Clear Haze Exchange

Marcus Hazelwood

Have you ever wondered about climate action and decarbonization initiatives? Curious about building optimization or energy-efficient practices? Whether you are a homeowner, engineer, architect, work in the energy or building maintenance fields, HVAC technician, a facilities or maintenance employee, commercial or residential home builder, electrician, or home project DIY-er who loves home projects, the Clear Haze Exchange podcast was created for you. Clear Haze Exchange is an interview-led podcast created to simplify the often tricky concepts of sustainability and energy efficiency, clearing the haze, so to speak, making these ideas relatable, feasible, and easy to grasp for everyone. Host Marcus Hazelwood, an energy engineer with 15+ years of sustainability and energy efficiency consultancy experience, will explore practical solutions and share success stories, making sustainable practices more understandable. Subscribe to Clear Haze Exchange to enjoy engaging and thought-provoking conversations with leading experts about innovative solutions, success stories, and practical advice. If you have questions or want to be a guest, contact hello@clear-haze.exchange.

  1. What Sustainable Chemistry Actually Means with Professor Tom Welton

    MAR 17

    What Sustainable Chemistry Actually Means with Professor Tom Welton

    What does sustainable chemistry really mean and why does it matter far beyond the lab? In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange, Marcus Hazelwood speaks with Professor Tom Welton, OBE, Emeritus Professor of Sustainable Chemistry at Imperial College London and the world’s first professor of sustainable chemistry. Professor Welton shares how sustainable chemistry evolved as both a field and a mindset, why the gap between theory and application is often larger than people expect, and how words like green and sustainable can sometimes mislead more than they clarify. This conversation explores the hidden systems behind sustainable science and innovation, including product development, lifecycle analysis, behavior change, research incentives, and the long road from lab discovery to real-world deployment. In this episode, we discuss: The difference between green chemistry and sustainable chemistryWhy sustainability is often best understood as a mindsetHow “green” ideas can fail under operational or financial pressureWhy life cycle analysis matters when evaluating products and materialsWhat universities get right, and wrong, about innovationWhy sustainable technologies often take decades to scaleWhat gives hope for the future of sustainability in science and educationIf you enjoy Clear Haze Exchange, please follow the show, share this episode, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Those actions help grow visibility and improve discoverability across podcast platforms.

    42 min
  2. Sustainability as ROI: How Facility Decisions Drive Long-Term Building Value (Dave Ray)

    MAR 3

    Sustainability as ROI: How Facility Decisions Drive Long-Term Building Value (Dave Ray)

    Season 2 kicks off with Dave Ray — sustainability & ESG strategist and longtime leader in Nevada’s green building community. Dave breaks down the gap between sustainability intent and operational follow-through, and why the best “sustainability” strategy often starts with the basics: understanding your data, aligning teams, and treating efficiency like a long-term investment discipline. In this episode: Why code compliance & certifications are often just the minimumThe overlooked power of benchmarking energy + waterHow organizations miss incentives (and why you should check every year)Why software dashboards fail without data verification + ownershipThe fastest mindset shift: walk your building when it’s occupied AND unoccupiedGuest: Dave Ray Host: Marcus Hazelwood Subscribe to Clear Haze Exchange for Season 2 as we explore the hidden systems, blind spots, and perspectives shaping sustainable investment and facility decisions.

    42 min
  3. Clear Haze Exchange — Season 2 Trailer | Making the Invisible Visible

    SEASON 2, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    Clear Haze Exchange — Season 2 Trailer | Making the Invisible Visible

    Most sustainability strategies don’t fail because of bad technology.They fail because of things leaders can’t see. Season 2 of Clear Haze Exchange explores the hidden systems, decisions, and assumptions that shape building performance, workplace outcomes, and long-term value. This season goes beyond dashboards and checklists to focus on clarity, alignment, leadership, and the invisible forces that determine whether sustainability efforts succeed or stall. 🎧 Season 2 launches March 3rd, 2026.

    2 min
  4. Why Green Buildings Need Youth Outreach | Julia Pooler (Buildy Green)

    12/16/2025

    Why Green Buildings Need Youth Outreach | Julia Pooler (Buildy Green)

    If the green building movement wants to grow, it has to start early. In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange, Marcus Hazelwood talks with Julia Pooler, founder of the Carbon Zero Youth Initiative (CZYI) and author of the children’s book “Buildy Green: It Takes a Team, a Better Building Story.” Julia explains why youth outreach isn’t just “future workforce development”, kids can influence decisions today at home, in schools, and in communities. She shares why the best “tool” to spark curiosity is often the building you’re already standing in, and how professionals can make youth engagement easier than they expect using simple tours, scavenger-hunt style questions, and hands-on activities. You’ll also hear how Buildy Green highlights the people behind better buildings, engineers, architects, trades, life cycle analysts, and more, so kids can understand that sustainability is a team effort. Key topics: Why youth outreach matters right now (not 20 years from now)Easy ways to explain buildings to kids (HVAC vents, walls, materials)How kids naturally understand reuse, deconstruction, and materials life cyclesThe story behind Buildy Green and the outreach tools that come with itFree, ready-to-use resources for professionals who want to get involvedLinks / CTAs: Learn more + free resources: https://www.carbonzeroyouth.org/Follow Julia Pooler: Julia Pooler | LinkedIn

