Durham-based startup Intellicair, founded by father-son duo Bobby and Sam Ferrel, is transforming how heating and cooling systems are monitored and maintained. Using physical sensors paired with a proprietary AI platform, the startup provides homeowners, technicians, and contractors with real-time insights into system performance.
While studying entrepreneurship at Marist College, Sam Ferrel spent much of his time helping out in his dad’s HVAC company in Durham, NC. Working in the field, he noticed a barrier between homeowners, technicians, and contractors, and saw a need for consistent, transparent HVAC monitoring that would make life easier for all involved.
“So I came up with this idea of monitoring residential systems,” Ferrel said.
A new software solution
Airsenz, Intellicair’s flagship product, delivers on that vision and more. Physical sensors collect detailed system data, which is uploaded to a cloud platform. A proprietary AI model, trained on HVAC troubleshooting data, then transforms that information into actionable alerts and long-term insights accessible through an app.
The true innovation of Airsenz lies in its software; while the hardware enables data collection, the AI analyzes every standard HVAC KPI, establishes a baseline at installation, predicts future faults, tracks efficiency drops, and provides digital-twin-style insights on airflow, seasonal efficiency, and overall system performance.
“Some companies have solved the monitoring piece of it, but the intelligence aspect and what you can do with that data is brand new,” Ferrel said.
The Airsenz app enables homeowners to view their system and choose which insights they want to focus on. The AI also delivers weekly or monthly efficiency ratings and tips. For example, if a storm is coming, the system can send a notification with recommendations on how to prepare the HVAC system.
Airsenz can also alert homeowners to simple fixes, such as changing a filter or clearing a filled drain pan, and provide step-by-step instructions if homeowners choose to handle it themselves. The app also allows homeowners to connect directly with their contractor to schedule service. Meanwhile, contractors receive proactive alerts about issues, giving them the chance to address critical problems before they escalate.
Data gold mine
Airsenz’s main focus is on providing insights for homeowners and contractors. On a larger scale, there is also an opportunity with utilities and manufacturers. Utilities can see energy usage only up to the meter, but anonymized in-home data could help them evaluate and validate energy efficiency programs, reduce demand-side consumption, and offer rebates to incentivize adoption.
In the future, with numerous installations across different system brands, Intellicair could collect performance data that even manufacturers may not have, creating a unique dataset.
“We’ll know how those systems are operating in the field better than the carrier will, and then we’ll have that data that they could potentially want,” Ferrel said.
This opens additional revenue streams and positions Airsenz as a powerful tool for improving energy efficiency, system performance, and the broader HVAC ecosystem.
Milestones and the path forward
Intellicair’s business model will focus on selling directly to HVAC contractors, who incorporate the system into maintenance plans or new installations. Contractors pay a one-time hardware fee and an ongoing subscription for software access.
“I like to say we are a hardware-enabled software company,” Sam noted, emphasizing the long-term SaaS potential once the system is installed.
Since beginning development in late 2024, milestones for Intellicair have included successfully prototyping sensor packs and integrating them into a working dashboard.
The startup also recently wrapped up a stint in CED’s GRO Incubator and pitched as part of the #GRO10 Demo Day.
QUICK BITS
Startup: Intellicair
Co-Founders: Bobby Ferrel and Sam Ferrel
Founded: 2024
Team size: 2
Location: Durham
Website: airsenz.ai
Funding: Bootstrapped
Over the next year, the focus is on achieving UL certification for all hardware components, piloting the system with their own company, and selecting partner contractors. Intellicair also has multiple patents pending related to AirSenz’s tech stack.
Looking further ahead, Ferrel hopes to expand Intellicair into 100,000 homes within five years, establishing it as a standard platform in HVAC operations, leveraging collected data for innovation and energy optimization, and automating processes to empower technicians, homeowners, and HVAC companies alike.
Intellicair plans to enter a pre-seed funding round in mid-2026 and welcomes inquiries from potential partners interested in piloting the technology.
