Libsyn Directory

EP223 AI Without the Hype: Real-World Automation with Tersh Blissett (June 2025)

Release Date: 06/20/2025

EP244 Envelope, HVAC, and Humans: Solving the IAQ Puzzle with Brantley May (October 2025)

Building HVAC Science

Quotes by Brantley: “Most moisture problems are a three-way dance—envelope, mechanicals, and the occupants.” “Skim the light, don’t blast it. The right flashlight technique makes the invisible visible.” “If you only understand one piece of the system, you’re solving 1/3 of the problem.” Indoor environmental specialist Brantley May joins the show to unpack how he investigates moisture, mold, and air-quality problems through building forensics. Starting as a mold remediator in his family business, Brantley shifted to assessment work and now runs national...

EP243 Three Sensors, One Strategy: Making Maintenance Truly Smart With Kevin Weaver from SmartAC (October 2025)

Building HVAC Science

Episode Quotes from Kevin Weaver: “If we can quantify delivered capacity on the air side, we can work our way back to what’s happening on the refrigerant side.” “We don’t have to diagnose everything remotely — we have to be great at saying, ‘there’s a problem,’ and prioritizing action.” “Even the best design can be wrecked at installation. Execution matters.” Chief Engineering Officer Kevin Weaver joins Eric and Bill to go beyond “remote monitoring” and explain how SmartAC is really a loyalty and trade-intelligence...

EP242 Give Every Heat Pump a Cell Phone - Predictive HVAC with Thalo Labs With Brendan Hermalyn (October 2025)

Building HVAC Science

QUOTES from the Episode “Instead of landlines everywhere, give every heat pump a cell phone and let it call home.” “We’re seeing close to 40% of heat pumps undercharged or leaking—no wonder callbacks are high.” “What gets measured gets managed.” — often attributed to Peter Drucker (fitting this data-driven shift) Brendan Hermalyn (CEO/founder, Thalo Labs) traces a zig-zag path from NASA and defense to self-driving cars—then into HVAC. His through-line: high-reliability sensing and prognostics. Thalo’s product aims to “give every heat pump a cell phone,” using a...

EP241 Hydronics, Storage, and a Single Box: Berlin Raj’s Totex Vision (September 2025)

Building HVAC Science

Totex co-founder Berlin Raj joins Eric and “Overkill Bill” to unpack a single-box, hydronic monoblock system that combines space conditioning, domestic hot water, pool heating, thermal + lithium storage, EV charging integration, and backup power. Born from Berlin’s lifelong tinkering (and many shocks), the idea: stop wasting condenser heat—capture it for hot water while cooling. The system keeps all refrigerant sealed in the outdoor unit and runs PEX supply/return to indoor air handlers (ducted or ductless), avoiding field flares and refrigerant line runs. Install looks familiar—set...

EP240 Run Into the Fire: Curiosity, VRF, and the Rise of Roman Baugh (October 2025)

Building HVAC Science

Quotes from the Episode: “If it helps one person, then it’s worth its weight in gold.” —Roman “Stop asking ‘What if I fail?’—ask ‘What if I’m amazing at this?’” —Roman “I ran into the fire and rescued my future self.” —Roman (riffing with Bill) Roman Baugh—third-generation tradesman, educator at Kalos Services, and prolific HVAC content creator—joins Bill and Eric for a lively conversation that starts with mustache banter and lands on the deeper stuff: curiosity, service, parenting, and learning in public. Roman traces his path from riding along on...

EP239 Psychrometrics, Mobile Apps, and the Future of HVAC with Carmel Software (September 2025)

Building HVAC Science

Stephen Roth—founder of Carmel Software and current owner of Hands Down Software—joins Bill and Eric to trace a multigenerational journey from a 1920s Ohio roofing firm to modern HVAC software that powers everyday field work. Stephen shares how family roots in commercial roofing and energy management shaped his path as a mechanical engineer and coder, eventually leading to Autodesk acquiring his early load-calc assets and, later, to relaunching Carmel with one of the industry’s first mobile HVAC app suites. Today CarmelSoft offers field-friendly tools from PT charts and duct/pipe sizers...

