In this special collaborative episode between the Building HVAC Science Podcast and HVAC School, host Bryan Orr sits down with his father and co-founder Robert Orr (Kalos) and Bill and Billy Spohn, the father-son duo behind TruTech Tools, for an in-depth conversation about the realities of running, transitioning, and ultimately passing the torch in a family-owned business. What makes this episode particularly compelling is that both pairs are actively living through their own succession journeys in real time, offering listeners an unusually candid and personal look at the emotional, structural, and cultural dimensions of handing off a business you helped build from the ground up.

The conversation begins with each participant sharing where they stand today. Bill Spohn Sr. is transitioning into semi-retirement as CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, which has tripled in revenue since his son Billy joined the company in 2018. Billy Spohn has stepped into the role of President and co-owner, focusing on working on the business rather than in it. Robert Orr, co-founder of Kalos alongside Bryan, has similarly stepped back after a formalized three-year succession plan, with Bryan now holding majority ownership and day-to-day control. Together, these four men represent two different approaches to the same deeply human challenge: what does it really mean to let go of something you built, and how do you do it in a way that honors both the past and the future?

A major theme throughout the episode is the emotional weight of identity and transition that founders and long-time leaders rarely talk about openly. Both Bill Spohn Sr. and Robert Orr reflect candidly on how much of their personal identity has been wrapped up in their respective companies, and how surprising it has been to grapple with the shift from decision-maker to advisor. Robert speaks movingly about health challenges, including having suffered strokes, that accelerated his thinking about succession and mortality. The group explores how no amount of business planning fully prepares you for the emotional reality of stepping back, and yet both men express genuine peace and gratitude for how their transitions have unfolded. The honesty in these reflections is rare and refreshing, especially in business media that often skips the messy human middle.

The discussion also digs deeply into the operational and cultural infrastructure that makes a successful handoff possible. TruTech Tools implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) starting in 2022, a framework that Billy says was one of the greatest gifts his father could have given him before assuming leadership. EOS brought role clarity, accountability structures, and regular team rhythms that transformed how the company functions. Bryan and Robert took a more organic approach at Kalos, leaning on trust, a shared value system, and clearly defined responsibilities that evolved over years of working side by side. Both companies emphasize that clarity and accountability are non-negotiable, regardless of company size, and that culture is not a poster on the wall but a reflection of how leaders actually behave when things get hard.

The episode closes with practical advice for other family business owners navigating similar journeys. Key takeaways include starting the conversation early, building an advisory board outside the company, making public commitments to accountability, investing in business reading and peer groups, holding regular family meetings so that everyone understands the plan, and above all, prioritizing emotional health and the ability to have hard conversations before they become festering resentments. Bryan offers a memorable point: intelligence gets beaten by emotional regulation and patience every day. The group is unanimous that succession planning is not a single event but a thousand small handoffs, and the best time to start preparing is well before you feel ready.

Topics Covered

• Introductions: Bryan Orr (Kalos), Robert Orr (Kalos co-founder), Bill Spohn Sr. (TruTech Tools CEO), and Billy Spohn (TruTech Tools President)
• TruTech Tools 3x revenue growth since Billy joined in 2018
• The emotional side of letting go: identity shifts, loss of relevance, and the unexpected grief of stepping back from a business you built
• Moving from decision-maker to advisor: how both Bill Sr. and Robert are navigating this transition
• Legacy vs. transactional business: building to keep versus building to sell, and the stewardship mindset
• The baton handoff metaphor: why succession is a thousand small transitions, not one dramatic moment
• Robert Orr on health challenges (strokes) that accelerated his thinking about succession planning
• EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) at TruTech Tools: what it is, how it was implemented over two years starting in 2022, and why Billy credits it as the single biggest gift for his leadership journey
• Role clarity and accountability charts versus traditional org charts
• Quarterly employee check-ins as an alternative to annual reviews
• How Kalos grew organically without a formal EOS framework, and the value of building structure around trust and shared values
• GWC framework from EOS: Gets it, Wants it, Capacity to do it
• Kalos hitting 400+ employees and the challenges that come with scale
• Culture preservation through succession: how core values survive a leadership change
• Faith-based principles in business culture: loving your neighbor, leading with grace, clarity as kindness
• The concept of stewardship: feeling responsible for a business rather than simply owning it
• Separate job descriptions for CEO vs. President at TruTech Tools and why it mattered for the whole team
• Bryan on having five family members working at Kalos and maintaining clear boundaries between family and professional roles
• Advice for family businesses: start early, overcommunicate, make public commitments, seek outside advisors
• Building a small advisory board outside the company for outside perspective
• Recommended resources: business peer groups, books on succession planning, and the EOS/Traction framework by Gino Wickman
• The importance of family meetings for keeping non-active family members informed and aligned
• Forgiveness and reconciliation as a foundation for healthy family business relationships
• Having hard conversations proactively so tension does not carry into family life
• Bill Spohn Sr.'s closing reflection on what comes after stepping back, and the importance of preparing for your next chapter in life

