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Cool Air, Hot Takes: Episodes

Recent Episodes

Listen to our recent episodes.

Bring Your Own Power: Fueling Data Centers

Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are back with another data-center-deep-dive - this time with Jason Espeseth, Principal Electrical Engineer at Geronimo Power.

November 18, 2025
Episode 1: Nvidia’s Ali Heydari on the AI Revolution

We’re back! And we’ve gone big for the first episode of season 3! Ali Heydari, Director of Technical Design at NVIDIA, joins hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry to unpack how AI “factories” are reshaping data center design.

November 06, 2025
Supply Chain: Explained

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).

October 10, 2025
The Future of HVAC Techs

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.

September 25, 2025

Season One

Introducing “Cool Air, Hot Takes”

Welcome to Cool Air, Hot Takes, the podcast that breaks down the biggest innovations in HVAC, energy, and building technology with bold opinions, and lots of hot takes.
Episode 1. How Venture Capital is Shaping the Future of HVAC

Welcome to the very first episode of Cool Air, Hot Takes, the podcast that keeps HVAC pros ahead of the curve with the latest industry insights, and trends.
Episode 2. The Compressor Revolution: What’s Next?

How is air conditioner compressor and bearing technology evolving? And is the HVAC industry ready for what’s next?
Episode 3. RefrigeRANTS: The Good, The Bad, and the Banned

What’s the real story behind AC refrigerants? Why are some being phased out, others destroyed, and what does it mean for the HVAC industry?
Episode 4. How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job)

Is AI really the future of HVAC, or just industry hype?
Episode 5. Decarbonization: Challenge or Opportunity?

Is decarbonization the biggest challenge or the biggest opportunity for the HVAC industry?
Buildings as Batteries: Demand Response

What if your building could act like a battery? In episode 6 of Cool Air, Hot Takes, learn how demand response and virtual power plants are transforming energy use.

Season Two

PIC Valves: To Delta T or Not Delta T?

In this episode of the Cool Air, Hot Takes HVAC podcast, we explore how pressure independent control valves can unlock energy savings, fix delta T issues, and much more.
How We Got Here: Our HVAC Journeys & Hot Takes

This week on the Cool Air, Hot Takes podcast, 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.
Industrial Heat: We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Pump

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.
Asset Management: The Secret Sauce for Great Facilities

From cloud-based platforms that connect every asset and workflow, to improving service speed and accuracy, HVAC asset management is the definition of working smarter, not harder.
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.
The Future of HVAC Techs

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.
Supply Chain: Explained

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).

Season Three

Bring Your Own Power: Fueling Data Centers

Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are back with another data-center-deep-dive - this time with Jason Espeseth, Principal Electrical Engineer at Geronimo Power.