How do we create homes and communities that are affordable, energy efficient, and resilient in the face of climate change? In this episode of E3: Energy & Efficiency with Emily, Emily Mottram speaks with Charity Fain, Executive Director of the Community Energy Project in Portland, Oregon, about the critical role that energy efficiency, weatherization, electrification, heat pumps, renewable energy, and climate resilience play in creating healthier homes and stronger communities. Whether you're a homeowner, architect, builder, energy auditor, sustainability professional, policymaker, or simply interested in creating a more resilient home, this episode offers practical insights into the real-world impact of energy efficiency and climate-focused community programs.

In This Episode:

• Energy efficiency and weatherization

• Heat pumps and home electrification

• Climate resilience and extreme weather

• Building science and home performance

• Energy affordability and utility policy

• Renewable energy and community solar

• Environmental justice and energy justice

• Low-income housing improvements

• Workforce development in the clean energy sector

• Creating healthier, more comfortable homes

About E3: Energy & Efficiency with Emily

Hosted by Emily Mottram, residential designer, building science educator, and co-author of the Pretty Good House series, E3 explores the intersection of high-performance homes, building science, energy efficiency, sustainability, and resilient design through conversations with leading experts from across the construction and housing industries.

In this episode of E3: Energy & Efficiency with Emily, Emily Mottram sits down with building enclosure consultant Emily Fulton of SK Collaborative. They dive into the realities of construction; from managing moisture and humidity in challenging climates to the often overlooked importance of detailing, sequencing, and on-site training. The conversation explores how small decisions can lead to major building failures, why education and consistency matter across crews, and what the industry can learn from both successes and mistakes. It’s a candid, insightful look at building science, problem-solving in the field, and navigating the construction world as women in the industry. 

In this episode we sit down with a residential mechanical engineer, Ashley Murphree, to talk about the systems most homeowners never see, but feel every day.

From ventilation and filtration to hydronics, heat pumps, and indoor air quality, this conversation explores how mechanical design directly impacts health, comfort, and long-term building performance. We also talk about what it’s like to work as a woman in a male-dominated field, and why systems thinking, not shortcuts, is key to building better homes.

A grounded, practical conversation about engineering for real life.

In this episode, host Emily Mottram celebrates the eighth season of E3 and discusses the recent merger of Mottram and Maines, which aims to enhance their architectural practices and educational outreach. They share their backgrounds, emphasizing the importance of knowledge sharing and collaboration in the industry. The conversation delves into their design philosophy, focusing on the balance between aesthetics and functionality, and the significance of building science. They also highlight their virtual office model, the success of their book 'Pretty Good House', and their commitment to providing quality housing and resilient communities.

I had a chance to sit down with Jason Elmore and talk about air to water heat pumps and the future of heating technology from the experience of an installer in the field. It's exciting to think about what's up next, and we hope you enjoy this episode! Cheers, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. I love supporting and highlighting other women in the construction industry. Often in the construction industry, we don't call the lawyer until we have a problem. However, lawyers can help us make really valuable choices for how we want to handle things in the future and protect ourselves and our businesses in ways we haven't even thought of. This week I get to talk with Danielle Maya, a truly wonderful lawyer who brings up so many great things to think about. This is another great episode! ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. I love supporting and highlighting other women in the construction industry. This podcast is no different with Marcella, co-owner of Efficient Build. Not only does she bring a unique perspective to the homebuilding industry, her passion is contagious. I've gotten to know Marcella over the last few years and this podcast was a joy to record  ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. I love supporting and highlighting other women in the construction industry. I'm blown away! Talking with Dr Amy Randall today with Shuretape was a phenomenal experience. To hear about how they approach research and development and how she personally brings sustainability to the focus of their team was just amazing. I hope you all enjoy this episode as much as I did! ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. I love supporting and highlighting other women in the construction industry. Often in the construction industry, trade shows are big and intimidating. You don't feel like you can approach the pros and ask your questions. Well that's all different at the Building Science Symposiums and Travis and Joe are here to tell you all about why. Why they are different, why they do it, and why it's important ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. It's always really interesting to talk with other builders and hear their perspective on what's working and what's really challenging in the industry. Ally is an incredible ambassador for the construction industry and encouraging others to join in!  ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. I love supporting and highlighting other women in the construction industry. I'm blown away! Not only has Anneke been designing and building her own home on her property in Vermont, but she's loved the experience of building so much she has changed careers and become a full time builder. This is a great one! ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. For those listening to the podcast for awhile, they know I love good technology that helps us solve issues. You might think, but this is just about light switches, but it's an even bigger than you think. Join Sean, Vanessa, and I to talk about how this reduces energy, carbon, and a lot of jobsite headaches. Check out all the cool things they are doing over at Levven!  ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. This month we have something a little different. I had a recent graduate of architecture school reach out to me to ask about my experience and any advice I'd have for him as he navigates entering the world of architecture. So this time I let him ask the questions and I was in the hot seat. This is my experience, and if it helps even one person, I'm happy to share! ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. This month I had the pleasure of learning more about what another amazing female builder is doing in the industry. From sharing her knowledge on the stage at the International Builders Show to connecting her career in the fitness industry to her career in the building industry, it was absolutely amazing to know more about how Kali is excelling in the construction world. ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. On today's podcast I sit down with a fellow entrepreneur and amazing colleague Charlotte Mustard. I have always been a huge fan of the work Charlotte has done in the corporate world to bring recognition and support to the trade schools and their programs. Now that Charlotte has started her own company, I wanted to share what she's up to and hopefully connect with our audience and friends who might be out in Vegas for the International Builders Show. Cheers to Charlotte! ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. On today's podcast I had the pleasure of talking with Megan Thompson! I truely appreciate what Megan is trying to do in the world of selections. It can be incredibly hard to figure out what is a better choice when picking finishes and fixtures for the inside of our homes. As we make tighter homes that really improve the efficiency and quality of our structures, it becomes even more important to understand what we are keeping inside with our occupants. As much as we support mechanical ventilation and think it's incredibly important, we can't ventilate all the poor choices from material sections. So what we pick becomes even more important and Megan is doing the work to help make that easier for clients and professionals alike. ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. On today's podcast I had the pleasure of talking with Amlin Eshita, a young architect in NY. Amlin's journey from practicing architecture in Bangladesh, to studying architecture in Michigan, to graduating during COVID is an inspiring story. I so enjoyed talking with Amlin and I hope you too enjoy this episode! ~ Enjoy, Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. On today's podcast I had the pleasure of talking with Tanya Savas with Collective Carpentry. Tanya and I had the pleasure of meeting in person at a Women In Construction Event! I wanted to hear more about her journey and the cool things she is doing in the industry. Enjoy ~ Emily

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. On today's podcast I had the pleasure of talking with Nadia and Rebekah with Oxalis Advisors. They are launching into the world of energy and environmental consulting. We recorded this podcast early into hurricane season and have only seen more dramatic natural disasters affecting vulnerable communities. It's with hope that people like Rebecca and Nadia will be able to help communities long term build resiliency into their buildings. How that happens and with access to what programs remains to be seen, but knowing there is someone to help navigate the challenges of building or rebuilding is something I hope to see these two ladies take on.

E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily is all about building science, architecture, and female entrepreneurship. On today's podcast we talk about MOLD! As a building professional we are always concerned about water in our buildings and potential for mold growth, but we don't often talk about what happens with mold exposure and how to know you have an issue before you start seeing that mold grow. So it was exciting for me to sit down with Andrea Crewe from Vitaliti to talk about how they are approaching mold detection in our buildings and why it's important ~ Enjoy!