Resources mentioned:

• Traction by Gino Wickman
• Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman & Mark Winters
• Succeeding by Albert Ciuksza
• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• Family Business Succession: The Final Test of Greatness by Aronoff, McClure, & Ward
• Process! by Mike Paton and Lisa Gonzalez
• The Business Transition Handbook by Laurie R. Barkman
• Who Comes Next? Leadership Succession Planning Made Easy by Mary C. Kelly & Meredith E. Powell
• Predictive Index (personality/behavioral assessment tool used at Kalos)
• University of Pittsburgh business peer group for entrepreneurs (referenced by Billy)
• Family business advisory boards and outside mentors

Visit TruTech Tools at https://trutechtools.com/.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

Looking to Add Plumbing To Your HVAC Business? Learn the critical pitfalls to avoid before you make the leap! In this livestream from the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium, service plumber and third-generation tradesman Nate Agentis breaks down why adding plumbing to your HVAC business isn't as simple as hiring a plumber and stocking PVC on your trucks.

What You'll Learn:

• Why most HVAC companies fail when adding plumbing services
• The hidden costs beyond just hiring plumbers
• Marketing challenges specific to emergency plumbing
• How to structure your plumbing division for success
• The importance of leadership and proper business planning
• Insurance, branding, and culture considerations
• Smart entry points like maintenance plans and water heater services

Nate shares real-world insights on avoiding the cash flow drains, cultural toxicity, and structural mistakes that plague HVAC companies trying to diversify. Whether you're considering adding plumbing or already struggling with your plumbing division, this conversation provides actionable strategies for sustainable growth.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, host Bryan sits down with Johnny, the creator behind the popular social media channel "Let's Be Techs." Johnny brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the table, having spent his first 13 years in residential HVAC before transitioning into commercial refrigeration. He shares his unconventional path into the trade—starting out building houses before being recommended to an HVAC contractor—and how the lack of quality mentorship early in his career motivated him to create educational content for technicians. His videos, which began as a fun hobby and a way to teach his helper remotely, have since grown exponentially across TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, and continue to attract technicians hungry for practical, real-world knowledge.

The bulk of the episode is a deep dive into real-world troubleshooting strategies, covering everything from the very first moments you arrive on a job site to diagnosing complex intermittent electrical faults. Bryan and Johnny both emphasize the value of using your senses before reaching for specialty tools—listening for surging liquid lines, feeling condenser airflow with your hand, and visually inspecting service valves for oil before removing caps. They share a mutual philosophy that the best technicians are those who can step back, assess the big picture, and narrow down the problem systematically rather than immediately jumping to assumptions about charge levels or component failures.

A significant portion of the conversation centers on low-voltage electrical diagnostics, an area where both techs have noticed major changes over the last several years. Bryan and Johnny discuss the rise of contactor coil failures, transformer overload from aftermarket add-ons like UV lights and zone dampers, and the clever use of a contactor in place of a fuse as a low-cost short-finder tool. They also revisit the concept of "tattletale" fuses and resettable fuses, comparing their reliability and appropriate applications. Throughout these discussions, both hosts bring in personal war stories that make the technical content feel grounded and immediately applicable to everyday service calls.

