Building HVAC Science

Bill Spohn
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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

  1. HACE 2 H

    EP257 From Rockets to Heat Pumps: Shreyas Sudhakar on Scaling Quality HVAC (January 2026)

    Pithy quotes "We do our job well if the homeowner forgets about us, because the system just works." "The bar is so low in some homes that doing a quality install can genuinely change someone's life." "The best way to learn is crawling in the crawl space behind a great technician and handing them tools." Semi-famous quote that fits our theme "Stay hungry, stay foolish." © Steve Jobs Shreyas Sudhakar joined the Building HVAC Science podcast to talk about his path from rocket propulsion engineering to building high-quality heat pump installs in California. Bill and Eric found him through his thoughtful LinkedIn posts, and Shreyas shared that a friend's relentless heat-pump evangelism finally pushed him to look deeper. Once he did, the tech clicked. He realized HVAC and rockets share the same core idea: moving energy through systems, and the math is not as far apart as it sounds. What really pulled him in was the homeowner experience. After talking with homeowners on Nextdoor and Reddit, and even calling contractors for quotes himself, he kept hearing the same frustrations: heat pumps feel expensive, contractor advice is inconsistent, trust is low, and myths like "heat pumps don't work in the cold" still show up, even in mild California climates. Shreyas' view is simple: most homeowners do not care what the equipment is called. They care about comfort, noise, bills, and safety, and the best outcome is when the system is so reliable they barely think about it. Shreyas now runs Vayu, a lean heat pump installation company operating with vetted subcontractor partners, while his Heat Pumped newsletter and podcast focus on education for homeowners, technicians, and policy folks. Vayu handles the end-to-end process, from load sizing and equipment selection to permits and rebates, while partner shops focus on the craft of installation. His definition of success is not just a happy install day, but a customer still loving the system a decade later, and technicians thriving because the model removes desk work and supports quality work at scale. Shreyas' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreyassudhakar/ His websites: https://www.vayu.pro/about & https://www.heatpumped.org/ HeatPumped Newsletter sign up: https://www.heatpumped.org/subscribe Heat Pumped Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/heat-pumped/     This episode was recorded in January 2026

    35 min

  2. 6 FEB

    EP256 The Woodstock of HVAC: Why This Symposium Hits Different With the TruTech Team (January 2026)

    Episode quotes: "What you put into this, you get out of this in multiples." "It's not about sales. It's about learning, relationships, and leaving your ego at the door." "Use AI responsibly, but keep the humans involved. The humans are what keep it honest." In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser, Bill, and the TruTech Tools crew (Billy Spohn, Ginny Hebert, and Josh Crawley) recap their trip to the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium in Ocoee, Florida. Josh and Ginny share first-timer impressions: early-morning booth setup, instant attendee engagement, a surprisingly family-friendly outdoor vibe (kids and dogs everywhere), and the general "people are here to learn, not to get sold to" energy. The group talks about how rare it is to see a community where respect and curiosity are the default. They also dig into the most memorable moments and crowd magnets: the GRIT Foundation dunk tank fundraiser, Jim Bergmann's talk on using AI responsibly (in conjunction with real measurements), and hands-on booth favorites like the Shaeco fin straightener demo, the RETROTEC"air tracer," and continued interest in specialized tools like the TrueFlow grid and torque screwdrivers. Billy highlights a renewed surge of questions around combustion analyzers and why the industry seems to cycle back to them, while Eric frames it simply: you cannot fix what you cannot see. To close, everyone answers the question of why the symposium matters, in person or virtually. The consistent theme is relationships, peer learning, and a network that lasts long after the event. Bill caps it with a challenge: what you put into this community, you get back in multiples, and it can genuinely be career-changing. Symposium link: https://www.hvacrschool.com/events/7th-annual-hvac-r-training-symposium/   ELK's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-kaiser-323a1563/ Josh's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crawley-20b41550/ Ginny's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginny-hebert/   Billy's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-spohn-jr-a06201a3/   Bill's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billspohn/   This episode was recorded in January 2026.

