Cool Air, Hot Takes

We’re back! And we’ve gone big for the first episode of season 3! Today, Ali Heydari, Director of Data Center Cooling and Infrastructure at NVIDIA, joins hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry to unpack how AI “factories” are reshaping data center design and why Ali thinks the AI revolution is the biggest change to the our lives since the industrial revolution. Ali explains why geometry (not thermodynamics) pushed the move from air to liquid, why NVIDIA standardized on PG25 for direct-to-chip cooling, and how digital twins in Nvidia’s Omniverse help right-size everything from chillers to dry coolers. We also dig into the tradeoffs between higher loop temps and rack density, and why cross-industry collaboration matters more than ever.We also have:HVAC Headlines: Why Legionella is a serious risk of poorly maintained HVAC equipment and how to avoid it, plus, why prices are soaring in the country’s largest grid region.Stat of the Day: Can you guess which states lost the most power in 2024?We want your hot takes and questions! Email coolair.hottakes@trane.com, drop a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or leave us 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 tech in HVAC, energy, and the built environment.Follow for new episodes every two weeks and stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 teamStat 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.

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 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.

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 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?

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.

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.

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?In this episode of Cool Air, Hot Takes, Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry sit down with Ray Rieling from Tradewater to talk about refrigerants - the good, the bad, and the banned. From legacy refrigerants like R-22 to the controversial future of HFC refrigerant destruction, they break down the impact on climate control, system design, and HVAC sustainability. Plus, the team hears your refrigeRANTS - should we get rid of them entirely? Should we bring R-22 back? And what’s the deal with New York’s aggressive refrigerant phase-out?Cool Air, Hot Takes is a Trane podcast that breaks down the biggest innovations in HVAC, energy, and building technology with bold opinions, and lots of hot takes.In this episode, we cover:HVAC Headlines: A refrigerant Ponzi scheme in St Louis and how DeepSeek AI is raising questions around the future of data center energy demand.Why refrigerant destruction matters and how it affects HVAC prosHow refrigerants are phased out and what comes nextThe biggest challenges in refrigerant recovery, reclamation, and disposalThe refrigerants still sitting in old systems - ticking time bombs or just good inventory?The push for ultra-low GWP refrigerants and what’s really viableGot a hot take, question or rant? Send them to CoolAir.HotTakes@Trane.com and check out the show page here.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 now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.