HVAC Home Performance: Brenn Cooksky on Building Science & MeasureQuick

HVAC ADHD Podcast Featuring Brenn Cooksky

Jeremy Begley:
I’m your host, Jeremy Begley, and today I’m sitting down with one of the most respected minds in home performance and building science.

Brenn Cooksky is owner and general manager of Air Doctors Heating and Cooling in Belleville, Michigan. He’s been doing this work for over 20 years, starting in his family’s heating and cooling business and growing into one of the country’s top instructors in HVAC and building performance.

He was named one of ESCO’s Top 25 Most Influential HVACR Instructors of 2024.

Today we’re talking about how HVAC contractors can evolve into home performance pros — integrating building science principles, energy audits, and technology like MeasureQuick to improve diagnostics and reduce callbacks.

Brenn, welcome to HVAC ADHD.

Brenn Cooksky:
Thanks for having me on, Jeremy.

Before we start, I want to send prayers and condolences to the Welen House family. We were together recently at the MeasureQuick Train the Trainer event, and I learned more about heat pumps in a few days hanging around Dan than I had in weeks.

Jeremy Begley:
You mentioned at the training that you weren’t always doing home performance. How did you get into it?

Brenn Cooksky:
I grew up in my family’s heating and cooling business. When I started contracting, I was doing HVAC work on home retrofit projects.

Program administrators kept asking me if I knew anyone doing insulation and shell work. Eventually I realized there was a huge need for it.

I researched what it would take to become a shell contractor, and because I already understood some building science principles, we added shell work to the business.

Now we operate as a full home performance contracting company.

Jeremy Begley:
What did that transition look like internally?

Brenn Cooksky:
We spent a couple years researching equipment, training, profit margins, competitors, and processes.

We launched by working with weatherization agencies because their projects included third-party quality assurance inspections. That allowed us to learn quickly and improve before taking it fully into the private market.

Jeremy Begley:
When did energy audits become part of the company?

Brenn Cooksky:
About 20 years ago I took a BPI energy auditing course through a local community college.

Over time we started integrating:

  • Blower door testing
  • Infrared imaging
  • Combustion analysis
  • Building science diagnostics

Then about five years ago we fully integrated shell work into the business.

Jeremy Begley:
How do you integrate home performance into daily operations?

Brenn Cooksky:
The energy audit became the center of the business.

We partner with utilities and organizations like Michigan Saves to generate leads.

When customers invest in an audit, we can clearly show them:

  • Comfort problems
  • Efficiency issues
  • IAQ concerns
  • Building envelope deficiencies

If they move forward with improvements, we credit the audit cost toward the project.

Technicians are also trained to recognize building science issues during service calls and recommend deeper evaluations when appropriate.

Jeremy Begley:
Tell us about MeasureQuick and how it changed your business.

Brenn Cooksky:
MeasureQuick is a diagnostic platform that connects Bluetooth-enabled tools like:

  • Psychrometers
  • Electrical meters
  • Static pressure probes
  • Refrigerant gauges

It allows technicians to capture data, evaluate system performance, and generate reports.

We implemented it about five years ago.

Now every technician:

  • Tests in before repairs
  • Documents system performance
  • Completes repairs
  • Tests out afterward

The impact has been huge.

Our callback rate is around 0.5%, which means roughly one callback every 200 calls.

It also helped us onboard younger technicians faster because the diagnostics guide them through troubleshooting.

Jeremy Begley:
What’s the national average for callbacks?

Brenn Cooksky:
I commonly hear 8–10%, and some companies are even higher.

We aggressively focus on training and diagnostics to keep ours extremely low.

Jeremy Begley:
What does ongoing training look like?

Brenn Cooksky:
We conduct weekly training focused on trends we’re seeing in the field.

If we identify recurring issues, we address them immediately through targeted sessions.

During slower seasons we schedule more extensive training like:

  • MeasureQuick
  • NCI training
  • Building science courses

Jeremy Begley:
What’s one of your biggest home performance success stories?

Brenn Cooksky:
We worked with a family whose child had respiratory issues.

During the audit we identified IAQ problems and eventually installed an ERV along with other improvements.

A few weeks later, the homeowner told us her son barely needed his asthma medication anymore.

That’s the kind of impact that makes this work meaningful.

