Episodes

Eric Kaiser sits down with Haley Harlow and Al Mitchell from PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) to explore Revive 2024, a groundbreaking new retrofit standard focused on thermal resilience and healthier, safer existing buildings. Haley shares her path from Pennsylvania College of Technology to her current role managing building certifications at PHIUS. At the same time, Al recounts his journey from aspiring car engineer to building scientist, drawn to the elegant complexity of whole-building sys...

Quotes by Brantley: “Most moisture problems are a three-way dance—envelope, mechanicals, and the occupants.” “Skim the light, don’t blast it. The right flashlight technique makes the invisible visible.” “If you only understand one piece of the system, you’re solving 1/3 of the problem.” Indoor environmental specialist Brantley May joins the show to unpack how he investigates moisture, mold, and air-quality problems through building forensics. Starting as a mold remediator in his family busin...

Episode Quotes from Kevin Weaver: “If we can quantify delivered capacity on the air side, we can work our way back to what’s happening on the refrigerant side.” “We don’t have to diagnose everything remotely — we have to be great at saying, ‘there’s a problem,’ and prioritizing action.” “Even the best design can be wrecked at installation. Execution matters.” Chief Engineering Officer Kevin Weaver joins Eric and Bill to go beyond “remote monitoring” and explain how SmartAC is really a loyalt...

QUOTES from the Episode “Instead of landlines everywhere, give every heat pump a cell phone and let it call home.” “We’re seeing close to 40% of heat pumps undercharged or leaking—no wonder callbacks are high.” “What gets measured gets managed.” — often attributed to Peter Drucker (fitting this data-driven shift) Brendan Hermalyn (CEO/founder, Thalo Labs) traces a zig-zag path from NASA and defense to self-driving cars—then into HVAC. His through-line: high-reliability sensing and prognostic...

Totex co-founder Berlin Raj joins Eric and “Overkill Bill” to unpack a single-box, hydronic monoblock system that combines space conditioning, domestic hot water, pool heating, thermal + lithium storage, EV charging integration, and backup power. Born from Berlin’s lifelong tinkering (and many shocks), the idea: stop wasting condenser heat—capture it for hot water while cooling. The system keeps all refrigerant sealed in the outdoor unit and runs PEX supply/return to indoor air handlers (ducted...

Quotes from the Episode: “If it helps one person, then it’s worth its weight in gold.” —Roman “Stop asking ‘What if I fail?’—ask ‘What if I’m amazing at this?’” —Roman “I ran into the fire and rescued my future self.” —Roman (riffing with Bill) Roman Baugh—third-generation tradesman, educator at Kalos Services, and prolific HVAC content creator—joins Bill and Eric for a lively conversation that starts with mustache banter and lands on the deeper stuff: curiosity, service, parenting, and lear...

Stephen Roth—founder of Carmel Software and current owner of Hands Down Software—joins Bill and Eric to trace a multigenerational journey from a 1920s Ohio roofing firm to modern HVAC software that powers everyday field work. Stephen shares how family roots in commercial roofing and energy management shaped his path as a mechanical engineer and coder, eventually leading to Autodesk acquiring his early load-calc assets and, later, to relaunching Carmel with one of the industry’s first mobile HVAC...

“Use AI to augment people, not replace them.” “Windshield time is 30% of a tech’s day—let’s turn it into sales prep.” “Proposals should translate specs into homeowner value—comfort, savings, and choices.” In this episode, recorded live from the NCI Summit 2025 in Round Rock, TX, Bill and Eric sit down with Winston Chi, co-founder of NOSO Labs, to explore how AI can augment (not replace) HVAC technicians. Winston shares his path from a Google-backed, AI-driven startup in food wholesale to buil...

Some quotes: “When we treat the house as the biggest duct, comfort and performance finally line up.” “Field data becomes financial data the moment a homeowner decides—so it has to be right.” “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” — often attributed to Lord Kelvin Fresh back from the early-September NCI Summit in Austin, Bill and Eric recap three big themes: whole-home thinking, data you can trust, and tools that make better work faster. The “high-performance HVAC” mindset came throu...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Lisa White, Associate Director of PHIUS, to explore the evolving world of passive building. Lisa shares her journey into building science, her role at PHIUS, and how the organization has grown from a niche movement into a force shaping multifamily and affordable housing projects across North America. She explains the core principles of passive building — thermal, air, and solar/radiation control — and how t...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric and Bill welcome Nathan Orr, Sales Director at Kalos and co-founder of Blue Rabbit. Nathan is candid, reflective, and unfiltered, sharing how his creative process—whether through writing late-night reflections or even experimenting with unconventional podcast settings—helps him process emotion and sharpen perspective. His insights reveal a person who values authenticity and believes in using catharsis constructively, rather than destruct...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome longtime HVAC instructor Michael Uselof, who shares his remarkable journey from answering a humble job ad in 1983 to becoming a passionate educator with the United Association (UA). Michael reflects on the value of learning through hands-on experience, the evolution of HVAC technology, and the crucial role training plays in creating resilient, adaptable tradespeople. Michael shares stories from his early da...

