Engineered Miracles (formerly Annmarie’s Breaking Ground)

Engineered Miracles is for people who build, operate, and lead inside high-stakes environments and want to level up how they think, lead, and perform. Rooted in real-world building operations and engineering, this podcast explores best practices, innovation, and workforce development, along with the human side of performance: emotional regulation, leadership under pressure, and the mindset required to evolve in a changing industry. Hosted by Annmarie Bhola, a building industry expert, I help operators and teams build capability that lasts—stronger execution, better communication, and leadership that shows up when it counts. If you want to improve systems without burning out the people who run them, you’re in the right place.

018 - How the Global Influenza of 1918 Impacted Heating and Ventilation 04/10/2020

017 Sista in the Brotherhood 05/14/2019

017 Sista in the Brotherhood Meet Dawn Jones Redstone. Dawn worked as a union carpenter before teaching at Oregon Tradeswomen, a non-profit that helps women access living wage careers in construction. During the sixteen years she spent in these positions, she was also making films and is now a full-time filmmaker. Dawn made a short film called Sista in the Brotherhood, which involves a female African American apprentice carpenter who experiences discrimination on the job site and has to choose between making a stand and keeping her job. After winning multiple awards during its festival run, the construction industry began using it as a training tool. Dawn explains why using her film for this purpose is quite different compared to other training methods. I think that the film does a fantastic job at depicting what actually does exist in the construction industry. Currently doing research in pursuit of making a feature-length film, Dawn had the chance to talk to a woman whose job it is to ensure that her company is meeting its workforce diversity requirements. This particular woman had great success in doing so, and Dawn tells us how she was able to achieve this with a focus on her hiring practices. When we hear about diversity quotas, men sometimes get upset and think “just because she’s a girl, that’s the only reason she’s getting hired.” It bothers me to hear people say that. When women get into these positions, they do have a level of responsibility. I love when women utilize their opportunities to make a great change, which the woman Dawn talks about is doing. Dawn tells us about how the process of making her feature-length film is going and provides a timeline for when she hopes to have the final script finished. We learn more about how the film is being used to train people, as Dawn mentions that even the United States Department of Labor has recently picked it up. Dawn and I discuss some more about why conveying this message in a film makes for a more impactful experience. Be sure to visit her website Sista in the Brotherhood: /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/9772556

016 Diversity and Inclusion 04/29/2019

016 Diversity and Inclusion Meet Nancy Novak, she is the Senior Vice President of Construction at Compass Datacenters and has been working in construction for many years, you can see her bio . I first discovered Nancy through a she shared back in February this year. I checked out her profile, immediately recognized our similar interests, and did what most people on LinkedIn do; I requested to connect and messaged her to be on the show. After many attempts to sync our calendars, we were finally able to connect and on April 22nd, we made it happen. Below is just a glimpse of our insightful conversation. Nancy cites that there is so much opportunity in the industry, yet few people know about it. She likes teaching children about this from a very young age and emphasized the lack of construction visibility at most school career days and the importance of educating teachers about the industry as well. I briefly shared he got from his guidance counsellor, when he was in high school, back in 1977. According to Nancy, there is currently a perfect storm of supply and demand when it comes to construction jobs. She explains why this has caused ideal conditions for driving towards more inclusion in the field. She discusses the fact that construction jobs are never thought of as STEM jobs because people don’t realize how fascinating the industry truly is and how construction allows for learning in so many different areas with the variety of skill levels involved. After most of Nancy’s speeches given throughout the country she is very optimistic when men come up to her to ask how they can help females. Nancy gives her thoughts on the way that men and women view competition between each other and talks about the reasons that each gender stays in their positions. It’s a systemic problem, it's how we were raised. There’s much training that must be provided to both women and men on diversity and inclusion. When we modify the testing so it is done in a way that focuses on attributes instead of giving a simple yes-or-no answer, we understand a person’s strength and it’s the only way to foster better leaders. About three quarters of finding success in diversity, stems from just having the desire to be in the field. Nancy says that when top management makes their company policies, they should be created in a neutral way and normalizing new actions will make them actually happen. /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/9566498

