Building the World’s Healthiest Homes

Construction Champions Podcast
Dec 22, 2025
4 min read

Why Passive House Construction Is the Future of Building

Most people assume that new homes are better than old ones. More efficient. Healthier. Smarter. Built with better materials and better systems.

The truth is, that is not always the case.

In this episode of the Construction Champions Podcast, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Paul Kealey, founder and CEO of EkoBuilt, to break down why many modern homes are still energy inefficient, unhealthy, and expensive to operate, and how passive house construction is changing that reality.

Paul has spent more than two decades in the building industry, with the last ten years focused almost entirely on passive house design and construction. His mission is simple but bold. Make passive homes accessible, affordable, and practical for everyday homeowners across North America.

What Passive House Really Means

Passive house is not a trend. It is not a luxury feature. And it is not limited to a specific climate or region.

Passive house is an international construction standard focused on creating the most energy efficient, airtight, and healthy buildings possible. Homes built to this standard reduce heating and cooling demand by roughly eighty percent compared to traditional code built homes.

What makes this approach different is that it works everywhere. Cold climates. Hot climates. Northern regions. Tropical regions. The same principles apply because the focus is on airtightness, insulation, and controlled ventilation.

Instead of relying on oversized mechanical systems to compensate for energy loss, passive homes are designed to hold heat and cool air naturally. Paul describes it as building a home like a thermos. Once the temperature is set, the house maintains it with minimal effort.

Energy Savings That Actually Matter

Everyone hates utility bills. Rising energy costs are one of the few things homeowners everywhere agree on.

Paul explains that the small additional upfront cost of building passive is quickly offset by utility savings. In many cases, the annual cost to heat and cool a passive home can be less than two hundred dollars a year.

That number is not dependent on house size. A three thousand square foot passive home can cost roughly the same to heat and cool as a much smaller house because energy loss is so tightly controlled.

This also makes passive homes ideal for off grid living. Smaller heating and cooling loads mean smaller solar systems, fewer batteries, and lower overall infrastructure costs. Even homes connected to the grid benefit during power outages because passive homes hold temperature far longer than conventional builds.

Paul shares real world examples where passive homes stayed above fifty degrees Fahrenheit during extreme winter conditions without active heating.

Health Is the Missing Conversation in Construction

One of the most important parts of this episode is the conversation around health.

Building codes are designed primarily to prevent structural failure. They are not designed to protect long term human health. As a result, many modern homes are airtight but poorly ventilated, trapping moisture, toxins, and pollutants inside.

Paul explains how vapor closed construction methods combined with poor airflow create the perfect conditions for mold and indoor air quality problems. Studies now show that a significant percentage of new homes develop mold issues within the first five years.

Passive house construction addresses this by pairing airtightness with properly designed fresh air systems. Instead of relying on exhaust based ventilation that depressurizes the home, passive homes use balanced ventilation systems that continuously supply filtered fresh air while removing stale air.

Considering that people spend eighty to ninety percent of their time indoors, and roughly a third of their lives sleeping, indoor air quality is not a luxury feature. It is a health necessity.

Why Codes Lag Behind Innovation

A major barrier to better building practices is regulation.

Paul explains that while building codes are slowly improving, they lag far behind what is already proven and possible. Many builders want to build better homes but are hesitant to deal with inspectors, municipalities, and approval delays when doing something different.

EkoBuilt solves part of this problem by providing engineered, certified systems that remove uncertainty from the approval process. Their prefabricated wall and roof systems allow builders to erect a fully weather tight shell in about a week, compared to months with traditional framing.

This reduces delays, minimizes weather exposure, and dramatically improves build consistency.

Passive Homes at Scale

Passive house construction is not limited to small homes or custom builds.

EkoBuilt systems can be used for homes as small as four hundred square feet and as large as multi thousand square foot single family and multifamily projects. Paul explains that larger passive homes often deliver even better efficiency ratios because internal heat gains from people and appliances contribute to maintaining interior temperature.

Another overlooked benefit is mechanical longevity. Heating and cooling systems in passive homes run far less frequently, reducing wear and extending equipment life.

Challenging the Status Quo

Throughout the episode, one theme keeps coming up. The construction industry is capable of building healthier, smarter, more efficient homes right now. The knowledge exists. The systems exist. The data exists.

What is missing is widespread adoption.

Paul believes that construction champions are builders who are willing to challenge outdated norms, ask better questions, and solve problems that codes have not yet caught up with.

That mindset is what moves the industry forward.

How BuilderComs Fits Into This Conversation

Episodes like this highlight why communication matters so much in construction.

Building outside traditional norms requires clear coordination between builders, engineers, inspectors, and homeowners. When expectations, documentation, and decisions are not aligned, even the best systems can stall.

BuilderComs helps construction teams stay aligned, communicate clearly, and protect projects from miscommunication that costs time and money.

Whether you are introducing new building methods, coordinating prefabrication, or navigating approvals, clear communication is what turns innovation into execution.

Learn more at www.buildercoms.com

Episode Takeaways

Passive house construction dramatically reduces energy use while improving comfort and healthIndoor air quality is one of the most overlooked issues in modern homesBuilding codes prioritize structure over long term human healthAirtight homes must be paired with proper fresh air systemsPassive homes perform better during power outages and extreme weatherBetter communication is essential when building outside traditional methods