Best Adam Kaiser Podcasts (2024)

1
EP179 The Science of Hot Water: Insights and Innovations with Gary Klein (July 2024) 44:05

3d ago44:05

44:05

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser are joined by Gary Klein, a veteran in the field of energy conservation, particularly in hot water system design. The discussion begins with Klein explaining his innovative teaching method, using tape on the floor to illustrate the distances between water heaters…

1
The Swifts of Beijing, with Terry Townshend of Birding Beijing 58:00

6d ago58:00

58:00

I was looking for a good episode to pull from the archive to run this week as I'll be traveling and I asked my good friend Deb Seligsohn for a recommendation. She went immediately to this one, and by God if it's not an oldie-but-goodie. This is from December 2015 and features Jeremy Goldkorn — I miss him dearly! — and Terry Townshend, an absolute i…

1
Bonus: A Free-Range Father in a Tiger Mom World — Reflections on Chinese and American Education 13:26

8d ago13:26

13:26

Here's a little bonus ep for you ahead of tomorrow's show, which will be a re-run of a really fun one from about 10 years ago! I'm driving the rest of this week to the Midwest to drop my kids off at their respective universities, and I've been thinking a lot about the education systems in China and the U.S. So here's my essay for this week. See Pri…

1
EP178 From Gopher to Guru: Steven Rardon's HVAC Journey (July 2024) 40:34

4d ago40:34

40:34

In the latest Building HVAC Science Podcast episode, co-hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser welcome special guest Steven Rardon, a YouTube celebrity and owner of Smart Home Comfort. Rardon discusses his journey in the HVAC industry, which began at age 17, working for his girlfriend's father's small HVAC business. Over the years, Rardon transitioned th…

1
China's Response to U.S. Semiconductor Export Controls, with Paul Triolo and Kevin Xu 1:35:08

5d ago1:35:08

1:35:08

This week on Sinica, Paul Triolo rejoins the show for a deep, deep dive into China's response to American export controls on advanced semiconductors and related technologies. How much hurt has the policy put on Chinese firms — and how far along is China in finding its way toward technological autonomy? Kevin Xu, author of the fantastic "Interconnec…

1
EP177 Smart Tools, Smarter Tech: Jim Bergmann's MeasureQuick Evolution (July 2024) 37:29

11d ago37:29

37:29

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Jim Bergmann as their special guest. The conversation kicks off with a discussion about Jim's well-known product, MeasureQuick, and its origins. Jim elaborates on the journey from his early work with performance and diagnostics using the iManifold to the develo…

1
Eric Olander on China in the Global South 1:03:57

12d ago1:03:57

1:03:57

This week on Sinica, I'm joined by Eric Olander, host of the outstanding China in Africa Podcast and the indispensable China-Global South Podcast, and creator of the China-Global South Project. Eric's detailed and very current knowledge of China's relations across the developing world is on display in this whirlwind tour that takes us from the trou…

1
EP176 Empowering Engineers: The HeatGeek Approach to High-Efficiency Heating with Adam Chapman (July 2024) 44:52

18d ago44:52

44:52

In this Building HVAC Science Podcast episode, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Adam Chapman from HeatGeek to discuss his insights and experiences in the HVAC industry. Adam, based in the UK, shares his journey of establishing HeatGeek, which started as a blog and YouTube channel aimed at improving heating systems' efficiency and evolved in…

1
A Letter from Beijing 34:05

19d ago34:05

34:05

This week, my narration of a longish essay about my recently-concluded four-week trip to Dalian and, more importantly, Beijing — my first time back in the city I called home for so long since the COVID pandemic. If you prefer to read rather than listen, you can find the essay — free for everyone this week — on the Substack. I hope you enjoy this! S…

1
EP175 From Engineering to Sales Karine LeBlanc on Building Connections in HVAC (July 2024) 32:08

25d ago32:08

32:08

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn interview Karine LeBlanc, a distinguished engineer and international speaker. Karine shares her journey into the HVAC industry, which started under the influence of her father, an HVAC teacher and contractor. Despite her exposure to HVAC from a young age, she mad…

1
Anthony Tao: The Poetry and Soul of Beijing 1:02:08

1M ago1:02:08

1:02:08

This week on Sinica, I'm in Beijing, where I spoke with my dear friend Anthony Tao, an English-language poet and a builder of community in the city where I lived for over 20 years. Anthony recently published a volume of his poetry called We Met in Beijing, and it captures the relationship that so many have with the city wherever they might come fro…

1
EP174 Smart Homes, Smarter Trades Dan Goodman Discusses Building 36’s Innovations (July 2024) 34:37

1M ago34:37

34:37

In this Building HVAC Science podcast episode, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn interview Dan Goodman from Building 36, a company specializing in connected home services. Dan explains the origin of the company's name, which is a nod to the MIT building where he studied electrical engineering and computer science. He shares his journey from working …

