The Awakening Spaces Podcast - Conscious Construction for a Healthy Home

Ashley Spanovich
  • 5.0 (36)
  • Home & Garden

Awakening Spaces explores the profound connection between our physical environments and our inner consciousness. We guide homeowners, designers, and wellness seekers beyond simply discussing "toxin-free" building methods to examine who we actually become on our "toxin-free" journey. In this podcast we’re not only talking about windows, walls, and wiring. Through expert interviews, case studies, and actionable guidance, we will explore how mindful design choices affect our relationships, stress levels, and overall well-being. Drawing from my background in design, building biology, and building science I guide listeners through both the practical and philosophical aspects of creating homes that elevate our health and consciousness. Each week, you’ll receive grounded guidance and actionable tips to help you eliminate the stress and overwhelm of finding, renovating, building, or maintaining your healthy home—so that you can create a space that truly supports who you are becoming. Just by tuning in, you’re already stepping into what it means to be an Awakened Homeowner. Together, we’re building a new way forward—one conscious choice at a time.

  1. 1d ago

    My Home Birth Story, What Actually Happened, and What I Want Every Woman to Know | EP59

    In this special solo episode, Ashley walks through everything that led up to Stellan’s birth, from the journal entry she wrote to him on his due date to the moment her water broke twenty minutes later, through two and a half hours of the most intense and fast labor she could have imagined, to catching him in her own bedroom with Brandon by her side and her midwife barely making it through the door. It is exactly the kind of first-time home birth story Ashley wished she could have found when she was pregnant and searching for proof that it was possible. Ashley also shares the moments she almost talked herself out of trusting her body, what the OB who told her she was high-risk and that her cervix might not open got completely wrong, and what her midwife team said after the birth that made her cry in the best possible way. She talks about castor oil induction, the fetal ejection reflex, why the shakes after birth might be the body’s way of releasing stored trauma, and what valerian did for her in the golden hour. She also gives a quick update on life with Stellan three weeks in, where she is spending time on Substack, and what is coming on the podcast while she continues her maternity leave. This episode is for every woman who has been told her body might not be able to do this. Ashley’s story is proof that it might surprise you. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Ashley’s Substack with full birth story, photos, and motherhood content: Awakening Spaces on SubstackKaren Welton Pain Free Birth courses and podcastZara D’Cotta, The Healthy Home guest episodes: EP56: Better Buildings Start with People: Building Science and Industry Culture with Mark Wille of The Build ShowEP57: Soul-Led Architecture: Designing Healthy Homes from the Inside Out with Jo Gillies of ArchisoulEP58: Dancing Raven: Building a Healthy Vacation Rental in the Sonoran Desert with Ray ClamonsCastor oil USP for labor induction (pharmaceutical grade, not the same as castor oil packs)Amniotic fluid pH test stripsValerian for post-birth shakesOrganic cotton postpartum diapers (link to be included in show notes)Awakening Spaces email: hello@awakeningspaces.comBrownell Landrum wishing episode of The Awakening Spaces PodcastCONNECT WITH ASHLEY Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube | Website Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way. Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower you and one-on-one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again! Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    My Home Birth Story, What Actually Happened, and What I Want Every Woman to Know | EP59

  2. Oct 22

    Dancing Raven: Building a Healthy Vacation Rental in the Sonoran Desert with Ray Clamons | EP58

