Session Details
1:45 - 3:05 PM
DAY 2
Room 4
ID: 
25I4
Setting Up Your Team for Success: How to Develop an In-House Training Program
Grow a Business, Not a Job

Finding skilled heat pump technicians is one challenge—developing them is another. More contractors are focusing attention and resources on in-house training programs to advance employees with varying skill levels and bring newcomers from outside HVAC up to speed.

This panel explores how heat pump contractors of different sizes have built effective internal training, from traditional in-house programs to models that more resemble full-fledged trade schools. You’ll hear what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how to tailor heat pump training to your business needs. Attendees will learn practical approaches for building workforce capacity, improving retention, and setting teams up for long-term success in the heat pump market.

Chad Simpson
Owner, Simpson Salute

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Kevin Brenner
President, Healthy Home Energy & Consulting

Kevin Brenner is the founder of Healthy Home Energy & Consulting (HHEC) and of the Healthy Home Academy, bringing 40+ years of high performance homebuilding and retrofit experience. A BPI AC & Heat Pump Professional and RESNET accredited HERS Rater, he leads hands on workforce training that ties proper design, installation, and commissioning to measurable comfort, indoor air quality, and efficiency outcomes. He built HHEC’s net zero energy headquarters as well as his own net zero home, and his teams have earned NYSERDA awards for outstanding performance and exceptional service. At the U.S. Heat Pump Summit, Kevin brings a field proven perspective on aligning heat pumps with building performance fundamentals. The Healthy Home Academy has been awarded training Grants from NYSERDA to teach the proper installation of Heat Pumps. Kevin enjoys educating the industry and community on the relationship between Heat Pumps and Building Performance.

John Anderson
Senior Training Instructor, Sila Services

John is the 4th generation Anderson to be in the trades. He took a little detour to get there. John spent his 20's in various desert climates as a USMC Infantry Squad Leader. Afterwards, he attended HVAC School. When interviewing to become an entry level tech, he was offered a position in equipment sales. He did that, successfully, for almost 6 years. Knowing that his heart was on the technical side, John took a significant pay cut to finally become an entry level tech with a different company. After about 2 years in the field, he was promoted to Service Manager. He was able to build his entire Service Department from scratch following the COVID shutdown. This required a lot of training for his team. Teaching others became his passion. In his 5th year as a Service Manager, John met Eddie McFarlane who asked if he would like to become the first full time trainer for Sila Services. His first task was to build an entry level HVAC training program. He wrote the curriculum for and led what is now known as The LiveFire Academy. Sila now has three, going on four, Regional Training Centers across the US with dedicated trainers so they can simultaneously run LiveFire academy courses twice a year, for a potential 160 net new HVAC technicians per year! In between courses, as the Senior Regional Training Instructor for all of Sila Services, John travels around to their 50+ companies to give training and support.Retry

Moderator:  
Ed Smith
Co-Founder, Co-CEO, Amply Energy

Ed Smith is co-founder and co-CEO of Amply Energy, one of only nine ACCA-approved Manual J load calculation software platforms trusted by HVAC contractors nationwide. Before building software, Ed co-founded Amply as a whole-home performance contractor, personally designing home retrofits including weatherization, solar, electrification, and panel upgrades—giving him firsthand experience with the challenges contractors face daily.

As co-host of The Heat Pump Podcast, Ed has interviewed dozens of leading contractors and industry experts across 40+ episodes, building an audience of thousands of heat pump professionals. He has conducted thousands of sales calls with heat pump and whole home performance contractors, giving him unparalleled insight into market dynamics from both sides of the business.

Ed co-authored "Electrification 3.0," exploring the future of residential electrification, and regularly speaks on heat pump market strategy. Through Amply Energy, he now works with contractors ranging from solo operators to multi-million dollar businesses, helping them navigate the transition from traditional HVAC to heat pump-focused operations.

Ed's presentations combine real contractor experience with data-driven market insights, offering clear frameworks for building sustainable, profitable heat pump businesses in a rapidly evolving industry.