Welcome back to The Entrepreneur’s Journey. In this episode, Michael Pallozzi speaks with Kevin Brenner, founder of Healthy Home Energy & Consulting. Kevin shares his unexpected journey from podiatry school to building luxury homes for billionaires, and ultimately to pioneering sustainable construction practices as a “building scientist.” He discusses his transition from Brenner Builders to Healthy Home, and how energy efficiency, education, and environmental stewardship have shaped his mission. Kevin’s story is a masterclass in evolving your career with purpose and principle.

 

Tune into this episode to also learn:

• How Kevin transitioned from medical school to multi-million-dollar homebuilding.
• What it means to be a “building scientist” and how that knowledge impacts home performance.
• Why Healthy Home focuses on education, not sales, to stand apart in the HVAC industry.
• How to approach energy efficiency and net-zero building practically and affordably.

 

What we discussed

• [00:01:12] Kevin shares how podiatry school led to carpentry, and eventually to starting Brenner Builders.
• [00:04:06] Why he left high-end homebuilding despite success: stress, pressure, and client dynamics.
• [00:07:26] The significance of building his first spec house and how it sparked exponential growth.
• [00:08:58] Most ambitious build: a 30,000 sq ft mansion for a hedge fund manager with extravagant amenities.
• [00:12:56] How passion for energy performance led to the founding of Healthy Home.
• [00:15:15] Kevin defines building science and how he teaches it across his company.
• [00:20:06] The ethos behind Healthy Home: “We give a shit.” And how they train to that level.
• [00:22:17] Why 95% of HVAC installs are wrong — and how Healthy Home does it differently.
• [00:24:32] The importance of testing outcomes and guaranteeing measurable results in energy performance.
• [00:25:54] What “net-zero” really means and how Kevin achieved it in his own home.
• [00:28:17] Converting an existing home to net-zero — is it possible and practical?
• [00:29:41] Kevin’s future plans: growing Healthy Home and focusing on education to fight climate change.

 

3 Things To Remember

1. Career paths don’t need to be linear — following your passion can lead to greater purpose and innovation.
2. Teaching employees the science behind their work results in better service and industry transformation.
3. Sustainable building isn’t just idealistic — it’s practical, measurable, and critical for future generations.

Memorable moments: 

(00:12:30) “It was doing the unnecessary for the ungrateful. I didn’t mind doing the unnecessary, but the ungrateful part, that got a little old.”

(00:20:06) “We do not want to be like the other assholes out there. You want to be a world of one.”

(00:28:11) “On an annual basis, we were less than net zero. We were net negative, I guess you could call it.”

 

Useful Links

Connect with Michael Pallozzi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpallozzihfm/

Connect with Kevin Brenner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbrenner/

 

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