At the ThinkWithEarth Sustainability Hackathon & Ideathon, energy efficiency & automation specialist Dhruv Shah made a simple case for cutting carbon fast: operate smarter before you rebuild. In a conversation after his session, Shah argued that software-driven controls and rigorous commissioning can deliver measurable emissions reductions now—without waiting for capital-intensive overhauls.
“Most portfolios already own the hardware,” Shah said. “What’s missing is orchestration—lighting schedules that reflect real occupancy, sensors placed where people actually work, and HVAC that ‘talks’ to lighting and major plug loads. Do that well and you lower energy use, costs, and CO₂ immediately.”
The playbook he shared on stage
Shah’s talk, Smart Controls for a Cooler Planet, distilled a field-tested sequence any facility team can start Monday morning:
Start with lighting: Deploy networked lighting controls—occupancy/vacancy logic, high-accuracy daylight harvesting, and timeclock profiles tuned to operations.
Make systems talk: Use open protocols (BACnet/Modbus/IP) so lighting, HVAC, and plug loads ramp together instead of fighting each other.
Measure → verify → retune: Tie sequences to metering and trends; review quarterly with operators and re-commission as spaces change.
Prioritize retrofit ROI: Target long burn-hour zones and variable-use spaces first; avoid big-bang upgrades unless the data says they’re needed.
Train people, tighten process: Short, living SOPs for schedules, overrides, and seasonal resets—then audit them.
Prep for electrification: Shrink loads with controls and envelope fixes so future heat-pump or geothermal phases pencil out.
Why his perspective resonates
Shah’s résumé spans high-stakes environments—airports, hospitals, data centers, corporate HQs—where uptime and comfort matter as much as efficiency. He led programming and commissioning for PoE, conventional, and wireless lighting control systems; integrated those systems with BAS; and automated reliability testing to shorten cycles and catch regressions early. That breadth informs his “controls-first” stance: cut waste with code and commissioning before you consider wholesale equipment swaps.
What’s next: his roadmap for 12–18 months
Pressed on how he’ll push this agenda beyond the stage, Shah laid out near-term commitments:
Portfolio pilots: Partner with owners to run 90-day “schedule hygiene” sprints—lighting + HVAC tuning with weekly trend reviews and a published M&V snapshot at the end.
Open templates: Release a public starter kit—commissioning checklists, daylighting zoning guides, and schedule SOPs—so teams aren’t reinventing the wheel.
Controls Readiness Index: A lightweight rubric scoring buildings on sensors, integration, and processes to prioritize fixes that unlock the biggest savings.
Operator training: Short, scenario-based training for technicians and facility managers focused on overrides, alarms, and seasonal transitions.
Electrification prep studies: Identify low-cost controls/envelope measures that reduce peak loads ahead of heat-pump or geothermal projects.
“The grid needs relief now,” Shah said. “Controls give you that relief without waiting for design, bids, and downtime. Then, when you do invest in new equipment, you’re sizing to the right, smaller load.”
The bigger picture
Buildings remain a major share of global energy use and emissions. For Shah, the quickest wins come not from new hardware but from coordinating what’s already installed—and proving results with data. It’s an approach designed for scale: pragmatic, repeatable, and friendly to tight budgets.
