where do these systems make sense today? How do trades adapt? And how do we move from "high-performance" as a concept to something we can actually implement?

Chapters
00:21 – The Studio HPDC barn as a high-performance learning lab
02:53 – Air-to-water heat pumps and the U.S. market shift
04:33 – How energy costs and market forces drive adoption
09:39 – Why real-world data matters more than lab data
15:50 – Predictive controls and system behavior over time
17:10 – Thermal storage and phase change materials explained
26:20 – Where air-to-water systems fit today
32:15 – Retrofit strategies and hybrid system approaches
36:18 – Measuring performance and where the industry is heading

Connect with:
Ross Trethewey, TE2 Engineering
IG: @rosstrethewey
https://www.te2engineering.com

Studio HPDC
IG: @studiohpdc
www.studiohpdc.org

Work with Auburndale Builders on your high-performance build:
vision@auburndalebuilders.com

Music
"Welcome to the Johnsons" from the album Bird Mode
by E*Lightning aka Jon Erickson, CPHB
elightning.bandcamp.com

Made with PRMEABL_

#BuildItForward #AuburndaleBuilders #HighPerformanceBuilding #BuildingScience #HVACDesign #HeatPumps #AirToWater #Electrification #HomePerformance #MechanicalSystems #PassiveHouse #ThisOldHouse #BostonMA #CambridgeMA

What is Build It Forward?

Build It Forward is about the people, ideas, and decisions shaping the future of high-performance residential construction. Hosted by Nick Falkoff, GM of Auburndale Builders, and produced by PRMEABL_, the name is a play on “pay it forward.”

Conversations range from technical decisions and process to people, culture, history, and collaboration — exploring what’s working, what isn’t, and what might be interesting to try next.

These conversations are worth having, and worth sharing, because the best buildings come from communities that share what they know and build forward together.