In this episode of the Building Heroes podcast, host Julia Day introduces the International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy and Buildings in Communities Programme (EBC) Annex 95 and Users TCP: Human-Centric Buildings for a Changing Climate, referred to as the Human-Centric Buildings Network, or simply “the Network”. Joined by fellow Operating Agents Liam O’Brien (Carleton University), Zoltan Nagy (TU Eindhoven), and Marianne Touchie (University of Toronto), the conversation explores how buildings must better respond to human needs as climate change, extreme events, and the energy transition reshape daily life.

The guests share their backgrounds in human–building interaction, energy flexibility, and multifamily building performance, and break down what an IEA “annex” actually is and how this international network is structured. The discussion spans four core themes (human–building interactions, community-scale equity and sufficiency, building design and retrofit, and building operation), highlighting current research on building interfaces, behavioral nudging, and closing the loop between design intent and post-occupancy performance. The episode closes with reflections on the power of global, interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle wicked problems and advance healthier, more resilient, and energy-efficient buildings.

Our journal paper introducing the Network: Energy and Buildings article entitled “Human-centric buildings for a changing climate: Introducing a new International Energy Agency research network,” has just been published: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116802

Where to Learn more!

• IEA EBC Annex 95 and Users TCP - Human-Centric Buildings for a Changing Climate Website: https://annex95.iea-ebc.org/
• Interested in participating? Join our e-mail distribution list via the website homepage, listed above.
• Need to contact us? Questions? Contact us at iea.human.centric@gmail.com