The High Performance Edge Podcast

Episode Links: - Listen on Apple Podcasts - Listen on Spotify - Energy Circle Website - Energy Circle LinkedIn - Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn

Most contractors don't follow Google updates closely. But the Energy Circle team does, and we know when changes are important enough that high performance contractors should take note. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast sits down with Abby Yolda, our Director of Solar and Digital Marketing Strategy, to sort through the Google changes in 2026 that are affecting HVAC, home pe...

Most HVAC contractors won't touch duct work. Too much labor, not enough margin, and a scope that slows everything else down. The result is systems that never perform the way they should… and a gap in the market waiting for someone to fill it. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast talks with Zach Ortwine of Southeast Clean Air Solutions about how he built an entire business aro...

For high performance contractors, permanent load reduction, the practice of improving the envelope before sizing and installing a new HVAC system, isn't a new idea. The harder question has always been the business one: how do you sequence it in a retrofit when envelope work can complicate the sale and increase the total cost of the job? In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast si...

For too many high-performance contractors, doing the best work often comes at the expense of running a healthy business. Custom diagnostics, complex quoting, and the paperwork burden of rebates and equipment registration eat into the margins that make quality work sustainable. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast sits down with Furman Haynes, co-founder of WorkHero, to talk a...

Most high performance HVAC contractors are doing exceptional work in relative isolation. The Better HVAC Alliance was built to change that. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, host Peter Troast sits down with Bill Spohn, CEO of TruTech Tools, and Kevin Hart, CEO of Haven IAQ, founders of the Better HVAC Alliance. The conversation covers the organization’s origins and its dual mission: co...

What does high performance look like in solar? Sun Light & Power has been working out that answer since 1976, evolving from solar thermal to PV to storage, with each shift driven by a commitment to complete, well-designed energy solutions. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast sits down with Chris Mink, Sales & Marketing Manager at Sun Light & Power, to talk about...

The National Home Performance Conference is the largest gathering of building science professionals and high performance contractors in the country. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, host Peter Troast shares a preview of this year’s event, which will be held April 13-16 in Columbus, Ohio. Peter has helped lead the development of the conference's business track sessions for the last sev...

Most high-performance contractors know measureQuick as a commissioning and diagnostic tool. But its impact goes far beyond reducing callbacks. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast sits down with Joe Medosch, measureQuick’s Client Success Manager, to explore how the platform is also a powerful homeowner communication and differentiation tool. They discuss how the measureQuick...

For years, Energy Circle and Amply have talked with high-performance contractors who do exceptional work but struggle to clearly communicate that value through their websites. In this special co-hosted episode of The High Performance Edge and The Heat Pump Podcast, Energy Circle founder and CEO Peter Troast joins Amply co-founder Ed Smith to walk through a new contractor website prototype they col...

For years, some have argued that ultra high-performance contracting only works as a small, boutique model. Keith O’Hara and Eco Performance Builders prove otherwise. In this episode, Energy Circle CEO and founder Peter Troast talks with Keith about how he built a nearly $9 million high-performance contracting business by focusing exclusively on comprehensive projects, combining envelope upgrades,...

If there’s proof that treating the house as a system isn’t just good building science, but a powerful business strategy, Halco Home Solutions is it. In this episode, Energy Circle founder and CEO Peter Troast sits down with Hal Smith, founder of Halco, one of the largest and most successful true high-performance contracting companies in the country. Over four decades, Halco has grown from a tradit...

Adding HVAC can feel like the natural next step for a building-envelope-first business, but knowing when to make the move, how to do it well, and what pitfalls to avoid is anything but simple. In this contractor roundtable episode, host Peter Troast is joined by Matt Hargrove of Total Home Performance (Maryland) and Kevin Brenner of Healthy Home Energy (New York), two high-performance contractors...

We’re back for an annual end-of-year tradition! For our last podcast episode of the year, join host Peter Troast, CEO and founder of Energy Circle, as he looks back at 2025 and ahead to 2026. He’ll discuss what the Energy Circle team is thinking about to help high performance contractors stand out in their markets and grow their businesses in the coming year, including: The economic landscape for...

This episode of The High Performance Edge honors the memory of Dan Wildenhaus, a longtime trainer, former contractor, and one of the most gifted educators in the high performance world. Dan had an extraordinary gift for making complex building science feel clear, practical, and doable, especially for contractors and techs newer to the idea of the high performance approach. His energy, humor, and g...

For many heat pump contractors, the biggest question is how to consistently win jobs without racing to the bottom on price. The answer is building a business that stands out for the right reasons and is set up for long-term success. For the fifth episode of the High Performance Edge,we are sharing a conversation Energy Circle CEO Peter Troast and Amply co-founder Ed Smith had about what truly sepa...

Even the best home performance solutions can fall flat if your customers are hesitant, overwhelmed, or skeptical. The biggest obstacle to closing the deal? Fear—of high costs, confusing processes, or making the wrong decision. On the inaugural episode of The High Performance Edge Podcast, Energy Circle CEO Peter Troast and special guest Denny Duchene of Safe Haven for a practical look at the menta...

Private equity ownership is changing the game for service contractors nationwide. Bigger players bring more marketing dollars, but that doesn’t mean they tell a better story. In this episode, Energy Circle CEO Peter Troast explores how local, independent contractors are differentiating themselves in an increasingly corporate landscape. From emphasizing community ties and accountability to highligh...

What happens when one of the solar industry’s most important incentives disappears? In this episode of The High Performance Edge Podcast, Energy Circle CEO Peter Troast is joined by Abby Yolda, Director of Solar and Digital Marketing Strategy at Energy Circle, to unpack how solar companies are preparing for a world without the federal tax credit. They discuss what this policy shift means for contr...

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a $10 billion market—but most homeowners aren’t even thinking about it when they call a contractor. That’s a missed opportunity. In this episode of The High Performance Edge Podcast, Energy Circle CEO Peter Troast talks with Brynn Cooksey, owner of Air Doctors and HVAC U, about how his team makes IAQ a natural part of every home visit. Brynn shares his “Test In, Fix, Te...