015 Can Stakeholder Engagement Enable Cities to Meet their Energy Transformation Goals? 03/12/2019

014 SS El Faro A Tribute to the Unsung Heroes 03/05/2019

013 How Men Will Stay Significant with Robots and AI 02/14/2019

012 Breaking Ground is Back 02/11/2019

011 - Residential Heating Systems - Waste Prevention vs. Energy Conservation - Asit Patel 06/05/2017

010 - Air Cooled Condenser optimization with Enercoat® 04/02/2017

010 - Air Cooled Condenser optimization with Enercoat® Join me in an interview with Don Yeganeh. Don is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York State and also a Certified Measurement and Verification Professional who graduated from Columbia University as a Mechanical Engineer in 2009. Since then he has spent 6 years as a commissioning engineer and the last 2 years of his professional experience has been with a start-up company Ener.co In our interview we talk about the existing problems with Air Cooled Condensers and their solution that has a payback in less than a year in some cases. Enercoat® is a performance coating designed to prevent corrosion and increase thermal conductivity, resulting in the most energy efficient condenser coils on the market. Their coating does the following: Reduction of energy cost by 14% Increase in energy efficiency by 50% Reduction peak kW consumption by 8% Increase in cooling capacity by 55% Improvement of indoor air quality with an increase in moisture removal and YES they have the field monitoring to prove these results. Air-cooled heat exchangers lie at the heart of the energy efficiency of air conditioning systems. Weather, environmental conditions, dirt and debris are constantly damaging outdoor cooling equipment. Untreated coils begin to corrode from the first day they are exposed to the elements. There is an estimated 3 – 5% loss in efficiency per year due to corrosion. “This means that in just 10 years exposure to the elements can impair thermal performance in a coil by 30% to 50%. With the average age of air-cooled units in the U.S. is 21.5 years. This means that 2/3 of cooling capacity has been lost on average by that time.” Traditional coatings aim to create a smooth fin surface that accumulates less debris over time and protect against fin corrosion. However, traditional fin coatings noticeably impair thermal conductivity – how well heat is transmitted. These coatings possess low levels of conductivity, transfer less heat, and negatively impact energy efficiency. They are also susceptible to tears and cracking, which leaves gaps at the point of the fin-to-tube bond or unfinished edges where fins are cut during the manufacturing process. Their product Enercoat® addresses all of these issues by: Inhibiting causes of fouling and the adhesion of dust and grime to coils Decreasing power consumption Increasing cooling capacity Optimizing compressor operation; reduces stop/start cycles; extends compressor life. Extending overall equipment life, deferring capital investment in new a/c units Why is their coating so special? They have leveraged graphene nanomaterial technology to create a one-of-a-kind coating that delivers real performance change. Multiwall nanotubes of carbon (CNT) and graphene have a very high thermal conductance. The products twin properties of high thermal conductivity along the axial direction and poor thermal conductivity in the radial direction provide an excellent heat conduction channel that can confine heat currents on the nano scale. Incorporating these at high doses into a polymer produces a stable corrosion protective conductive layer. Application to the metal surfaces of tubes and fins in a heat exchanger ensures the retention of a condenser’s heat exchange capacity. Nano layers of conductive graphene platelets enhance the coating and makes it extremely conductive both electrically and thermally. Join me in our interview to learn more of the details. /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/5227842

