The High Performance Edge Podcast

Peter Troast, CEO/Founder Energy Circle
  • 5.0 (4)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to the podcast for contractors who lead with building science and want to turn that advantage into a stronger, more successful business. Whether you’re in HVAC, insulation, solar, or home performance, we dig into the strategy, sales, marketing, operations, hiring, and customer experience approaches that power stable, more profitable companies. Hear from top contractors and industry experts as we explore what it really takes to thrive as a very different kind of contractor.

  1. 2D AGO

    A Special Preview of the 2026 National Home Performance Conference

    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 several years. You’ll hear directly from a dozen of this year’s presenters, across many of the conference's diverse tracks, about the sessions they’ll be delivering and what makes the conference such a valuable event for the industry. Topics include contractor marketing, humidity control, HVAC design calculations, healthy homes, dense-pack wall insulation, AI tools, contractor sales strategies, and more. There's still time to register and attend NHPC '26! Listen to the episode for a special discount code on registration fees.  Episode Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on SpotifyWatch on YouTubeEnergy Circle website Energy Circle LinkedIn Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedInNHPC Registration Discount Code: nhpc-ecNikki Krueger, AprilAire & Santa-Fe Dehumidifiers Denny Duchene, Snug Home Chris Hughes, The Energy ConservatoryClint Shireman, KnaufKen Allison, IDI Distributors Kevin Kennedy, Environmental Health Scientist Dan Perunko, Balance Point Home Performance Dr. Allison Bailes, Energy Vanguard Jeremy Begley, HVAC 2 Home Performance Furman Haynes, WorkHero Hal Smith, Halco

    23 min

  2. FEB 26

    Making Invisible Quality Visible: How measureQuick Wins Over Homeowners

    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 Vitals Report translates technical rigor into clear, homeowner-friendly scores and metrics that build trust and make quality visible. The conversation also covers how leading contractors use measureQuick to stand apart from commodity competitors, support ACCA QI certification, and reinforce company-wide standards by streaming diagnostics back to the office. If high performance depends on data, this episode shows how to turn that data into something homeowners understand and value. Episode Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on SpotifyWatch on YouTubeEnergy Circle websiteEnergy Circle LinkedIn Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedInJoe Medosch, Director of Training at measureQuick LinkedInmeasureQuick

    29 min

  3. FEB 12

    Inside the High-Performance Contractor Website Prototype We Built with Amply

    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 collaboratively built to address the problem. This free learning tool shows it’s possible to translate complex building science and high-performance processes into language homeowners understand and value, and to do so in a way that drives action. Peter and Ed break down the site page by page, explaining how its messaging, structure, and functionality work together to differentiate high-performance work, build trust, and turn expertise into qualified leadsIf you’re a high-performance contractor, this prototype and podcast conversation is both an invaluable resource and a practical opportunity to rethink how your site communicates value, attracts the right clients, and supports real business growth. Episode Links: Watch on YouTubeListen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyEnergy Circle websiteEnergy Circle LinkedInPeter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedInEd Smith, Amply Co-founder and Co-CEO LinkedIn Amply Website Amply & Energy Circle Demo Site

    30 min

  4. JAN 29

    Why Keith O’Hara Is So Obsessed with Quality (and How He Built a $9M High-Performance Business Along the Way)

    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, ductwork, and heat pumps into a single, performance-driven scope of work. Keith explains why measurable results matter and how an obsession with quality fueled word-of-mouth growth. He also details what sets his operations apart: rigorous SOPs, ambitious performance targets, internal training, career ladders for technicians, and the role peer groups played in benchmarking and accelerating his growth. If you believe high performance should lead to stronger homes and a stronger business, this episode offers a clear, real-world blueprint. Episode Links: Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTubeEnergy Circle Website Energy Circle LinkedIn Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn Keith O'Hara LinkedInEco Performance BuildersForum on Measured Home Performance

    30 min

  5. JAN 15

    “Yes, We Do That”: How Halco Embraced Home Performance and Became a 40 Year Success Story

    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 traditional HVAC company into a full whole-home organization offering HVAC and heat pumps, insulation and air sealing, solar and electric, plumbing, basement waterproofing, indoor air quality, and much more. Hal shares the candid story behind that evolution: why he moved beyond equipment-first thinking, how diagnostics became central to sales and trust, what it really takes to add services sustainably, and why “customers for life” has guided every major decision. The conversation also explores maintenance agreements, compensation, new diagnostic tools, and how Halco has remained independent, and values-driven, in an increasingly private-equity-dominated market. This episode is packed with practical insight for contractors at any stage who believe high performance should lead to stronger homes and stronger businesses. Episode Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on SpotifyWatch on YouTube Energy Circle website Energy Circle LinkedIn Peter Troast Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedInHalco

    30 min

  6. JAN 2

    From Envelope to HVAC: Lessons Learned Bringing Heat Pumps In-House

    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 who spent years focused on audits, insulation, and crawl spaces before bringing heat pumps and HVAC services in-house. They speak candidly about what finally pushed HVAC from “someday” to “now,” the realities of subcontractors versus in-house crews, the challenges of hiring from the traditional HVAC world, and what happens when high-performance standards collide with a commodity heat pump market. The conversation also digs into training, culture, compensation, commissioning standards, service agreements, and why patience (and humility) matter more than most contractors expect. Episode Links: Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTubeEnergy Circle websiteEnergy Circle LinkedInPeter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedInMatt HargroveTotal Home PerformanceKevin BrennerHealthy Home Energy & Consulting

    30 min

  7. 12/18/2025

    2026 Predictions for HVAC, Home Performance, and Solar Contractors, With Peter Troast

    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 home servicesHomeowner sentiment about home improvementsHow AI is changing the way homeowners find contractors (and the way contractors run their businesses)The state-of-the-state for incentivesGetting customers to recognize the difference between high performance contractors and everyone elseEpisode Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on SpotifyWatch on YouTubeEnergy Circle websiteEnergy Circle LinkedInPeter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn

    21 min

  8. 12/04/2025

    A Special Tribute to Dan Wildenhaus

    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 generosity left a mark on everyone who learned from him. Before his unexpected recent passing, Energy Circle CEO and Founder Peter Troast recorded a webinar with Dan on new tools for specifying and sizing heat pumps. This tribute features select clips from that session, along with additional audio shared by close friends. Our thanks to Joe Medosch for helping us assemble this episode. We share this in appreciation of Dan’s clarity, his passion for doing things the right way, and his lasting impact on our industry. Episode Links: Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on Spotify Watch on YouTubeEnergy Circle website Energy Circle LinkedIn Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder, LinkedIn

    20 min
See All (14)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to the podcast for contractors who lead with building science and want to turn that advantage into a stronger, more successful business. Whether you’re in HVAC, insulation, solar, or home performance, we dig into the strategy, sales, marketing, operations, hiring, and customer experience approaches that power stable, more profitable companies. Hear from top contractors and industry experts as we explore what it really takes to thrive as a very different kind of contractor.

Information

  • Creator
    Peter Troast, CEO/Founder Energy Circle
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Energy Circle LLC
  • Show Website
    The High Performance Edge Podcast