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    Education

    Cool Air, Hot Takes

    Welcome to Cool Air, Hot Takes, the podcast that’s as smart as your building’s thermostat and twice as fun. Hosted by Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry, two HVAC pros with over 30 years of combined experience and a lifetime of friendship, this show is your go-to for the latest in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, industry news, and cutting-edge HVAC trends.

    Charlie is a building-systems expert passionate about solving complex problems, and Dan, an Applications Engineer with a knack for energy-efficient design and HVAC troubleshooting, bring their expertise (and plenty of hot takes) to every episode. Together, they dive into topics like the latest trends and systems redefining buildings and Industrial systems , and the future of AI in the industry, from smart thermostats to data centers. They’ll look at what’s up with all these tech companies buying nuclear power plants, and what does it mean for the future of climate control?

    Expect in-depth interviews with industry-leading experts, practical tips for engineers and contractors, and funny stories from that job that went sideways. Whether you’re designing ductwork, conducting energy audits, or upgrading to sustainable HVAC systems, this podcast is built to keep you informed and entertained.

    We want to hear from you! Email us CoolAir.HotTakes@trane.com with your questions, HVAC hacks, or the funniest thing that’s ever happened on a job, and we might feature it in an episode.

    Follow Cool Air, Hot Takes from Trane wherever you get your podcasts, and join us as we tackle the big questions and the finer points of thermodynamics—one hot take at a time.

    About Trane Commercial
    Trane Commercial, part of Trane Technologies, is a leading provider of innovative climate control solutions and energy services tailored for commercial environments. The company focuses on optimizing indoor climates through advanced HVAC systems, building automation, and sustainability initiatives. With a commitment to decarbonization, Trane aims to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings while enhancing comfort and efficiency.
    Learn more at: https://www.trane.com/commercial/north-america/

    Meet the Hosts
    Charlie Jelen has been working with HVAC systems for over 15 years, specializing in sustainable solutions. At Trane Commercial North America, he focuses on advancing cutting edge building and industrial systems. With a background in consulting and system engineering, Charlie is committed to delivering solutions for the hardest challenges facing clients today.

    Dan Gentry is an Applications Engineer. With expertise in chiller plants, heat recovery, and heat pump systems, he focuses on reliable and efficient system design.

    Advertise

    Copyright: © 2025 Trane

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    Latest Episodes:
    Supply Chain: Explained Oct 09, 2025
    Show notes

    Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry sit down with Mike Fierro, Supply Chain Products Manager at SourceBlue (Turner Construction), to unpack how the biggest projects actually get done. From pre-purchasing chillers and generators, to designing around lead times, Mike explains what changed post-COVID, why data centers are rewriting the playbook, and how a hyperscale job went from PO to units on the factory floor in days. Plus his hot take: that the U.S. tried to electrify too fast… do you agree?


    We’ve also got:

    • HVAC Headlines: Tucson’s “Beast” plant at Davis-Monthon Air Force Base and what might come after R-454B/R-32.
    • Dan Inside the Factory: A walkthrough at Trane’s La Crosse lab and a sneak peak at some of the centrifugal chillers.
    • Stat of the Day: Where AIs get their information, and it’s not what you’d expect.

    This is the last episode of season 2! Thanks for riding along on this journey with us. Season 3 will be dropping in a few weeks.


    Until then, we still want your hot takes and questions! Emails coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on Youtube or Spotify, or leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.


    Cool Air, Hot Takes is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management.


    Follow for new episodes and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube or wherever you get your podcasts.


    The Future of HVAC Techs Sep 25, 2025
    Show notes

    This week, Zach Zentz, Technician Productivity Manager at Trane, joins hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry for a deep dive into the world of HVAC technicians. From what a day on the job really looks like to why laptops are now just as essential as the wrenches, Zach breaks down the challenges and opportunities shaping the HVAC technician experience. He also shares stories from the field, including 20-hour casino shifts, extreme rooftop repairs, and why data centers are also changing the game for techs.

    We also have:

    • HVAC Headlines: The future of cold storage, how we’re making data centers more flexible, and the biggest headline of all…Dan’s birthday!
    • Application Engineer Fantasy Draft: Charlie and Dan pick their dream HVAC team
    • Stat of the Day: Which athletes take home the biggest paychecks in the world?

    We want your hot takes and questions! You can email us at coolair.hottakes@trane.com, leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.


    Cool Air, Hot Takes is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management.


    Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.