Jeremy Begley:
That’s what makes home performance different. You’re changing how people live inside their homes.

Brenn Cooksky:
Exactly. We’re solving comfort, efficiency, and sometimes health problems.

Jeremy Begley:
Tell us about your training organization.

Brenn Cooksky:
Our training company is HRU, a licensed postsecondary school in Southeast Michigan.

We work with utilities and organizations to train contractors on:

  • Building science
  • HVAC design
  • Load calculations
  • Profitability through home performance

The industry needs more contractors stepping into this space because demand is huge.

Jeremy Begley:
Where can people find you?

Brenn Cooksky:
Visit us at: https://www.hvactrain.com

We’re focused on helping contractors grow through building science and home performance.

Why HVAC Home Performance Starts With Permanent Load Reduction

HVAC home performance is really about one thing: permanent load reduction.

Most HVAC systems are installed to overcome problems the house is creating:

  • Air leakage
  • Poor insulation
  • Duct leakage
  • Solar heat gain
  • Humidity infiltration
  • Pressure imbalances
  • Ventilation problems

Traditional HVAC replacement often treats the symptom instead of the cause. The equipment gets bigger, airflow gets worse, humidity problems continue, and comfort complaints never fully disappear.

Permanent load reduction changes that.

By improving the building envelope, reducing infiltration, balancing airflow, controlling humidity, and verifying actual system performance, contractors can permanently reduce the heating and cooling load the equipment has to handle.

In this episode of the HVAC ADHD Podcast, Jeremy Begley sits down with Brenn Cooksky — owner of Air Doctors Heating and Cooling and one of the HVAC industry’s leading building science educators — to discuss how HVAC contractors can evolve into true home performance professionals using:

  • Building science
  • Energy audits
  • Blower door testing
  • IAQ diagnostics
  • Load calculations
  • MeasureQuick
  • Smart commissioning workflows

The results Brenn’s company has seen are hard to ignore:

  • Callback rates reduced to roughly 0.5%
  • Faster technician development
  • Better humidity control
  • Improved indoor air quality
  • More predictable system performance
  • Healthier and more comfortable homes

For contractors trying to understand where HVAC is headed next, this conversation connects the dots between HVAC home performance, permanent load reduction, and the future of residential comfort.

Key Takeaways

  • HVAC home performance focuses on reducing building load before increasing equipment capacity.
  • Permanent load reduction improves comfort, humidity control, and HVAC efficiency.
  • MeasureQuick helped Air Doctors reduce callbacks to approximately 1 in 200 calls.
  • Building science helps contractors diagnose root causes instead of replacing equipment blindly.
  • Energy audits create opportunities for larger home performance projects.
  • Younger technicians adapt quickly to smart diagnostic technology.
  • Proper load calculations depend on accurate field data — not assumptions.

What Is Permanent Load Reduction?

Permanent load reduction means reducing the amount of heating and cooling a house requires before sizing or replacing HVAC equipment.

That includes:

  • Air sealing
  • Insulation improvements
  • Duct optimization
  • Ventilation upgrades
  • Humidity control
  • Solar load management
  • Pressure balancing

Instead of continuously installing larger systems to fight comfort complaints, contractors reduce the actual load the house places on the HVAC equipment.

This is one of the core ideas behind HVAC home performance.

Why HVAC Contractors Are Moving Into Home Performance

Brenn explained that his transition into home performance started after repeatedly being asked if he knew anyone who handled shell work and insulation.

Eventually he realized:
The market desperately needed contractors who understood both HVAC and building science.

That led Air Doctors Heating and Cooling toward:

  • Energy audits
  • BPI certifications
  • Blower door testing
  • Building envelope upgrades
  • Whole-home diagnostics

Instead of operating as only an HVAC contractor, the company became a full home performance provider.

HVAC Home Performance and MeasureQuick

One of the biggest operational changes Brenn discussed was integrating MeasureQuick into daily workflows.

MeasureQuick connects Bluetooth-enabled diagnostic tools and helps technicians evaluate:

  • Static pressure
  • Airflow
  • Refrigerant charge
  • Electrical performance
  • Combustion analysis
  • Psychrometrics

More importantly, it creates consistency.

Technicians now:

  1. Test in
  2. Diagnose issues
  3. Perform repairs
  4. Test out
  5. Verify measurable improvement

That process helped Air Doctors achieve a callback rate of approximately 0.5%.

