EP10: Houston, we have a heat pump

I sit down with Umair Surani, a bridge-builder, systems thinker, and Senior Account Executive at McKinstry, whose path into the climate world began in the most unexpected way—through a job he almost didn’t take. With a background in aerospace engineering and a childhood in Pakistan, Umair brings a uniquely global and interdisciplinary lens to decarbonizing buildings.

We explore why HVAC contractors may be the most powerful (and overlooked) agents of change in the clean energy transition, what prevents more homeowners from installing heat pumps, and how decision-making around climate technologies often comes down to risk, timing, and trust.