Building HVAC Science

Niek-Jan's Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/niek-jan-bink-18b6203/ ACIN Products: http://www.acin.nl/ RETROTEC and ACIN at TruTech Tools: https://trutechtools.com/retrotec Eric and I had the pleasure of interviewing Niek Jan Bink, a Dutch national who has been working in the HVAC industry for over 20 years. He is the founder of Acin, a company that manufactures airflow measurement products. PostScript after recording: Niek-Jan noted his personal friendship with Ben Walker and his colleagues at Retrotec and thanks Sam Myers for being a great ambassador for ACIN! Over the years, Bink has traveled extensively to the United States for both business and pleasure. Key trips included attended the HVAC Symposium in Florida and has also visited his daughter, who played field hockey for the Champions at University of Delaware. (2016 NCAA National Championship.) Niek-Jan shared with us how he is impressed by the open and friendly culture of the HVAC industry in the United States. He finds that people are more willing to give feedback, both positive and negative. Bink is also interested in the use of social media in the HVAC industry. He believes that platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook can be valuable tools for connecting with potential customers and colleagues. Bink is particularly interested in the use of social media to share knowledge and information. He believes that this can help to improve the overall quality of the HVAC industry. Overall, Bink is a positive and enthusiastic advocate for the HVAC industry. He is excited about the future of the industry and believes that it has a lot to offer the world. Here are some key takeaways from the interview: The HVAC industry in the United States is open and friendly. Social media can be a valuable tool for connecting with potential customers and colleagues. Sharing knowledge and information on social media can help to improve the overall quality of the HVAC industry. This episode was recorded in October 2023.

Eric and I had a great conversation with Louise Kellar, the National Training Manager for UEi Test instruments. We share a lot of common ground with Louise on education and proper application in test and measurement. And in this interview Eric and Louise literally shared the common ground they were standing on during the interview which was conducted in the TruTech west studio in Indianapolis, IN. We learn how Lousie's work experience has perfectly tailored for her current role at UEi and what it is like to work for a large family business. We also discuss how women are still underrepresented in the HVAC industry, making up only about 2% of the workforce. And we settle in on a number of things that can be done to encourage more women to enter the HVAC industry, such as: Providing more opportunities for women to learn about the industry Creating more mentorship programs for women in the industry Promoting the HVAC industry as a viable career option for women The HVAC industry is changing and becoming more inclusive, and there are more opportunities than ever for women to succeed in this field. We also reference Jennifer Manzo and HVAChicks – who came on in EP 129 Women should not be afraid to pursue careers in the HVAC industry, and they should know that there is a supportive community of women who are there to help them succeed. Louise's Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-kellar-bbb659101/ UEi Test Products: https://www.ueitest.com/ECommerce/Default.aspx UEi at TruTechTools: https://trutechtools.com/uei Women in HVACR group: https://www.womeninhvacr.org/ This episode was recorded in October 2023

Eric and I agree: Tersh Blissett would win the best-dressed in HVAC award if there was one. But beyond his dashing apparel, Tersh is a person of many talents. As a visionary creator of the Service Business Mastery podcast (now with co-host Josh Crouch), he is a font of wisdom and inspiration that has been flowing since 2017 when he became part of Bryan Orr's Blue Collar Roots Network with me (and this podcast) and others. While the Blue Collar Roots Network is now defunct, the spirit still lives on. Tersh has a great entrepreneurial mind, building multiple profitable home service businesses that thrive in the small-town market of Savannah, GA. He is a constant learner, in both the technical and businesses aspects of his work, but more than that he is a great communicator of what he learns as he keeps a crazy schedule between his business, his podcast, his community work and most importantly his family. He truly puts people over profits and teaches everyone from his office staff to his technicians to do the same. Tersh excels in bringing the very best technology to everything he does in the HVAC Tersh's Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/servicebusinessmasterypodcast This episode was recorded in October 2023

