Episodes

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn are joined by Chris and Cheryl Moore, the founders of Harmony Turbines, to discuss their innovative approach to wind energy. Chris and Cheryl share the origin story of Harmony Turbines, which started as a personal project in Chris’s basement, driven by his desire to create a quieter, more efficient wind turbine that could operate in lower wind conditions compared to traditional propeller turbines. They explain...

In the recent episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Brynn Cooksey, the owner of Air Doctors Heating and Cooling. Brynn, who is deeply involved in the HVAC industry and building performance, shares his journey from growing up in a family-run HVAC business to becoming an influential figure in the industry. He recounts how his early exposure to the field through his parents' business and subsequent work with a utility company helped shape his career....

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser discuss their recent experiences at industry events, particularly the Westford Symposium on Building Science, also known as Building Science Summer Camp. They reflect on the event's unique blend of technical presentations and social interactions, highlighting the presentation by Keith Simon on the longevity of building designs and the importance of balancing aesthetics with functionality. The discussion emphasizes h...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser engage in a lively "duo cast" discussing the various measurements they take in their homes and the reasons behind them. They start the conversation by reflecting on their recent episode with Gary Klein, which inspired Eric to set up a data logging system to monitor hot water temperatures in his home. This leads to a broader discussion about the different tools and devices they use to track energy consumption a...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser are joined by Gary Klein, a veteran in the field of energy conservation, particularly in hot water system design. The discussion begins with Klein explaining his innovative teaching method, using tape on the floor to illustrate the distances between water heaters and home fixtures. This method helps participants understand the time it takes for hot water to reach different parts of a house. Klein emphasizes th...

In the latest Building HVAC Science Podcast episode, co-hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser welcome special guest Steven Rardon, a YouTube celebrity and owner of Smart Home Comfort. Rardon discusses his journey in the HVAC industry, which began at age 17, working for his girlfriend's father's small HVAC business. Over the years, Rardon transitioned through various roles from installer to service technician, eventually moving to North Carolina in 2005 to pursue better job opportunities. He faced num...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Jim Bergmann as their special guest. The conversation kicks off with a discussion about Jim's well-known product, MeasureQuick, and its origins. Jim elaborates on the journey from his early work with performance and diagnostics using the iManifold to the development of MeasureQuick. The goal was to leverage smart tools and smartphones to perform complex calculations and diagnostics, making advanced performan...

In this Building HVAC Science Podcast episode, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Adam Chapman from HeatGeek to discuss his insights and experiences in the HVAC industry. Adam, based in the UK, shares his journey of establishing HeatGeek, which started as a blog and YouTube channel aimed at improving heating systems' efficiency and evolved into a comprehensive training and support network for heating engineers. He emphasizes the importance of proper installation and the high efficiency of ...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn interview Karine LeBlanc, a distinguished engineer and international speaker. Karine shares her journey into the HVAC industry, which started under the influence of her father, an HVAC teacher and contractor. Despite her exposure to HVAC from a young age, she made an independent decision to pursue a career in the field after discovering the job security it offered. Her diverse career includes roles in engineer...

In this Building HVAC Science podcast episode, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn interview Dan Goodman from Building 36, a company specializing in connected home services. Dan explains the origin of the company's name, which is a nod to the MIT building where he studied electrical engineering and computer science. He shares his journey from working on semiconductors to co-founding a thermostat company and eventually creating Building 36. The company provides smart home solutions tailored for prof...

Bill Spohn welcomes Julien Stamatakis, co-founder of Attune (formerly SenseWare). Julien shares his journey from working on sensor networks for Parkinson's disease detection during his PhD in Belgium to co-founding a company focused on monitoring the built environment. Initially, their sensor technology aimed at the medical field faced funding challenges, which led them to pivot towards the built environment. They began by collecting energy data and expanded to include various sensors to monitor...

In this Building HVAC Science podcast episode, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser discuss their recent trip to Denver, Colorado, where they attended the U.S. Heat Pump Summit. They describe the event as a comprehensive gathering of professionals interested in heat pumps, covering technical presentations, regulatory updates, and industry developments. The summit featured various sponsors and exhibitors, including Daikin, Rheem, and TruTech Tools, highlighting the diverse industry support for the ev...

