Summit Agenda Highlights
Decoding Heat Pump Hydronics & Other Mysterious Cold Climate Solutions
In honor of spooky season, Jennifer will dive deep into the mysterious world of sustainable hydronics, decipher fact from fiction when it comes to using sustainable technology in cold climates, and take the fear out of pairing the right solution with the right application. If "not keeping up" in the frigid winter has you spooked.. this one's for you!
Heat Pumps & Solar At Scale - Turning One Customer Into a Whole-Home Project
Most contractors sell a heat pump and move on. Four years ago, Trevor Seelye bought a thirty year old solar contractor, Independent Power, and rebuilt it into a multi-trade shop installing solar, battery storage, heat pumps, and electrical under one roof across Colorado and Montana. The business is built on optimizing how a home both produces and consumes energy. He'll break down the economics of the combined model: how a solar lead becomes a heat pump sale and vice versa, why owning the electrical panel is the hidden key to both, how incentives stack in the customer's favor, and how the multi-trade shop becomes a durable competitive advantage.
Designing Heat Pump Systems for Comfort
Replacing a boiler or furnace with a heat pump isn't just an equipment swap - it changes how heat moves through the whole house, and that's where most comfort complaints and callbacks start. Using real retrofits, Jay will show how distribution design, not equipment selection, determines whether a customer is happy. He walks through why cooling-era ductwork fails in heating mode, how stratification creates "72 degrees but freezing floors" callbacks, and a practical toolkit to fix it: low returns, downward grilles, floor consoles, basement-up systems, and smart zoning. Attendees leave with a distribution-first checklist they can use on their next job to cut callbacks and deliver real comfort.
Max in a Van: Delivering Maximum Quality Solo
Not every home is a clean, one-head-and-done install. Join Max Childs of Childs & Sons HVAC as he breaks down the real-world strategies behind successful ductless installations in challenging homes. From awkward layouts and historic houses to picky homeowners and impossible-looking applications, Max shares the installation best practices, design decisions, and field-tested tricks that separate a clean install from a callback. Expect practical takeaways, plenty of photos, and zero sugarcoating.
Navigating the Heat Pump Jungle: How to Design, Install, and Commission Heat Pumps That Deliver
Heat pumps don't fail because of the technology—they fail because of the installation. As the industry rapidly transitions toward electrification, many homeowners are experiencing comfort complaints, high utility bills, excessive backup heat operation, and poor system performance. In nearly every case, the root cause isn't the heat pump itself—it's improper design, installation, commissioning, or verification. In this session, Brynn Cooksey will cut through the hype and focus on what actually determines heat pump success. Attendees will learn why Manual J, Manual S, Manual D, airflow verification, refrigerant charging, commissioning, and system optimization are essential to delivering the performance manufacturers promise. Through real-world case studies and field data, this session will demonstrate how contractors can dramatically improve comfort, efficiency, reliability, and customer satisfaction while reducing callbacks and protecting utility program outcomes. Whether you're a contractor, trainer, utility professional, manufacturer, or program implementer, you'll leave with practical strategies that ensure heat pumps perform the way they were designed to—creating customers who become advocates instead of skeptics. Key Takeaways Why most heat pump problems begin before the equipment is ever installed. The critical role of load calculations, airflow, duct systems, and commissioning. Common installation mistakes that reduce efficiency and comfort. Practical field diagnostics that verify performance and reduce callbacks. How proper installation supports electrification goals while creating happier customers and stronger business results.
Primary Care HVAC: A Consultative Approach to Home Comfort
Today's homeowners expect the same transparency from their HVAC contractor that they get from their doctor or mechanic: a diagnosis, a report, and clear treatment options. Learn how a consultative, integrity-first approach builds trust, empowers better decisions, and turns customers into lifelong advocates.
Building with the End in Mind: Scaling to 37 Trucks in 5 Years for a Planned Exit
From day one, Mike Missimer built his company with the end goal already in sight. In this session, he'll share how he scaled a company to a 37-truck operation in just five years by building systems, developing people, and making decisions that increased the company's long-term value. Whether you're planning to sell someday or simply want a stronger business, you'll leave with practical strategies for building with the end in mind
Standing up a shop from zero to $6m with top internal training practices
Owen Krebs-Grimsich is the founder and CEO of 1-888-Heat-Pumps, a Berkeley, California-based heat pump installation company. Before founding the company, he was a math teacher and the Head Coach of Junior Varsity Football at his alma mater, Berkeley High School. That passion for teaching and coaching shaped how he built his company. Owen designed a transparent, skills-based curriculum for installers — six pay levels, each tied to demonstrated ability — creating a real career pathway for young people entering the trades, what he calls the "tool belt generation." New hires go through a paid trial period before joining full-time, and the model has drawn attention from outlets for helping young workers build stable, well-paid careers in HVAC without needing a four-year degree. Under Owen's leadership, 1-888-Heat-Pumps has scaled rapidly, driven by personal purpose, family values, and a commitment to making sustainable technologies accessible.