The episode wraps up with discussions on thermal imaging cameras, scroll compressor anomalies, and a memorable consulting story from Barbados involving a VRF system. Johnny and Bryan also touch on the importance of sharing knowledge openly in the trades, pushing back against the gatekeeping mentality that leaves newer technicians struggling to find reliable information. Both agree that the comment sections of field-focused videos have become a valuable community resource—a place where techs teach each other, correct each other, and build a collective knowledge base that benefits the whole industry.

Topics Covered

• Johnny's background: from construction to HVAC apprenticeship to commercial refrigeration
• How "Let's Be Techs" started as a fun hobby and grew into a major social media presence
• Using your senses first: listening, looking, and feeling before pulling out specialty tools
• Checking service valves for oil and inspecting caps/seals before connecting gauges
• Walk-in cooler first-response checklist: fans, thermostat display, suction line frost, liquid line surging
• Feeling condenser airflow direction to diagnose dirty or clogged coils
• Identifying capacitor and contactor issues from the moment you approach residential equipment
• The rise of contactor coil failures and how location-based dirty power contributes
• Transformer overload: understanding the 40 VA / 24V current rating and why a 5-amp fuse doesn't protect windings
• Aftermarket add-ons (UV lights, dampers, zone systems) overloading low-voltage circuits
• Float switches fusing closed from excess current draw
• The contactor-as-short-finder trick: a DIY alternative to the Short Pro tool
• Adding individual circuit fuses ("tattletale" fuses) for isolating intermittent low-voltage shorts
• Resettable (popper) fuses: reliability issues and why 3-amp versions outperform 5-amp versions
• Contextual diagnostics: thinking about when and why a fuse blew (weather, season, recent activity)
• The 225°F discharge line rule for monitoring compressor health
• Scroll compressor oddities: running backwards, check valve failures, and starting under equalized pressure
• VRF system quirk: electronic expansion valves staying open when power is cut to one air handler
• Thermal imaging cameras: practical applications in the field including electrical panels, motors, condenser coils, and compressor racks
• Using black tape (gaffer's tape) to improve thermal imaging accuracy on shiny surfaces
• Megohmmeter use for finding wire shorts that are intermittent but close to failing
• The importance of anti-gatekeeping: sharing knowledge freely and learning from community feedback

Follow Johnny on social media as "Let's Be Techs" on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

Join Joey Henderson LIVE from the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium in Florida! This essential training breaks down the science of heat transfer into practical field techniques every technician needs.

What You'll Learn:

• Understanding sensible heat (dry bulb) vs latent heat (wet bulb) removal
• Why airflow matters
• Heat transfer diagnostics BEFORE pulling out gauges
• Gas furnace temperature rise troubleshooting
• How all about heat relates to cooling, heating, and refrigeration
• Inverter/cold climate heat pump heat transfer principles
• Target saturated temperatures

Key Takeaways:

• Industry capacity standards
• Why humidity removal takes MORE energy than temperature drop
• Diagnosing low airflow, dirty coils, and charge issues through heat out measurements
• Temperature rise method for gas furnaces and heat strips
• Water flow and boiler heat transfer fundamentals

Joey Henderson shares real-world stories and field-tested methods for mastering heat in, heat out principles. Whether you're working with mini-splits, gas furnaces, or commercial chillers - understanding heat transfer is the foundation of excellent HVAC work!

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

Recorded live at the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium, this episode brings together Roman from HVAC School and building science practitioner Brynn for a deep-dive conversation on one of the most pressing challenges in the HVAC industry: how contractors can use building science principles not just to solve problems, but to communicate value and close sales at the kitchen table. With 26 years of industry experience and 15 years of consistently applying building science in his contracting business, Brynn shares the process his team has refined to help homeowners understand their comfort problems — and confidently invest in the right solutions.

