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Building HVAC Science

by Bill Spohn

Exploring the science, people, and practices shaping better buildings.The Building HVAC Science Podcast dives into both the technical and human sides of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and building performance. Hosted by industry veteran Bill Spohn, CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, the show reflects Bill's passion for advancing the HVAC craft through practical knowledge, curiosity, and conversation.With more than 250 episodes and counting, the podcast features discussions with contractors, distributors, manufacturers, educators, and thought leaders from across the HVAC and building science communities. Each episode blends field experience with broader industry perspective, helping professionals stay ahead of trends, sharpen their skills, and build stronger businesses.Topics include:New tools, technologies, and field practicesReal-world case studies and lessons learnedBuilding performance, comfort, and indoor air qualityIndustry innovation, workforce development, and th

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Episodes

  1. EP292 When Building Science Makes HVAC Sales More Ethical With Cameron Ferguson (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "What we think is an HVAC problem is more so a building problem." "My sales have never felt more ethical." "Rebates are the byproduct of doing a very good design from the front end." What happens when learning building science changes not only how you design HVAC systems,...

  2. EP291 Buying the Technology Is the Easy Part with Brian Feenie (September 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Are you still learning, or did you stop learning in your career?" "I would spend more time chasing the wrong problem in an analog format because I'm not measuring everything." "Some of your best growth could come from that new employee that you just brought in that's...

  3. EP290 From Apprentice to 55 Trucks: Building a Modern Plumbing Company With Max Hicks (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Business doesn't care about your emotions. You just have to solve the problem." "The person that's best doing the plumbing is usually not the best person selling the plumbing." "The biggest thing is: know where your shutoff valve is to your home." What does a modern...

  4. EP289 Building Confidence: Making HVAC Design Visual With Russ & Connor King and Spencer Rosen of KwikModel (September 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "The HVAC system is just designed to match the rate at which that home is gaining or losing heat." — Spencer Rosen "It's part of their job…making sure that the piece of equipment they put in the house matches what the house needs." — Russ King "Don't split hairs when your...

  5. EP288 Where Duct Cleaning Meets HVAC Performance with Zach Ortwine (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "You can't really separate good air quality from good HVAC performance." "I wouldn't recommend to someone something I wouldn't recommend to my grandma." "Once you've seen them both, they can't be separated." What does professional duct cleaning look like when you approach...

  6. EP287 BPI, Building Science, and the HVAC Opportunity With Amanda Hatherly (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "You don't know what you don't know." "That knowledge outside of energy efficiency is key for anyone working in the built environment." "If you are engaged and want to keep learning, this is a great space to be in." Eight years after her first appearance on the Building...

  7. EP286 Stop Waiting for the World to Change with James Childre (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "The only way that change is going to occur is if I make it happen." "What makes a high-performance building? It's just good building sense." "It really is about: how do we get contractors to be confident in the assemblies?" Eight years ago, James Childre joined Building...

  8. EP285 You Can't Control a System That's Open - Ken Allison on HVAC and the Building Envelope (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "I don't need the house to breathe. I need the people to." "You can't control a system that's open." "I would just go make them comfortable. And let them know the added benefit is that they're going to spend less on energy." What happens when an HVAC contractor fixes the...

  9. EP284 What I Learned Building My Own Net-Zero Home With Bill Spohn (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Net zero wasn't the goal—it was the outcome of making hundreds of good building science decisions." "One tiny installation mistake destroyed an entire refrigerant system. Details matter." "The biggest lesson isn't that net zero works. It's that building science works."...

  10. EP283 AI in HVAC: Beyond the Hype With Tyler Nelson and Billy Spohn (August 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "This is no longer a push-pull industry. This is a thinking person's game now." "The better context you give AI, the better partner it becomes." "Ask AI to teach you how to use AI in your particular situation." Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming one of the most...

  11. EP282 Building Better Leaders: Jane Sidebottom on Mentorship, Workforce, and the Future of HVACR (July 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "It's not just about features and benefits anymore. It's about the impact your products have on your customer's business." "Training teaches skills. Mentorship builds confidence." "Someone somewhere saw that we were good at something and helped us channel it." "Words...

  12. EP281 Building a Diagnostic-First HVAC Company with Derek Aarstad

    Quotes from the episode: "When your HVAC system is performing at 100%, but the home isn't, the problem isn't the equipment anymore." "Our job is to be investigators first and installers second." "Homeowners don't just need to know their HVAC system. They need to know their home." "If you think…

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  13. EP280 What 130 Million Homes Can Teach HVAC with Scott Rosenberg (June 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "You sell an amazing product that represents the future of home heating and cooling. But selling it, promoting it, and capturing consumers' attention is hard. At 257, we use data to help you do that more efficiently." "The best way to judge the effectiveness of machine...

