

Building HVAC Science
Bill Spohn
Uncover the secrets of healthy, comfortable, and energy-efficient buildings with the Building HVAC Science podcast.
Join HVAC and building performance experts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn, Sr., as they delve into the fascinating world of building science and HVAC diagnostics.
From exploring the latest advancements in measurement technology to examining the impact of building science and proper HVAC design and installation on human health and safety, this podcast is your one-stop shop for learning about all things in the built environment.
In each episode, you'll gain valuable insights from industry leaders and discover practical tips for changing the way you approach your work.
Whether you're a homeowner, facility manager, building performance or HVAC professional, this podcast is essential listening for anyone who cares about creating healthy, comfortable, and energy-efficient buildings.
Here's what you can expect from the Building HVAC Science podcast:
In-depth discussions on a wide range of building science and HVAC topics
Interviews with experts from across the industry
Practical tips for improving your building's performance
Insights into the latest advancements in HVAC technology
The occasional random topic
Join HVAC and building performance experts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn, Sr., as they delve into the fascinating world of building science and HVAC diagnostics.
From exploring the latest advancements in measurement technology to examining the impact of building science and proper HVAC design and installation on human health and safety, this podcast is your one-stop shop for learning about all things in the built environment.
In each episode, you'll gain valuable insights from industry leaders and discover practical tips for changing the way you approach your work.
Whether you're a homeowner, facility manager, building performance or HVAC professional, this podcast is essential listening for anyone who cares about creating healthy, comfortable, and energy-efficient buildings.
Here's what you can expect from the Building HVAC Science podcast:
In-depth discussions on a wide range of building science and HVAC topics
Interviews with experts from across the industry
Practical tips for improving your building's performance
Insights into the latest advancements in HVAC technology
The occasional random topic
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 20, 2022 • 26min
EP76 How to market invisible performance with Max Rohr (Feb. 2020)
Max Rohr (formerly with Rehau as the Marketing and Academy Manager for Building Solutions) spends some time explaining for us the process of creating and marketing products to move energy in water, that is radiant heating and cooling systems, as well as plumbing applications with Pex. We learn about both Max's background and the background of the Rehau company which has 20,000 employees in 55 countries and operates in 5 distinct market areas globally. This episode was recorded in February 2020.

May 13, 2022 • 26min
EP75 What it's like working at Kalos with Austin Klokus (Nov. 2019)
I was impressed with Austin Klokus when I first met him on a trip to Kalos Services (The Orr Family HVAC/Mechanical business in Clermont FL) a few years ago. He was working as a senior videographer at the time where he had soaked up knowledge from Bryan Orr and others and taught himself the skills necessary to do fulfill this role. I loved it when he used the phrase "air is stuff" in one of his videos to convey the message that air has mass. I saw him again in person recently at the 3rd Annual HVAC School Symposium and he continues to mature and grow as a person. I appreciate his "young wisdom" and I hope that you do, too. This episode was recorded in November 2019.

May 6, 2022 • 53min
EP74 Where you can go with passion and persistence with Craig Migliaccio (April 2022)
I can easily summarize this episode with a single quote from Craig's LinkedIn bio: "Remember that we are all teachers and need to invest in others to succeed." You may have heard of Craig; as his HVAC Training books and YouTube videos continue to grow in popularity. Find him on the AC Service Tech Channel on YouTube. He's always been a problem solver including solving the problem of teaching himself how to write some of the most thoughtfully developed HVAC training materials out there. https://www.youtube.com/c/acservicetechchannel https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-migliaccio-71085a74/ info@acservicetech.com You can find his books on Amazon or via his website: https://www.amazon.com/shop/acservicetech/list/2JFZVBR572471 https://www.acservicetech.com/ This episode was recorded in April 2022.

