Introduction
On our latest episode of The Flow Lab Podcast, we were joined by Sean Maxwell, an American-born building scientist now making waves in Australia’s residential construction scene. With over a decade of experience living and working in Sydney and Melbourne, Sean shared his candid perspective on the state of air tightness, energy efficiency, and training down under—and how it compares to the U.S. and Europe.
Living in Leaky Homes—and Fixing Them
Sean didn’t hold back when describing the current state of Australian housing: “It’s just so bad,” he said with a laugh. His rented home tested at over 30 air changes per hour (ACH), and a skylight that literally lifted out of its socket under pressure testing. But as he points out, the mild climate in much of Australia has lulled both builders and regulators into complacency. Now, thanks to rising energy costs and growing awareness of comfort and performance, change is in the air.
Bringing U.S. Expertise to the Southern Hemisphere
With a background in Massachusetts and New York, Sean was well-versed in tight, cold-climate construction before moving abroad. “When I first got here, it was like stepping back in time,” he said. But rather than criticize, he rolled up his sleeves and went to work—training builders, conducting blower door tests, and now helping to shape air tightness standards across Australia as part of his work with ATTMA (The Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association).
Building Bridges Across Continents
One of the highlights of our conversation was exploring how international collaboration could accelerate progress. Sean is passionate about cultivating a global community of building science professionals—sharing tools, knowledge, and strategies to improve homes worldwide. From the thermal bypass checklist of ENERGY STAR in the U.S. to best practices emerging from Europe, he sees a lot of opportunity to raise the bar in Australia without reinventing the wheel.
What's Next?
Sean is working directly with builders on large developments in Melbourne, showing them how to address major leakage points like open chases, unsealed bath fans, and missing dampers. He’s also helping develop training and guidance tailored to Australia’s unique construction methods and climate conditions. While thermal bridging and design still need attention, he believes that tackling big, fixable leaks is the first step—and one that offers huge gains in comfort and energy savings.
Want to hear the full story?
Listen to our conversation with Sean Maxwell on The Flow Lab Podcast – now streaming wherever you get your podcasts.