  14. EP279 Curiosity, Heat Pumps, and the Details That Matter – A Conversation with Edward Louie (July 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Comfort isn't just about air temperature—it's also about the temperature of everything around you." "If it's difficult to maintain, eventually it simply won't be maintained." "Stay curious about your built environment. Pay attention, ask questions, and keep learning."...

  15. EP278 From Boiler Timers to Predictive Control: Smarter Heat for Multifamily Buildings with Heather Zoberman from Entech (June 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Technology does its best work when it turns invisible problems into obvious next steps." "Most buildings are already telling us what they need. The trick is finally learning how to listen." "You can't optimize what you can't see, and old buildings have been hiding their...

  16. EP277 Dirty Little Secret: Why Heat Pumps Need Deep Cleaning with Gabriel Erde-Cohen (June 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Heat pumps can't meet their promise if they're not properly maintained." "Vacuuming the filter matters, but it is not the same thing as deep cleaning the system." "If it has a coil and a fan, we can clean it." "Electrification only works as intended when the equipment...

  17. EP276 When "Passed Inspection" Isn't Good Enough with Cy Porter (May 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Passed inspection is not the same as built correctly." "The best inspectors keep learning, because no one person masters every trade, every code, and every overlap." "Small defects do not stay small when they are hidden behind walls, ceilings, and warranty paperwork." In...

  18. EP275 The Sound of Better Buildings with Kieren McCord (May 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "The tighter your envelope, the more attention you have to pay to ventilation and indoor air quality." "The acoustics of the ordinary rarely gets attention." "There's so much good work being done, so much data being collected, and oftentimes it doesn't leave the hard...

  19. EP274 The Heat Pump Summit Is Building More Than Better Systems with Brent Davidson (May 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Stop trying to HVAC your way out of bad buildings, and your results will market themselves." "The quality work and word of mouth are real when you're doing building science-backed work with quality staff." "Come with problems you're actively trying to work on and meet...

  20. EP273 Think Like an Air Molecule with Dan Stradford (May 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Ducts matter. Nobody cares much about them until something goes wrong." "HVAC systems are designed assuming clean, bare sheet metal." "Even a small layer of dust can become a mountain range to an air molecule." "Think like an air molecule." In this episode, Bill speaks...

  21. EP272 Live from NHPC 2026: Where HVAC, Buildings, and People Intersect With Brynn Cooksey from HVAC-U PART 2 (April 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "High-performance homes are not about the equipment. They are about the outcomes for the people inside." "The gap is not in technology. It is in execution and understanding." "The contractors who win are the ones who connect building science to real human experience."...

  22. EP271 Live from NHPC 2026: Where HVAC, Buildings, and People Intersect With Brynn Cooksey from HVAC-U PART 1 (April 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "High-performance homes are not about the equipment. They are about the outcomes for the people inside." "The gap is not in technology. It is in execution and understanding." "The contractors who win are the ones who connect building science to real human experience."...

  23. EP270 Scaling with Simplicity: EOS, Growth, and the Malco Evolution With Rich Benninghoff (May 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "We're not just selling tools anymore — we're building solutions that make the trade pro's life easier." "EOS gave us the discipline to focus on what really matters when everything is pulling at you." "(In golf,) you can't hit everything with a driver — great businesses...

  24. EP269 Collaboration Over Competition: A New Playbook for Contractors With Rhydon Atzenhoffer (April 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Great equipment doesn't build a reputation. Great technicians do." "Use AI like a tool, not a crutch. The work still belongs to the person in the attic." "We're missing mentorship across generations, and that gap is costing the trades more than we realize." In this...

  25. EP268 Fresh Air Without the Penalty: Reinventing Ventilation for Real Homes With Austin Riesenberger from Swerv (April 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "If you're building something new, it has to be better in almost every way or it won't catch on." "The stuff that's bad inside your home doesn't filter out, you have to move it out." "We stopped over-modeling and just started testing in the real world as fast as…

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  26. EP267 Why Refrigerant Compliance Is Becoming a Profit Center With Adma Dykstra (March 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "It's a solution to a problem people don't even know they have." "Compliance is no longer just paperwork. It's becoming part of how smart contractors protect margin and keep access to refrigerant." "What GPS did for traffic, shared HVAC documentation could do for…

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  27. EP266 Legacy, Ego, and the Baton Pass: Real Talk on Family Business Succession With Bryan Orr, Robert Orr, Bill Spohn and Billy Spohn (February 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "The emotional side of letting go and the identity shift is something nobody really warns you about." "Clarity is kindness, especially when the chips are down." "Intelligence gets beaten by emotional regulation and patience every day." (Tommy Mello) This episode is a true...