Apr 22, 2022 • 41min
EP73 Creating superb customer service with Steve Coscia (Sep 2021)
I'm so pleased to welcome my friend Steve Coscia to the podcast! You may have heard of him; he focuses on training customer service skills especially in the world of HVAC. As a master communications trainer, he gets his points across via memorable story telling. He holds awesome in-person training sessions (he has been to TruTech Tools twice!) and has books, newsletters, materials, and videos, all of which can be found though this website and YouTube channel: Links below https://www.coscia.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/stevecoscia/videos His 3 key principles of customer problem handling are contain, qualify and correct. A lot of what he teaches may be considered life skills. You need to get a dose of Steve if you can. You will also find Steve presenting at conferences and in the media/videos via other organizations like ACCA and The New Flat Rate. This episode was recorded in September 2021.

Apr 15, 2022 • 30min
EP72 Energy Efficiency, decarbonization and sustainability with John Sheff from Danfoss (Aug. 2021)
In today's podcast we hear from John Sheff who was the director of Public and Industry Affairs for Danfoss at the time of this recording. We learn how John's passion about energy efficiency, decarbonization and sustainability combines with his professional experience in Public Affairs, Government Relations, Project Management and Business Development to help develop strong solutions that meet our industry's needs. We hear about the barriers to deep energy retrofits, limitations of the push for electrification as well as how people are thinking beyond the individual building to tackle building emissions. We also talk about the need for variable speed technology HVAC systems that can ramp up or down to accommodate commercial space that is operating at varying degrees of capacity. And we touch on need to maintain constant, variable airflow as opposed to on/off air flow in indoors spaces with respect to what we have learned in response to COVID-19. You can learn more about Danfoss products at this link: https://www.danfoss.com/en-us/ And read more on Danfoss' position on ESG at this link: https://www.danfoss.com/en-us/about-danfoss/company/sustainability/esg-ranks-and-ratings/ This episode was recorded in August 2021.

Apr 8, 2022 • 50min
EP71 Helping contractors, technically and through marketing services- a conversation with Tom Jackson (Sept. 2019)
Tom Jackson has a passion for the HVAC Trades and it shows through in what he does as leader of Jackson Systems and Supply. Tom is a true entrepreneur following where his customers lead him. His company focuses on product development and support and solves some real head scratcher problems with products and services that you won't find elsewhere. Services like Filter Fetch – making it easy on contractors for their customers to do the right thing. You'll hear about his vision and perspectives and the awesome online training system they have developed. You can learn more about his company here: https://jacksonsystems.com/ We are proud to carry his iO Controls line of products at TruTech Tools: https://www.trutechtools.com/iO-HVAC-Controls This episode was recorded in Sept 2019. Tom Jackson Tom Jackson is the chief executive officer of Jackson Systems, LLC. A Purdue University graduate, Tom is a degreed engineer and spent several years as a territory manager with a large heating and cooling wholesaler in Indiana. During that time, Tom learned a great deal about controls, equipment and incredible client service. In 1997, Tom partnered with his parents to start Jackson Systems. While he is involved with most aspects of the business, he focuses on long-term strategies, product development and making Jackson Systems an incredible place to work. Tom, Ron and Bette have grown Jackson Systems from a start-up to a $20M + company with 81 employees. Jackson Systems has won "Best Places to Work" seven times for the State of Indiana. Tom was a founding Board Member of the Zoning Marketing Alliance (ZMA), which merged with the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the premiere governing body of the HVAC industry. Additionally, Tom is on the Board of Directors for the Indiana HVAC Association and serves on two national committees for the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). Tom also received the National Distinguished Service Award from ACCA. Tom lives in Indianapolis with his wife Jane and their two children. He is active in the Boy Scouts of America. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout and has the distinct honor of being awarded the Silver Beaver, Scouting's top honor. But his great Scouting accomplishment was seeing his son earn is Eagle Scout award. Tom is also involved with Kiwanis, the Catholic Church, the Wishing Well Fund and Alpha Phi Omega service organization. Tom is committed to improving the lives of others and dedicated to his employees and community.

