Cool Air, Hot Takes
by Trane
Why the Lowest Bid Isn't Always the Best Value
About this podcast
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 [email protected] 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.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 37 episodes
- Why the Lowest Bid Isn't Always the Best Value · 32 min · Episode 34Across the country, campus facilities teams are keeping decades-old equipment running without enough budget to replace it. At public institutions, it gets even tougher, with…
- Safer, Faster, Smarter: Rethinking the Jobsite · 34 min · Episode 33For generations, construction has happened almost entirely on site: excavating, pouring, framing, and running conduit piece by piece, at the mercy of weather and whoever is…
- Beltdraulics: The End of Hydraulics As We Know It? · 37 min · Episode 32For over a century, heavy machinery has run on hydraulics: fluid-filled systems that leak, wear out, and slow down over time. But a new belt-driven actuator technology inspired…
- Submarines, Server Farms, and the Future of AI · 32 min · Episode 31From submarines to servers, today’s guest is Adrian Hilderbrand, a former nuclear electrician’s mate who breaks down how the skills that kept a nuclear reactor cool translate…
- The 2026 Factbook: Energy Trends Shaping HVAC · 36 min · Episode 30U.S. electricity demand just rose for the first time in over two decades, and the data behind that shift is reshaping how HVAC engineers, contractors, and manufacturers need to…
- Did You Miss Us? Cool Air, Hot Takes is back for Season 5! · 1 minYour favorite Midwestern duo is back in the studio! Charlie and Dan are cranking Season 5 of Cool Air, Hot Takes into high gear, and there’s a lot to unpack. Energy, data…
- Throwback - NVIDIA’s Ali Heydari on the AI Revolution · 35 min · Episode 29While our team is cooking up Season 5, we're throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from past seasons. Today, Ali Heydari, Director of Data Center Cooling and…
- Throwback - Industrial Heat: We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Pump · 35 min · Episode 28While our team is cooking up Season 5, we're throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from past seasons. Industrial heat accounts for approximately a quarter of global…
- Throwback - How AI is Changing HVAC (and Your Job) · 37 min · Episode 27While our team is cooking up Season 5, we're throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from past seasons. Is AI really the future of HVAC, or just industry hype? In this…
- Behind the Hood: Frank Kohout on Restaurant HVAC Design · 33 min · Episode 26Take 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…
- Igniting HVAC Careers at the Heavy Metal Summer Experience · 36 min · Episode 25Take 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…
- Inside Trane's 100-Year HVAC Training Legacy · 33 min · Episode 24Today 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…
- The AI Race: HVAC's Biggest Stress Test · 34 min · Episode 23Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry sit down with Matt Caldwell, Director of AI & Cloud Data Centers at Hyper, a company building low-voltage…
- Quiet By Design: Mike Dawson on Noise Control Innovation · 38 min · Episode 22Today on Cool Air, Hot Takes™, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry sit down with Mike Dawson, VP of Sales at Parklane Mechanical, a company that's been solving industrial noise…
- Electrification, CDUs, Data Centers: The Hottest Takeaways from AHR 2026 · 30 min · Episode 21Season 4 is here! Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are back in the studio, fresh off the floor at AHR 2026 in Las Vegas, where the Cool Air, Hot Takes™ booth was open for…
- We are so back: Season 4 of Cool Air, Hot Takes™ is here · 2 min · Episode 20Hot takes, cool systems, and zero fluff — Season 4 of Cool Air, Hot Takes ™ from Trane is here. Join Charlie and Dan as they bring in the sharpest minds in the industry to break…
- District Energy Heat Pumps: Bigger, Hotter, Cleaner · 34 min · Episode 19Today, we’re wrapping season 3 with a deep dive into industrial high-temperature heat pumps. Hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry talk with Mobola Dosumu, National Sales Manager…
- The Hottest (and Coldest) Takes of 2025 · 26 min · Episode 17In this special end of year episode, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are flying solo and taking you on a tour of 2025’s hottest (and coldest) takes. From bold industry…
- HVAC Legends: Mick Schwedler’s 40+ Year Legacy · 35 min · Episode 18Today, hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry are joined by an HVAC legend, Mick Schwedler. With more than 43 years at Trane and former Global ASHRAE President, Mick reflects on how…
- How Virtual Design is Changing Construction · 37 min · Episode 16Today, Autodesk’s Director of Product Management, Ian Molloy, joins hosts Charlie Jelen and Dan Gentry to explore how digital design is transforming the built environment. We dig…