    What does it look like when Building Biology, building science, and natural building are integrated from the beginning of an ambitious, health-focused project in the American Southwest? In this episode, guest host Zara D’Cotta sits down with Ray Clamons, architectural designer, natural builder, licensed general contractor, certified Passive House consultant, and founder of Natural Building Works in Tucson, Arizona. Zara first met Ray on site at the Dancing Raven project last year and returned for blower door test day, and the conversation they have here is rich with the kind of real-world detail that only comes from someone who has actually built the thing. Dancing Raven is the vision and deeply personal project of Amelie, a French Canadian woman who spent ten years navigating mold illness before deciding to build the healthiest home she could possibly create in the Sonoran Desert. Ray explains how the project team came together around Amélie’s brief and how rammed earth, straw bale, natural plasters, moisture-aware detailing, airtightness and mechanical ventilation were brought together within a climate that moves between extreme dry heat and monsoon-season humidity. Zara and Ray explore the project’s blower-door testing, post-construction monitoring and what the data is beginning to reveal about the performance of the rammed-earth and straw-bale areas. They also discuss VOCs, ventilation, caulking, installation sequencing, and the necessary collaboration between designers, builders, and trades. This is a conversation about pursuing an ambitious healthier-building vision while working through real-world sequencing, material and construction challenges. For anyone building new, working with natural materials, or seeking to understand how Building Biology and building science translate into decisions on site, Dancing Raven offers an exceptional case study. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: How To BUILD A RAMMED EARTH WALL: Sustainable & STRONG: https://youtu.be/VA-9d9_OhLkHow To Get Started With Rammed Earth Building: https://youtu.be/3RyHy1bNJuUDancing Raven project Instagram: @elated_ravenIntello Plus air barrier by ProClima: https://proclima.com/products/internal-sealing/intello-plusPassive house principles applied in hot arid desert climate: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/16/14/2753Eliminate, ventilate, respirate framework for healthy indoor air: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024014129Zara’s Healthy Building Materials Mastermind: https://www.thehealthyhome.com.au/healthy-building-materials-mastermindAshley’s Conscious Construction Container: https://courses.awakeningspaces.com/cccCONNECT WITH ZARA Website | Instagram | LinkedIn Zara D'Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, and founder of The Healthy Home. After navigating two cancer diagnoses and years of environmental illness across multiple water-damaged homes, Zara made it her mission to bridge cutting-edge research and real-world building practice. She holds both the BBNC and EMRS certifications, placing her in a small group of building biologists globally qualified to integrate EMF awareness with moisture control, material health, and healthy design principles into mainstream construction. Today, she works with builders, designers, building-product manufacturers and industry organisations across Australia and internationally, delivering professional education, technical consulting, EMF assessments, team capability training and keynote presentations that help integrate healthier materials, low-EMF design and Building Biology principles into mainstream construction. CONNECT WITH GUEST Website | Instagram | Youtube | Facebook Ray Clamons is an architectural designer, natural builder, licensed general contractor, certified Passive House consultant, sustainable building advisor, and certified permaculture designer, and the founder of Natural Building Works in Tucson, Arizona. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arizona and has spent over a decade building a design-build company specializing in rammed earth, straw bale, natural plasters, and regenerative water harvesting landscapes. Natural Building Works builds around the belief that every project should be self-sufficient in power, water, and food production, and, where possible, builds volunteer workshops around each project to create community and make natural building more accessible. Ray is also a drummer in the Grateful Dead tribute band Top Dead Center and is featured in some popular rammed earth building videos on YouTube. He is currently available for consulting on healthy natural building projects.  SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    Dancing Raven: Building a Healthy Vacation Rental in the Sonoran Desert with Ray Clamons | EP58

  3. Oct 15

    Soul-Led Architecture: Designing Healthy Homes from the Inside Out with Jo Gillies of Archisoul | EP57

