Champion Both Sides of the Table with Aaron Hastings

In this episode of It’s a Controls Problem, we are joined by Aaron Hastings, the president and founder of Apex Consulting Systems, for a conversation that covers everything from DIY hardware to the high-stakes world of building automation consulting. Aaron’s entry into the industry is a classic "origin story" involving a custom-built Super Nintendo controller he made in high school woodshop using buttons scavenged from an old asteroids table and radioshack parts. That early technical curiosity led him to his first HVAC job in a New Jersey snowstorm, where his ability to read a wiring diagram made him an immediate asset. Over the years, he moved from climbing ladders into the complex world of building automation simply because it seemed like a challenge that offered better long-term prospects.And he was right…We explore Aaron’s move to consulting after years in the trenches with manufacturers and integrators. He shares blunt insights on the "mind-bogglingly stupid ideas" greenlit by stakeholders who overlook mechanical realities. Acting as a translator, Aaron bridges the gap between jargon-heavy providers and owners focused on efficiency-driven ROI. We also chart the evolution of "smart buildings" as we shift from basic functions to a modern focus on energy optimization and breaking vendor silos.The conversation gets particularly lively when we move into a technical "hot seat" segment where Aaron shares his "hill to die on" in the industry: the hope that Modbus will eventually go away. This leads to a fascinating debate about the frustrations of integrating disparate protocols and the importance of things like APDU timeout settings when mixing vendors on a single bus. To wrap things up, Aaron discusses his commitment to education through his project, Writing with the Senior Tech, where he documents his field experiences through notes and videos to help the next generation of technicians avoid the "mediocrity" that can sometimes plague the industry.