President & Chief Financial Officer, Vornado Realty
Search every verified Michael Franco interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Michael Franco, President and Chief Financial Officer at Vornado Realty, appeared on the September 17, 2021 episode of the "Dave Cooper LIVE #BS Friday Show" to discuss ventilation certification through the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). During the interview, Franco stated that "healthy air and healthy living have become paramount, especially after COVID-19 highlighted the importance of indoor air quality." He described PHIUS's Fierce certification program as a standard that "focuses specifically on passive building applications with more stringent requirements" and claimed it is "superior to other programs like HVI or AHRI" for evaluating products in passive building contexts. Franco noted that the passive building industry "is growing rapidly, especially the certified builders program," and said PHIUS is "excited to start certifying ventilation units with several manufacturers already lined up." He emphasized that PHIUS requires "at least a MERV 8 filter on our units" with plans to phase in MERV 13, and described the certification's data as "near plug-and-play for practitioners." Franco also mentioned that PHIUS offers "a variety of online training programs for mechanical contractors and others in the trades" focused on passive building science and ventilation.
“It's part of a healthy building to be able to breathe well, which means pulling fresh air in when a building is so well insulated and sealed. You can't just crack a window anymore because that sacrifices control over energy and filtration to keep allergens at bay.”
“We require at least a MERV 8 filter on our units and will be phasing in MERV 13 to align with Energy Star, because clean air is critical and recovering energy from that air is important but secondary.”
“Fierce certification is not just another competing standard; it focuses specifically on passive building applications with more stringent requirements to push the envelope literally and figuratively.”
“The data from our certified projects is near plug-and-play for practitioners, saving them time and effort on calculations, and providing trusted third-party verification aimed at the high-performance market.”
“The passive building industry is growing rapidly, especially the certified builders program, and we are excited to start certifying ventilation units with several manufacturers already lined up.”
“Healthy air and healthy living have become paramount, especially after COVID-19 highlighted the importance of indoor air quality, making it clear that the building industry must change and build smarter, healthier, and better.”
“We offer a variety of online training programs for mechanical contractors and others in the trades to better understand passive building science and ventilation, helping them take their skills to the next level.”
“Before ground is even broken on a passive building, extensive energy modeling is done to ensure the building will perform as designed, emphasizing the importance of planning and data-driven design.”
“Fierce certification is superior to other programs like HVI or AHRI because it evaluates products specifically through the lens of passive building, demanding more stringent performance especially for extreme climates.”
“Consumers need to ask for high-performing buildings with healthier indoor environments and clean energy, as education is key to increasing adoption of passive house benefits.”
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