The High Performance Edge Podcast

The 2026 Google Changes Affecting Contractors, Explained with Abby Yolda

Most contractors don't follow Google updates closely. But the Energy Circle team does, and we know when changes are important enough that high performance contractors should take note. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast sits down with Abby Yolda, our Director of Solar and Digital Marketing Strategy, to sort through the Google changes in 2026 that are affecting HVAC, home performance, and solar contractors. Topics covered include: - Google's first search bar overhaul in 25 years and how it connects to the company's broader AI push - A new review policy targeting reviews that mention employee names or incentivize techs (and why genuine detailed reviews aren't at risk) - Google's AI Optimization Guide and why good SEO fundamentals still matter more than AI-specific tactics - Ask Maps, a new AI feature inside Google Maps that's already driving a notable share of local contractor searches No deep digital marketing background needed for this episode: listen in as we take technical industry news and translate it into plain language contractors can act on. Episode Links: - Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-performance-edge-podcast/id1850981282] - Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7FDtXrTnfsckZ9yPeMq3Jf?si=0f6f2b7109384585] - Energy Circle Website [https://www.energycircle.com/] - Energy Circle LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-circle-llc/] - Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petertroast/]

Building an HVAC Business Around the Duct Work Nobody Else Wants with Zach Ortwine

Most HVAC contractors won't touch duct work. Too much labor, not enough margin, and a scope that slows everything else down. The result is systems that never perform the way they should… and a gap in the market waiting for someone to fill it. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast talks with Zach Ortwine of Southeast Clean Air Solutions about how he built an entire business around duct cleaning and renovation, the exact work most HVAC companies want nothing to do with. Zach has trained over a hundred duct cleaners on how to do this work the right way, relying on tools like static pressure testing, air quality measurement, and fiberglass duct coatings to move well beyond commodity duct cleaning (and command significantly higher prices in the process). For contractors thinking about where the white space is in a crowded market, this episode offers a clear example of what it looks like to own the niche everyone else is leaving behind. * Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-performance-edge-podcast/id1850981282] * Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7FDtXrTnfsckZ9yPeMq3Jf?si=0f6f2b7109384585] * Energy Circle website [https://www.energycircle.com/] * Energy Circle LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-circle-llc/] * Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petertroast/] * Southeast Clean Air Solutions [https://southeastducts.com/]

Why HVAC Contractors Keep Leaving Envelope Work on the Table with Chris Hughes

For high performance contractors, permanent load reduction, the practice of improving the envelope before sizing and installing a new HVAC system, isn't a new idea. The harder question has always been the business one: how do you sequence it in a retrofit when envelope work can complicate the sale and increase the total cost of the job? In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast sits down with Chris Hughes of The Energy Conservatory to talk through what that actually looks like in practice. Chris draws on years as an HVAC contractor in Louisiana to explain how he approached retrofits differently, modeling homes both as-is and up to code, then selling the right-sized system honestly, even when it meant telling homeowners the house had work to do first. He also shares a practical on-ramp for contractors that starts with diagnostic service offerings like load calculations, blower doors, and duct leakage testing. If you've been curious about how envelope improvements could integrate into your HVAC retrofit business, this episode gives you a clear place to begin. Episode Links: - Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-performance-edge-podcast/id1850981282] - Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7FDtXrTnfsckZ9yPeMq3Jf?si=0f6f2b7109384585] - Energy Circle website [https://www.energycircle.com/] - Energy Circle LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-circle-llc/] - Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petertroast/] - The Energy Conservatory [https://www.energyconservatory.com/?keyword=the%20energy%20conservatory&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=248546578&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8PDPBhCeARIsAOJwmWWRu_qXZjIuVMt83cStqVPHo4mZ1FUrxfK6huzFPPpNoXXIvEKmkLYaAh-0EALw_wcB] - Chris Hughes LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hughes-56550214b/]

What AI Can Actually Do for Small Contractors with Furman Haynes

For too many high-performance contractors, doing the best work often comes at the expense of running a healthy business. Custom diagnostics, complex quoting, and the paperwork burden of rebates and equipment registration eat into the margins that make quality work sustainable. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, Peter Troast sits down with Furman Haynes, co-founder of WorkHero, to talk about how AI can change that trade-off. Furman draws a clear distinction between traditional software, automation, and true AI, and explains what that difference actually means for a small contracting operation. He also walks through concrete, real-world examples of how AI is being used today to 1) automate job costing across disconnected systems, 2) generate custom, education-first quotes that help justify high-performance recommendations to homeowners, and 3) handle rebate processing without the manual legwork. For contractors looking to improve their margins without sacrificing the quality of their work, this episode is worth a listen. - Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-performance-edge-podcast/id1850981282] - Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7FDtXrTnfsckZ9yPeMq3Jf?si=0f6f2b7109384585] - Energy Circle website [https://www.energycircle.com/] - Energy Circle LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-circle-llc/] - Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petertroast/] - Furman Haynes LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/furmanhaynes/] - WorkHero website [https://www.workhero.pro/hvac-back-office]

How High Performance Pays Off: Inside the Better HVAC Alliance with Bill Spohn and Kevin Hart

Most high performance HVAC contractors are doing exceptional work in relative isolation. The Better HVAC Alliance was built to change that. In this episode of The High Performance Edge, host Peter Troast sits down with Bill Spohn, CEO of TruTech Tools, and Kevin Hart, CEO of Haven IAQ, founders of the Better HVAC Alliance. The conversation covers the organization’s origins and its dual mission: connecting a community of professionals committed to continuous improvement, while helping homeowners find and understand the difference quality contractors make. Bill and Kevin discuss the Alliance’s contractor directory, the "learn, do, share" pledge that anchors membership, and their growing partnership with Rewiring America. They also make a compelling case for why being an early mover in this directory matters, particularly as AI reshapes how homeowners search for and evaluate contractors. Episode Links: * Listen on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-high-performance-edge-podcast/id1850981282] * Listen on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7FDtXrTnfsckZ9yPeMq3Jf?si=0f6f2b7109384585] * Watch on YouTube [https://youtu.be/tAQwe7HS3FI] * Energy Circle website [https://www.energycircle.com/] * Energy Circle LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-circle-llc/] * Peter Troast, Energy Circle CEO and Founder LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petertroast/] * Bill Spohn, TruTech Tools CEO [https://www.linkedin.com/in/billspohn/] * Kevin Hart, Haven IAQ CEO [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrhart/] * Better HVAC Alliance [https://betterhvac.org/] * NHPC Registration [http://www.nhpc26.org/energy-circle]