    Data Centers: Hot Servers, Cool Solutions Sep 11, 2025
    Show notes

    Data Centers: Hot Servers, Cool Solutions

    Today, Sam Brown, Chief Development Officer at Serverfarm, joins hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry, for a deep dive into the world of data centers. From the art of picking the perfect site to why he’s not convinced liquid cooling will dominate the future, Sam shares insights from 15 years in the industry. Plus, Sam explains why he thinks data centers might just be the hidden monuments of our generation.

    We also have:

    • HVAC Headlines: Why private equity is buying up independent contractors.
    • Dan Inside the Factory: Dan’s on assignment again, this time with Scott Nieman, looking at Cooling Distribution Units.
    • Stat of the Day: Which US states spend the most on childcare?

    We want your hot takes and questions! You can email us at coolair.hottakes@trane.com, leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.

    Cool Air, Hot Takes is a Trane Commercial HVAC podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management.

    Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.


    Asset Management: The Secret Sauce for Great Facilities Aug 28, 2025
    Show notes

    Managing HVAC Assets the Smart Way

    Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes, Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are joined by Stephen Zetarski, COO of Nuvolo, to explore how data-driven asset management is changing the way buildings operate and the way technicians work. From cloud-based platforms that connect every asset and workflow, to improving service speed and accuracy, this truly is the definition of working smarter, not harder.

    Plus, we also have:

    • HVAC Headlines: The top emerging technologies of 2025 and a cooler that doubles up as an air conditioner?!
    • Dan Inside the Factory: Dan goes behind the scenes at one of Trane’s factories to get a closer look at the ECTV chillers.
    • Stat of the Day: Which US States Eat the Most Fast Food?

    We want your hot takes and questions! You can email us at coolair.hottakes@trane.com, leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.

    Cool Air, Hot Takes is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management.

    Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts.


    Industrial Heat: We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Pump Jul 24, 2025
    Show notes

    Industrial heat accounts for approximately a quarter of global energy consumption, says Ruth Checknoff, today’s guest, and is the key to hitting climate targets.

    Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes, Dan and Charlie welcome Ruth Checknoff, Senior Project & Research Director at the Renewable Thermal Collaborative, to talk about the hot (literally) challenge of decarbonizing industrial thermal processes. From whiskey distilleries in Scotland to policies in Pennsylvania, New York and Colorado, Ruth walks us through the tech, the trends, and the temperature thresholds behind industrial heat pumps, thermal batteries, and more.

    Plus, we have:

    • HVAC Headlines: Why Charlie loves the demand control ventilation at Disney and the wild world of copper theft and HVAC units.
    • Listener Mailbag: Air source boilers and nuclear power’s comeback.
    • Stat of the Day: Which states are building America?

    We want your hot takes and questions! You can email us at coolair.hottakes@trane.com, leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.


    Cool Air, Hot Takes
    is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management.

    Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts.


    How We Got Here: Our HVAC Journeys & Hot Takes Jul 10, 2025
    Show notes

    This week on Cool Air, Hot Takes, we’re doing something a little different.

    We’re dropping a special crossover episode from our friends over at the Healthy Spaces podcast, featuring our very own Dan Gentry and Charlie Jelen.

    Together, they sit down with Dominique Silva and Scott Tew to share how two middle-school friends from Wisconsin ended up in HVAC, what their favorite hot takes from the podcast so far are, and what they do in their day jobs helping customers make real, sustainable and efficient progress across their buildings and systems.

    They also break down the four “buckets” of decarbonization, what a systems approach really means, and why energy efficiency is just the beginning. Plus, hot takes on AI, the future of HVAC, growing tomatoes in the desert, and what Dan calls his “favorite first form of decarbonization.”

    There’s also:

    • How Dan has helped create the perfect environment for designer strawberries
    • Why the most disruptive changes in HVAC may still be ahead, and why data will become the most important product in the energy business.
    • A Behind the Scenes look at some of the real projects Dan and Charlie are working on.

    Got a hot take or question? We want to hear it! Email us at CoolAir.HotTakes@Trane.com or leave us a comment on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts.

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.

    Cool Air, Hot Takes is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management. Learn more about the show here.

    Follow and stream all episodes now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to also check out the Healthy Spaces podcast.

    If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these ones: RefrigeRANTS: The Good, The Bad, The Banned, How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job) with Brainbox AI, Decarbonization: Challenge or Opportunity?



    PIC Valves: To Delta T or Not Delta T? Jun 26, 2025
    Show notes

    We’re back! Welcome to Season 2 of Cool Air, Hot Takes: the podcast where buildings, energy, and HVAC collide in all the best ways. Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry return with fresh (hot) takes, big laughs, and sharp insights into what’s next in the world of HVAC and energy systems.

