Humid Climate Conference Recap: From Vision to Reality

Last week, I was lucky enough to travel to Austin, Texas for the Humid Climate Conference. Two years ago, the HCC was one of the first events where I was able to see one of the Phius Alliance chapters in action. I learned so much and still think about the presentations I saw then. The Austin chapter has been working hard for years to educate those in their region about building science and passive building. This year, you could see the enormous progress they have made. 

Two years ago the presenters were talking about better buildings and trying new things. Very few people mentioned Phius or talked about certification as an essential part of the process. Phius Co-Director Lisa White gave an overview of Phius and passive building, but the audience was still new to the concepts, and people still asked about being able to open windows. 

This year, the great collection of speakers started with case studies and most were Phius Certified projects. Phius and passive building were spoken about as the way to ease the burden on the energy grid, and as part of the progress toward reaching the goals set by the Paris Agreement. Phius standards have become an essential part of how people are thinking about the whole picture of reducing carbon emissions. 

A presentation on refrigerants and how lower loads lead to reduced refrigerant needs tied directly to Lisa White’s presentation about how reduced operational energy needs rippled to reduced lifecycle emissions to decarbonize the building supply with renewable energy and energy storage. It was clear that passive building is a vital part of more resilient buildings and communities.

The best part of the conference was the mix of people and the optimism there. This time, half the crowd was already involved in passive building projects. People were trained and asking for the next challenge. Those who have made their practices almost exclusively Phius were sharing their journey and progress with those on the same path. The optimistic current running through every presentation was ever-present and kept people engaged and hopeful leaving the event. 

Those who hadn’t been part of passive building yet were eager to learn more. They were excited to see the possibilities of more resilient but also more comfortable and efficient buildings in a humid climate. The distinct differences in strategies for cooling dominated climates shared by projects in Houston and Austin show that Phius Certified projects are affordable and provide the resilience to address the changing climate events. 

As a cherry on top, the City of Austin announced a new incentive for Phius multifamily buildings that same week. This shows that the work of the Phius Alliance Austin chapter is raising the tide for all ships, bringing a higher standard to the region, and that Phius Certified buildings and Phius Certified professionals are ready to take the market by storm.