A #betterhvac Podcast

Why is it so difficult to find a properly installed, commissioned, and maintained residential HVAC system? Why are HVAC contractors so far behind in adopting technology and best-practices? How do we make the residential HVAC more professional, effective, and resilient so that we can build a greener and healthier future? Ben explores these topics and more with thought leaders, entrepreneurs, industry experts and HVAC practitioners. Come along for the journey to learn why the industry is so broken, and what we can do to fix it.

Last refreshed: July 27th, 2025 at 12:03 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Achieving #BetterHVAC By Transforming Home Valuations w/ Judson Willis of THEEBA - #aBHP S01E09

Redefining Home Value Through Energy Efficiency and Building Science This podcast episode explores the transformative efforts in the home building and real estate industries towards embracing energy efficiency and high-performance building. Judson Willis, a former home builder turned coach, discusses the importance of education, innovation, and the integration of building science principles. Justin highlights challenges such as the conventional appraisal process that often overlooks the value ad...

Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 9

Better Policy is #betterhvac w/ Abhilash Kantamani of Efficiency Canada - #aBHP S01E08

Transforming Residential HVAC: Policy, Innovation, and Collective Action Ben & Abhi discuss how #betterhvac could shape the HVAC industry through policy reform, innovation, and collaborative efforts in the U.S. and Canada. These two Canadian's explore the significance of aligning policy with the needs of frontline workers, small business owners, and the broader goals of energy efficiency and climate targets. They discuss the challenges faced by HVAC contractors, including unrealistic expecta...

Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Scaling Energy Advisors In Canada w/ Paul Sehr Of Jouleia - #aBHP S01E07

Ben Reed has a conversation with a fellow Canadian - Paul Sehr of Jouleia - to learn about what he’s building, and the impact it will have on the Canadian HVAC market. Paul is building a platform to make it easier for homeowners to understand their electrification opportunities and interpret the results of their energy audits. Paul also shares some guidance on how other entrepreneurs can balance profit and ethical outcomes while pursing electrification & #betterhvac opportunities. 0:00 Scali...

Mar 17, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 7

BetterHVAC Enables Collective Action w/ Clifton Beck - #aBHP S01E06

Elevating HVAC: Training, Technology, and the Push for Standardization In this episode of the Better HVAC podcast, host Ben Reed and guest Clifton Beck from the ESCO Institute explore ways the BetterHVAC Movement can impact the world of residential HVAC. They discuss the importance of training and accreditation programs, the industry-wide shift towards heat pumps, and the necessity of designing reputation systems for contractors. A significant part of their conversation highlights the lack of a ...

Mar 09, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 6

The Origins Of Building Science w/ Shawna Henderson of Blue House Energy

Ben Reed engages in a conversation with Shauna Henderson of Blue House Energy - A fellow Bluenoser and self-described "building science wonk". Ben & Shawna explore various aspects of the building industry, particularly focusing on the necessity of integrating building science and decarbonization into building practices, while stressing on the importance of educating current and future stakeholders in the industry. Shawna expresses discomfort in the fact that building science is not demanded ...

Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 5

"Smart-Loading" For Proper Residential Equipment Sizing w/ John Semmelhack

Ben Reed from Teal Maker and John Semmelhack from The Comfort Squad have an insightful conversation about the challenges and opportunities in the residential HVAC industry. John shares his experience transitioning from a Home Energy Rater to an HVAC designer and the importance of coupling technical expertise with real-world data for optimum results. They dive into the issues with manual HVAC installation practices, emphasize the opportunities using real-world monitoring, and discuss the potentia...

Nov 29, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Open Source HVAC? w/ Paulus Schoutsen from Home Assistant

Ben sits down with Paulus Schoutsen, the creator of Home Assistant - one of the world's largest open source projects - to discuss whether Open Source has a role in the world of residential HVAC. The discussion revolves around the origin, development, and growth of Home Assistant, the importance of local control and privacy, the effect of open source contributions on the platform, potential implications for HVAC and building science, and the benefits of standardization in smart home devices. Ben ...

Nov 16, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Heat Pumps, Quality Installation, Applied Research & Open Source Projects w/ Edward Louie

Ben sits down with Edward Louie from PNNL to discuss Edward's applied research projects, how to achieve quality installation in heat pumps, his experience as a Rater in the field, and new hypothetical business models that could improve the industry. Ben also probed Edward on how the DoE participates in open source projects. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this production are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the DoE, PNNL or measureQui...

Nov 08, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Applying ASHRAE 241 to Residential HVAC with Max Sherman

In this episode, Ben talks with Max Sherman, the vice chair of the new ASHRAE 241 standard. Ben & Max discus COVID, IAQ, resilency, filtration & ventilation - and how it all relates to residential HVAC contractors. Last year, I chose to join ASHRAE to grow my network and learn from the experts who craft and maintain the world’s mechanical codes. As I have a background in IAQ, I was very excited to follow the progress of the COVID 19 Epidemic Task Force, who have recently formed a committ...

Aug 25, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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