EP224 Beyond Vapor Compression: Smarter DOAS with Liquid Desiccants with Phil Farese (June 2025)
Release Date: 06/27/2025
EP224 Beyond Vapor Compression: Smarter DOAS with Liquid Desiccants with Phil Farese (June 2025)
Building HVAC Science
In this in-depth episode of Building HVAC Science, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser sit down with Phil Farese, CEO of Mojave HVAC, to explore the cutting edge of desiccant dehumidification technology. Phil, whose career began in physics at Cornell and research at Princeton before moving into consulting at McKinsey and leadership roles at NREL, Enphase, and now Mojave, brings a rare mix of scientific rigor and market savvy to the HVAC space. The conversation traces the evolution of liquid desiccant systems and Mojave’s unique approach that combines vapor compression and liquid...
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EP223 AI Without the Hype: Real-World Automation with Tersh Blissett (June 2025)
Building HVAC Science
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...
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EP222 Airflow, Action, and Ideas: Brent Davidson’s Mission to Elevate Heat Pump Pros (June 2025)
Building HVAC Science
In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser welcome back Brent Davidson, founder of the U.S. Heat Pump Summit, for an energizing discussion that soars from glider flights to the frontlines of heat pump education and adoption. Brent shares the story behind launching the Summit—from a hunch inspired by his solar-industry background to a growing movement that now brings together top contractors, technical experts, manufacturers, and rebate program leaders. The goal? To improve both the business and field deployment of air and water-based heat pump solutions. Brent...
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EP221 Consultative Selling Meets Smart Software in Home Performance with Amanda Godward (May 2025)
Building HVAC Science
“Proposals don’t save energy… action does.” — Bill Spohn “I didn’t know how cool this thing was until we started sharing it with the world.” — Amanda Godward “Change is hard—but that’s what makes it great.” — Amanda quoting Ross Trethewey from This Old House In this episode of Building HVAC Science, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser welcome Amanda Godward, founder of Ecotelligent Homes and Ecotelligent Software. Amanda shares her journey from mechanical engineer in the auto industry to a passionate home performance contractor and...
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EP220 Just Keep Learning: The HVAC Journey of Dirk Nauman (May 2025)
Building HVAC Science
“The process doesn’t fail. The technician fails to follow the process.” – Dirk Nauman In this inspiring episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn are joined by Dirk Nauman—HVAC trainer, simulator inventor, and founder of Visual 3D Academy. Dirk shares his personal transformation from a nervous first-time trainer to an industry innovator dedicated to improving HVAC education through simulation and visualization. He discusses how necessity drove him to create his first HVAC simulator from scrap components, eventually evolving it into a line of...
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EP219 Thermentor: Rethinking Load Calcs with Real Energy Data with Max Reichlin (May 2025)
Building HVAC Science
“We’re not guessing what’s inside the walls—we’re measuring how homes really use energy.” Max Reichlin In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn sit down with Max Reichlin from Clean Power Research to explore a groundbreaking HVAC tool: Thermentor. Designed to bridge the gap between estimated and actual residential energy loads, Thermentor leverages real energy usage data to perform virtual energy audits. The goal? More accurate, faster, and accessible load calculations that empower contractors and homeowners alike—particularly when...
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EP218 Breaking Down Silos: The Path to Better Retrofit Training with Ben Hildebrandt (May 2025)
Building HVAC Science
In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Ben Hildebrandt, a passionate advocate for building science and green technology education at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). Ben shares his winding career path—from automotive mechanics to aircraft maintenance to architectural technology—and how that journey has shaped his deep commitment to sustainable building practices. Ben discusses the role of applied research at SAIT, highlighting its focus on real-world implementation of green technologies in residential and commercial...