    What would it look like if your architect understood not just how you live, but who you are at your deepest level, and designed your home from that place outward? In this episode, guest host Zara D’Cotta sits down with Jo Gillies, registered architect, director, and founder of Archisoul Architects, for one of the most expansive and genuinely surprising conversations this podcast has had on the intersection of architecture, health, and the human spirit. Jo’s path into this work runs through Guillain-Barré syndrome at twenty-five, a long journey of questioning what we put into our bodies and our buildings, and decades of sacred retreats across Africa and Peru that have shaped a design philosophy unlike anything you will hear from a conventional architect. Together, Zara and Jo explore what sacred intention in architecture actually means in practice, how Jo uses the five love languages and the DISC personality profile to draw out what a client truly needs from their home, and why sacred geometry is inert until you activate it through intention. They also get into Jo’s project in Costa Rica called The Vessyl, a copper dome sound healing space in the jungle where passive house technology was applied to achieve a stable ambient temperature year-round despite the humidity and a nearby volcano, and what early contractor involvement actually looks like when a building team is genuinely working together from the start. Jo also speaks about why she refers building biologists as essential consultants on her projects rather than trying to carry that knowledge herself, and what she tells homeowners who are nervous about asking hard questions when interviewing an architect. This one covers a lot of ground and all of it is worth your time. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Vessyl, Costa Rica: https://archisoul.com.au/portfolio/vessyl-frequency-dome-costa-rica/Passive House Design: https://archisoul.com.au/passive-house-australia/Pyramids of Chi, Ubud, Bali: https://ubud.pyramidsofchi.com/Zara’s Healthy Building Materials Mastermind: https://www.thehealthyhome.com.au/healthy-building-materials-mastermindAshley’s Conscious Construction Container: https://courses.awakeningspaces.com/cccBrent Little, Pinehaven Healthy Homes: https://pinehavenhealthyhomes.com/Mevissen et al. (2025), Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure on cancer in laboratory animal studies: A systematic review. Environment International, 199, 109482. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40339346/ A 2025 systematic review of laboratory-animal studies, partially funded by the WHO radioprotection programme, which found high-certainty evidence of increased glioma in male rats while noting that extrapolating risk to humans remains complex.The Body Keeps the Score (referenced concept): https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-scoreEarly Contractor Involvement (ECI) model: https://www1.bca.gov.sg/growth-and-transformation/procurement/progressive-procurement-approaches/early-contractor-involvement-eci/NCC National Construction Code 2025 provisions for daylight, indoor air quality and VOCs: https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/news/2026/ncc-2025-releasedDISC personality profile: https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-discFive Love Languages framework: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40977357/Sacred geometry and Platonic solids: https://www.sacredgeometryshop.com/sacred-geometry/the-secrets-of-the-platonic-solids/CONNECT WITH ZARA Website | Instagram | LinkedIn Zara D'Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, and founder of The Healthy Home. After navigating two cancer diagnoses and years of environmental illness across multiple water-damaged homes, Zara made it her mission to bridge cutting-edge research and real-world building practice. She holds both the BBNC and EMRS certifications, placing her in a small group of building biologists globally qualified to integrate EMF awareness with moisture control, material health, and healthy design principles into mainstream construction. Today, she works with builders, designers, building-product manufacturers and industry organisations across Australia and internationally, delivering professional education, technical consulting, EMF assessments, team capability training and keynote presentations that help integrate healthier materials, low-EMF design and Building Biology principles into home design & construction. CONNECT WITH GUEST Website | Instagram | Youtube | Facebook Jo Gillies is a registered architect, director, and founder of Archisoul Architects in Sydney, Australia, with over thirty years of experience designing homes, heritage buildings, commercial spaces, and international wellness projects that go well beyond function. Her philosophy was shaped early by childhood years in the Bahamas and English villages that left her with a deep understanding of how the built environment creates belonging, community, and a sense of soul. She studied architecture at Sydney University, worked across architectural firms, film set design, and high-end furniture layout planning before founding Archisoul in 2012 around a single belief: that purposeful design activates the soul of the people living and working within it. In 2014, Jo delivered a TEDx talk at the Powerhouse Museum on masculine and feminine principles in architecture, and her work has since expanded to draw from sacred geometry, biomorphic design, the five love languages, and decades of personal study through sacred retreats across Africa and Peru. She leads a team of twelve across residential, commercial, and international projects, including The Vessyl in Costa Rica and an ongoing collaboration with the Pyramids of Chi in Ubud, Bali, and brings the lens of building biology and low EMF design into her briefing process and material selection through her participation in Zara’s Healthy Building Materials Mastermind and Low EMF Home Design and Construction course. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨ SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    Soul-Led Architecture: Designing Healthy Homes from the Inside Out with Jo Gillies of Archisoul | EP57

  4. Oct 8

    Better Buildings Start with People: Building Science and Industry Culture with Mark Wille of The Build Show | EP56

