Brynn Cooksey

06/17/2026

Community-based organizations are often the unsung heroes of the energy efficiency movement.

While we talk about technology, incentives, and policy, real transformation happens when trusted organizations meet people where they are—providing education, workforce training, contractor connections, and the support needed to make energy upgrades accessible.

In my latest Forbes article, I explore how community-based organizations are helping advance energy efficiency while creating pathways to good-paying careers, improving housing conditions, and reducing energy burdens for families who need it most.

Energy efficiency isn't just about saving kilowatt-hours. It's about improving health, comfort, affordability, and opportunity.

If we're serious about scaling the clean energy transition, we can't overlook the organizations already doing the work in our neighborhoods every day.

I'd love to hear from others working in this space. What role have community organizations played in your energy efficiency efforts?

Read the full article here:

Community-based Organizations (CBOs) are not just participants in the energy-efficiency industry. They are programs that actually work in practice.

06/15/2026

If you're a member, don't miss my article in the June newsletter! It's a summary of my upcoming presentation im September at the NCI Summit.

06/13/2026

I've been spending time learning more about my own leadership style through DiSC assessments, and one thing has become clear:

Our greatest strengths can also become our greatest weaknesses.

As a CS (Conscientiousness/Steadiness) personality, I naturally gravitate toward systems, quality, training, and doing things the right way.

Strengths:
✅ Strategic thinking
✅ High standards
✅ Dependability
✅ Process development
✅ Long-term planning

Growth areas:
⚠️ Perfectionism
⚠️ Overanalyzing decisions
⚠️ Difficulty delegating
⚠️ Moving slower when seeking certainty

One of the things I've come to appreciate is that my General Manager, Mike White, operates on almost the opposite end of the DiSC spectrum as an iD personality. Where I tend to slow down to ensure we get it right, Mike naturally creates momentum and pushes us to take action.

He balances my tendency toward perfectionism, and I balance his tendency to move quickly. Together, we challenge each other to find the sweet spot between quality and ex*****on.

Leadership isn't about surrounding yourself with people who think exactly like you. It's about building teams where different strengths complement one another.

The goal isn't to eliminate weaknesses. It's to understand them well enough to leverage the strengths of the people around you.

Self-awareness builds better leaders. Team awareness builds better organizations.

06/12/2026

🏠💨 Air leakage and insulation are not the same thing.

One of the most common mistakes I see in the field is treating every uncomfortable home as an insulation problem. In reality, there are two separate building shell issues that need to be evaluated:

🔹 Air leakage – uncontrolled air moving through gaps and cracks in the building enclosure.
🔹 Insulation deficiencies – inadequate resistance to heat transfer.

Older homes often have both problems, but they require different solutions.

Insulation helps slow the movement of heat. Air sealing helps control the movement of air. You can have a well-insulated home that is still drafty, or a tightly sealed home with inadequate insulation levels.

That's why one of the fundamental principles of building science is:

👉 Air seal before you insulate.

By addressing major air leaks first, you can improve comfort, reduce energy waste, enhance indoor air quality, and maximize the effectiveness of the insulation that follows.

🎥 I cover this topic in the latest HVAC U Building Science Short video. https://youtu.be/Khzd7ETbwYw

If you're involved in HVAC, weatherization, energy auditing, or home performance, understanding the difference between air sealing and insulation is essential to delivering better outcomes for your customers.

Test. Diagnose. Prioritize. Verify.

Building science isn't about guessing—it's about understanding how the house works as a system and applying the right solution to the right problem.

➡️ Check out the latest HVAC U Building Science Short and let me know: What building shell issue do you encounter most often in the homes you work on?

When it comes to the building shell, there are two major issues to ...

06/11/2026

In an industry known for high-pressure sales tactics, I believe we need to do better.

At Air Doctors, we don't recommend system replacements based on fear, commission goals, or "because it's old." We let the data do the talking.

Using tools like MeasureQuick, blower doors, static pressure testing, airflow diagnostics, and indoor air quality assessments, we can objectively evaluate how a system is actually performing. Sometimes the data supports a repair. Sometimes it points to duct modifications. And yes, sometimes it shows that replacement is the best long-term solution.

The key is that the recommendation should be driven by facts—not pressure.

When homeowners can see the test results, understand the performance metrics, and compare their options, they can make informed decisions with confidence.

As contractors, our job isn't to sell equipment. Our job is to solve problems.

Test. Verify. Educate. Then let the customer decide.

Because trust is built when the data speaks louder than the salesperson.

06/10/2026

Had a blast at the Online Access Vendor Summit! It was a great opportunity to connect with more than 50 vendors representing everything from marketing solutions and software platforms to consulting services.

Events like these are a reminder that growing a business isn’t just about what happens inside your own organization—it’s also about building relationships with the right partners who can help you serve customers better, operate more efficiently, and continue to innovate.

A special shoutout to Online Access and the Squires family for putting together such a valuable event and creating a space where collaboration and learning can thrive. Thank you for your hospitality and commitment to bringing industry professionals together.