    37 min
  5. Designing for All the Carbons — with Kristy Walson (Branch Pattern, LEED Fellow)

    12/02/2025

    Designing for All the Carbons — with Kristy Walson (Branch Pattern, LEED Fellow)

    Mechanical engineer turned sustainability leader Kristy Walson (Principal, Branch Pattern; LEED Fellow) joins Clear Haze Exchange to break down decarbonization in plain language. We talk operational carbon, embodied carbon, and refrigerants, why energy modeling matters, how to start with utility data, and why lease language can block building upgrades. Kristy also shares lessons from her Rebuild 2024 talk and the industry effort behind MEP 2040. What you’ll learn: Why decarbonization doesn’t always cost more—and often saves over timeThe “three carbons”: operational, embodied, refrigerants (and how they map to scope 1–3)How to use utility bills, work orders, and simple data to find quick winsWhere energy modeling helps owners make better decisionsWhy green leases matter for big buildings and portfoliosSetting goals early—and holding the team to themGuest: Kristy Walson — Principal at Branch Pattern, LEED Fellow; focuses on energy modeling, net-zero strategy, and whole-life carbon. Host: Marcus Hazelwood, CEM — Principal at EA Energy Solutions; host of Clear Haze Exchange.

    46 min
  6. From Plastic Waste to Planet-Safe Labs — with Greg Kwak of Diversified Biotech

    11/18/2025

    From Plastic Waste to Planet-Safe Labs — with Greg Kwak of Diversified Biotech

    In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange, Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Greg Kwak, Vice President of Business & Product Development at Diversified Biotech, a Massachusetts-based company leading the charge toward sustainable lab consumables. Greg shares how PlanetSafe, their plant-based alternative to traditional lab plastics, is reshaping research and healthcare through science-driven sustainability. The two discuss how innovation, transparency, and equity all play a role in making labs more sustainable — without sacrificing performance. What you’ll learn: How Diversified Biotech turned sugarcane into a plant-based replacement for single-use plasticsWhy “scope 3 emissions” matter for research and healthcare facilitiesHow sustainable manufacturing reduces carbon impact by up to 90 percentWhy true sustainability also means equity for the people producing the materialsWhat circularity and “sustainably scalable” design mean for the future of science

    45 min
  7. Family, Focus & Making Complex Systems Simple — with Janelle Ball

    11/04/2025

    Family, Focus & Making Complex Systems Simple — with Janelle Ball

    This episode of Clear Haze Exchange is extra special—Marcus sits down with his sister Janelle Ball, founder and CEO of BC Educators and host of That’s Derm Good Podcast. Janelle helps dermatology practices across the country get patients the right treatments faster. She shares how she built her company, how patient access works behind the scenes, and why education and empathy drive real impact. The two talk about: Growing up in a family of nine and what it taught them about leadershipHow energy efficiency and patient access share common groundThe importance of education and advocacy in both industriesBuilding a business, balancing family, and keeping passion alive

    36 min
  8. Profitable Sustainability: Dr. Eric Woodroof on Making Energy Efficiency Work for Everyone

    10/21/2025

    Profitable Sustainability: Dr. Eric Woodroof on Making Energy Efficiency Work for Everyone

    In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange, host Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Dr. Eric Woodroof, founder of Profitable Green Solutions and creator of multiple industry certifications, including programs under the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). Dr. Woodroof has trained thousands of Certified Energy Managers (CEMs) around the world—including Marcus himself—and shares decades of insights on how to make energy efficiency both financially rewarding and environmentally impactful. From personal solar investments delivering 15% returns to how cities can unlock capital through performance contracting, this conversation breaks down what makes sustainability work in practice. The two explore topics like: Why “following the money” can accelerate decarbonizationCommon misconceptions about energy performance contractsHow language, AI, and simplicity drive better communication in energy projectsLessons learned from training professionals across six continentsLeadership, policy, and leading by example in the global race toward carbon neutralityMore Information: Profitable Green Solutions | Energy Efficiency Training Key Quote: “People will do a lot to avoid a penalty—but very little to gain a reward. That’s human nature, and it’s the same in energy.” — Dr. Eric Woodroof

    43 min
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Trailers

About

Have you ever wondered about climate action and decarbonization initiatives? Curious about building optimization or energy-efficient practices? Whether you are a homeowner, engineer, architect, work in the energy or building maintenance fields, HVAC technician, a facilities or maintenance employee, commercial or residential home builder, electrician, or home project DIY-er who loves home projects, the Clear Haze Exchange podcast was created for you. Clear Haze Exchange is an interview-led podcast created to simplify the often tricky concepts of sustainability and energy efficiency, clearing the haze, so to speak, making these ideas relatable, feasible, and easy to grasp for everyone. Host Marcus Hazelwood, an energy engineer with 15+ years of sustainability and energy efficiency consultancy experience, will explore practical solutions and share success stories, making sustainable practices more understandable. Subscribe to Clear Haze Exchange to enjoy engaging and thought-provoking conversations with leading experts about innovative solutions, success stories, and practical advice. If you have questions or want to be a guest, contact hello@clear-haze.exchange.

Information

  • Creator
    Marcus Hazelwood
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Haze Enterprises
  • Show Website
    Clear Haze Exchange