    34 min

  3. 30 ENE

    EP255 Beyond Manual J: The Heat Balance Future of Residential Load Calculations With Tony Amadio (December 2025)

    Notable quote from the episode: Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler. In this episode, Eric Kaiser sits down with mechanical engineer Tony Amadio, the founder of True Loads, to talk about what actually makes residential load calculations succeed or fail in the real world. Tony shares how his work is split between builders, architects, project managers, and HVAC contractors, and why the biggest early battle was simply getting people to trust results that pointed to smaller equipment. He explains how he quickly learned from feedback loops in production housing, including what happens when people "over-vent" tiny spaces like closets and bathrooms, accidentally stealing airflow from bedrooms where it matters. Tony walks through his approach to receiving plans, emphasizing the importance of nailing down the building envelope inputs (windows, insulation, attic conditions) and getting key assumptions in writing. On renovations, he emphasizes that uncertainty is normal, so you lean on photos, field verification, and practical guidance to keep the model honest. They dig into infiltration and leakage, where Tony argues the models are still imperfect even with blower door data, and the real win is setting expectations: the HVAC design works under specific building conditions, and if the building does not match those conditions, performance issues are not automatically "bad calcs." The conversation closes with a discussion of equipment selection, humidity, and where the industry is headed. Tony makes a clear point: most standard residential systems do not directly control humidity, and the code focuses on temperature performance, not a promised indoor RH target. They also touch on ACCA Manual S updates, oversizing rules for staged equipment, and Tony's upcoming True Loads software, which uses the ASHRAE Heat Balance method to represent modern construction and time-lag effects better, while aiming to require fewer inputs than traditional Manual J workflows. TrueLoads website: https://1dtrueloads.com/ Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-amadio-pe-7360952a/     This episode was recorded in December 2025.

    41 min

  4. 23 ENE

    EP254 Mold, Moisture, and Missed Details: Lessons From the Building Science Trenches With Kohta Ueno (January 2026)

    QUOTES from the episode: "Most building failures aren't mysterious. They're just ignored fundamentals." "If you demand museum-level humidity, you're no longer building a house. You're building a museum." "Moisture meters don't solve problems. They show you patterns. The thinking solves the problem."   In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser is joined by Kohta Ueno, principal and co-owner of Building Science Corporation, for a wide-ranging discussion on building failures, moisture, HVAC, and the practical realities of diagnosing real-world problems. Kohta shares his unconventional path into building science, from small remodeling jobs and a PBS NOVA episode to decades of forensic investigations alongside Joe Lstiburek, one of the field's most influential voices. The conversation quickly moves from origin stories into what really matters: how buildings fail, why those failures are often predictable, and how much cheaper it is to solve problems on paper than after construction.   A major theme is moisture management, especially in high-performance and multifamily buildings. Kohta explains how seemingly small details, like window sill slope, back dams, airflow settings, and interior air seals, routinely separate durable buildings from expensive failures. He also highlights a growing perfect storm in modern construction: oversized HVAC equipment, high ventilation rates, poor commissioning, and limited dehumidification, particularly in smaller units. The result is mold, humidity complaints, and systems that technically run but fail to control moisture.   The episode closes with a practical look at diagnostic tools and methods. Kohta emphasizes pattern recognition over single-point measurements, combining moisture meters, thermal imaging, pressure diagnostics, and blower door testing to understand how air, heat, and moisture actually move through buildings. He encourages listeners to use freely available Building Science Corporation research and Joe Lstiburek's Building Science Insights as foundational resources, reminding the audience that most building failures are not mysterious. They are repeatable, understandable, and avoidable if the fundamentals are respected.   Kohta's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kohta-ueno-472a4/ Links mentioned in the episode: Our Current HVAC Mess Experts discuss problems with residential HVAC systems as a first step toward defining solutions https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/our-current-hvac-mess   Proposed Solutions for Residential HVAC Problems Experts suggest ways to improve the quality of residential heating, ventilating, and cooling equipment installations https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/proposed-solutions-for-the-residential-hvac-industry   A presentation on my investigations of multifamily humidity problems: Multifamily Humidity Control Problems: Muggy Mayhem https://buildingscience.com/sites/default/files/presentation-docs/2021-05-06_nesea_be21_muggy_mayhem_ueno_for_pdf_0.pdf   I have done a presentation on the diagnostic tools I use in my buildings forensic work; here's the slide deck: NESEA BE19 Tools of the Trade for Building Diagnostics March 14, 2019 https://www.buildingscience.com/sites/default/files/2019-03-14_nesea_be19_ueno_tools_trade_diagnostics_for_pdf.pdf 2019-03-14_NESEA_BE19_Ueno_Tools_Trade_Diagnostics.pdf   And here's a YouTube video:   Tools of the Trade for Building Diagnostics with Kohta Ueno https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCZIJFXDl9Q&t=2978s&ab_channel=TheBSandBeerShow   The complete rundown of Joe Lstiburek's columns:   https://buildingscience.com/document-search?search_title=&search=&field_doc_topics=All&field_doc_document_type=3&items_per_page=10   And some of the research reports we did under Building America:   https://buildingscience.com/document-search?search_title=&search=&field_doc_topics=All&field_doc_document_type=8&items_per_page=10   This episode was recorded in January 2026.

