Cool Air, Hot Takes

Trane

Welcome to Cool Air, Hot Takes, the podcast that’s as smart as your building’s thermostat and twice as fun. Hosted by Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry, two HVAC pros with over 30 years of combined experience and a lifetime of friendship, this show is your go-to for the latest in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, industry news, and cutting-edge HVAC trends. Charlie is a building-systems expert passionate about solving complex problems, and Dan, an Applications Engineer with a knack for energy-efficient design and HVAC troubleshooting, bring their expertise (and plenty of hot takes) to every episode. Together, they dive into topics like the latest trends and systems redefining buildings and Industrial systems , and the future of AI in the industry, from smart thermostats to data centers. They’ll look at what’s up with all these tech companies buying nuclear power plants, and what does it mean for the future of climate control? Expect in-depth interviews with industry-leading experts, practical tips for engineers and contractors, and funny stories from that job that went sideways. Whether you’re designing ductwork, conducting energy audits, or upgrading to sustainable HVAC systems, this podcast is built to keep you informed and entertained. We want to hear from you! Email us CoolAir.HotTakes@trane.com with your questions, HVAC hacks, or the funniest thing that’s ever happened on a job, and we might feature it in an episode. Follow Cool Air, Hot Takes from Trane wherever you get your podcasts, and join us as we tackle the big questions and the finer points of thermodynamics—one hot take at a time. About Trane Commercial Trane Commercial, part of Trane Technologies, is a leading provider of innovative climate control solutions and energy services tailored for commercial environments. The company focuses on optimizing indoor climates through advanced HVAC systems, building automation, and sustainability initiatives. With a commitment to decarbonization, Trane aims to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings while enhancing comfort and efficiency. Learn more at: https://www.trane.com/commercial/north-america/ Meet the Hosts Charlie Jelen has been working with HVAC systems for over 15 years, specializing in sustainable solutions. At Trane Commercial North America, he focuses on advancing cutting edge building and industrial systems. With a background in consulting and system engineering, Charlie is committed to delivering solutions for the hardest challenges facing clients today. Dan Gentry is an Applications Engineer. With expertise in chiller plants, heat recovery, and heat pump systems, he focuses on reliable and efficient system design.

  1. May 19

    Igniting HVAC Careers at the Heavy Metal Summer Experience

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.     Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry sit down with Angie Simon, mechanical engineer, former president of a $125 million mechanical contractor, SMACNA President, and now co-founder of Heavy Metal Summer Experience. Instead of taking it easy in her “retirement”, she's getting kids off the couch, putting a torch in their hands, and showing them what a career in the trades looks like at Heavy Metal Summer Experience. Angie walks us through how it started, and what kids gain from the experience.   We also have:  Hot Takes: Is opposition to data centers modern-day Luddism, and is air-cooled everything the new normal? HVAC Headlines: A new hospital in Newfoundland just became home to Canada's largest geothermal system. Plus: the rollback of a Biden-era rule that tied FHA and USDA-backed mortgages to 2021 energy code compliance, reportedly adding up to $31,000 to the cost of a new home. Stat of the Day: A look at the top and bottom 10 bachelor's degrees by early career salary — and where a trades career stacks up against all of them. We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to rate and follow too!  Cool Air, Hot Takes™ is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment. Learn more at trane.com/coolairhottakes.  Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    36 min

  2. May 5

    Inside Trane's 100-Year HVAC Training Legacy

    Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry celebrate a milestone: Trane's Graduate Training Program turns 100. Kris Gagermeier, Trane’s Director, Technical Training Center of Excellence joins to walk through the program's origins, how it's evolved over a century, and where AI fits into the next chapter of HVAC workforce development, including what it takes to get through 14 weeks in La Crosse.  We also have:  HVAC Headlines: Repair revenue is eating a bigger slice of mechanical contractors' business — up from 21% to 31% since 2021, with more jobs, higher ticket sizes, and lower costs. Plus: Bill Gates-backed TerraPower is breaking ground on a 500 MW sodium-cooled nuclear reactor in Wyoming, targeting 2030. Stat of the Day: Dan mulches it over and shares some surprising landscaping industry stats.  We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to rate and follow too! Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.  Cool Air, Hot Takes™ is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment. Learn more at trane.com/coolairhottakes.  Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    33 min