009 - I-Star Energy Solutions - Jim Park - Interview 03/06/2017

008 - NYC Cooling Tower Inspections & Services - Steven Serrano 03/01/2017

008 - NYC Cooling Tower Inspections & Services - Steven Serrano Steven is the CEO of NYC Cooling Tower Inspection and Services operating out of Queens, NY. Steven graduated in 1998 with a bachelor’s degrees in biology and has been in the water treatment industry ever since; he’s also a Certified Water Technologist. The reason I asked Steven to be a guest is because I wanted him to share some of his expertise on the topic of legionnaires disease. For anyone who doesn’t know in 2015 NYC had its worst outbreak in the city’s history — 12 people died and more than 120 people got sick. The outbreak that started in the South Bronx resulted in strict mandates that most buildings must comply with today. Since there have been many mixed messages, as to what’s required, I wanted Steve to shed some light. As a consultant he typically gets asked a series of questions that most facility operators would like to know. I thought it would be a great idea if we shared that information. Be sure to listen to the interview, below are just some of the questions Steve answered, if you ever wanted a better understanding that you can review at any time, this is it or visit their website at / What is legionnaires disease or the legionella bacteria? How is it caused? Where can it be found? How far does it travel? How is it contracted in your system? If my building has more than one cooling tower, do I have to register each tower separately? What if my cooling tower has multiple cells? Do I need to register each cell as a separate cooling tower? If an outbreak is detected, do they have to notify the City and/or State? What happens if they don’t? How long does it take to flush out your system if an outbreak is detected? How do you notify the city or state agencies? How do the City’s requirements differ from the State’s requirements? If I registered my tower, and I’m missing documents, will I get fined? Do I need to have my reports in hard copy? The City and State requirements mention “microbiological” and “bacteriological” testing. What do those terms mean? How often do these tests have to be done? What if a cooling-tower on my site was decommissioned, do I have to register it? Do I also need to disinfect my tower every 90 days? Will the City and/or State start requiring owners to test tap water for Legionella bacteria? Enhanced Building Solutions LLC, offers a “train and retain” turn key solution for training and development that embraces staff involvement. Building equipment technology is advancing faster than operators can keep up with and buildings account for approximately 40% of CO2 emissions in the United States alone. Training staff to operate buildings efficiently is necessary. Enhanced Building Solutions encourages video training in addition to hands-on. Videos provide consistent information, saves on employee turnover, and minimizes liabilities. Nothing will ever replace hands-on learning but blending the two will create an ultimate training solution. ~Annmarie Bhola /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/5128745

007 - IFMA Board of Directors - Thomas Mitchell, Jr. 02/15/2017

006 - Dual Fuel - Joseph Bohm - Interview 02/01/2017

001 - Meet the Host 01/19/2017

001 - Meet the Host Welcome to the first episode of “Annmarie’s Breaking Ground”. First of all thank you for listening. I want to let you know what you can expect in the upcoming episodes, briefly introduce myself, and let you know why people in this industry is so important to me. This podcast is for you if are in the building industry and would like to learn about best practices, new products, and ways to optimize your building efficiency. You’ll hear what some pioneering CEO’s and leading executives are doing to improve their bottom line in an effort to train and retain their staff. You’ll hear how some have recreated themselves in our growing age of technology to stay relevant and you’ll also hear about how certain products, services and innovations are affecting our industry. To give a little background on me, I am a consulting engineer from New York City and the owner of Enhanced Building Solutions, a company that’s committed to transforming the culture of the building industry through training and development. I’ve worked in many industries including residential, commercial, educational, healthcare and even in the maritime industry for a short period of time. As a passionate consultant around operators staying relevant in our industry, I’ve seen it first hand that inspiring a desire to learn, is the most effective training, companies can offer their employees. I’ll tell you why this subject and industry is so important to me; my dad was an HVAC technician that installed air conditioners in NYC back in the 1980’s. He had my sister and I as his two little helpers. At 6 years old I learned how to use tools and was fascinated by air conditioning and refrigeration. In High School I studied Architecture but all of my professors said Annmarie, you need to be an engineer. After my dad passed away, at the early age of 41, I decided to go to the college that promised more than just a degree, I went to SUNY Maritime College, the hidden treasure located in the Bronx underneath the Throgs Neck Bridge. In 1998 new technologies had just started to emerge. Even with my degree in Plant Facilities Engineering and United States Coast Guard Third assistant engineers license, I remember feeling lost and afraid to ask for help when I was expected to know about a new piece of equipment. I was briefly instructed on it, and received piece mail information on it (more so because now that I look back on it, I don’t think they knew much about it). There were no manuals. Figuring it out is what made us special. I remember making a mistake and almost damaged some major equipment because of this lack of training and direction. Fast-forward 18 years I witnessed new buildings with expensive latest and greatest equipment having to be replaced in less than two years because of the same lack of instruction. I heard everyone blame the operators and remember what it was like for me. As the owner, I took a look at how the operators were being trained and made it my responsibility to do what was necessary to prepare them. I saw how effective providing building specific training was and wanted to share this training concept with a larger audience. In a predominantly male industry, I was always embarrassed to ask for help especially when surrounded by the, “you are expected to know this stuff” attitude. I know how intimidating it was for me when I first started 18 years ago and because I still see it today; I wanted to do something. Owners and operators need to take responsibility and make this industry inviting to a younger generation. I saw it first hand where operators were discouraged from asking questions and voicing their opinion both by upper management and more so by their peers. As a result, operators have become complacent and not motivated to perform at their best. Some industries require unions to provide foundational knowledge, which they do. However, innovation and technology is growing so fast that it’s difficult to keep up with it. Specific training is required and necessary. We have information accessible at our fingertips but with no structure in place every desire to be proactive will result in a reactive industry. It will only get worse unless we act now. My passion is to motivate operators in the building industry to perform at their highest potential; my methods inspire learning, encourage team building and produce energy saving results. I want to encourage more people to work in our industry. My goal it to empower staff to take responsibility, encourage leadership, and help get focused on the day-to-day operations. If you’re interested in learning more, please feel free to contact me at be sure to subscribe and don’t forget to share this with your friends. /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/5006307