1
Sinica Unscripted: Wang Zichen of CCG with a Third Plenum Preview and more 56:37

1M ago56:37

56:37

I'm trying something different: totally unscripted and very, very lightly edited recordings grabbed on the go where I happen to be. For the inaugural episode, I've got Wang Zichen, the author of the amazing Pekingnology newsletter on Substack, as well as the man behind the Center for China and Globalization's newsletter "The East is Read." Hear Zic…

1
Improbable Diplomats: Historian Pete Millwood on how Scientific and Cultural Exchange Remade U.S.-China Relations 1:20:19

1M ago1:20:19

1:20:19

This week on Sinica, I chat with University of Melbourne transnational historian Pete Millwood about his outstanding book Improbable Diplomats: How Ping-Pong Players, Musicians, and Scientists Remade U.S.-China Relations. The road to normalization is told too often with a focus only on the Nixon-Kissinger opening and official diplomatic efforts cul…

1
EP173 Harnessing AI for Healthier Buildings: Insights with Attune's Co-Founder Julien Stamatakis (June 2024) 24:51

1M ago24:51

24:51

Bill Spohn welcomes Julien Stamatakis, co-founder of Attune (formerly SenseWare). Julien shares his journey from working on sensor networks for Parkinson's disease detection during his PhD in Belgium to co-founding a company focused on monitoring the built environment. Initially, their sensor technology aimed at the medical field faced funding chal…

1
Adam Tooze on the U.S., China, the Energy Transition — and Saying the Unsayable 1:05:48

1M ago1:05:48

1:05:48

This week on Sinica, in a show recorded on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, historian Adam Tooze joins to chat about what the U.S. wants from China, China's vaulting green energy ambitions, and much more. Don't miss this episode: Tooze gets pretty darn spicy! 3:13 How Adam launched Chartbook in Chines…

1
EP172 Tech Trends and HVAC Triumphs: A Denver Summit Recap (June 2024) 25:06

2M ago25:06

25:06

In this Building HVAC Science podcast episode, hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser discuss their recent trip to Denver, Colorado, where they attended the U.S. Heat Pump Summit. They describe the event as a comprehensive gathering of professionals interested in heat pumps, covering technical presentations, regulatory updates, and industry developments.…

1
An Ecological History of Modern China, with Stevan Harrell — Part 2 1:15:14

2M ago1:15:14

1:15:14

This week on Sinica, Part 2 of the interview with anthropologist Stevan Harrell, professor emeritus at the University of Washington, about his magnum opus, An Ecological History of China. Be sure to listen to Part 1 first, as many important framing concepts are discussed in that episode! 1:44 “– The Four Horsemen of Ecopocalypse” and ecological dis…

1
EP171 Bill’s updates (June 2024) 9:52

2M ago9:52

9:52

In this short episode, Bill Spohn provides updates on new products, presentations, resources, and interesting travel he and Eric Kaiser have been engaged with during the last few months. LINKS https://www.youtube.com/@TruTechTools/videos https://trutechtools.com/yellow-jacket/ https://trutechtools.com/jb-industries.html https://hvacrschool.com/ www…

1
An Ecological History of Modern China, with Stevan Harrell — Part 1 1:14:07

2M ago1:14:07

1:14:07

This week on Sinica, Part 1 of a two-part podcast with Stevan Harrell, Professor Emeritus in Anthropology at the University of Washington. Steve's groundbreaking book An Ecological History of Modern China represents the culmination of a professional lifetime of work in disparate fields. It synthesizes ideas from geography, earth science, biology, a…

1
EP170 How to Grow and Scale a Business from the Ground Up: Tommy Mello (June 2024) 42:51

2M ago42:51

42:51

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, host Eric Kaiser welcomes Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Doors, creator of Home Service Expert, podcast host, Inc. Magazine Columnist, and author. Tommy shares lessons and speed bumps along his journey from his first job washing dishes, to growing a successful business. Tommy emphasizes the c…

1
Peter Hessler on his new book, "Other Rivers: A Chinese Education" 1:26:15

2M ago1:26:15

1:26:15

This week on Sinica, the highly-regarded writer Peter Hessler joins to talk about his new book, out July 9: Other Rivers: A Chinese Education. Over 20 years after teaching with the Peace Corps in Fuling (the subject of his first book, Rivertown, Pete returns to China to teach at Sichuan University in Chengdu. He writes about the two cohorts of stud…