    In this episode, we’re going deep on PIC valves, that’s pressure independent control valves, with Rob Trickett, VP of Sales and Marketing at Flow Control Industries. Ever wonder how a single valve could unlock massive energy savings, fix your delta T issues, or even potentially save you millions of dollars? You’ll want to hear this one.

    Rob breaks down:

    • What PIC valves are and how they work
    • Why systems could be underperforming without them
    • Where designers should start integrating them for maximum impact
    • How NASA’s Johnson Space Center retrofitted them
    • How a Las Vegas stadium shaved $10M off steel costs using PICs

    Also in this episode:

    • HVAC Headlines: Flow batteries take on the data center energy crisis, and what the Q1 sales in residential heat pump furnaces and air conditioning units say about where the market is heading.
    • Listener Mailbag: Can next-gen refrigerants really be "drop-in"? And how do data centers pick their sites?
    • Stat of the Day: Which U.S. state has the fastest and slowest drivers?

    Send us your hot takes and questions! We want to feature you on the show! You can email us at coolair.hottakes@trane.com, leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.


    Cool Air, Hot Takes
    is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management.

    Follow for new episodes and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts.


    Cool Air, Hot Takes is BACK For Season 2! Jun 19, 2025
    Show notes

    The podcast that’s as smart as your building’s thermostat is back!


    Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry return for Season 2 of Cool Air, Hot Takes, the podcast that dives deep into the future of HVAC, energy systems, and the bold ideas reshaping buildings.


    Whether you’re an engineer, designer, facility manager, or just someone who appreciates a healthy delta T, you’re in the right place.

    This season, expect bigger ideas, even hotter takes, more interviews with industry leading experts, and of course, Stat of the Day!

    New episodes will be dropping every two weeks.

    In the meantime, got a hot take or a burning HVAC question? Email us at CoolAir.HotTakes@Trane.com, leave us a question or comment on Spotify or Youtube, or a review on Apple Podcasts.

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.

    Follow and stream all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows.


    Cool Air, Hot Takes
    is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management.



    Buildings as Batteries: Demand Response May 20, 2025
    Show notes

    What if your building could act like a battery - and get paid for it?

    In this episode of Cool Air, Hot Takes, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry talk with Adam Scarsella, Director of Sales at Voltus, about how demand response and virtual power plants are transforming energy use. From chillers to controls, they break down how smart buildings are shedding loads, shifting demand, and supporting the grid – all while creating new revenue opportunities.

    You'll hear:

    • HVAC Headlines: Europe plans massive offshore "energy islands" to connect wind power to mainland grids, and Australian researchers discover that air conditioners could be a useful tool in solving crime - yes, HVAC meets CSI
    • The Business Case for Demand Response: From data centers to hospitals, how flexible loads are generating revenue and strengthening the grid.
    • Stat of the Day: A new report shows in-office work is back in a big way - can you guess which industries have seen the biggest increase?

    We want to hear your hot takes! Email us at CoolAir.HotTakes@Trane.com. You can also leave us a comment on Spotify or Youtube, or a review on Apple Podcasts.

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.

    Cool Air, Hot Takes is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management. Learn more about the show here.

    Follow and stream all episodes now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.


    Decarbonization: Challenge or Opportunity? May 06, 2025
    Show notes

    Is decarbonization the biggest challenge or the biggest opportunity for the HVAC industry?

    In this episode of Cool Air, Hot Takes, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are joined by Molly Dee-Ramasamy, Director of Deep Carbon Reduction at JB&B, to unpack what decarbonization really means for buildings, systems, and the people designing them. From electrification and grid impacts to policy shifts and heat recovery, they dive into what’s changing, what’s working, and what HVAC pros need to know to stay ahead.

    We also discuss:

    • HVAC Headlines: The EPA reconsiders key refrigerant phase-out rules under the AIM Act, and new research finds poor restroom ventilation can increase exposure to airborne bacteria like E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus… designers, take note.
    • Is It Hot or Cold: Charlie and Dan bring back Hot or Cold, but this time, the decarb edition!
    • Stat of the Day: Top performing S&P 500 stocks over the last 20 years. Can you do better than Dan?

    Got a hot take, question, or rant? Let us know! Leave us a comment on Spotify or Youtube, a review on Apple Podcasts or you can also email us at CoolAir.HotTakes@Trane.com.

    Take our survey: We love making Cool Air, Hot Takes™, but we want to make sure you love listening to it. Head to podpolls.com/hottakes, fill out our quick listener survey, and give us your hottest takes about the show.


    Cool Air, Hot Takes
    is a Trane Commercial podcast exploring bold innovations, emerging trends, and game-changing technology in HVAC and energy management. Learn more about the show here.

    Follow and stream all episodes now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.


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