005 - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – Bob Berninger 11/22/2016

004 - Comfort Systems USA - Mylett Interview 09/05/2016

004 - Comfort Systems USA - Mylett Interview Comfort Systems USA is a nationwide company that provides commercial HVAC, mechanical, and electrical contracting to customers ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies offering a wide range of technical expertise and experience. They employ approximately 7000 employees, 1600 that directly service customers and is amongst the top 5 HVAC service providing companies in the country. James is a fellow Brooklyn, New Yorker who started as an apprentice when he was only 18 and is now the Senior Vice President of Service. He comes from a family that’s dedicated their lives to serving others. His initial boss who gave him the apprenticeship opportunity, had one stipulation and that was for James, to go back to school. Following through on his word, education and teaching set the foundation of his career that led to 7 years at Carrier and 14 years at Johnson Controls. He left as the Vice President and General Manager of Service for North America at Johnson Controls to join Comfort Systems USA approximately 3 years ago. With the recent strides accomplished, he is fulfilling on the initial reason he joined, which was to help build their service team. In the interview you'll hear what was discovered in their research when interviewing recent hires, existing technicians, technicians who worked for other contractors, and those who left them and went to other companies. This information gathering session involved James putting on a uniform and shadowing a technician for a day in the field. It was an interesting learning experience as he compared the similarities and differences of what was once wanted by the field technicians to what’s expected today. It took almost a year of collective research before they implemented their Technician Development Program with HVACRedu.net, the number 1 online resource for HVAC training, but they have been open for enrollment since November of 2015! What you'll really want to hear is the results of the group they least expected to embrace this online method of learning. You should definitely take a look at this that provides a condensed version of the details. When you listen to the interview you will get the full details of what was anticipated to where they're at as of August 2016. Enhanced Building Solutions is proud to be an affiliate partner with HVACRedu.net and excited to share the similar methods, as a turnkey solution to potential clients, for what Comfort Systems USA has offered their technicians. /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/4642757

