Building HVAC Science

Quotes from the episode:     "A fan's only as good as the ducting that's behind it. "     "Condensation is really what we're after when we're talking bathroom fans."     "Design it right, make the right connections and terminations, install it properly using good process."     Ventilation is the "V" in HVAC, but it is often the part of the system that gets the least attention. In this episode, Bil...

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, but how you feel about selling them?     In this episode, Bill talks with Cameron Ferg...

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 bringing in a different perspective."     Buying new technology is easy. Getting people to actua...

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 plumbing company look like, and what can HVAC and building-performance professionals le...

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 job is to shave heads." — Connor King, quoting Russ     What if better HVAC design started...

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 it through the lens of HVAC performance and building science?     In this episode, Bill...

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 HVAC Science Podcast, Amanda Hatherly returns in a new role: CEO of the Building Perform...

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 HVAC Science  (Episode 29 )  with a  somewhat resigned  view of change in the constru...

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 equipment, but the customer still isn't comfortable?     In this episode of Build...

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."     Bill Spohn turns the microphone on himself for a candid look at what he learned by d...

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 practical tools available to HVAC professionals—but only if  it's  used as a thinking part...

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 matter."       The HVACR industry has talked about the workforce shortage for decades—but...

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 I'm doing too much testing, I'd argue you're probably not doing enough."     Many HVAC co...

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 learning and AI is by the outcome: Did I sell more at a lower cost?" "It wasn't simply having a heat pum...

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."   Edward Louie of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory joins Bill Spohn for a thoughtful discussio...

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 stories in boiler rooms for decades." In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill speaks with Heathe...

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 keeps working as intended." In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill talks with Gabriel Erde-Cohen,...

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 this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill Spohn talks with Cy Porter of CYFY Home Inspections, an Ar...

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 drive." "Noise annoyance may be one of the things people are most passionate about." In this episode of the...

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 others who can help you work on them." In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill welcomes back Brent...

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 with Dan Stradford of Action Duct Cleaning about what really happens inside HVAC duct systems over time...

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."   Recorded live at the 2026 National Home Performance Conference in Columbus, this episode of the Bu...

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."   Recorded live at the 2026 National Home Performance Conference in Columbus, this episode of the Bu...

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 know which tool to use and when."   In this episode, Bill talks with Rich Benninghoff about Malco'...

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 episode, Bill sits down with Rhydon Atzenhoffer, host of the HVAC R&D Podcast, for a wide-ranging co...