1
EP169 From Attics to Airwaves: Tony Mormino’s HVAC Journey (May 2024) 28:56

2M ago28:56

28:56

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn welcome Tony Mormino, the Technical Sales and Marketing Director for Insight Partners, an HVAC commercial rep firm operating in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Tony shares his journey in the HVAC industry, which started 25 years ago when he helped hi…

1
Taiwan, Ukraine, and the Sino-American Rivalry 1:19:21

2M ago1:19:21

1:19:21

This week on Sinica, a conversation that I moderated on May 30th called “Assessing the Impact of US-China Rivalry on Ukraine and Taiwan,” put on by the Ukrainian Platform for Contemporary China. The main organizer was my friend Vita Golod, who is the chair of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists. The panelists are: Dmytro Burtsev, a Junior Fell…

1
EP168 Unveiling HVAC Mastery: A Journey of Skill and Passion with Matt Akins (MARCH 2024) 15:17

3M ago15:17

15:17

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science podcast, Eric introduces Matt Akins, the Manager of HVAC Education at the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), as they delve into Matt's journey within the HVAC industry. Matt's career trajectory, starting as a dispatcher for an HVAC company at 19, took him through various roles, from technici…

1
Jonathan Chatwin on Deng Xiaoping's 1992 Southern Tour 1:00:09

3M ago1:00:09

1:00:09

This week on Sinica, Kaiser is joined by Jonathan Chatwin, author of a new book about Deng Xiaoping's "Southern Tour" of early 1992 — a pivotal event that renewed a commitment to economic reforms after they'd stalled following 1989, and seized the initiative from conservatives in the Chinese leadership. The book is called The Southern Tour: Deng Xi…

1
EP167 Tech Meets Trades Wyatt Smith's Mission to Modernize Workforce Productivity (APRIL 2024) 35:59

3M ago35:59

35:59

In this episode of the "Building HVACScience" podcast, Wyatt Smith, founder and CEO of Upsmith, joined hosts Bill Spohn and Eric Kaiser to discuss his company's innovative approach to tackling America's skilled worker shortage. Wyatt detailed how Upsmith develops software aimed at enhancing productivity in the trades industry by using strategic tec…

1
Ed Lanfranco: from Hoarder to Historian 1:06:07

3M ago1:06:07

1:06:07

This week on the Sinica Podcast, Kaiser is joined by old friend Ed Lanfranco, who lived in Beijing from 1988 to 2009. An inveterate packrat, Ed managed to accumulate an incredible trove of documents, maps, photos, and ephemera from his years there and from the decades and even centuries before his arrival. Ed talks about his collection, and invites…

1
EP166 Simplifying Home Electrification: Insights from Zero Homes' Grant Gunnison (May 2024) 29:46

3M ago29:46

29:46

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, hosts Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn are joined by Grant Gunnison from Zero Homes. The discussion kicks off with Grant mentioning upcoming conferences in Denver related to home electrification and heat pumps, which he, Eric, and Bill plan to attend. Grant shares insights on the complexities homeowne…

1
Jay Kuo on Beijing's Gay 90s 1:09:15

3M ago1:09:15

1:09:15

This week on Sinica, I'm delighted to welcome — my brother! Jay Kuo is a Broadway writer & producer, and the man behind the terrific U.S. politics-focused Substack newsletter The Status Kuo. In a previous life, from 1996 to 2000, he was also really active in Beijing's gay community, just at the time when homosexuality was being decriminalized and w…

1
EP165 Blueprints for Efficiency: Enrico Bonilauri’s Deep Dive into Building Standards (APRIL 2024) 34:57

3M ago34:57

34:57

In the latest episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Eric Kaiser and co-host Bill Spohn welcomed guest Enrico Bonilauri, an architect originally from Italy now based in the U.S. Enrico shared insights from a comprehensive study comparing various building standards across 50 projects to evaluate energy efficiency and performance. He discussed…

1
The Struggle for Taiwan: Sulmaan Wasif Khan of Tufts University on his new book 1:46:08

3M ago1:46:08

1:46:08

This week on Sinica, I chat with Sulmaan Wasif Khan, professor of history and international relations at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, about his book The Struggle for Taiwan: A History of America, China, and the Island Caught Between, which comes on May 14. 4:28 — The Cairo Agreement 6:59 — General George Marshall, George Kennan, and the…

1
EP164 Behind the Scenes at ACCA 2024: A Dialogue with Ed Janowiak (MARCH 2024) 54:04

4M ago54:04

54:04

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast recorded at the ACCA 2024 Conference in Orlando, Florida, Eric catches up with Ed Janowiak from ACCA. Ed and Eric virtually navigate the listeners through the conference, noting the mix of technical and managerial attendees. Ed emphasizes the necessity of technical knowledge in HVAC, especially e…

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