Building Homes, Building Relationships: The Human Side of Sustainable Design
Stitt Happens: Forward-thinking conversations about energy and the environment. · Oct 30, 2026 · 54:35
Stitt Happens: Forward-thinking conversations about energy and the environment.
Stitt Happens: Forward-thinking conversations about energy and the environment. · Oct 30, 2026 · 54:35
Listen in the Podli app 🎧
Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
“But if the house isn't beautiful, people won't build it.”
— David Stitt
About the Show:
In this episode of Stitt Happens, host Randy Wilburn sits down with David Stitt, owner of The Stitt Group and Stitt Solar, and Jake Skaggs, a Stitt Group designer working toward his architectural license, to talk about the side of building a sustainable home that rarely makes it into the conversation: the relationship between a homeowner and the person turning their life into a set of drawings. Jake traces his path from a childhood visit to Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, through commercial architecture, to residential design at The Stitt Group—and the two dig into what it actually takes to balance a client's dream, their budget, and the realities of the site. Along the way, they talk honestly about the stigma around energy-efficient design, why beauty is never optional, and where AI fits (and doesn't) in a process that's ultimately about people.
Key Takeaways:
Good design starts with listening—Jake treats the first client meeting as a chance to learn how a family actually lives, not just how many bedrooms they want.
What a client asks for and what they need aren't always the same thing—part of the job is bridging that gap, honestly.
Smaller, more sustainable homes don't always mean a smaller budget—site work like driveways and septic systems doesn't scale down with square footage.
Constraints can improve a design—scaling back a wish list often makes a home feel better, not smaller.
Performance alone doesn't sell a home: “If the house isn't beautiful, people won't build it.”
The Stitt Group's integrated team—design, budgeting, building science, and in-house solar and battery installation—is what makes beautiful, net-zero homes possible.
AI speeds up visualization and organizing ideas—but it can't replace a designer's knowledge of a client's site, history, and relationship.
Important Links and Mentions on the Show:
Subscribe to Stitt Happens for conversations that help you live smarter, save money, and embrace the future of clean energy.
Stay connected:
Stitt Solar
1301 S 8th St,
Rogers, AR 72756
Tel: 479.636.8745
Email: info@thestittgroup.com
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tune in and join the clean energy conversation—because when it comes to your future, Stitt Happens.
Episodes: Stitt Happens: Forward-thinking conversations about energy and the environment.