    46 min

  5. 16 ENE

    EP253 The HVAC Trust Gap, and the Directory Built to Close It With Kevin R. Hart, Huff Hoffmaster & Darren Reuter (January 2026)

    Quotes from the episode:   "Better isn't a goal, it's a direction." "HVAC can feel like a house of mirrors for homeowners, and the cure is transparency plus measured results." "We're not trying to find the perfect contractor. We're trying to find the contractor who keeps learning and won't get complacent." In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser flips the script and brings Bill Spohn on as a guest alongside Kevin Hart from Better HVAC and Darren Reuter and Huff Hoffmaster from Rewiring America. The group lays out a shared problem: homeowners face a significant information disadvantage when buying HVAC, often making a five-figure decision with no easy way to verify quality beyond marketing, promises, or price. That gap leads to mistrust, inconsistent outcomes, and too many "box swaps" that miss sizing, duct performance, commissioning, and homeowner education. Better HVAC exists to tip the odds back toward the homeowner by connecting people to contractors and individuals who commit to doing measured, commissioned work, and by aggregating trusted educational resources in one place. Rewiring America adds the consumer education and electrification planning layer, plus a push to scale adoption responsibly, with real contractor standards behind it. The partnership ties those strengths together: instead of building separate directories, they align on a shared pledge and a badging approach that helps homeowners and peers filter for contractors who are trained, insured, licensed, and willing to follow best practices, especially for heat pumps and whole-home electrification journeys that also include weatherization and energy auditing.   Rewiring America's website: https://www.rewiringamerica.org/ BetterHVAC website:https://betterhvac.org/ BetterHVAC Pledge: https://betterhvac.org/pledge   Huff's LinkedIn :https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-huff-hoffmaster-ii-766b3a36/ Kevin's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrhart/ Darren's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenreuter98/ Bill's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billspohn/   Corbett's list: https://homediagnosis.tv/hvac-installers     This episode was recorded in January 2026

    43 min

  6. 9 ENE

    EP252 The Perfection Trap in the Trades With Eric Kaiser (December 2025)

    Quotes from the episode: "Good enough isn't a fixed point. It's a moving target shaped by goals, expectations, and consequences." "Perfection can push us forward, but it can also quietly pull us off track." "If I delivered what I promised, in the time promised, using the resources promised, that is good enough for me." "The real skill is knowing when extra effort adds value and when it just adds ego."   In this solo monologue episode, Eric Kaiser explores a deceptively simple question: Can good enough be perfect? Drawing on years of experience in the trades, Eric reflects on how deeply perfectionism runs in technical work and how it can both elevate quality and quietly work against efficiency, clarity, and outcomes.   Using a favorite quote from Dan Holohan, Eric reframes "good enough" not as mediocrity, but as work that meets the right goals, expectations, and time horizons. He walks through practical parameters that define when good enough truly is perfect, including the intended lifespan of the work, customer and regulatory expectations, available resources, and the real consequences of pushing beyond what the situation requires.   Eric closes by offering a simple but powerful three-question test to evaluate our own work:    Did I deliver what was promised?    Was it done in the promised timeframe?    And did I use the promised resources?   If the answer is yes to all three, then maybe, just maybe, the work was perfectly good enough.     This episode was recorded in December 2025.

