Building Science Digest

Designing for Sound Control in the Built Environment

Ever walk into a restaurant, school, or office and feel overwhelmed by the noise?
You're not alone—and there's a science behind it.
This week's episode of Building Science Digest discusses what it takes to optimize sound and enhance comfort in all kinds of buildings.
Listen in as Stan Gatland, Manager of Building Science & Comfort at Saint-Gobain North America, guides us through the fundamentals and finer points of architectural acoustics.

Heat in the Built Environment

Galen Burrell, Building Science Strategist at Saint-Gobain North America, sits down with Christian Kennedy to discuss how thoughtful design and advanced technologies can shape healthier, more sustainable spaces for both people and the planet.
The duo explores smart thermal control strategies like cool roofs and electrochromic windows, balancing views of daylight and heat control, and ways to reduce cooling loads in a variety of buildings.

Light in the Built Environment

This episode features Dr. Ahoo Malekafzali, Building Science Manager at Saint-Gobain North America, as she explores the complex relationship between daylight, glare, views, and occupant well-being in buildings. 
Discover practical insights and innovative strategies—from electrochromic glass to interior lighting and finishes—to help create more pleasing indoor environments. 

Building Fire Safety

How can builders enhance fire safety and lower a building’s environmental footprint? In the latest episode of Building Science Digest, we sit down with Remi Goulet—a specialist in heat transfer with over 12 years at Saint-Gobain—to explore more sustainable, science-backed approaches to fire safety. 
Remi highlights how a systems-thinking approach—evaluating entire assemblies rather than isolated products—can reduce embodied carbon while still meeting fire resistance and code requirements, including growing concerns like the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code. 
From the role of compartmentalization in passive fire protection to innovations like lightweight fire-rated gypsum boards and gypsum-based spray for structural steel, this conversation dives into real strategies that may change how you think about fire-rated assemblies. 

Achieving Indoor Air Comfort

Stanley Gatland - Manager of Building Science & Comfort at Saint-Gobain North America - joins Christian Kennedy to discuss the role that building materials play in creating a healthy, comfortable indoor environment for occupants.
Touching on active and passive solutions, the duo discusses everything from reducing allergens to a customer that called about "rain coming out of their soffits."

Moisture Management in Buildings

Lucas Hamilton - Manager, Applied Building Science at Saint-Gobain North America - joins Christian Kennedy to discuss mold and moisture management in the built environment.
The topic is far reaching with the conversation centering around the interiors and exteriors of both residential and commercial buildings.