003 - The Lost Art of Steam Heating - Dan Holohan 08/12/2016

003 - The Lost Art of Steam Heating - Dan Holohan On August 10th, 2016 Dan Holohan a known authority on steam systems, and legend to many in the building industry, shared deeper insight on how he started his teaching and speaking career. This self-taught expert has been able to continually captivate new audiences for years that followed his initial start in 1970. His original masterpiece, “The Lost Art of Steam Heating” started the domino effect for creating 18 books that followed. This interview delivers a deeper insight of the Man himself. He explains how listening to stories told by his father and contractors became the premise of his career; and if you haven’t heard about “Fixing Charlie Malloy”, you’ll discover why it may be the next best seller. Be sure to visit HeatingHelp.com and find it’s new owner . She plans to carry out the Legacy of her father and continue her 13 year involvement with the archived discussions that date back to 1997. If you’re not signed up, be sure to visit . With almost 2-million active users, and over 5-million page views, you’ll surely find any steam or hydronic answer you need when you type in your questions on the powerful search engine within the heatinghelp.com website. Dan openly discussed his learning disability that took a long time to discover, but even with his inability to do simple math today, his determination to really understand people allowed him to pursue a degree in sociology. His understanding of how group’s work and his relatable struggle in learning with most building trade workers, is the core reason for his success. He effectively learned to deconstruct complicated math problems in a simplistic format for everyone to understand. We had a heart felt discussion on the importance of training and how changing the way we teach can possibly save owners lots of money in the future. His message is never stop learning. Don’t wait for your employer to teach you. You need to teach yourself! Be sure to listen and subscribe so you can hear about new products, more interviews, and industry news. Thanks for listening! Hope you enjoy it. /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/4587537

002 - Walt Disney World Resort - Lee Cockrell 07/29/2016

002 - Walt Disney World Resort - Lee Cockrell On July 20th, 2016 Lee Cockrell, former Executive Vice President of Operations at Walt Disney World Resort for over 10 years, provided additional insight on his book Creating Magic. His latest book Career Magic is currently available in stores. This “Retired and Inspired” 72 year, energetic author of 4 books, who’s been married for 48 years, and a grandfather to three is probably more active now than he was, when he was in charge of over 40,000 employees at Disney. He’s travelling the world, writing books, and delivering speeches to audiences as small as 8 to over 7000 people. He also delivers a 15 minute weekly podcast on leadership and knows what it takes to motivate, lead and inspire others to increase the bottom line. He explains how clarity can produce great, not just average employees. At Disney, Cinderella can’t have tattoos on her neck, and Mickey can’t be seen smoking, it’s a show that impacts many and there are no exceptions. The philosophy applies to all areas of life. Setting expectations will bring people you want to represent your company and have in your life. We also discussed the true meaning of leadership and how these principles, he’s helped develop, are now used across the world. After listening to this interview, you’ll understand why he says: It’s not the magic that makes it work. It’s the way we work that makes it magic. Join me on the podcast so you can hear the topics we discussed below: The Busiest Retired Guy I know - Meet Lee Cockerel and find out what he’s up to. What Do You Call Your Employees? - Learn why Disney calls all their employees cast members, and why terminology is important. What’s Your Hiring Process? - Learn how Disney hires, and how Clarity can help YOUR company. Do Referrals Matter? - Learn how Disney gets most of their business and why the internet and social media can make or break YOUR business. How Often Do You Apologize? Learn what causes this behavior and how it can be changed. Understand how trust and control plays a part on how we behave in our everyday lives. Does Exposure Change Your Views? Lee explains how getting out of your environment can change your views, and help you become a better leader. Is there a Difference between Managers and Leaders? Understand the difference, maybe your hiring process will change. What does the Acronym R.A.V.E. stand for? Disney wasn’t always a place where everyone was valued or felt comfortable visiting. Learn how R.A.V.E. and diversity increases your bottom line. Is Your Company Ready For the New Generation? Will we, as a country, have the workforce to support YOUR business? How Online Learning is Changing the Way We Learn and why it’s necessary to keep up with technology and the demand for it. Be sure to check out and check out his 4th book which is currently available in stores. /episode/index/show/enhancedbuildingsolutions/id/4551508

Engineered Miracles (formerly Annmarie’s Breaking Ground)

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