  3. Apr 21

    The AI Race: HVAC's Biggest Stress Test

    Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry sit down with Matt Caldwell, Director of AI & Cloud Data Centers at Hyper, a company building low-voltage electrical equipment for the data centers powering the AI boom. Matt makes the case that the US-China AI race makes the 1960s space race look like a warm-up lap — and explains why the industry needs to rethink how it designs, manufactures, and deploys infrastructure at speed.  We also have:  Listener Hot Takes: Uncle Tom's hack for checking building pressurization, and Broadband Jesus’s EnergyNet. HVAC Headlines: Should your HVAC company have a mascot, and a Winnipeg case where rooftop HVAC metal theft caused around $500,000 in damages. Stat of the Day: Domino’s delivers how many pizzas a day? And just how much did the Apollo program cost in today’s dollars? We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to rate and follow, too!  Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.  Cool Air, Hot Takes™ is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment. Learn more at trane.com/coolairhottakes.  Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    34 min

  4. Apr 7

    Quiet By Design: Mike Dawson on Noise Control Innovation

    Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry sit down with Mike Dawson, VP of Sales at Parklane Mechanical, a company that's been solving industrial noise problems for over 30 years. Data centers are booming, and we've all heard the noise about them. Turns out, they're also just literally loud. Neighbors have opinions about that. Mike breaks down how noise control works, why it needs to be part of the conversation earlier than most people think, and what the job looks like on the ground.   We also have:  HVAC Headlines: How data centers helped keep the lights on during Winter Storm Fern, Trane's new collaboration on oil-free compressor technology, and a 25-year cheese study that has absolutely no business being this interesting. Stat of the Day: Which U.S. states gained the most residents in 2025. We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to rate and follow too! Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.  Cool Air, Hot Takes™ is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment. Learn more at trane.com/coolairhottakes.  Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    38 min

  5. Mar 24

    Electrification, CDUs, Data Centers: The Hottest Takeaways from AHR 2026

    Season 4 is here! Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are back in the studio, fresh off the floor at AHR 2026 in Las Vegas, where the Cool Air, Hot Takes™ booth was open for business, t-shirts were flying, and the industry had lots to say.  This week, Charlie and Dan break down their hot takeaways from the expo — from the CDU arms race taking over every corner of the exhibit hall, to a surprising surge in electrification energy that nobody quite saw coming.   Live from the AHR Expo floor, we hear from:   Allison Clements, Design Engineers: A hot take on the gap between elegant design and real-world operability and why your maintenance guy needs to be in the room. Ray Reiling, Trade Water: Why end-of-life refrigerant is everybody's problem and almost nobody's responsibility, and what you can do about it. David & Conrad Bishop, Twin Bishop Strategies: How the service industry is about to get hit hard by the scale of data center growth and why working smarter isn't optional anymore. Spencer Ingaldson, Darcy Solutions: Groundwater-enabled geothermal that delivers 50x the capacity of a traditional well. Yes, really.  We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to rate and follow, too! Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.  Cool Air, Hot Takes™ is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment. Learn more at trane.com/coolairhottakes.    Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    30 min

  6. Mar 10

    We are so back: Season 4 of Cool Air, Hot Takes™ is here

    Hot takes, cool systems, and zero fluff — Season 4 of Cool Air, Hot Takes ™ from Trane is here. Join Charlie and Dan as they bring in the sharpest minds in the industry to break down what's actually happening in heating, cooling, and building technology. AI, refrigerants, heat pumps, data centers, and whatever else is keeping engineers up at night.   Cool Air, Hot Takes ™ is brought to you by Trane Commercial, part of Trane Technologies, a leading provider of innovative climate control solutions and energy services for commercial environments.  Follow now wherever you get your podcasts for sharp insights, bold opinions, and a good time guaranteed.