Central to the conversation is the idea that testing — not guessing — is the foundation of a great HVAC business. Brynn outlines his team's "big three" diagnostic approach: starting with indoor air quality testing, followed by a load calculation using a LIDAR tool, and finishing with a duct evaluation. These three steps give technicians the data they need to tie findings directly to a homeowner's stated concerns. Rather than overwhelming customers with spreadsheets and raw numbers, the goal is to present information in a way that connects with their lived experience — validating that their hot rooms, cold spots, or humidity discomfort are real, measurable problems with real, measurable solutions. Brynn's team can complete a full load calculation in as little as 20 minutes on-site, a capability that routinely impresses homeowners and sets them apart from competitors.

The episode also tackles the business case for slowing down. Rather than rushing technicians through six to eight calls a day, Brynn's company reduced daily call volume to two to four, giving technicians time to perform thorough diagnostics. The result? Ticket sales increased, replacement opportunities grew organically, and install callbacks dropped to a remarkable half of one percent, compared to an industry average closer to ten percent. Roman and Brynn agree that adopting building science practices isn't about overhauling your business overnight. The key is to start with one skill — like combustion testing or airflow measurement — master it, embed it in company culture, and build from there. Over time, these small habits compound into a business that delivers on its promises every time.

Beyond the technical content, the conversation wraps with a heartfelt discussion about workforce development and the GRIT Foundation, a nonprofit working to reintroduce skilled trades exposure to young people. With shop classes having largely disappeared from schools across the country, Brynn and Roman emphasize the importance of giving children the chance to discover a passion for hands-on work. Brynn's team hosted a GRIT camp in Detroit, and one participant has since enrolled in HVAC college — a reminder that sparking curiosity early can change the trajectory of a young person's life. Contractors interested in Brynn's training programs and building science bootcamps can find more information at HVACTrain.com.

Topics Covered

• The culture and community of the HVACR Symposium and why first-time attendees always come back
• Why building science can feel intimidating to contractors — and how to simplify it for customer conversations
• Brynn's "big three" on-site diagnostics: indoor air quality testing, load calculation, and duct evaluation
• How to ask the right questions first — understanding the customer's pain before running tests
• Using data to validate homeowner concerns (hot rooms, cold spots, humidity issues) rather than dismissing them
• Completing a full load calculation in 20 minutes using LiDAR tools and tablet software
• Presenting test results with third-party references (EPA, American Lung Association) to build trust
• Why oversized HVAC equipment is the rule, not the exception — and what the data shows across thousands of homes
• The business case for slowing down: fewer daily calls, better diagnostics, higher ticket sales, fewer callbacks
• Reducing install callbacks from an industry average of ~10% to just 0.5% through building science practices
• How to implement building science incrementally: start with one practice, make it a habit, then build from there
• Using platforms like measureQuick and Smart Probe for ongoing performance verification
• Mitigating legal and financial risk on larger residential and multi-family projects through proper documentation
• Building a word-of-mouth reputation that eliminates the need for active marketing
• The GRIT Foundation: reintroducing skilled trades to young people and inspiring the next generation of HVAC professionals
• Where to find Brynn's contractor bootcamps, online classes, and workforce development seminars at HVACTrain.com

Learn more about Brynn's education opportunities at https://www.hvactrain.com/.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

Join industry veterans Tim De Stasio, Roman Baugh, Eric Kaiser, and Nathan Orr as they share their most memorable HVAC lessons learned the HARD WAY. This unfiltered conversation from the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium reveals the real stories behind costly errors, dangerous situations, and valuable HVAC training moments that shaped their careers.

What You'll Learn:

• Critical refrigerant handling mistakes and their consequences
• Combustion safety lessons that could save lives
• Chemical safety protocols every technician must know
• Equipment installation errors and how to avoid them
• Real-world troubleshooting failures and solutions

From seized compressors and ruptured refrigerant lines to dangerous gas leaks and combustion incidents, these HVAC professionals hold nothing back. Each story comes with crucial HVAC/R lessons that can help you avoid making the same mistakes.

