A Better Way of Building with Larry Clay | Friends of Build Magazine #72

Friends of Build Magazine

Episode Notes

Today Ted speaks with Larry Clay of Larry Clay Construction in British Columbia. Larry has experienced the highs and the lows of being a business owner, and now he focuses his energy on teaching others how to have equally successful businesses with a strong foundation in building science.

Larry shares his near-death experience, how he pulled through the financial crisis in 2008, and what it felt like when he finally won Builder of the Year in B.C – twice. His commitment to The Clay Way ensures his customers are always taken care of, and his desire to build above code ensures these homes are far superior to most. Join us as Larry dives into the nuts and bolts of how he builds smart in Canadian climates, and what he sees for the future of the industry.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

• [2:30] Teaching through short-form video
• [6:00] Who is your audience?
• [13:15] A terrible accident
• [21:15] Paying back debt and Home Builder of the Year
• [25:45] What is The Clay Way
• [31:00] Building Science
• [38:20] The importance of air-tight homes
• [42:45] Window technology
• [45:00] Home sizes in the age of sustainability
• [47:30] Transitioning from teaching to construction
• [50:45] Recruiting young people and industry shifts
• [59:00] Most valuable experience - hardships

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KEY QUOTES FROM EPISODE

• You know, the clay way isn't some mysterious, we're better than the other builders. It's just 20 years in business.
• The problem the industry might have is if you don't understand building science, we have what's called unintended consequences. And we think we're doing a good job doing something well and right by adding more insulation, but just because you add insulation, you actually might be doing yourself a disservice and causing more issues.
• So every time we have our new building code comes out, it costs more money. Affordability that is, it's important. I get six kids trying to get into housing and they're finding it really difficult. So, do I want everybody to build like me? No, you know, I'm good for a niche.
• Net zero pretty simply means you have enough on-site generation of electricity to supply the house. There's things that I'm in control of as a builder and there's things I'm not. Occupant loads, how many fridges you have. I can't control that. Do you leave the lights on all the time? Do you leave the windows open? I can't control occupant loads, but I can control how the house is built. And so it requires less heating. And that's traditionally has been the majority of the cost of heating the home and cooling the home. So a net zero house has an enclosure that is built really well. What I mean by that is you have lots of insulation.