    2 min

  7. Jan 13

    District Energy Heat Pumps: Bigger, Hotter, Cleaner

    Today, we’re wrapping season 3 with a deep dive into industrial high-temperature heat pumps. Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry talk with Mobola Dosumu, National Sales Manager for Heat Pumps at Everllence, whose custom-engineered systems deliver multi-megawatt heating and up to 350°C steam for heavy industry and district energy. Mobola explains why these heat pumps aren’t “what’s next”, they’re already here, and how they’re accelerating industrial decarbonization.  We also have:  HVAC Headlines: Should you really cover your AC unit in winter? Plus, how AI could boost HVAC productivity by 40%, and why predictive maintenance might finally get its moment. Dan in the Factory: This week Dan meets Billy Rice, Mechanical Commissioning Agent, to talk about what happens inside a fan-wall test, and a pretty wild air-pressure job story.  Stat of the Day: The funniest (and strangest) statistics about Americans - from coupon dates to conspiracy theories. We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too! Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.  Cool Air, Hot TakesTM is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment.  Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    34 min

  8. 12/30/2025

    The Hottest (and Coldest) Takes of 2025

    In this special end of year episode, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are flying solo and taking you on a tour of 2025’s hottest (and coldest) takes. From bold industry predictions and legendary pop-ins, to the now iconic reminder to “never fall in love with a bearing technology,” the guys look back at the takes that shook the HVAC world, and the ones that never quite left the factory floor. (Yes, Dan, we’re looking at your season 1, episode 1 hot take. Was it the coldest of the year? You tell us.)  We also have:  HVAC Headlines: How Trane and NVIDIA are shaping AI thermal design Hottest & Coldest Takes of 2025:  the death of liquid cooling, bringing your own power to the data center industry and draining water heaters. Do you agree with Charlie and Dan? Stat of the Day: which U.S. airline most deserves a middle seat on the naughty list for worst on-time performance? We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!  Cool Air, Hot TakesTM is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment. Learn more at trane.com/coolairhottakes.  Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.  Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

    26 min
See All (27)

Trailers

5
out of 5
43 Ratings

About

Welcome to Cool Air, Hot Takes, the podcast that’s as smart as your building’s thermostat and twice as fun. Hosted by Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry, two HVAC pros with over 30 years of combined experience and a lifetime of friendship, this show is your go-to for the latest in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, industry news, and cutting-edge HVAC trends. Charlie is a building-systems expert passionate about solving complex problems, and Dan, an Applications Engineer with a knack for energy-efficient design and HVAC troubleshooting, bring their expertise (and plenty of hot takes) to every episode. Together, they dive into topics like the latest trends and systems redefining buildings and Industrial systems , and the future of AI in the industry, from smart thermostats to data centers. They’ll look at what’s up with all these tech companies buying nuclear power plants, and what does it mean for the future of climate control? Expect in-depth interviews with industry-leading experts, practical tips for engineers and contractors, and funny stories from that job that went sideways. Whether you’re designing ductwork, conducting energy audits, or upgrading to sustainable HVAC systems, this podcast is built to keep you informed and entertained. We want to hear from you! Email us CoolAir.HotTakes@trane.com with your questions, HVAC hacks, or the funniest thing that’s ever happened on a job, and we might feature it in an episode. Follow Cool Air, Hot Takes from Trane wherever you get your podcasts, and join us as we tackle the big questions and the finer points of thermodynamics—one hot take at a time. About Trane Commercial Trane Commercial, part of Trane Technologies, is a leading provider of innovative climate control solutions and energy services tailored for commercial environments. The company focuses on optimizing indoor climates through advanced HVAC systems, building automation, and sustainability initiatives. With a commitment to decarbonization, Trane aims to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings while enhancing comfort and efficiency. Learn more at: https://www.trane.com/commercial/north-america/ Meet the Hosts Charlie Jelen has been working with HVAC systems for over 15 years, specializing in sustainable solutions. At Trane Commercial North America, he focuses on advancing cutting edge building and industrial systems. With a background in consulting and system engineering, Charlie is committed to delivering solutions for the hardest challenges facing clients today. Dan Gentry is an Applications Engineer. With expertise in chiller plants, heat recovery, and heat pump systems, he focuses on reliable and efficient system design.

Information

  • Creator
    Trane
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Trane

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