Whether you're a seasoned technician or just starting your HVAC career, these hard-earned insights will help you work safer, smarter, and more professionally.

Remember: The best lessons are often learned the HARD WAY by others. Learn from these experiences so you don't have to repeat them!

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

In this heartfelt and wide-ranging episode, host Bryan reconnects with Jim Bergmann of measureQuick after nearly three years apart. The reunion is anything but ordinary — Jim opens up about a serious battle with non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma that sent him through not one but two rounds of chemotherapy, ultimately requiring a cutting-edge CAR-T cell immunotherapy treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. Jim shares the remarkable medical journey of having his T cells extracted, genetically modified in a Maryland lab, and reintroduced into his body to permanently attack cancer cells. Now past the critical six-month remission milestone, Jim is back, healthy, and more motivated than ever to push the HVAC diagnostics industry forward.

From his medical comeback, the conversation transitions naturally into what Jim loves most: the world of HVAC diagnostics and the evolution of measureQuick. After years of defending a per-use pricing model that the market simply didn't embrace, Jim candidly admits the old model wasn't working. With the help of business partner Eric Preston (formerly of TruTech Tools), the team overhauled the software's pricing structure in February — a move that has since driven 90%+ customer retention and accelerated growth significantly. The new focus is squarely on "time to value," streamlining workflows so technicians reach key diagnostic reports faster than ever before.

A significant portion of the episode dives into how measureQuick is thoughtfully integrating artificial intelligence. Rather than chasing AI trends, Jim and his team — including AI specialist Ben Reed — took a deliberate approach: identifying the precise areas where AI genuinely helps technicians without creating distractions. The standout use case is label identification, where AI reads equipment labels and auto-populates system profiles. Jim is refreshingly candid about AI's limitations in HVAC diagnostics, explaining that the field variability of real-world systems (varying line set lengths, mismatched equipment, non-standard airflow conditions) makes purely AI-driven diagnostics unreliable. Instead, measureQuick leans on first-principle modeling and non-dimensional mathematics to generate objective, data-driven results.

The episode closes with a thought-provoking discussion about the state of the HVAC industry at large. Bryan and Jim tackle the growing influence of private equity consolidation, the persistent problem of technicians skipping probe deployment, the difference between clearing faults and actually fixing them, and the importance of commissioning and retro-commissioning equipment to manufacturer design intent. Throughout it all, the conversation is anchored by a shared belief: that measuring everything — in business and on the job — is the foundation of genuine, lasting improvement. It's a must-listen for any HVAC professional or business owner who wants to understand where the industry is headed.

Topics Covered

• Jim's cancer diagnosis: non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma and the progression from standard chemo to aggressive relapse
• CAR-T cell immunotherapy explained: how T cells are extracted, genetically modified, and reintroduced to fight cancer permanently
• Jim's recovery at the Cleveland Clinic and surpassing the critical six-month remission milestone
• Neurotoxicity as a side effect of CAR-T therapy and what that experience was like
• The pivot away from measureQuick's per-use pricing model and the dramatic improvement in retention after switching
• The "time to value" philosophy driving measureQuick's new hybrid workflow interface
• How measureQuick is integrating AI — and where AI falls short in real-world HVAC diagnostics
• Label identification as the most practical current AI application in field diagnostics
• Why AI is highly sycophantic and the danger of relying on subjective, internet-sourced training data for HVAC decisions
• The power of measureQuick's proprietary measurement data and target zones as a foundation for AI summaries
• First-principle modeling and non-dimensional mathematics: why brand-agnostic diagnostics work
• The importance of deploying all nine probes on every air conditioning service call
• Benchmarking vs. commissioning vs. retro-commissioning: the three layers of equipment assessment
• Design temperature difference: measuring evaporator and condenser delta-T as engineering benchmarks
• How ECM motors mask airflow problems — and why that leads to premature motor failure and higher energy costs
• The two "elephants in the room": incomplete probe deployment and clearing faults without fixing them
• Why clearing a fault in measureQuick without addressing the root cause is like putting duct tape over a check engine light
• How poor installation practices in high-growth markets (Florida, Texas, Arizona, Las Vegas) have created widespread system deficiencies
• The role of private equity in HVAC consolidation and why many PE firms add cost without adding value
• Why implementing field measurement systems like measureQuick is the missing link for PE-owned and independent shops alike
• The legacy mode vs. new mode toggle in the upcoming measureQuick update — no forced UI changes for existing users
• How measureQuick helps newer technicians become productive faster and helps seasoned technicians be more consistent
• The importance of presenting diagnostic findings to homeowners and helping them understand what the numbers actually mean

