ClearTech CTO Joe Perez Co-Authors Pioneering AV Sustainability Resource December 2024

SAVe’s Guide to Sustainable AV Design & Installation is an industry first

Joe Perez was already an AV industry pioneer. As a co-founder of Sustainability in AV (SAVe), he helped to create the first U.S.-based industrywide organization dedicated to bringing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to pro AV. More than that, he ensured that SAVe offered actionable initiatives to enable meaningful progress. 

“Initially I thought the challenge was to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable development and the blueprint for progress provided by the SDGs,” explains Joe, “but looking at our own organization, I could see that awareness was just a precondition for action. After achieving an understanding of the issue, our team needed tools, processes and partnerships that enabled them to make a difference.” 

That’s why SAVe debuted in 2022 with initiatives like SAVe Certification, which helps organizations develop meaningful, actionable sustainability plans, and SAVe A Second Life, which provides resources to give AV gear a second life at the end of its first one.

In 2024, Joe partnered with SAVe’s Ambassador to Colombia, Juan Carlos Gutiérrez, to create an additional pillar in the SAVe platform: the Committee on Sustainable Design and Installation. 

“As the owner of Integración AV in Bogota, Juan Carlos was well-aware of the opportunities our industry has to design and install AV solutions in a more sustainable manner. In fact, it was his idea to create the committee, and he is also the principal author of our first publication, SAVe’s Guide to Sustainable AV Design and Installation.”

In partnership with other committee members, Juan Carlos and Joe Perez spearheaded the first edition of what they intend to be a dynamic resource that can be regularly updated with best practices for design and installation. It’s available now to download from the SAVe website.

What makes the Guide to Sustainable AV Design and Installation unique – and why is it important?

Joe: Well, the guide is unique because until now AV integrators have not had a resource that compiles best practices for sustainable design and integration. We at SAVe talk about transforming our industry from being a sustainability laggard to a sustainability leader, and the near total absence of resources is a great example of just how much progress we need to make. The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were endorsed by all 193 U.N. member nations in 2015. Now we’re more than halfway to the 2030 deadline and pro AV is definitely playing catchup.

What kind of content does the guide include?

Most of it is fundamental. That’s because we’re starting from zero. So we begin with an overview of the issue, then get into essential actions integrators can take – like prioritizing products that reflect the principles of sustainability, including gear that’s designed for longevity and repairability, that uses materials that are sustainably sourced, etc. 

We also focus on the reuse of existing usable equipment – which is essential if we’re to make a dent in the amount of electronic waste our industry generates. We also want to open integrators’ eyes to the issue of energy efficiency. If you’re doing a cursory comparison of equipment, you might conclude that some of is parity products – until you examine power consumption figures. The difference can be dramatic. Consequently, smart equipment choices can save yield significant energy savings. 

Another easy way to move forward is to seek out multifunctional equipment that reduces the need for multiple devices. Likewise, there are new technologies that minimize the use of redundant cables and components.

Focusing on waste reduction, the guide also explores strategies for cleaner installations, more energy-efficient operation of those installations, and ways to optimize preventive maintenance to extend the life of equipment. 

Let’s return for a moment to the idea of selecting brands that are committed to sustainability. How can you be sure that they’re not just “greenwashing” you with spurious claims?

Good question. Basically, it’s incumbent on us as solution providers to do the research. In most cases, the information we need – and can trust – is out there. You start by looking for recognized third-party certifications and standards that cover the environmental impact of a manufacturer’s products, as well as energy efficiency and supply chain practices. Some important ones are TCO Certified, Energy Star, and EPEAT, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tools. 

Also take note of how forthcoming a manufacturer is about its supply chain, production processes and sourcing practices. If a company is publishing sustainability reports, look for measurable and time-bound targets. 

There’s a lot more to say about this issue. One thing I’d add is that at ClearTech, we’ve always been careful about the suppliers we use. Traditionally, our main concerns centered on performance and reliability. Today, we also factor in sustainability. Our customers know that we do everything possible to act responsibly without compromising the user experience. 

Getting back to the idea of “spurious claims,” vigilance is required not only in the products you choose, but also in the partners you use. For example, our subcontractors have to abide by our sustainability guidelines. Likewise, when we’re pulling old equipment, we make every effort to reuse it, responsibly recycle it, or safely dispose of it. Again, we’ve gone to great effort to find recycling partners we can trust – because the unscrupulous ones are apt to tell you one thing and do something else entirely. Neither we nor our clients want to discover that equipment intended to be recycled has ended up on a container ship to Accra, Ghana where it becomes a horrible hazard to people and the environment. 

It sounds like the SAVe Design and Integration Committee has its work cut out for it. 

The challenge is significant, that’s for sure! But there’s tremendous progress that we can make, and the more we learn, the more effective we become. And let me tell you, we have some extremely dedicated and smart, experienced professionals on our team – foremost among them: Juan Carlos Gutiérrez, who also serves as a SAVe board member. Every day we tell ourselves, Let’s get to work. We have a planet to SAVe. 

Again, where can people get the Guide to Sustainable AV Design and Installation?

You can download it from the SAVe website – where you’ll also find information about how to join our movement for change. Whatever your skill set may be, you can put it to use at SAVe. We need leaders and they come in all stripes.