289: High Design, Low Carbon: A Conversation with Nathan Kipnis
From Passive House Podcast by Matthew Cutler-Welsh, Zack Semke, Mary James, and Ilka Cassidy
May 27, 2026 · 49 min · Season 5 · Episode 289
About this episode
Ilka Cassidy interviews Nathan Kipnis about his journey in sustainable architecture and the evolution of Passive House practices.
In this episode of the Passive House Accelerator podcast, Ilka Cassidy interviews Nathan Kipnis, founder of Kipnis Architecture and Planning in Chicago and Boulder, about his path from early solar architecture influences during the 1973 oil embargo to today’s fact-based, certifiable Passive House practice. Kipnis explains how early rule-of-thumb passive solar design often led to overheating, and how building science and climate-specific approaches improved outcomes. And describes his firm’s “high design and low carbon” approach, evolving client communication from quietly implementing efficiency measures to showcasing performance and resilience through smart home monitoring, batteries, and high-quality envelopes. KAP website NHA website Project profile for Evanston’s first Passive House in PHIUS’ database Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Leader in Sustainability 2025 recognition Thank you for listening to the Passive House Podcast! To learn more about Passive House and to stay abreast of our latest programming, visit passivehouseaccelerator.com. And please join us at one of our Passive House Accelerator LIVE! zoom gatherings on Wednesdays.
People in this episode
Host: Ilka Cassidy
Guest: Nathan Kipnis
Topics covered
- Passive House
- sustainable architecture
- building science
- client communication
- energy efficiency
Keywords
- Passive House
- sustainable design
- energy efficiency
- building science
- client communication
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Kipnis Architecture and Planning, Passive House Accelerator, PHIUS, Crain’s Chicago Business
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