Learn more about measureQuick at https://measurequick.com/.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

Discover what separates elite HVAC technicians from average ones in this eye-opening session from the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium. Shelby Breger, co-founder of Conduit Tech, and Jim Bergmann, President of measureQuick, reveal what good HVAC techs do differently with data and how they leverage data to transform their diagnostics, commissioning, and service work.

What You'll Learn:

• Why top technicians deploy all 9 probes on every air conditioning system
• How proper data collection reduces callbacks by 24% or more
• The critical measurements most techs are missing (charge and airflow problems)
• Why benchmarking systems creates invaluable assets for your company
• How to identify system faults that gauges and temperature splits alone can't reveal
• The relationship between sensible capacity, latent capacity, and total system performance
• Why right-sizing equipment differently matters more than ever with modern high-efficiency systems

Jim shares insights from analyzing 270+ data points per service call and explains how HVAC professionals can use tools like measureQuick to eliminate uncertainty from their work. Learn why contractors doing Manual J load calculations are downsizing equipment 1-3 tons and becoming more profitable in the process.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, host Bryan sits down with Jeff Staub, Director of OEM Sales for Danfoss North America, to explore one of the most rapidly evolving frontiers in the HVAC and refrigeration world: thermal management for AI data centers. With nearly 30 years of industry experience spanning technical support, application engineering, and product development, Jeff brings deep expertise on how the explosive growth of AI chip technology is reshaping data center cooling architecture — and creating major new opportunities for HVAC professionals, contractors, and facility managers alike.

A central theme of the conversation is heat recovery — specifically, how the enormous amounts of heat generated by high-density GPU chips in modern data centers can be captured and repurposed rather than simply rejected into the atmosphere. Jeff explains that while heat recovery itself is not a new concept (supermarkets have used reheat coils and heat reclaim for decades), its application in AI data centers presents fresh challenges and possibilities. The heat coming off liquid-cooled server chips typically runs around 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit — useful, but not immediately at the temperature needed for most end applications like domestic hot water or space heating. Boosting that heat using heat pumps or feeding it into district energy systems, boiler pre-heat loops, vertical farms, or multifamily housing developments are among the most promising strategies being explored around the world.

Jeff highlights a significant contrast between Europe and the United States in how heat recovery is being adopted. In Europe, where district energy networks are widespread, data centers can plug directly into community heating infrastructure — and projections suggest that 80% of European data centers will incorporate heat recovery in the near future. In the US, the picture is more fragmented: while opportunities exist at universities, hospitals, urban mixed-use developments, and facilities co-located with nuclear power plants, the economics are trickier. Key sticking points include who owns the capital expenditure for heat recovery modules and heat pumps, and who ultimately benefits from the recovered heat. Bryan and Jeff discuss how innovative ownership models — with landlords, municipalities, or co-tenants sharing infrastructure — are beginning to unlock these opportunities, and how co-generation arrangements with power stations present exciting long-term potential.

The episode wraps up with highly practical guidance for HVAC contractors and facility managers looking to break into the data center space. Jeff encourages technicians not to be intimidated: the fundamentals of vapor compression, chiller systems, and fluid flow that HVAC professionals already know transfer directly to data center work. The key additions are familiarity with large centrifugal and screw compressors, variable frequency drives on pumps, glycol loop management, and central distribution unit (CDU) architectures. Bryan emphasizes that the boundary between HVAC and plumbing will continue to blur as secondary fluid pumping becomes more prevalent — and that staying curious and investing in ongoing training (through manufacturer programs like Danfoss Learning, Carrier University, and others) is the best way to ride this wave rather than get left behind. Both hosts agree: AI data centers are not going away, and the technicians who keep them cool will be indispensable.