    What does it actually take to shift an entire industry toward building healthier, higher-performing homes, and where does that change actually begin? In this special episode, Zara D'Cotta of The Healthy Home steps in as guest host and sits down with Mark Wille, author, builder, carpenter, and storyteller, and an integral part of the team behind The Build Show, for one of the most wide-ranging and genuinely inspiring conversations this podcast has had on the culture of construction. Mark brings decades of hands-on experience across renovation, rehab, new construction, and green building supply, and a philosophy about people, relationships, and shared knowledge that cuts through every topic they cover. Together, Zara and Mark walk through why vetting your project team is about chemistry as much as credentials, how building science is happening whether builders acknowledge it or not, and why water control is still the most underserved area in residential construction despite everything the industry has learned. They also dig into the Build HD Standard, a living document being developed to take builders meaningfully beyond code in water, air, vapor, thermal, and installation practices, and why it starts long before the first shovel hits the ground. Mark also shares what it was like to host Zara at The Build Show for EMF testing, why that conversation generated more curiosity than expected, and why he believes the next frontier of sharing best practices belongs to the Spanish-speaking trades. This episode closes with Mark's children's book, The ABCs of Construction Tech, and what he hopes a child, or the adult reading alongside them, will walk away believing about what is possible in the built environment. If you are building, renovating, working in the trades, or just trying to understand what good looks like in this industry, this one will stay with you. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The ABCs of Construction Tech by Mark Wille: https://a.co/d/0g7do92zBuild HD Standard: buildhdstandard.comThe Build Show website and platform: https://buildshownetwork.com/G-Pod tour featuring Zara’s EMF testing contribution alongside Build Show experts.CONNECT WITH ZARA Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Zara D'Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, and founder of The Healthy Home. After navigating two cancer diagnoses and years of environmental illness across multiple water-damaged homes, Zara made it her mission to bridge cutting-edge research and real-world building practice. She holds both the BBNC and EMRS certifications, placing her in a small group of building biologists globally qualified to integrate EMF awareness with moisture control, material health, and healthy design principles into mainstream construction. Today, she works with builders, designers, and industry organizations across Australia and beyond through her Healthy Building Materials Mastermind, her Low EMF Home Design and Construction course, and her consulting and speaking work with some of the most forward-thinking organizations in the built environment. CONNECT WITH GUEST Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Mark Wille is an author, builder, carpenter, and storyteller, and a team member at The Build Show. With decades of hands-on experience across renovation, retrofit, new construction, and green-building supply, Mark brings a deeply relational approach to the industry and a genuine belief that when you know better, you build better. A passionate advocate for Spanish-language building science education and the author of The ABCs of Construction Tech in the You Can Too series, a children's book designed to open young minds to the vocabulary and possibilities of the built environment. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    Better Buildings Start with People: Building Science and Industry Culture with Mark Wille of The Build Show | EP56

  5. Oct 1

    EMF Is No Longer Fringe: What’s Changing in Healthy Home Building with Guest Host Zara D’Cotta | EP55

    What does it look like when the healthy-home conversation begins moving upstream, from homeowners fighting to be heard to building professionals asking better questions themselves? In this special solo episode, guest host Zara D’Cotta of The Healthy Home introduces herself and reflects on the shifts she has witnessed since being diagnosed with mould illness in 2015. Zara and Ashley have been friends since 2021, connected through shared experiences with environmental illness and their parallel paths through Building Biology. Zara is stepping in to host a series of episodes while Ashley is on maternity leave. She shares what surprised her during recent travels across Australia and the United States, including the topic generating unexpected interest among builders and other industry professionals at Build Show LIVE in San Antonio. Zara also previews the conversations ahead with builders, designers and specialists from Australia, the United States and Canada. If you’re building a healthier home or supporting clients through that process, these episodes will offer practical, industry-facing perspectives that complement everything Ashley has created here. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Awakening Spaces Episode 46, Ashley and Zara's full conversationZara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-dcotta/Zara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaradcotta_thehealthyhome/The Build Show, San Antonio: https://www.buildshowlive.com/CONNECT WITH ASHLEY Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube | Website Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way. Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower you and one-on-one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again! Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here. CONNECT WITH ZARA Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Zara D'Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, and founder of The Healthy Home. After navigating two cancer diagnoses and years of environmental illness across multiple water-damaged homes, Zara made it her mission to bridge cutting-edge research and real-world building practice. She holds both the BBNC and EMRS certifications, placing her in a small group of building biologists globally qualified to integrate EMF awareness with moisture control, material health, and healthy design principles into mainstream construction. Today she works with builders, designers, and industry organizations across Australia and beyond through her Healthy Building Materials Mastermind, her Low EMF Home Design and Construction course, and her consulting and speaking work with some of the most forward-thinking organizations in the built environment. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    EMF Is No Longer Fringe: What’s Changing in Healthy Home Building with Guest Host Zara D’Cotta | EP55