Listen in as Eric and I interview two of the leaders of Malco products and learn how they have become the nation's leading solution developers and manufacturers of "tools of the trade" for HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning), exterior remodeling, and more. Joining us is Rich Benninghoff, President & CEO, along with Rebecca Talbot, Malco's VP of Marketing. They share with us the rich history and promising future of a successful and well-run manufacturer. In fact, Rich helped our team at TruTech better understand the principles and benefits of EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System which he uses at Malco- you learn more about EOS in Episode 137 of this podcast. Post recording note: In the trade show part of our discussion, we mention Metalcon as upcoming, but it has already taken place in Oct 2023. Rich and Rebecca share closing thoughts that illustrate how they keep an eye on the past, remembering how they got here, along with an eye on the future, for growth. Rich's Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-benninghoff Rebecca's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccajtalbot/ Product Idea submission: https://www.malcoproducts.com/ideas/ Distributor resources: https://www.malcoproducts.com/distributors/ Educator programs: https://www.malcoproducts.com/educators-resources/ Catalogs: https://www.malcoproducts.com/catalogs/ Video Gallery: https://www.malcoproducts.com/videos/ Head of the Class program for HVAC and Building Construction: https://www.malcoproducts.com/educators-resources/ For information on the annual Trade Pro of the Year and Counterperson of the Year programs, be sure to sign up for the Malco Newsletter for the latest news. https://www.malcoproducts.com/mailing-list/ Want to connect in person, Malco will be at booth S7744 in Chicago, IL for the AHR trade show. You can always stay in touch with Malco on their socials, be sure to follow them on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok. This episode was recorded in October 2023

Another post on LinkedIn is what got this conversation/episode started. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7104814299386171392/ Perhaps it was the architectural rendering of a piece of cake that caught my eye – well done Steven! (FYI as of this writing this post has 564 reactions, 59 comments and 45 reposts- that's influence!) Meet Steven Biersteker, architect by day and content creator by night. Here is his LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-biersteker/ We explore a lot of topics in this episode including why Steven entered this field and how he got to where he is today. (My favorite part of every episode.) Other notions we discuss: Getting to low operational carbon is simple ... in theory. We are running highly efficient buildings on high carbon fuels. Citizens need to demand better and use energy smarter. Designing highly efficient buildings is critical, but so is low-carbon electricity and smart users. We learned that he's writing a book (ABCs of Carbon + Architecture) because he sees a big problem: There is a huge gap between the know-it-alls and the know-it-nots. His book will be simple to read, digestible, and most importantly brief (see the book outline below). And also see below for 10 important questions about low carbon design for every architect and builder to ask themselves/their client. It's on all of us to work together, you can make a difference. Be willing to ask questions. This episode was recorded in October 2023. Here is a sneak peak of the key topics in his book: CARBON LINGO - The Key terms you need to know GLOBAL WARMING 101 - The basics, nothing more SCOPING OUT CARBON - Who's scope are carbon emissions? MEASURING CARBON - How we measure this stuff WHOLE LIFE CARBON - Embodied & Operational Carbon LIFE-CYCLE STAGES - EN15978 - A1 - C EMBODIED CARBON - What's accounted for? MATERIALS - Emissions & carbon sequestering ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS - The intro to Epd's OPERATIONAL CARBON - The basics of emissions ENERGY USE - How does energy impact GHG REFRIGERANTS - What's the issue with refrigerants? CARBON COMPARISON - So what is a ton of carbon anyway? BONUS: 10 simple questions to achieve a low-carbon design. 1. Does this building need to be built? No - Great, you just saved the planet. Yes - Move on to question 2. 2. Does this building need to be built this big? No - Build what you need and nothing more. Yes - Move to question 3. 3. Is there an existing building we could use instead? No - Let's try and build the best new building we can. Yes - Renovated buildings reduce embodied carbon by up to 70% 4. Can we use a biogenic material as our structure? No - Focus on less material and lower impact materials. Yes - Stick frame and mass timber are great structural options 5. Can the building be designed to come apart? No - Concrete is the worst material for disassembly. Yes - Steel and Mass Timber should be bolted for disassembly 6. Can we fully electrify the heating & cooling systems? No - Maximize energy efficiency through passive system design Yes - Heat pumps will reduce your energy use by 3x's 7. Can we reduce our mechanical system size? No - Large mechanical systems are expensive to operate long-term Yes - Use south-facing glazing and passive ventilation 8. Can we specify biogenic insulation and cladding materials No - Find the lowest impact insulation materials. Try EPS over XPS Yes - Cellulose, hemp, denim, and wool are great insulators 9. Do the users know how to best operate the building? No - Make sure users are aware of the passive systems that reduce energy use Yes - A great building that isn't operated well destroys the design 10. Can we minimize the impervious site materials? No - Large parking and sidewalk areas have a large impact Yes - Grasses and natural areas create carbon sinks Sustainable building design is complex, but there are some basic questions that will help make the most important decisions.