On this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser are joined by seasoned tech entrepreneur Selina Tobaccowala, founder of HomeBoost.com, to discuss a new consumer-driven solution that brings energy comfort diagnostics into the modern era. Selina, whose background includes co-founding Evite and serving as President/CTO at SurveyMonkey, now applies her tech and behavioral insights to a space closer to home: energy efficiency and comfort. Selina shares the inspiratio...

In this engaging episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser chats with Nikki Krueger, National Sales Manager and building science advocate at Santa Fe (a Thermastor brand), often dubbed the “Queen of Dehumidification.” They explore the science and application of dedicated dehumidification in homes and buildings across various climates—especially in today’s increasingly humid and energy-efficient housing stock. Nikki shares insights from her 20+ years in the indoor air quality (IA...

In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill Spohn welcomes Josh Koplin, co-founder of Eden (https://e-denhomes.com), to talk about how digital tools are reshaping the HVAC sales experience. Josh shares his unique journey from building power plants in Japan—where he was immersed in a heat pump-centric culture—to co-founding Eden, a company aimed at bringing transparency and ease to HVAC sales through technology. Eden offers a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for HVAC contractors that acts...

“Incidents drive policy. Policy drives law.” – Marc A. Adams “You don't want to do the Scooby-Doo dance if you smell gas—evacuate and call 911.” – Marc A. Adams “An electronic nose is a better solution than relying on your own.” – Bill Spohn In this compelling episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser speak with Marc A. Adams, Vice President of New Cosmos USA, about natural gas safety and the innovative gas detection technologies behind the DeNova Detect brand. ...

“IAQ is no longer just a maintenance issue—it’s a strategic lever for improving patient outcomes and financial performance in healthcare.” “Saving a single dollar in energy for a hospital is like generating twenty dollars in patient revenue.” “The big message: it’s not as big a lift as it used to be. Smart IAQ solutions are now turnkey and data-driven.” In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, host Bill Spohn is joined by Renée Jacobs, a seasoned expert in healthcare construction...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser sit down with two passionate leaders from the GRIT Foundation—Executive Director Leilani Orr and Head of Training Ty Branaman. Together, they unpack the origin story, purpose, and transformative impact of GRIT Camps, which introduce youth to the skilled trades in immersive, hands-on ways. The conversation explores how GRIT—which stands for Growth and Resilience in the Trades—isn't just a clever acronym but a ...

In this wide-ranging episode, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome longtime HVAC pro and educator Adam Mufich to the podcast. Adam shares his unique path through the industry—from growing up in a third-generation HVAC family and starting his own company, to becoming a trainer at the National Comfort Institute (NCI). The trio dives into how social media unexpectedly played a pivotal role in Adam’s professional growth, helping him connect with future collaborators through YouTube live streams and on...

In this insightful episode, Bill and Eric are joined by Abhi Katamneni from Efficiency Canada and Nate Adams, also known as the House Whisperer, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of home performance, policy, and how HVAC contractors can play a central role in the electrification and decarbonization of housing. Abhi shares lessons from his ride-alongs with contractors across North America, emphasizing how real-world experience shapes policy that actually works. Nate dives into his sh...

In this engaging and insightful episode of the Building HVAC Science podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Matt Schwoegler, founder of Blaze Infrared and longtime thermography educator. Matt shares his unexpected journey into the world of infrared—from a marketing career in the ski industry to teaching thousands about heat transfer and thermal imaging. With deep humility and clarity, he walks us through critical lessons from his 20+ year career, including some humorous—and humbling—stories...

In this in-depth episode of Building HVAC Science, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser sit down with Phil Farese, CEO of Mojave HVAC, to explore the cutting edge of desiccant dehumidification technology. Phil, whose career began in physics at Cornell and research at Princeton before moving into consulting at McKinsey and leadership roles at NREL, Enphase, and now Mojave, brings a rare mix of scientific rigor and market savvy to the HVAC space. The conversation traces the evolution of liquid desicc...

In this high-energy episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser welcome Tersh Blissett—entrepreneur, podcaster, and automation enthusiast—for a deep dive into how AI and automation are transforming service businesses. Tersh, known for running multiple HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies, shares his journey from podcasting beginnings to becoming a Zapier expert and automation evangelist. He explains how AI voice tools, custom GPTs, and platforms like Notebook LM and PhoneTap...

In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser welcome back Brent Davidson, founder of the U.S. Heat Pump Summit, for an energizing discussion that soars from glider flights to the frontlines of heat pump education and adoption. Brent shares the story behind launching the Summit—from a hunch inspired by his solar-industry background to a growing movement that now brings together top contractors, technical experts, manufacturers, and rebate program leaders. The goal? To impr...