  28. EP265 Why Heat Pumps Fail: It's Not the Equipment, It's the House With Larry Waters and Alex Sloan (February 2026)

    EPISODE QUOTES "Anyone can install a heat pump, but if you don't understand how houses work, you're gambling with comfort." "Our intake process is a pre-screen. We want customers who already want the heat pump." "Electrify everything is cute. Electrify efficiently is the job." In this episode of...

  29. EP264 The Unsung Heroes of HVAC Education, Mentors Who Built the Trade With Howard Weiss and Renee Tomlinson (February 2026)

    "There are people who teach for income, and people who teach for outcome." "You want to grow an industry, you can't ignore half America." "Become an unsung hero, mentor someone, and give back to the industry you love." In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill and Eric are joined by Renee...

  30. EP263 Surviving and Thriving in HVACR: Lessons from the Field With Rick Dirmeyer (February 2026)

    "The more you know, the more you're worth and the harder you are to replace." "Just because you're a great technician doesn't mean you're ready to run a business." "You can't buy the satisfaction of helping someone you may never meet." Bill sits down with Rick Diermeyer, better known to many in…

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  31. EP262 "RTFM" and Real-World HVAC Confidence: Why Callbacks Drop When Training Improves With JT Stewart (February 2026)

    Episode Quotes: "Airflow isn't good. It's measured." "Most pushback isn't 'I won't.' It's 'I'm afraid I'll mess it up.'" "This is a people industry, by people, for people." JT Stewart joins Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser to talk about how he went from long-term care nursing to HVAC, thanks to a red...

  32. EP261 From Journeyman to Trainer: What Actually Works and Why With Don Gillis (February 2026)

    "Listen first, talk last." "Integrity costs something, you've got to be willing to pay it." "If I'm going to fail, I'm going to go down fighting." In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Bill and Eric sit down with Don Gillis, a longtime industry pro with a career spanning roles as…

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  33. EP260 Live From AHR 2026: Tools, Tactics, and Trade Stories From the Show Floor (February 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "If you're not measuring, you're just arguing with opinions." "The tools got better, but what really changed is the technician mindset." "We used to diagnose systems one reading at a time. Now we see the whole story live." Recorded live at 9:00 a.m. on Day 1 of the AHR…

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  34. EP259 Donkey Wrangler to HVAC Whisperer: Brad Adcox on Fundamentals That Win (January 2026)

    Pithy quotes "Your product can be great, but if you're hard to work with, nobody's going to buy it." "Take a deep breath, go back to the fundamentals, and ask: what's the biggest value I can add today?" "You're allowed to say, 'I don't know. I'll figure it out for you.' People respect that more...

  35. EP258 Live From AHR 2026: Tools, Tactics, and Trade Stories From the Show Floor With the Team from TruTech (February 2026)

    "AHR isn't just a product show, it's where you see the future of the trade taking shape in real time." "Training, technology, and community are finally moving at the same speed." "Exhausting in the best possible way, that's how you know it was a great show." Fresh off the floor of AHR Expo 2026…

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  36. EP257 From Rockets to Heat Pumps: Shreyas Sudhakar on Scaling Quality HVAC (January 2026)

    Pithy quotes "We do our job well if the homeowner forgets about us, because the system just works." "The bar is so low in some homes that doing a quality install can genuinely change someone's life." "The best way to learn is crawling in the crawl space behind a great technician and handing them...

  37. EP256 The Woodstock of HVAC: Why This Symposium Hits Different With the TruTech Team (January 2026)

    Episode quotes: "What you put into this, you get out of this in multiples." "It's not about sales. It's about learning, relationships, and leaving your ego at the door." "Use AI responsibly, but keep the humans involved. The humans are what keep it honest." In this episode of the Building HVAC...

  38. EP255 Beyond Manual J: The Heat Balance Future of Residential Load Calculations With Tony Amadio (December 2025)

    Notable quote from the episode: Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler. In this episode, Eric Kaiser sits down with mechanical engineer Tony Amadio, the founder of True Loads, to talk about what actually makes residential load calculations succeed or fail in the real world. Tony shares…

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  39. EP254 Mold, Moisture, and Missed Details: Lessons From the Building Science Trenches With Kohta Ueno (January 2026)

    QUOTES from the episode: "Most building failures aren't mysterious. They're just ignored fundamentals." "If you demand museum-level humidity, you're no longer building a house. You're building a museum." "Moisture meters don't solve problems. They show you patterns. The thinking solves the...

