The more I learn the more I realise how little I know...

I've covered a lot in my time in my profession and I'm extremely proud of that. I can speak with confidence about most areas of energy efficiency and building science to many different groups. I like to think I help to bridge the information gap. Without the right thoughts, the action does not follow and the "lightbulb" moments where clients start to understand is what keeps me inspired to keep going.

There are a few things that bother me about my job, however, and my brain has been swirling with it all in the last week. The last three weeks have been like an intensive course for me in my own job. I've been to the Passivhaus Conference, I've been to the Pro Clima Australia Study launch, I've been judging for the Master Builders Association's South Australian Building Excellence Awards and I've been delivering presentations to architects on building science and NCC compliance. I have also been fielding phone calls from distressed home owners as they realise their home has been built with inherent moisture risk against the building code as they ask me "what do I do?". So with all of this swirling around in my brain, I've been losing sleep. My brain hasn't been this fizzy in a long time. I have so many thoughts and questions including, but not limited to:

1. The volume market don't know anything about energy efficiency and don't think they have to care;
2. Those at the top end of the industry can be so technical that their message can get lost;
3. We preach the choir WAY to much; and
4. Wait a minute - what is actually going on in houses?

Question 4 is where I decided I needed to continue my learning. I know the building code. I know the science. I know the risks and how to mitigate them. What I don't know is what moisture damage is actually occurring? What mould growth is there? Why is it happening? What types of houses are most affected?

I've read the research, but want to see it first hand. We get so used to sprouting off statistics and repeating what we've heard. I'm at the point where I can't keep telling people to do things a certain way without the proof being in the pudding.

I want my clients to live in comfortable, healthy homes and I want to make it all make sense - even to the volume builders....

So I am venturing into the world of building biology and I cannot wait. It's a piece of the puzzle which, I hope, will help me condense everything I know into something that makes sense to as many people as possible. I have commenced study towards the Advanced Diploma of Building Biology via the Australian College of Environmental Studies starting with a Mould Testing subject - so I can find out what's actually going on! I cannot wait to get started.

This is all flying out of my finger tips and I am not going to edit it - this is all raw thoughts from my brain - I don't know where this will take me but it feels like a bit of a moment in my professional life and I want to record it!

If you got this far, thanks for reading! I look forward to learning and helping as much as I possibly can!

Jess xxx