EP268 Fresh Air Without the Penalty: Reinventing Ventilation for Real Homes With Austin Riesenberger from Swerv (April 2026)

Quotes from the episode: "If you're building something new, it has to be better in almost every way or it won't catch on."   "The stuff that's bad inside your home doesn't filter out, you have to move it out."   "We stopped over-modeling and just started testing in the real world as fast as possible."    This episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast features Austin Riesenberger, founder of Swerv Air, a young entrepreneur tackling a surprisingly overlooked problem: how to bring fresh air into homes without sacrificing comfort, energy efficiency, or simplicity. Drawing from his background in HVAC engineering, physics, and personal struggles with asthma and poor indoor air quality, Austin set out to rethink ventilation from first principles. Swerv's solution is a compact, window-mounted fresh air system that filters incoming air while recovering heat and moisture through a regenerative cycling core. Unlike traditional ERVs that are bulky and contractor-installed, this unit is designed for easy, consumer-level installation with strong performance. The conversation dives into the technical trade-offs, including airflow, efficiency, noise, and form factor, as well as the importance of real-world testing over theoretical modeling in product development. Beyond the product itself, the episode highlights Austin's startup journey. From rapid prototyping and supply chain challenges to early beta deployments across multiple climates, the discussion offers insight into how modern hardware companies iterate quickly and build demand. It wraps with a call for beta testers and collaborators, positioning Swerv as a potential bridge between consumer IAQ needs and traditional HVAC solutions.     Austin's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-riesenberger-73502a1b6/   Swerv website: https://swervair.com/   Beta Tester SignUp: https://swervair.com/#beta   This episode was recorded in April 2026.