Eric and I had a great conversation with Cindy Zeis of Performance Systems Development, https://psdconsulting.com/, a company with the tag line: "Moving Energy Efficiency Forward" and description. We combine building science with technology to help utility companies, program implementers, and building performance professionals achieve energy savings. This whole conversation was spurred by a post that Cindy made on Linked in about electrification programs and the need to get our priorities straight. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/electrification-programs-getting-our-priorities-straight-cindy-zeis I was especially attracted to this paragraph in Cindy's post: In light of recent developments, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other funding opportunities that promote installation of heat pumps and other energy efficient technologies, it's essential to emphasize the importance of considering a building as a holistic system. It's important to highlight the critical role of the building envelope and energy efficient components, such as lighting, in minimizing energy loads before sizing mechanical equipment. It's also important to incorporate third-party verification for both building and mechanical system performance." This episode was recorded in October 2023.

DEFINITION of Culture Learned patterns of perception, values, and behaviors, SHARED by a group of people that are dynamic and heterogeneous. (diverse in character or content.) I like having guests on the podcast share their journeys and important lessons learned along the way. We explore these topics and more with Tim Destasio as he explains how he learned what he knows today. From his start in industrial, ending up in residential and now combining building science, Tim shares with us his lessons learned and his perspectives on #betterHVAC Tim is very active on LinkedIn, so follow him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-de-stasio-0618824a/ We spoke of "Corbett's list", well here it is: https://homediagnosis.tv/hvac-installers Look for his HVAC course on Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/user/tim-r-de-stasio/ His YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn6U4wQe3DPYFFp4kiy_z0w This episode was recorded in August 2023.

We had a great time interviewing the man behind the brand "Love2HVAC". Ty Branaman's passion for all things HVAC education certainly comes through in every conversation and interaction we've had. Ty has a lot of patience (and a small pointer finger thing) that help explain and highlight whatever topic is teaching at the moment. He stresses the use of tools, measurements and your brain to help teach the invisible. He encourages new instructors to "go for it" and be willing to make mistakes, but observant to learn from them. He firmly believes teaching helps you be a better person, a better manager. You will learn more when you teach. (I whole heartedly agree, there!) You will often find Ty on other podcasts, live streams, in conferences and at the HVACR School Symposium. This year he gave a great session on Educating and Training Gen Z https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHs9AD6wRz8 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@love2hvac His website: https://www.love2hvac.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ty.branaman/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/love2hvac Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love2hvac/?hl=en Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ty-branaman-cmhe-07604a33/ This episode was recorded in August 2023.

I'm not exactly sure when I got introduced to the concepts of EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System. It was likely during my 12 week "crash course" in business with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program or 10kSB (https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/ ) – probably one of the 145 people in my National Cohort #6 mentioned it. I read the book Traction by Geno Wickman in 2017 and slowly started integrating the ideas into the way we run TruTech Tools. In the spring of 2022, I re-read it and presented to our leadership team. We decided to go full bore and started the process of adopting EOS company wide in the summer of 2022. On today's podcast I chat with our EOS implementer, Derek Pittak. Derek shares the key components of EOS with us including dissecting issues, following processes and traction, the execution piece. EOS has a lot of quick tidbits you can pick up. However, if this interest you, I suggest you get the book Traction and read it cover to cover or reach out to someone like Derek. Derek's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-pittak-4b2ba86a/ Derek's microsite: https://www.eosworldwide.com/derek-pittak EOS Worldwide: https://www.eosworldwide.com/ This episode was recorded in September 2023.

Josh Teekell, founder of SmartAC.com, discusses how their tech product helps HVAC and plumbing companies increase membership, reduce attrition, and eliminate zero-fee truck rolls. The air conditioning and heating health monitoring platform saves homeowners money with proactive notice of maintenance needs, and includes lifetime warranty, real-time chat with experts, and monthly system health reports.