Topics Covered

• The evolution of data center cooling — from direct vapor compression on chips, to air-conditioned server rooms (CRAC units), to today's liquid cooling and chiller-loop architectures
• Why AI GPU chips generate unprecedented heat densities, with individual server racks approaching 250 kW to 1 MW of heat output
• What heat recovery means in the data center context: capturing hot water (90–100°F) off chip cooling loops instead of rejecting it to outdoor air
• The concept of 'heat quality' — why low-temperature waste heat is abundant but difficult to use directly, and how heat pumps solve the temperature-lift challenge
• Real-world heat recovery applications: district energy systems, boiler pre-heat, vertical farms, multifamily housing, hospitals, and universities
• Europe vs. the US: why district energy adoption makes heat recovery far more common in European data centers, and what the US can learn
• Business model challenges: who pays for heat recovery infrastructure, and how co-location, municipal incentives, and landlord ownership models can unlock value
• Co-generation opportunities: feeding recovered heat back into steam turbines at co-located nuclear or power plants
• How heat recovery makes heat pump technology more viable by raising the source temperature and reducing compression ratio
• Danfoss's role in data center thermal management — from compressors and drives to plate heat exchangers, CDU flow control, and prepackaged heat recovery modules
• Refrigerant transitions and what they mean for data center cooling (R-410A to R-454B, CO2 transcritical systems, potential two-phase refrigerant direct-to-chip cooling)
• The convergence of HVAC and plumbing trades in a world of secondary fluid pumping and isolated refrigerant charges
• Absorption chiller technology as a potential future use case for low-grade waste heat
• Advice for contractors: how existing chiller and refrigeration skills translate to data center work, and what new competencies to build
• Career and training resources: Danfoss Learning, manufacturer universities (Carrier, Trane, McQuay), and leveraging AI tools for self-education
• The importance of redundancy and uptime in mission-critical data center environments — and what that means for service response expectations

Learn more about Danfoss at danfoss.com/learning

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

In this short episode, the HVAC School team members talk with Jim Bergmann (measureQuick) and Renee Tomlinson (ESCO) about the latest and greatest that they brought to their booths at the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium.

First, JD Kelly spoke with Renee about ESCO Institute's educational offerings. ESCO offers a mix of books and online training content, including new training for A3 refrigerants, a new CO2 (R-744) training manual, and the newly released second edition of System Performance. ESCO has been working with Visual 3D Academy to bring augmented reality (AR) training to the market. Beginners and advanced techs alike can find training material to benefit their careers, as ESCO offers courses on fundamentals for beginners and specialized knowledge for those with more industry experience. ESCO's HVACR Learning Network allows you to access all ESCO courses with a monthly subscription package or purchase access to individual courses, such as if you only need one or two courses of specialized training.

Then, Roman Baugh spoke with Jim Bergmann about the latest developments to measureQuick, especially as it has expanded in both breadth AND depth. The unlimited-use subscription has been a positive development that has been well-received, and Jim Bergmann's latest update in development aims to make the value even better with improvements to workflows (creating a hybrid between regular and guided workflows). Developments have also included improved support for VRF systems and all of those systems' operational considerations.

The core function of measureQuick is to bring visuals to data, and measureQuick is implementing AI to reduce user errors, such as when it comes to label-reading and ensuring that pressure-temperature data matches the system. User testing is also rigorous to ensure that the software works as intended and to minimize tech support calls for the app itself, and Jim has spent the past several months on user testing in advance of the update's rollout.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

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Recorded live on the third day of the AHR Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, this episode of HVAC School brings together host Bryan and longtime friend of the show Tony Gonzalez, Director of Training at Fieldpiece Instruments. The conversation kicks off with some light-hearted banter about trade show survival tips — including the classic trick of hanging around near closing time to score free gear from exhibitors who don't want to ship anything home. Tony, who spent much of the show working the Fieldpiece booth, shares what it's like to be on that side of the expo floor, while Bryan admits he stopped by the booth but somehow managed to avoid saying hello.