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EP217 Where Building Science Meets HVAC: Insights from New Orleans (April 2025)
Building HVAC Science
In this episode of Building HVAC Science, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn are joined by a special guest who’s carrying on the Spohn legacy—Billy Spohn. The trio recaps their experience at the 2025 National Home Performance Conference in New Orleans, the largest in the event’s history, with over 2,800 attendees. They reflect on the continued convergence of HVAC and building performance disciplines, and how this cross-pollination is finally taking root at scale. From highlights in the expo hall, including interest in the new RetroTec Air Tracer and the Testo 860i thermal imager, to insightful...
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EP216 Built to Last: How JB Industries Keeps It Made in America (April 2025)
Building HVAC Science
In this episode of Building HVAC Science, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser sit down with Jeff Cherif and David Madden from JB Industries, a long-standing, U.S.-based HVAC tool manufacturer with deep roots in Aurora, Illinois. Jeff shares his fascinating journey from Motorola executive in Dubai to co-owner of JB Industries, sparked by a chance rooftop encounter with one of JB’s own vacuum pumps in the Middle East. David brings a multi-generational connection to the business and reflects on the evolution of JB’s manufacturing ethos and engineering depth. The conversation dives into what sets...
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EP215 Mindset, Metrics & Mastery: Anthony Woo’s HVAC Game Plan (March 2025)
Building HVAC Science
“How much pain they have cost us, the evils which never happened.” —Thomas Jefferson In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn sit down with Anthony Woo, an HVAC contractor from Quebec, Canada. Anthony shares his journey from dropping out of college to becoming a successful business owner specializing in heat pump installations in one of North America's coldest climates. He discusses his personal and professional evolution, from gaining confidence through a Tony Robbins seminar to implementing systems like EOS in his rapidly growing business....
info_outlineIn this in-depth episode of Building HVAC Science, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser sit down with Phil Farese, CEO of Mojave HVAC, to explore the cutting edge of desiccant dehumidification technology. Phil, whose career began in physics at Cornell and research at Princeton before moving into consulting at McKinsey and leadership roles at NREL, Enphase, and now Mojave, brings a rare mix of scientific rigor and market savvy to the HVAC space.
The conversation traces the evolution of liquid desiccant systems and Mojave’s unique approach that combines vapor compression and liquid desiccant in a single DOAS (Dedicated Outdoor Air System) unit. The result? Enhanced dehumidification, reduced energy use, and precision control of sensible and latent loads—at market-competitive prices. Phil outlines how Mojave’s patented media bed and regeneration systems avoid many of the pitfalls that plagued earlier desiccant systems, while also maintaining ease of installation, low maintenance, and strong reliability.
Listeners also hear about Mojave’s service philosophy, tech training programs, and broad rep network, plus a discussion of ideal use cases, efficiency standards like ISMRE (Integrated Seasonal Moisture Removal Efficiency), and how the system outperforms traditional DOAS units. Whether you’re an engineer, contractor, or building owner looking to optimize HVAC performance while cutting energy bills, this episode delivers clear, science-backed insight into where dehumidification is headed.
Quotes from the episode:
“We’re not undoing cooling with reheat—we’re using that energy to do something useful: regenerate the desiccant.”
“Liquid desiccants are like the honey of HVAC—safe, natural, and surprisingly powerful.”
“It looks like an air conditioner. That’s what contractors tell us—and that’s the point.”
Phil’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-farese-49a81b1/
Mojave Energy Systems: https://mojavehvac.com/
Tony Mormino, our friend at HVAC-TV did a recent interview with Mojave: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hvac-tv/episodes/Liquid-Desiccant-Dehumidification-Explained-e33elio/a-abvfahu
Eutectic system defined: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutectic_system
AHRI Standard 920,Performance Rating of Direct Expansion-dedicated Outdoor Air System Units:
Papers and reports by Phil:
Tool to Prioritize Energy Efficiency Investments (NREL 2012):
https://docs.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/54799.pdf
How to build a low-energy future (2012): https://www.nature.com/articles/488275a
ASHRAE paper on Liquid Desiccants:
https://mojavehvac.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Liquid-Desiccant-Field-Campaign-Final-2.pdf
McKinsey paper:Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the US Economy (2009):
This episode was recorded in June 2025.