  6. Sep 24

    How I've Prepared My Body and My Home for a New Life | EP54

    What does it actually look like to build a business around helping people create healthier homes while simultaneously growing a human inside your own body? In this special solo episode, Ashley comes to you at 38, almost 39 weeks pregnant, with a life and business update she has been sitting on for months. From the fear that she might never be able to get pregnant, to the moment everything clicked into place the day after a wishing card session with Brownell Landrum, to the nesting spiral that took over her entire home instead of the gut renovation she had originally planned, this episode is personal, warm, and full of the kind of honest reflection that only comes when you are days away from one of the biggest moments of your life. Ashley shares what she believes actually helped her get pregnant so quickly after years of health struggles, including morning sunlight, blocking blue light, cleaning up endocrine disruptors, and something she did not even realize was a practice at the time: talking to her son Stellan like he was already here. She also walks through what she has been doing throughout pregnancy to feel supported, from functional lab work and electrolytes to hypnobirthing, the Pain Free Birth course, and a small but mighty stack of books she wishes she had found sooner. This episode also covers exactly what Awakening Spaces looks like while Ashley is on maternity leave, who is stepping in to support one-on-one clients, who is keeping the Conscious Construction Container alive, and how Zara D'Cotta of The Healthy Home is taking over guest interviews while Ashley is away. If you have been following along or are just tuning in, this one will catch you up on everything and leave you excited for what is coming next. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Awakening Spaces inquiry form: https://awakeningspaces.com/new-client-intakeConscious Construction Container: https://courses.awakeningspaces.com/cccMegan Carson, The Guided Well: theguidedwell.comBrent Little, Pinehaven Healthy Homes: pinehavenhealthyhomes.comZara D'Cotta, The Healthy Home: thehealthyhome.com.auBrownell Landrum wishing episode of The Awakening Spaces PodcastNikko Kennedy doula episode of The Awakening Spaces PodcastHypnobabies hypnobirthing courseKaren Welton Pain Free Birth course and podcast: painfreebirth.comOrgasmic Birth by Elizabeth Davis and Debra Pascali BonaroBirthing from Within (book)Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May GaskinThe Positive Birth BookNourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child CareMinerals and Chill electrolytes by Health IllyLMNT electrolytesInstant Hydration electrolytesJigsaw Health electrolytes (higher in potassium)Quinton Isotonic sea water electrolyteHTMA hair tissue mineral analysis (referenced as part of functional lab work)Ashley's email for questions and inquiries: hello@awakeningspaces.comCONNECT WITH ASHLEY Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube | Website Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way. Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower you and one-on-one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again! Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    How I've Prepared My Body and My Home for a New Life | EP54

  7. Sep 17

    Why Prefab homes Might Be the Future of Healthy Home Building with Mariana Pickering of B.Public Prefab | EP53

    What if the biggest barrier to building a healthy, high performance home was not the technology or the knowledge but the way the industry still builds one house at a time from scratch? In this episode, Ashley sits down with Mariana Pickering, Chief Brand Officer and Community Director at B.Public Prefab, for a conversation that makes a genuinely compelling case for why prefab is one of the most exciting developments in healthy home building right now. Mariana brings over fifteen years at the intersection of architecture, sustainability, and education, a Master's in Design Science from the University of Sydney, a BA in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, an architectural practice in Italy, and years leading Passive House training as CEO of Emu Passive before joining B.Public's leadership team in 2025. Together Ashley and Mariana walk through what prefab actually means in the context of high performance building, why factory-built structural panels change the quality control conversation entirely, what airtightness numbers B.Public is hitting in the field and why that matters for indoor air quality, and why the Passive House standard remains one of the most reliable proxies for a home that will actually perform. They also dig into the materials conversation, what B.Public specifies and why, where healthy materials and high performance building science overlap and where they still have work to do, and why education and community building are just as important as the product itself. This is a forward-looking episode about what becomes possible when you take building science seriously and design a system around it. If you are building new or wondering whether prefab belongs in the healthy home conversation, this one will shift how you think about it. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: High-Performance Prefab Installer TrainingB.HOME Collection: bpublicprefab.com/b-homeB.Public fire rebuild program for Los Angeles: bpublicprefab.com/rebuild-better-los-angelesPassive House Institute US (PHIUS) certificationEmu Passive (Mariana's former Passive House training company)Energy Communities AmeriCorps VISTA ProgramBuilding Science Summer CampBS and Beer ShowCONNECT WITH ASHLEY Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube | Website Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way. Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower and one on one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again! Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here. CONNECT WITH GUEST Instagram | Youtube | Website Mariana Pickering is the Chief Brand Officer and Community Director at B.Public Prefab, where she leads builder education, outreach, and community engagement across a growing network of high-performance industry professionals. With over fifteen years of experience at the intersection of architecture, sustainability, and education, Mariana holds a Master's in Design Science from the University of Sydney and a BA in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. She built an architectural practice in Italy before founding Emu Passive, where she became a recognized leader in Passive House training for construction professionals. After exiting Emu Passive in 2024, she joined the inaugural cohort of the Energy Communities AmeriCorps VISTA Program before joining B.Public's leadership team in 2025 to continue building the case for high performance, healthy, and scalable homes. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    Why Prefab homes Might Be the Future of Healthy Home Building with Mariana Pickering of B.Public Prefab | EP53