    12 min

  7. 2 ENE

    EP251 Innovation in HVAC: The Quiet Shifts That Matter Most With Bill Spohn (December 2025)

    Quotes from the Episode: "Innovation in HVAC isn't one big breakthrough. It's a series of quieter shifts that slowly change how we work." "The future of HVAC depends on the people who measure, verify, and continuously improve." "Collecting data is getting easier. Interpreting it well is where the real value lives." "True innovation isn't about chasing trends. It's about reducing uncertainty and delivering better outcomes." "Homes aren't a collection of parts. They're systems, and HVAC sits right in the middle of that system."   In this solo episode, Bill Spohn reflects on how innovation in HVAC really happens, not through one flashy breakthrough, but through a series of quieter, incremental shifts that compound over time. Drawing from 250 episodes of conversations on the Building HVAC Science podcast, Bill reframes innovation as a mindset grounded in measurement, feedback, and systems thinking rather than just new equipment.   Bill walks through key patterns he has observed across the industry, including the shift from equipment-focused thinking to system-level performance, the rise of connected and cloud-based field tools, and the growing role of software in interpreting data rather than just collecting it. He highlights how smart tools, real-time diagnostics, commissioning workflows, and platforms like MeasureQuick have changed troubleshooting, accountability, and profitability for contractors who embrace them.   The episode also explores major themes shaping the future of HVAC: electrification and heat pumps, dual-fuel strategies, improved load calculations and design software, smarter controls and commissioning, and the rapid evolution of indoor air quality from a niche topic to a core expectation. Bill emphasizes the increasing integration of HVAC with building science, ventilation, moisture, and enclosure performance, and points to contractors who are thriving by treating homes as complete systems. He closes by reinforcing that true innovation is about reducing uncertainty, improving outcomes, and supporting continuous learning, all while encouraging listeners to explore BetterHVAC as a growing nonprofit resource for contractors and homeowners alike.   This episode was recorded in December 2025.

    21 min

  8. 26/12/2025

    EP250 Beyond the Equipment: Reflections on 250 Episodes of HVAC and Building Science with Eric and Bill (December 2025)

    Quotes from the Episode: "Good building systems don't start with equipment—they start with a plan and a thoughtful process." "Most comfort problems aren't equipment problems; they're building problems we haven't taken the time to understand." "If even one episode helps someone take the next step in their career, then it's all been worth it." Episode 250 of the Building HVAC Science Podcast flips the script. Instead of Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser doing the interviewing, TruTech Tools' Senior Marketing Manager Ginny Hebert steps into the host seat to reflect on 250 episodes of conversations about comfort, buildings, and the people who work on them. What follows is an honest, thoughtful look back at what the show has uncovered—not just about HVAC systems, but about how people learn, think, and grow within the industry. Bill and Eric reflect on how their understanding of comfort has evolved, especially regarding concepts such as heat transfer, mean radiant temperature, air sealing, and treating the house as a system rather than a collection of parts. They discuss how many "equipment problems" are actually building or design problems, and why taking time to think—really think—about a problem is often the most valuable (and most overlooked) practice in the trade. The conversation highlights how technology, connected tools, and computing power have improved diagnostics, while also reinforcing that good outcomes still depend on mindset and process. The episode also looks forward. From normalizing system testing and indoor air quality assessments to improving how comfort is predicted and communicated, Bill and Eric share what they hope will become everyday practice over the next decade. Above all, this milestone episode is a thank-you to listeners, guests, and the broader HVAC and building science community—for staying curious, open-minded, and committed to doing better work for the people who live in the buildings we touch. Ginny's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginny-hebert/ Eric's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-kaiser-323a1563/ Bill's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billspohn/   This episode was recorded in December 2025.

    33 min
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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

Información

  • Creador
    Bill Spohn
  • Años de actividad
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodios
    257
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © 2025 TruTechTools, LTD 057074
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Building HVAC Science

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