One of the highlights of the episode is a hands-on look at Fieldpiece's brand new analog manifold gauge set — a surprise addition to their lineup. Bryan gives his first impressions live on the mic, noting the heavy-duty build quality, four-port design, dual-scale display for popular refrigerants including R-22, R-32, R-454B, and R-410A, and high-pressure ratings. The standout feature that catches Bryan off-guard is a built-in pressure marker ring — what Tony jokingly calls a "fidget spinner" — that allows techs to mark a pressure point on the gauge dial during standing pressure tests, replacing the old wax pen or Sharpie workaround. Bryan makes a compelling case for why every truck should carry a set of analog gauges as a reliable backup, especially for dirty systems, long-term standing pressure tests, or situations where digital probes or batteries fail.

Tony shifts the conversation to something he's deeply passionate about: Fieldpiece's commitment to tackling two of the biggest challenges facing the HVAC industry today — low-quality workmanship in the field and the growing skills gap as experienced technicians retire. Fieldpiece has launched a formal School Partnership Program, developed after extensive conversations with trade school directors and union leaders to understand their real needs. The program offers in-person support, supplemental training materials focused on best practices, prizes for top graduates, tools for labs and classrooms, and student discounts. Tony also unveils Fieldpiece's mobile training trailer — a fully-equipped 35-foot rig with live HVAC equipment, including a variable-speed heat pump and furnace — designed to bring hands-on training directly to contractors, distributors, and schools. Bryan passionately echoes the importance of repetitive, hands-on practice, arguing that reading books or watching videos will never replace actually pulling vacuums and executing best practices over and over again.

The episode wraps up with Tony sharing details about Fieldpiece's revamped rewards program, where technicians and contractors can earn points by registering products, attending events, and completing free courses on Fieldpiece University — Fieldpiece's online learning platform offering continuing education credits. Bryan encourages small contractors to leverage Fieldpiece University as the backbone of an in-house apprenticeship program without needing a big budget. Tony also teases some exciting future developments, including a new office and learning facility under construction in Heber, Utah, near Park City, a larger state-of-the-art training facility coming to Tustin, California, and a fully redesigned website expected to launch within the next couple of months.

Topics Covered

• Trade show tips: how to score free gear at the end of the last day
• Tony Gonzalez's personal life update
• First look at Fieldpiece's new analog manifold gauge set
• Refrigerant compatibility: R-22, R-32, R-454B, R-410A display on the new gauges
• The built-in pressure marker ring — a clever replacement for the wax pen trick
• Why every HVAC truck should have a set of analog gauges as a backup
• Use cases for analog gauges: dirty systems, long-term standing pressure tests, dead batteries
• Fieldpiece's two-pronged approach to the HVAC industry: reducing low-quality work and closing the skills gap
• The Fieldpiece School Partnership Program — resources, in-person support, student prizes, and lab tools
• Fieldpiece's 35-foot mobile training trailer: bringing live equipment to schools, contractors, and distributors
• The importance of hands-on, repetitive practice for trade skills — not just classroom learning
• Fieldpiece's new and expanded training facilities in Tustin, CA, and Heber, UT
• The revamped Fieldpiece Rewards Program — earning points for swag through product registration, events, and courses
• Fieldpiece University: free online courses with continuing education credit
• How small contractors can use Fieldpiece University to build internal apprenticeship programs
• A shoutout to the GRIT Foundation and their shared mission in workforce development
• Upcoming redesigned fieldpiece.com website
• Tony's trailer driving lessons — and a certain "learning opportunity" involving a sharp turn

Learn more about Fieldpiece's School Partnership Program at https://www.fieldpiece.com/schools/, Fieldpiece University at https://www.fieldpiece.com/fieldpiece-university/, and Fieldpiece's products at https://www.fieldpiece.com/

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.