  8. Sep 10

    How an Autism Diagnosis & CIRS Lead This Attorney To Creating Consciously Healthy Homes with Cristina of Conscious Healthy Home | EP52

    What if your daughter's autism diagnosis was not autism at all, but a mold-induced inflammatory response that could be reversed? In this episode, Ashley sits down with Cristina, founder of Conscious Healthy Home and former corporate attorney, for one of the most powerful origin stories this podcast has ever shared. Cristina's family spent years living in a home with mold compacted inside the HVAC plenum, watching their daughter regress in ways that three years of speech, occupational, and physical therapy could not explain, before a single question from a functional medicine doctor finally cracked the case. When the inflammation was addressed, the behaviors stopped, the diagnosis was removed, and Cristina's entire sense of what mattered began to change. Together Ashley and Cristina walk through the full arc of what it looks like to discover mold in a home, navigate insurance denial, find a remediator fast, move out, move into a rental that also had moisture in the plenum, test forty homes with ERMI before finding one that was safe enough, and then slowly put a family back together on the other side of all of it. They also dig into what Consciously Healthy Home does now, including a real estate agent certification program that helps agents ethically and legally market themselves as healthy home specialists, why no one can promise a mold-free home and what the right language actually looks like, and why the mold space desperately needs people who lead with solutions instead of fear. This one is for anyone who has felt like every door keeps closing and wonders whether they are being redirected rather than defeated. It is also for every parent who trusted their gut when the system told them to stop asking questions. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Conscious Healthy Home realtor certification program: https://www.conscioushealthyhome.com/realtorcertERMI testing for mold (referenced throughout as part of home search process)CIRs, chronic inflammatory response syndromeShoemaker ProtocolBuilding Biology InstitutePassive House NetworkHVAC plenum mold and UV light limitationsColorado Green Building GuildCONNECT WITH ASHLEY Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube | Website Ashley helps you renovate and build healthier homes to prevent future health issues from arising from your environment. Whether you’re searching for a new home, assessing concerns with your current one, or embarking on a renovation or new build, Awakening Spaces can guide you every step of the way. Ashley brings her background in Building Biology and Building Science and years of hands-on experience helping families build and renovate homes to prevent mold, chemical exposure, and EMFs in their living spaces. If you’re looking to build or renovate a new home, Ashley has courses to empower and one on one offerings to guide you through the whole process so you can avoid costly mistakes and enjoy the process again! Curious about how we can help with your project? Explore our offerings here. CONNECT WITH GUEST Instagram | Website Cristina Greenfield, J.D. is the founder of Conscious Healthy Home, LLC, a healthy home consulting and homeowner representation firm based near Houston, Texas, serving clients nationwide. A corporate attorney with 15+ years of legal experience, Cristina holds certifications as a Certified Passive House Builder (PHIUS), Building Biology Advocate, and Healthy Materials Advocate from the Parsons School of Design. She also serves as an Advisor on the Air Advisory for the International WELL Building Institute. Her work sits at a rare intersection — combining legal advocacy, building science, and a deep personal mission rooted in her own family's journey through toxic mold exposure. She trains real estate professionals through the CHH Realtor Certification Program and serves as Vice President of Malachi's Message Foundation, a nonprofit supporting families affected by toxic mold. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT If you found this episode valuable, share it with a friend and leave us a rating/review! Thank you for listening ✨

    How an Autism Diagnosis & CIRS Lead This Attorney To Creating Consciously Healthy Homes with Cristina of Conscious Healthy Home | EP52
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Awakening Spaces explores the profound connection between our physical environments and our inner consciousness. We guide homeowners, designers, and wellness seekers beyond simply discussing "toxin-free" building methods to examine who we actually become on our "toxin-free" journey. In this podcast we’re not only talking about windows, walls, and wiring. Through expert interviews, case studies, and actionable guidance, we will explore how mindful design choices affect our relationships, stress levels, and overall well-being. Drawing from my background in design, building biology, and building science I guide listeners through both the practical and philosophical aspects of creating homes that elevate our health and consciousness. Each week, you’ll receive grounded guidance and actionable tips to help you eliminate the stress and overwhelm of finding, renovating, building, or maintaining your healthy home—so that you can create a space that truly supports who you are becoming. Just by tuning in, you’re already stepping into what it means to be an Awakened Homeowner. Together, we’re building a new way forward—one conscious choice at a time.

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