In this short episode, Bill Spohn provides updates on new products, presentations, resources, and interesting travel he and Eric Kaiser have been engaged with during the last few months. LINKS https://www.youtube.com/@TruTechTools/videos https://trutechtools.com/yellow-jacket/ https://trutechtools.com/jb-industries.html https://hvacrschool.com/ www.betterhvac.org www.building-performane.org www.getduckling.com https://www.zerohomes.io/ www.sealed.com https://getconduit.com/ www.amply.energy www...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, host Eric Kaiser welcomes Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Doors, creator of Home Service Expert, podcast host, Inc. Magazine Columnist, and author. Tommy shares lessons and speed bumps along his journey from his first job washing dishes, to growing a successful business. Tommy emphasizes the critical role of profitability in sustaining a business. He talks about the need for business owners to charge prices that reflect the quality of thei...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Tony Mormino, the Technical Sales and Marketing Director for Insight Partners, an HVAC commercial rep firm operating in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Tony shares his journey in the HVAC industry, which started 25 years ago when he helped his father, a residential HVAC technician. Seeking a different path, Tony pursued an engineering degree and eventually transitioned into HVAC sales. The...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science podcast, Eric introduces Matt Akins, the Manager of HVAC Education at the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), as they delve into Matt's journey within the HVAC industry. Matt's career trajectory, starting as a dispatcher for an HVAC company at 19, took him through various roles, from technician to operations manager. His pivotal moment came when he compared his paycheck to a technician's, realizing the value of education and skill developm...

In this episode of the "Building HVACScience" podcast, Wyatt Smith, founder and CEO of Upsmith, joined hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser to discuss his company's innovative approach to tackling America's skilled worker shortage. Wyatt detailed how Upsmith develops software aimed at enhancing productivity in the trades industry by using strategic technology to manage and improve workforce performance. He emphasized the importance of aligning employee behavior with company goals to drive profitabil...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn are joined by Grant Gunnison from Zero Homes. The discussion kicks off with Grant mentioning upcoming conferences in Denver related to home electrification and heat pumps, which he, Eric, and Bill plan to attend. Grant shares insights on the complexities homeowners face when installing electrification technologies, emphasizing the time-consuming nature of getting familiar with new technologies and the challeng...

In the latest episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and co-host Bill Spohn welcomed guest Enrico Bonilauri, an architect originally from Italy now based in the U.S. Enrico shared insights from a comprehensive study comparing various building standards across 50 projects to evaluate energy efficiency and performance. He discussed the differences between international and American passive standards and the standard American building code, emphasizing the need for builders to ad...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast recorded at the ACCA 2024 Conference in Orlando, Florida, Eric catches up with Ed Janowiak from ACCA. Ed and Eric virtually navigate the listeners through the conference, noting the mix of technical and managerial attendees. Ed emphasizes the necessity of technical knowledge in HVAC, especially evident in a conference setting. Eric and Ed reminisce about their longstanding acquaintance, having met at a previous HVACR symposium. In this casua...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Jesse Smith, a carpenter turned HVAC enthusiast. Jesse, who has written an intriguing article titled "Lies, Damned Lies, and Manometer Readings" for Asterisk Magazine, shares his journey from carpentry to specializing in high-performance building and energy retrofits. His early exposure to energy efficiency through his father's work, combined with his professional evolution amidst the housing bubble, l...

In this episode recorded at the ACCA 2024 conference in Orlando, Eric Kaiser interviews Wes Davis, the Director of Technical Services at ACCA. Wes shares his extensive experience at ACCA, noting his nearly two-decade tenure and involvement in significant initiatives like code hearings and contractor accreditation efforts. He humorously remarks on his career progression within ACCA, crediting his rise to the retirement of predecessors and finding joy in leading a talented team dedicated to advanc...

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosted by Eric Kaiser, guests Josh Crawley and Casey Prater from TruTech Tools discuss their experiences at the HVAC Excellence National HVACR Education Conference held in March in Las Vegas, Nevada. They share insights on the conference's focus on education and technology advancements in the HVAC industry, emphasizing the passionate learning environment and the evolution of smart tools in HVAC practices. Josh Crawley, the sales manager for ...

In this engaging interview on the Building HVAC Science Podcast, co-hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcomed Jason Julian, owner of Julian Heating and Air in Arkansas, to discuss his remarkable journey and the evolution of his business. Julian's story is one of resilience and transformation, beginning with his entry into the HVAC industry as a recovering drug addict and felon in need of employment. His eagerness to learn and improve not only his skills but also the comfort and satisfaction of h...