EP42 Smart buildings and HVAC Controls- News you can use with Eric Stromquist of ControlTalkNow Podcast
Release Date: 08/16/2019
Building HVAC Science
Eric and Bill welcome Victor Hyman to the podcast. Victor is the Executive Director of Climate Care Cooperative, an Ontario-based HVAC contractors' cooperative focused on residential services. Victor explains that Climate Care has been operational since 1992, and he has been its Executive Director for three and a half years. He highlights the unique nature of a contractors' cooperative, detailing how it allows companies to share best practices, training, and financial benefits, likening the structure to a franchise system democratically controlled by its members. Victor discusses the role of...
info_outline EP157 Heat Pumps, Homes, and High Tech Amply Energy's HVAC Evolution With Ed Smith and Eric Fitz (February 2024)Building HVAC Science
In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, co-hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcomed special guests Ed Smith and Eric Fitz from Amply Energy. The group began by sharing their experiences at the recent HVACR school symposium in Florida, highlighting the significance of personal connections and shared knowledge in the industry. Ed Smith discussed his transition from operating businesses to co-founding Amply, driven by a desire to make significant impacts, particularly in sustainable agriculture and decarbonizing chemical manufacturing. The conversation touched on the growing...
info_outline EP156 Inside the Toolbox- Rethinking HVAC with a High-End Twist With Chris Wisniewski (December 2023)Building HVAC Science
In the episode Eric and Bill interview Chris Wisniewski, a high-end residential HVAC contractor. Chris shares his journey from having no initial interest in HVAC, influenced by his father's work, to taking over the family business after college. He emphasizes the importance of being in the field and understanding the technical aspects, leading to his interest in control systems and the evolution of his business from industrial to high-end and standard residential services. Chris discusses the business's transition towards high-end residential work in the city (NYC), incorporating standard...
info_outline EP155 Sustainable Spaces: The Journey from Efficiency to Humanity in Design With Vali Homes (November 2023)Building HVAC Science
In the podcast, Austin shares his experiences with sustainable building practices, particularly highlighting the initial venture into constructing a LEED platinum-level building to demonstrate that high sustainability standards can be achieved without excessive costs or complexity. He discusses the general approach where typical construction starts with existing methods and then adapts to earn additional certification points, which often leads to either more expensive or less effective outcomes. Instead, Austin advocates starting from scratch, focusing on creating healthy, durable, and...
info_outline EP154 Closing the Gap: AeroSeal's Quest for Net-Zero Buildings With Amit Gupta (January 2024)Building HVAC Science
In this episode of the podcast hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcomed Amit Gupta from AeroSeal, a company specializing in duct sealing technology. Amit shared the backstory of AeroSeal, which was originally founded based on technology invented by Dr. Mark Modera at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The technology struggled to gain traction under its initial ownership by Carrier, leading Amit, who was working at Carrier post-MBA, to see the potential for significant energy efficiency improvements in homes through duct sealing. Amit's passion for the technology led to the acquisition and...
info_outline EP153 HVACR Horizons: From 12-Year-Old Prodigies to Industry Pioneers With Eric & Bill (February 2024)Building HVAC Science
In this episode Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn review their experiences and insights from the 5th Annual HVACR School training symposium. They start by discussing the symposium's popularity, noting it had a cap of 300 attendees, indicating a high level of interest and engagement within the community. A highlight mentioned is a 12-year-old attendee, Atley D., who exemplified passion and intelligence for the HVAC trade, showcasing the diverse range of participants and the potential for young talent in the industry. They also cover various aspects of the symposium, such as the focus on practical...
info_outline EP152 Ralph Wolf's HVAC Odyssey: Lessons, Laughs, and Legacies (December 2023)Building HVAC Science
In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser introduces Ralph Wolf, a respected figure in the HVAC industry, known for his internet presence and contributions to the field. Ralph discusses his journey, emphasizing the impact of social media on his career and his current role in education. Despite his reduced online activity since joining Ferguson, Ralph's influence remains strong, reflected in his interactions with students who recognize and appreciate his teachings. Ralph reflects on his career trajectory, highlighting his start in the Navy, which introduced him to sheet...
info_outline EP151 From Ice to Inspiration: Highlights at the AHR Expo (January 2024)Building HVAC Science
Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn share their experiences and observations from the 2024 AHR Expo, a major event for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) industry held this past week (Jan 22-24, 2024). Main points: There were thousands of vendors showcasing new products and technologies. We mention the educational sessions, standards committee meetings, and networking opportunities available at the event. New products and trends: We share some of the new products they saw at the expo, such as vacuum pumps from JB Tools, core...
info_outline EP150 Filtering the Future - The Journey of John Ellis in Reinventing Air Quality (November 2023)Building HVAC Science
Bill & Eric had a great time digging into the details of all things IAQ with John Ellis. Our conversation covered a new air filtration product developed by John in collaboration with Dustfree. Eric queried John on the applications for and design of the product. John with his 43 years of field experience, describes the collaboration with Dustfree's engineers and the development of this novel filtration system that employs all five filtration methods and has received ASHRAE 52.2 credentials with a MERV 16 rating. John elaborates on the technical aspects of the...
info_outline EP149 More Than Just Fixing Furnaces: Why NCI is the Heartbeat of the HVAC Industry With Dominick Guarino (December 2023)Building HVAC Science
Eric and I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dominick Guarino the Chairman & CEO of the National Comfort Institute (NCI) about its mission to improve the HVAC industry through education and training. Here are the key points: NCI's origin and mission: Founded in 1998 by Dominick Guarino and the late Rob Falke. Driven by the desire to improve comfort, energy efficiency, safety, and health in homes and buildings. Focusing on high-performance HVAC and the importance of measuring delivered performance. NCI's activities: Offers technical training classes on...
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I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
Jimmy Dean
While we picked a specific topic, this is a wide-ranging episode with my friend in the industry, Eric Stromquist of Stromquist.com – 2nd generation controls distributor based out of Atlanta, GA.
We discuss our thoughts and opinions on:
How hard it is to actually get access to people – cold calling is basically dead
Closed vs. open architecture in building automation systems
C suite execs focus on productivity, which ties in to all building systems
How the internet has changed the way information is shared- knowledge hoarding is done
The psychological effects of improper lighting
And much, much more.
Eric teams up with Ken Smyers to manage a ton of educational and informative resources centered around building controls and automation that you will find at www.ControlTrends.org They even have their own Awards ceremony that takes place before the AHR Expo!
Eric is an avid podcaster and actually had me on his show in Episode 311!
YouTube link: http://bit.ly/YT-ControlTrendsBS
Podcast link http://bit.ly/ControlTrendBS starting 31:39