  40. EP253 The HVAC Trust Gap, and the Directory Built to Close It With Kevin R. Hart, Huff Hoffmaster & Darren Reuter (January 2026)

    Quotes from the episode: "Better isn't a goal, it's a direction." "HVAC can feel like a house of mirrors for homeowners, and the cure is transparency plus measured results." "We're not trying to find the perfect contractor. We're trying to find the contractor who keeps learning and won't get...

  41. EP252 The Perfection Trap in the Trades With Eric Kaiser (December 2025)

    Quotes from the episode: "Good enough isn't a fixed point. It's a moving target shaped by goals, expectations, and consequences." "Perfection can push us forward, but it can also quietly pull us off track." "If I delivered what I promised, in the time promised, using the resources promised, that…

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  42. EP251 Innovation in HVAC: The Quiet Shifts That Matter Most With Bill Spohn (December 2025)

    Quotes from the Episode: "Innovation in HVAC isn't one big breakthrough. It's a series of quieter shifts that slowly change how we work." "The future of HVAC depends on the people who measure, verify, and continuously improve." "Collecting data is getting easier. Interpreting it well is where the...

  43. EP250 Beyond the Equipment: Reflections on 250 Episodes of HVAC and Building Science with Eric and Bill (December 2025)

    Quotes from the Episode: "Good building systems don't start with equipment—they start with a plan and a thoughtful process." "Most comfort problems aren't equipment problems; they're building problems we haven't taken the time to understand." "If even one episode helps someone take the next step…

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  44. EP249 The Hidden Hazards: CO, H₂S and the Tech Behind Modern Gas Detection With Dave Massner from Sensorcon (December 2025)

    Episode quotes: "Hydrogen sulfide doesn't announce itself. It can drift in, hit your mucus membranes, and start causing real harm before you know it's there." "You can't treat sensor response like magic—it's physics, chemistry, and smart filtering working together to tell you what's actually...

  45. EP248 Balanced Comfort, Brutal Lessons: Scaling, Losing Half Your Revenue, and Starting Over with AI with Aaron Husak (November 2025)

    "Inspect your marketing the way you'd inspect a home—run diagnostics, don't guess." – Aaron Husak "Attitude is way more important than aptitude. One bad apple really can infect the whole company." – Aaron Husak In this episode of the Building HVAC Science podcast, Eric and Bill sit down with...

  46. EP247 From CEO to Chief Education Officer: Bill Spohn on Legacy, Leadership & Better HVAC (November 2025)

    "Get mad at the problem, not the person. When people feel safe, they'll actually bring you the real issues." - Bill Spohn "We're woven into the fabric of this industry. The industry made me—so in a way, it owns me." - Bill Spohn "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing." - Aristotle In…

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  47. EP246 Beyond MERV: The Truth About Smoke, Sensors, and Standards With Sissi Liu (October 2025)

    Episode quotes: "Below about 0.4 microns, many low-cost PM sensors are basically guessing—right where wildfire smoke and aerosols live." — Sissi Liu "Electrostatic filters can look great at first—and then fall off a cliff in smoke. Pressure drop won't warn you." — Sissi Liu "Science is a way of...

  48. EP245 Retrofit the Future: Inside PHIUS's New Revive Standard with Al Mitchell and Haley Harlow (October 2025)

    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…

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  49. EP244 Envelope, HVAC, and Humans: Solving the IAQ Puzzle with Brantley May (October 2025)

    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...

  50. EP243 Three Sensors, One Strategy: Making Maintenance Truly Smart With Kevin Weaver from SmartAC (October 2025)

    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...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Exploring the science, people, and practices shaping better buildings.The Building HVAC Science Podcast dives into both the technical and human sides of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and building performance. Hosted by industry veteran Bill Spohn, CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, the show reflects Bill's passion for advancing the HVAC craft through practical knowledge, curiosity, and conversation.With more than 250 episodes and counting, the podcast features discussions with contractors, distributors, manufacturers, educators, and thought leaders from across the HVAC and building science communities. Each episode blends field experience with broader industry perspective, helping professionals stay ahead of trends, sharpen their skills, and build stronger businesses.Topics include:New tools, technologies, and field practicesReal-world case studies and lessons learnedBuilding performance, comfort, and indoor air qualityIndustry innovation, workforce development, and th

HOSTED BY

Bill Spohn

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Building HVAC Science have?

Building HVAC Science currently has 274 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Building HVAC Science about?

Exploring the science, people, and practices shaping better buildings.The Building HVAC Science Podcast dives into both the technical and human sides of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and building performance. Hosted by industry veteran Bill Spohn, CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, the...

How often does Building HVAC Science release new episodes?

Building HVAC Science publishes regularly with 274 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Building HVAC Science?

You can listen to Building HVAC Science on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Building HVAC Science?

Building HVAC Science is created and hosted by Bill Spohn.
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