Cool Air, Hot Takes

• Data Centers: Hot Servers, Cool Solutions

  Data Centers: Hot Servers, Cool SolutionsToday, 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 [email protected], leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!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.

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• Asset Management: The Secret Sauce for Great Facilities

  Managing HVAC Assets the Smart WayToday 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 [email protected], leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!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.

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• Industrial Heat: We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Pump

  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 [email protected], leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!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.

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• How We Got Here: Our HVAC Journeys & Hot Takes

  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 strawberriesWhy 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 [email protected] or leave us a comment on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts.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?

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• PIC Valves: To Delta T or Not Delta T?

  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 workWhy systems could be underperforming without themWhere designers should start integrating them for maximum impactHow NASA’s Johnson Space Center retrofitted themHow a Las Vegas stadium shaved $10M off steel costs using PICsAlso 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 [email protected], leave us a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or review us on Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and follow too!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.

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