Looking forward to the conversations that continue beyond the summit and exploring new ways to improve the experience for the customers and contractors we serve.

06/10/2026

I had a great time joining the GreenHome Institute CE Weekly Webinar series to discuss Duct Diagnostics: Evaluation & Troubleshooting for Real-World Systems.

Too often, comfort complaints, high energy bills, and poor indoor air quality are symptoms of duct system issues that go unnoticed. Understanding how to properly evaluate and troubleshoot these systems is an essential skill for HVAC and home performance professionals.

A big thank you to the GreenHome Institute team for the opportunity to share and to everyone who attended and participated in the discussion. If you missed the webinar—or would like to revisit the content—you can now access the recording, attendee survey summary, additional Q&A, and a full article covering the session.

Please take a moment to check it out and share it with others so we can continue improving homes through better building science and HVAC practices.

🔗 https://greenhomeinstitute.org/duct-diagnostics-evaluation-troubleshooting-for-real-world-systems/

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

06/02/2026

Ever since we started performing indoor air quality (IAQ) testing years ago, I can honestly say I have never seen a truly "clean" IAQ report that didn't require some level of intervention.

The chart below highlights several of the key parameters we evaluate during customer interactions. Every home is different, but the goal is always the same: identify the factors impacting health, comfort, and building performance.

A few observations we've been seeing lately:

🔹 Formaldehyde is a big deal.
While it's not the only VOC (volatile organic compound) we track, it's one of the most important. Formaldehyde is commonly found in building materials, furniture, flooring, cabinets, and household products. Even when homeowners are diligent about cleaning and maintenance, elevated levels can still be present.

🔹 Humidity continues to be one of the biggest issues we encounter.
As outdoor temperatures rise, we're seeing more homes struggling with excess moisture. In many cases, high indoor humidity is a symptom of an improperly sized air conditioner or heat pump. When equipment is oversized, it satisfies the thermostat too quickly and doesn't run long enough to remove moisture effectively.

🔹 IAQ is more than filtration.
Carbon dioxide, particulates, carbon monoxide, airborne chemicals, humidity, and temperature all play a role in how a home performs and how occupants feel.

The biggest lesson? You can't solve what you don't measure.

Testing removes assumptions and allows us to focus on real problems instead of guessing. Whether you're a contractor, auditor, or homeowner, IAQ testing provides valuable data that can help improve comfort, health, and system performance.

What IAQ issues are you seeing most often in the field?

06/02/2026

Proud moment for HVAC U.

When I started HVAC U, the goal was never just to teach a class. The goal was to create meaningful career pathways for technicians and raise the standard of training across our industry.

That's why I'm excited to share that HVAC U is now NCCER Accredited.

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is one of the most recognized organizations in the skilled trades, providing standardized training, credentials, and workforce development programs used by contractors, employers, and educational institutions across the country.

For me, this accreditation is about something bigger than another credential on the wall. It's about creating opportunities. Our industry desperately needs skilled technicians, energy auditors, installers, electricians, and building performance professionals. We need more people entering the trades, and we need better systems to train and develop them.

This accreditation strengthens our ability to do exactly that.

Thank you to everyone who has supported HVAC U along the way—our students, instructors, partners, employers, and industry organizations. Every class we teach and every certification earned moves our industry forward.

The mission remains the same: build people, build careers, and build a stronger workforce.

Big news from HVAC U!

We are proud to announce that HVAC U is now NCCER Accredited.

For those unfamiliar with NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research), it is one of the nation's most recognized organizations for standardized construction and skilled trades education. NCCER develops industry-driven curricula, credentials, assessments, and workforce development programs that help ensure technicians are trained to consistent national standards.

This accreditation represents another step in our commitment to delivering high-quality training for the HVAC, building performance, electrical, and energy efficiency industries.

As our industry continues to face workforce shortages, the need for structured, accredited training programs has never been greater. NCCER accreditation allows us to further support contractors, employers, utilities, workforce agencies, and technicians by providing pathways that lead to meaningful careers and verified competencies.

At HVAC U, our mission has always been simple: build better technicians, build better contractors, and build a stronger workforce.

Thank you to our students, instructors, industry partners, and employers who continue to trust us with their professional development. We look forward to expanding our training opportunities and helping even more individuals enter and advance within the skilled trades.

The work continues.

https://www.nccer.org/

05/29/2026

New York is built different!

I recently had the opportunity to attend a regional conference hosted by the Building Performance Association and participate in an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) panel discussion focused on industry best practices.

One of the things I love most about these events is that I often learn as much as I share. It was inspiring to hear how New York practitioners are working alongside healthcare organizations to address common health concerns through IAQ mitigation strategies. The level of collaboration, innovation, and passion for improving the health and safety of residents was incredible.

These conversations reinforce the important connection between building science, HVAC, home performance, and occupant health. There is a lot we can learn from one another, and I am looking forward to continuing the conversation and exploring future opportunities to collaborate.

A big shoutout to my amazing fellow panelists for an outstanding discussion and for sharing your knowledge and experience. The exchange of ideas was valuable, and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of it.

Halco Peter Troast Kevin Brenner