Why today's builders can't afford to treat ventilation as an afterthought—and what they'll learn during Green Builder's upcoming webinar with Panasonic.
There was a time when ventilation wasn't something most builders spent much time thinking about. Homes leaked enough air through walls, windows, crawlspaces, and attics that fresh air found its own way inside. Unfortunately, conditioned air found its way outside just as easily, wasting energy and making homes uncomfortable.
Today's homes are different.
Thanks to better building envelopes, improved insulation, advanced windows, and stricter energy codes, modern homes are dramatically tighter. That's great news for energy efficiency, durability, and comfort—but it also creates a new responsibility. Builders must intentionally manage the air that comes into a home and the air that leaves it.
Ventilation has become one of the defining challenges of high-performance construction. At the same time, the conversation has become even more complicated:
Wildfire smoke now blankets communities hundreds of miles from the nearest fire.
Homeowners are increasingly concerned about allergens, humidity, mold, viruses, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and overall indoor air quality.
Building codes continue to evolve, and builders are expected to deliver healthier homes without driving up costs.
So, what is the right answer? Should every home have an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)? Is an exhaust-only strategy still acceptable? How do different climates affect equipment selection? Can builders meet code requirements without creating noisy, expensive systems that homeowners don't understand?
Moderated by Green Builder magazine Editor-in-Chief Matt Power, the webinar brings together two of the industry's leading ventilation experts:
Bill Meyers, Senior Manager of Sales and Training for Panasonic's Indoor Air Quality Division, has spent more than three decades in HVAC, helping contractors properly install and troubleshoot ventilation systems that perform as designed.
Joining him is Russell Pope, Panasonic's Senior Manager of Product Management and one of the industry's most respected voices on residential ventilation. Pope has helped shape national standards through ASHRAE 62.2, ENERGY STAR, Department of Energy initiatives, and building code development. His work with the Home Ventilating Institute and the Energy & Environmental Building Alliance has helped influence how the industry approaches indoor air quality today.
Together, the panel will move beyond theory to provide practical guidance builders can immediately apply in the field.
Attendees will learn when an ERV provides measurable value, when simpler exhaust-only systems can still satisfy code, and how equipment innovations have made today's ventilation systems quieter, smaller, and more affordable than many builders realize.
The discussion will also examine how ventilation strategies should change depending on climate and why designing for indoor air quality is becoming just as important as designing for energy efficiency.
Perhaps most importantly, the webinar will help builders understand that ventilation isn't simply another box to check during inspections. It's an opportunity to deliver healthier, more durable homes that homeowners increasingly expect.
As homes continue to become more efficient, the margin for error becomes smaller. Good ventilation design isn't optional anymore—it's fundamental to building better homes.
Cati O’Keefe is the editorial director of Green Builder Media. She has 25 years of experience reporting and writing on all aspects of residential housing, building and energy codes, green building, and sustainability.
Tight Homes Demand Smarter Ventilation
Why today's builders can't afford to treat ventilation as an afterthought—and what they'll learn during Green Builder's upcoming webinar with Panasonic.
There was a time when ventilation wasn't something most builders spent much time thinking about. Homes leaked enough air through walls, windows, crawlspaces, and attics that fresh air found its own way inside. Unfortunately, conditioned air found its way outside just as easily, wasting energy and making homes uncomfortable.
Today's homes are different.
Thanks to better building envelopes, improved insulation, advanced windows, and stricter energy codes, modern homes are dramatically tighter. That's great news for energy efficiency, durability, and comfort—but it also creates a new responsibility. Builders must intentionally manage the air that comes into a home and the air that leaves it.
Ventilation has become one of the defining challenges of high-performance construction. At the same time, the conversation has become even more complicated:
So, what is the right answer? Should every home have an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)? Is an exhaust-only strategy still acceptable? How do different climates affect equipment selection? Can builders meet code requirements without creating noisy, expensive systems that homeowners don't understand?
These are exactly the questions we'll tackle during Green Builder Media's upcoming live webinar with Panasonic on August 13 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Moderated by Green Builder magazine Editor-in-Chief Matt Power, the webinar brings together two of the industry's leading ventilation experts:
Bill Meyers, Senior Manager of Sales and Training for Panasonic's Indoor Air Quality Division, has spent more than three decades in HVAC, helping contractors properly install and troubleshoot ventilation systems that perform as designed.
Joining him is Russell Pope, Panasonic's Senior Manager of Product Management and one of the industry's most respected voices on residential ventilation. Pope has helped shape national standards through ASHRAE 62.2, ENERGY STAR, Department of Energy initiatives, and building code development. His work with the Home Ventilating Institute and the Energy & Environmental Building Alliance has helped influence how the industry approaches indoor air quality today.
Together, the panel will move beyond theory to provide practical guidance builders can immediately apply in the field.
Attendees will learn when an ERV provides measurable value, when simpler exhaust-only systems can still satisfy code, and how equipment innovations have made today's ventilation systems quieter, smaller, and more affordable than many builders realize.
The discussion will also examine how ventilation strategies should change depending on climate and why designing for indoor air quality is becoming just as important as designing for energy efficiency.
Perhaps most importantly, the webinar will help builders understand that ventilation isn't simply another box to check during inspections. It's an opportunity to deliver healthier, more durable homes that homeowners increasingly expect.
As homes continue to become more efficient, the margin for error becomes smaller. Good ventilation design isn't optional anymore—it's fundamental to building better homes.
Join us on Thursday, August 13, at 2:00 p.m. ET for this free live webinar and discover how smarter ventilation can improve indoor air quality, simplify compliance, and deliver better-performing homes in every climate.
By Cati O'Keefe
Cati O’Keefe is the editorial director of Green Builder Media. She has 25 years of experience reporting and writing on all aspects of residential housing, building and energy codes, green building, and sustainability.Also Read