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Artwork for Cool Air, Hot Takes

Cool Air, Hot Takes

Trane
Data Centers
HVAC
Liquid Cooling
Trane
Private Equity
Energy Efficiency
Supply Chain Management
AI Factories
Decarbonization
HVAC Industry
Sustainability
Building Information Modeling
Acoustics
Electrification
Artificial Intelligence
Trane Technologies
Technician Shortage
Vocational Training
Heat Pump Technology
Air Cooling

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 exper... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes29Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationTechnology

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Artwork for Cool Air, Hot Takes

Latest Episodes

While our team is cooking up Season 5, we're throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from Season 1. 

Is AI really the future of HVAC, or just industry hype?

In this episode of Cool Air, Hot Takes, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry talk wi... more

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.

Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™,... more

YouTube

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.

Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™,... more

YouTube

Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry celebrate a milestone: Trane's Graduate Training Program turns 100. Kris Gagermeier, Trane’s Director, Technical Training Center of Excellence joins to walk through the program's origi... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Jean-Simon Venne
Co-founder and CTO at BrainBox AI
BrainBox AI
Episode: Throwback: How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job)
Frank Kohout
35-year HVAC engineer veteran who led engineering at McDonald's Global
McDonald's Global
Episode: Behind the Hood: Frank Kohout on Restaurant HVAC Design
Angie Simon
Founder of Heavy Metal Summer Experience, former president/leader in the plumbing/mechanical contracting space
Heavy Metal Summer Experience (HMSE)
Episode: Igniting HVAC Careers at the Heavy Metal Summer Experience
Kris Gagermeier
Instructor and long-time participant in Trane's Graduate Training Program (GTP)
Trane Commercial
Episode: Inside Trane's 100-Year HVAC Training Legacy
Matt Caldwell
Director of AI and Cloud Data Centers at Hyper
Hyper
Episode: The AI Race: HVAC's Biggest Stress Test
Mike Dawson
VP of Sales at Parklane Mechanical
Parklane Mechanical
Episode: Quiet By Design: Mike Dawson on Noise Control Innovation
Allison Clements
Mechanical project engineer with Design Engineers
Design Engineers
Episode: Electrification, CDUs, Data Centers: The Hottest Takeaways from AHR 2026
Ray Reiling
Carbon offset project developer focusing on end-of-life refrigerants
Trade Water
Episode: Electrification, CDUs, Data Centers: The Hottest Takeaways from AHR 2026
David Bishop
Partner at Twin Bishop Strategies (former Trane executive)
Twin Bishop Strategies
Episode: Electrification, CDUs, Data Centers: The Hottest Takeaways from AHR 2026

Hosts

Charlie Jelen
HVAC systems expert and building-automation enthusiast, with extensive experience in sustainable solutions and system engineering.
Dan Gentry
Applications Engineer with focus on energy-efficient design, chiller plants, heat recovery, and HVAC troubleshooting.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 88 ratings
  • Great Job

    Great job guys. Love the chemistry and the pace. Not easy to keep HVAC interesting, but you did a nice job.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ma234ran567
    United Statesa year ago
  • Make HVAC fun again

    Super engaging and fun podcast that keeps even the non-tech listeners like me interested!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ba_pa
    United Statesa year ago
  • Amazing

    Great podcast. Love the back and forth between Charlie and Dan. Looking forward to more from them!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KBRock223
    United Statesa year ago
  • Smart and funny

    A great podcast to stay up to date on the latest hvac trends!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Chilly mcfreeze-a-lot
    United Statesa year ago
  • Edge of Greatness

    The best way to keep up on what’s happening in the HVAC space.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ActivitySales
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The best way to keep up with HVAC space happenings.
A great show to stay up to date on the latest hvac trends.
Great chemistry and pace; HVAC isn't easy to make engaging, but it works.
Very engaging and accessible for non-tech listeners too.
Great back-and-forth and practical insights; look forward to more.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Throwback: How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job)
Q: What is your hot take about the HVAC industry's future?
The HVAC business will become a data business within five years, where who owns and leverages data dictates value, performance, and service models more than the hardware itself; this will drive a shift toward 'cooling as a service' and constant optimization.
Throwback: How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job)
Q: What are the biggest barriers to adoption, and what should building operators do first to start?
The top barrier is data access from existing control systems. Operators should inventory and identify readable/writeable data points, ensure data quality, and set up scalable gateways to translate legacy protocols. Once data access is secure, pilots can demonstrate predictable savings and build the business case for wider rollout.
Throwback: How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job)
Q: How do you measure success in your deployments, and what results have you seen in real customers like Dollar Tree?
We measure success by energy savings, emission reductions, and cost savings, validated by measurement and verification partners. In Dollar Tree, across thousands of stores, we've seen 15-25% energy savings on average, with billions of BTUs saved and significant cost reductions, driven by optimized start/stop timing and staged control algorithms.
Throwback: How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job)
Q: What was the genesis of BrainBox AI and what problem were you trying to solve?
The idea started from recognizing that autonomous HVAC control could dramatically reduce commissioning costs and human effort. By capturing and normalizing existing controller data, enriching it with weather data, and applying neural networks to predict future conditions, we could run optimized control strategies that improve efficiency and comfort without needing expensive human oversight.
Behind the Hood: Frank Kohout on Restaurant HVAC Design
Q: What wisdom would you pass on to ASHRAE or young engineers?
Get your hands dirty and go into the field; learn from site supervisors and contractors who see problems firsthand, because practical field experience is invaluable for designing robust systems.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cool Air, Hot Takes

What is Cool Air, Hot Takes about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Listeners can expect a mix of practical HVAC engineering, building-automation insights, and industry-wide trends delivered through candid host banter. Episodes frequently feature in-depth interviews with industry experts on topics such as AI-driven building controls, data-center cooling, acoustics, sustainability, and workforce development, balanced with actionable tips for engineers and contractors. The show often weaves real-world field experiences, regulatory updates, and branded industry moments into accessible conversations, making it valuable for technical professionals who want fresh perspectives and a sense of humor about day-to-day challenges. A standout aspect is the consistent emphasis on practical problem-solving, training, and ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Cool Air, Hot Takes?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Cool Air, Hot Takes:

1. Wall Street Breakfast
2. Spittin Chiclets
3. BibleProject
4. HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs
5. The Wealthy Barber Podcast

How many episodes of Cool Air, Hot Takes are there?

Cool Air, Hot Takes launched a year ago and published 29 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Cool Air, Hot Takes?

Recent guests on Cool Air, Hot Takes include:

1. Jean-Simon Venne
2. Frank Kohout
3. Angie Simon
4. Kris Gagermeier
5. Matt Caldwell
6. Mike Dawson
7. Allison Clements
8. Ray Reiling

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