For Brenn, HVAC home performance is not about theory alone — it’s about proving system performance with measurable data.

How Permanent Load Reduction Improves Humidity and Comfort

One of the biggest misconceptions in HVAC is that oversized equipment solves comfort problems.

Often it creates them.

When homes have:

  • High infiltration
  • Duct leakage
  • Poor airflow
  • Improper ventilation
  • Excess latent load

the system may satisfy thermostat temperature quickly while leaving humidity uncontrolled.

Permanent load reduction lowers the sensible and latent load on the structure itself.

That allows:

  • Better runtime
  • Improved dehumidification
  • More even temperatures
  • Lower static pressure
  • Better indoor air quality
  • Reduced energy usage

This is where HVAC home performance separates itself from simple equipment replacement.

Are HVAC Home Performance Services Worth It?

For contractors, Brenn believes the answer is absolutely yes.

Benefits Include:

  • Larger project opportunities
  • Better customer outcomes
  • Lower callback rates
  • Improved technician consistency
  • Reduced warranty headaches
  • Increased differentiation
  • Better long-term customer relationships

For homeowners, the benefits often include:

  • Better comfort
  • Lower humidity
  • Cleaner air
  • Reduced utility bills
  • More stable temperatures
  • Healthier living conditions

The key is doing the work correctly.

Building science requires:

  • Training
  • Diagnostics
  • Verification
  • Process discipline

Without those pieces, contractors risk creating new problems instead of solving existing ones.

Why Load Calculations Still Matter

Jeremy and Brenn also discussed newer technologies like:

  • Conduit Tech
  • Amply
  • LiDAR-assisted load calculations

These tools dramatically speed up field calculations.

But Brenn emphasized a critical point:

Garbage in = garbage out.

Even the best software still requires:

  • Attic inspections
  • Insulation verification
  • Window evaluation
  • Blower door testing
  • Real field measurements

Technology accelerates the process, but it cannot replace building science fundamentals.

IAQ and Health Impacts of Home Performance

One of the most powerful stories from the episode involved a child with respiratory issues.

After completing:

  • Indoor air quality testing
  • Ventilation improvements
  • Envelope upgrades
  • ERV installation

the homeowner reported significant improvement in the child’s breathing and asthma symptoms.

This highlights a major shift happening in residential HVAC:

Contractors are no longer just installing equipment.
They are directly affecting:

  • Occupant health
  • Humidity control
  • Air quality
  • Comfort
  • Building durability

That is the real future of HVAC home performance.

FAQ: HVAC Home Performance & Permanent Load Reduction

What is HVAC home performance?

HVAC home performance combines HVAC diagnostics with building science to improve comfort, humidity control, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.

What is permanent load reduction?

Permanent load reduction means lowering the heating and cooling demand of a home through improvements like air sealing, insulation, ventilation, and airflow optimization.

Why is permanent load reduction important?

Reducing the actual building load helps HVAC systems:

  • Run more efficiently
  • Control humidity better
  • Deliver more consistent comfort
  • Avoid oversizing issues

Is MeasureQuick worth using?

For many contractors, yes.

MeasureQuick helps standardize diagnostics, improve commissioning, reduce callbacks, and improve technician confidence.

Can home performance improve indoor air quality?

Absolutely.

Air sealing, filtration, ventilation, humidity control, and pressure balancing all directly affect indoor air quality and occupant health.

Guest Resources

Air Doctors Heating and Cooling

Whole-home HVAC, IAQ, and home performance services in Michigan.

→ https://www.airdoctorshvacservice.com

MeasureQuick

Bluetooth-enabled HVAC diagnostics, commissioning, and system performance platform.

→ https://www.measurequick.com

HVAC 2 Home Performance

Training, education, and consulting focused on HVAC design, home performance, and building science.

→ https://www.hvac2homeperformance.com

HRU HVAC Training

Brenn Cooksky’s contractor-focused technical training organization.

→ https://www.hvactrain.com

Interested in being a guest/ sponsor on our show?

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HVAC 2 Home Performance

Cincinnati: 513-655-2697

Knoxville: 865-855-0903

6545 Market Ave STE 100
North Canton, Ohio 44721

828 N Broadway
Suite #209
Knoxville, TN 37917

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