Apr 1, 2022 • 20min
EP70 Getting an early start in the trades with Elana and Jordan Day (March 2022)
The title for this episode could mean a couple things: "Getting an early start" as in developing an early morning routine "Getting an early start" as in beginning to learn the trades in high school Well, Elana Day takes the second meaning to an extreme. Join us as Elana and her dad, Jordan, describe how she has become a LinkedIn phenom with a video of hers gathering thousands of views in a very short time. Elana started at age 5 and now, at age 9 has quite a repertoire of projects completed. You'll enjoy hearing from Jordan, a licensed Master Plumber and Certified HVAC technician who employs the elements of Greek Pedagogy in raising his family. Elana follows excellent safety practices and works hard to learn improve her skills. Yet, she is a "regular kid" who is just drawn to do this. Jordan is an Autodidact – a term you may have heard Bryan Orr use before. Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodidacticism You can find Elana doing her thing on YouTube at this linkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1PLmZrxcVu09_rWjy1YkmA Or by searching for Lil'MissFixIt on YouTube You'll also find her dad, Jordan Day on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-day-93590220b/ …where he recently posted about Elana: "This International Women's Day, I would like to give a shoutout to my amazing daughter. She is 9 years old and wants to become an engineer, but she also has strong interests in the skilled trades. When it comes to her future career, her hobbies, her interests and yes, even her worldview, I do my best to let her carve her own path. I feel that she has already taught me more than I could ever teach her." This episode was recorded in March 2022.

Mar 18, 2022 • 30min
EP69 From particle accelerators to radon measurement, the Airthings story with Erlend Bolle (Jan 2022)
This is my first interview with a founder of a publicly traded company and my second interview with a European guest! Meet Erlend Bolle, whose life journey took him from working at CERN to a building a global, publicly traded company that innovates consumer and professional grade radon and indoor Air quality Monitors. His team's initial goal was to create a product relevant for all in volume production that improves people's health. Learn how the team at Airthings works to understand consumer needs as society, homes and the world changes over time. CERN details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CERN 27 kM (16.77 mile) diameter particle accelerator You can find Erlend on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erlendbolle/ And learn more about this company, AirThings here: https://www.airthings.com/ And see his products for sale at TruTech Tools, here: https://www.trutechtools.com/Airthings This episode was recorded in January 2022.

Mar 11, 2022 • 35min
EP68 Sustainability for homes with Brett Little
Brett approaches sustainability with thoughtfulness and enthusiasm. He is the Program Manager at GreenHome Institute, has been involved in residential sustainability since 2008, and holds a bachelor's in Sustainable Business. Brett has provided consulting and verification services on thousands of residential green-certified living spaces and certified four projects as a LEED Green Rater. Brett oversees education services providing training or moderations for hundreds of events with thousands of attendees. Brett lives with his family in West Michigan in a GreenStar certified home targeting zero carbon in 2021. His mission is to help you build, BETTER. Additionally, he takes personal steps along these lines and share his experiences. Learn about his radon monitoring experiences here: https://www.airthings.com/resources/brett-radon-story He shares is Carbon Zero Home renovation journey here: https://www.buildwithrise.com/stories/financing-a-carbon-zero-home-renovation You can find Brett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-little-0b3ab71b/ Brett's day job is Program Manager at the Green Home Institute: https://greenhomeinstitute.org/ This episode was recorded in January 2022.

Mar 4, 2022 • 41min
EP67 Residential HVAC design has not changed much in 20+ years with Russ King (Aug 2021)
Russ King is a rare breed. He is equally inventor, author (both technical and fiction), software developer, design practitioner, instructor and installer. Above all that, he is passionate, thoughtful, kind, smart and loves to share what he knows. If you get a chance, go see Russ present some time. You can find Russ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-king-m-e-70342913/ He's got a really cool blog with an awesome tagline: "Offering good advice, whether you want it or not." https://russellking.me/ Russ and his son Connor have developed an awesome modeling tool: www.KwikModel.com This episode was recorded in August 2021.