EP238 From Talk to Proposal: NOSO’s Take on Ethical, Measured Sales With Winston Chi (September 2025)

Building HVAC Science

“Use AI to augment people, not replace them.” “Windshield time is 30% of a tech’s day—let’s turn it into sales prep.” “Proposals should translate specs into homeowner value—comfort, savings, and choices.” In this episode, recorded live from the NCI Summit 2025 in Round Rock, TX, Bill and Eric sit down with Winston Chi, co-founder of NOSO Labs, to explore how AI can augment (not replace) HVAC technicians. Winston shares his path from a Google-backed, AI-driven startup in food wholesale to building tools for the trades, inspired by ride-alongs and family ties to hands-on...

EP237 From Data to Decisions: Tools, Demos, and Takeaways from NCI With ELK and Bill (September 2025)

Building HVAC Science

Some quotes: “When we treat the house as the biggest duct, comfort and performance finally line up.” “Field data becomes financial data the moment a homeowner decides—so it has to be right.” “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” — often attributed to Lord Kelvin Fresh back from the early-September NCI Summit in Austin, Bill and Eric recap three big themes: whole-home thinking, data you can trust, and tools that make better work faster. The “high-performance HVAC” mindset came through in a lively contractor panel moderated by Ben Lipscomb, where folks like...

EP236 Details Matter, but So Does the Big Picture A Conversation with Lisa White of PHIUS (August 2025)

Building HVAC Science

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Lisa White, Associate Director of PHIUS, to explore the evolving world of passive building. Lisa shares her journey into building science, her role at PHIUS, and how the organization has grown from a niche movement into a force shaping multifamily and affordable housing projects across North America. She explains the core principles of passive building — thermal, air, and solar/radiation control — and how they translate into healthier, more comfortable, and more resilient spaces. Lisa also discusses...

EP235 Counter-Culture, Catharsis, and Craft: Nathan Orr on Kalos, Blue Rabbit, and Beyond (August 2025)

Building HVAC Science

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric and Bill welcome Nathan Orr, Sales Director at Kalos and co-founder of Blue Rabbit. Nathan is candid, reflective, and unfiltered, sharing how his creative process—whether through writing late-night reflections or even experimenting with unconventional podcast settings—helps him process emotion and sharpen perspective. His insights reveal a person who values authenticity and believes in using catharsis constructively, rather than destructively. Nathan also dives into Kalos’ growth story and culture. He attributes much of their...

More Episodes

In this high-energy episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser welcome Tersh Blissett—entrepreneur, podcaster, and automation enthusiast—for a deep dive into how AI and automation are transforming service businesses. Tersh, known for running multiple HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies, shares his journey from podcasting beginnings to becoming a Zapier expert and automation evangelist. He explains how AI voice tools, custom GPTs, and platforms like Notebook LM and PhoneTap are helping streamline operations, improve call conversions, and create more consistent customer experiences.

The conversation explores both the promise and the pitfalls of AI, from building SOPs and staff training bots to setting up Slack-integrated employee handbooks. Tersh doesn’t shy away from the challenges—like automating broken processes or managing security risks—but encourages listeners not to ignore these powerful tools. He wraps up by offering guidance and community resources for those looking to start their AI journey, reinforcing the message: don't automate for automation’s sake—do it to solve real problems.

Quotes from today’s episode:

“If you do something more than three times a week, optimize it, automate it, or delegate it.”

“Don’t automate just to automate—solve a problem first.”

“Authentic human tone is going to win, even if AI is writing it.”

Tersh’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/

Trade Automation Pros: https://tradeautomationpros.com/

Tersh’s email: tersh@tradeautomationpros.com/

Tersh’s Podcast: https://www.servicebusinessmastery.com/

Other links mentioned in today’s episode:

https://scribehow.com/ Capture computer based learning/processes

Skool.com (look for the Automation Foundation)

www.plaud.ai/products/plaud-notepin (always recording pendant)