PEA Clean Energy Intern, Caila Cater-Edwards interviewing Terrell Robinson. Robinson is the Residential HVAC Comfort Consultant for Gwyn Services, and has been a big supporter of PEA's work, even joining us at our last contractor info session for Electrify The Triad and offering his time and expertise to our attendess at our 2025 Green Job Fair.
CCE: Hi Terrell, great to connect with you again! I recall meeting you at the Electrify the Triad Contractor Event and briefly at PEA’s Green Job Fair. We deeply appreciate your support and dedication, and we're big admirers of the work Gwyn Services is doing!
To kick things off, we'd love to hear your elevator pitch. Can you share a quick overview of who you are, what Gwyn Services is all about, and what your vision is for the company’s future?
TR: My elevator pitch is. We help businesses and homeowners reduce their energy cost.
Many HVAC systems are inefficient leading to wasted energy and unnecessarily high utility bills. Our energy efficiency retrofits can cut your heating and cooling cost. We focus on sealing ducts and installing high-performance equipment to maximize savings. We can save you money, improve comfort, and reduce your environmental impact.
Overview of who I am:
I'm a native of Winston-Salem. I graduated from Parkland High School and proceeded to go to Forsyth Technical Community College to study HVAC (Heating, Venting, Air-Conditioning). There I received my credentials and have been working in that trade for the last thirty years. I’m a Family Man who loves to travel and give back anyway I can.
Gwyn Services is a Veteran and family owned company with core values, and does great work in your home and in your community. Gwyn specializes in plumbing, electrical, and heating & cooling.
We provide all these services when we partner with Whole Man Ministries and Habitat for Humanity. We also provide Scholarships to the students at FTCC in all three trades. One of our values is, don’t point a finger when you can lend a hand.
My vision for the company's future is to possibly install solar panels to conserve energy. Also, blow-in insulation or spray foam to better insulate the home to make it more efficient.
CCE: Terrell, that was a truly great pitch! The value of "don’t point a finger when you can’t lend a hand" is a powerful takeaway that many people can carry with them every day. It's wonderful to see a local small business doing such impactful work, especially as a fellow Winston-Salem native.
You mentioned your hope to incorporate more solar panels and energy-efficient practices at Gwyn Services. As you move forward with that goal, what are some of the key hurdles you've faced in transitioning to greener energy, and what strategies have helped you overcome them?
TR: Some of the challenges and possibly moving forward with the solar panels. We are not Roofers. That being said you have to be careful with the installation of the solar panels possibly causing more bad than good meaning if they are not installed properly and connected to the roof as it should. You run the risk of water damage and leakage. It will be strategic for us to partner up with a roofing company if we’re able to get to the point that we are able to install solar panels.
The future looks bright for Gwyn Services going green!
CCE: That makes perfect sense—ensuring proper roof integration is crucial for any solar installation. And, Your commitment to giving back through partnerships with Whole Man Ministries and Habitat for Humanity is inspiring!
Shifting slightly, I am curious, with energy and technology constantly shifting and evolving even within the heat & cooling, electrical world. Are there any other advancements or innovations, other than solar panels, gaining traction in conversation that you are excited to learn more about?
TR: Good question. Yes. There are some tractions and applications of solar powered HVAC system installations. I would like to learn more about that and maybe some innovations of a windmill sourced heating and cooling systems.
CCE: These do sound exciting! I will have to do some research regarding the solar HVAC myself.
To round us off, I know that Gwyn Services just got approved as a contractor for Energy Saver NC program. Given your track record of community investment, what does it mean to you and the organization to facilitate significant home upgrades for low-to-moderate income families through the Energy Saver NC program?
Words can’t express what it means to me and the organization to facilitate home upgrades to low-to-moderate income families through the Energy Saver NC program.
To Gwyn and myself, being able to help families through the Energy Saver NC program means making a tangible difference in people's lives by expanding access to opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable or out of reach. Sometimes in life people need a hand up and not a hand out. You truly don’t know the power of people, until you empower your people.