Millions of North American homeowners and businesses rely on Venstar technology for advanced comfort control and energy management

WALLER, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#HVAC–Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. (Daikin) has acquired Venstar, Inc. (Venstar), a prominent controls and energy management systems provider whose technology and indoor comfort solutions are used in millions of residences and light commercial applications across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The acquisition, announced today by Daikin – a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd. (DIL), the largest manufacturer of HVAC systems worldwide – complements the growing market for Daikin’s environmentally friendly indoor comfort technologies, including its high-performing inverter and heat pump solutions, and products featuring R-32, an open-source refrigerant with one-third the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the most commonly used refrigerants in the U.S. and Canada.

Venstar, founded in 1992 and based in Southern California, designs and builds a broad variety of innovative thermostats with more than 10 million installed. The company’s Surveyor® Energy Management System allows retailers, restaurant chains and other multi-location businesses to remotely monitor, manage and control energy consumption while reducing maintenance expenses. Currently, Surveyor is used to control more than 100,000 HVAC systems and building lighting in more than 30,000 retail locations throughout North America. Venstar’s Skyport Cloud service provides businesses a secure and private powerful cloud service for command and control of HVAC systems from anywhere in the world.

Under the new ownership as a wholly owned business unit of Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc., Venstar will continue to be led by Venstar’s existing management team with Steve Dushane, founder, president and CEO, as well as all current employees of Venstar. Venstar’s headquarters will remain in California and Daikin plans to maintain the strong recognition of the Venstar brand, along with maintaining all of Venstar’s successfully branded products.

“Venstar’s advanced smart thermostats, controls technology and outstanding energy management systems will help support Daikin’s leadership role in connected solutions, ensuring safe, environmentally friendly, peak performance operations of HVAC systems through cloud-connected monitoring and control,” said Takayuki Inoue, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Daikin. “We are committed to facilitating North America wide adoption of energy-efficient inverter, heat pump and R-32-based systems. These Daikin systems provide superior environmental benefits, energy savings and indoor comfort performance over traditional HVAC systems that currently cool and heat most North American homes and businesses.”

Steve Dushane, founder, president and CEO of Venstar, said “We are excited to join a company with a strong commitment to innovating indoor comfort and cultivating environmental sustainability. Daikin products are known for their technology leadership, energy efficiency, robust quality and high performance, all hallmarks of Venstar’s products and services that will further enhance our brand portfolio.”

“Venstar’s energy management expertise and smart, communicating controllers will help contractors, homeowners and businesses optimize the energy-saving and performance benefits of inverter-driven HVAC systems,” explained Dennis Thoren, Vice President of Controls and Solutions at Daikin.

“Smart thermostat and cloud service solutions represent the future of indoor comfort beyond controlling temperature and ventilation,” said Thoren. “Monitoring and controlling performance, indoor air quality, predictive maintenance, and optimizing service truck logistics are just a few of the benefits that innovative thermostats and cloud-based services can provide contractors and customers. It’s an effective, easy way to manage energy consumption remotely, even eventually collaborating with electric utilities to improve demand response. These are powerful benefits that provide value to utilities, contractors and customers.”

“For example, Venstar’s Surveyor typically saves small-box retailers 20 to 35 percent of their controlled energy costs,” said Dushane. “This translates to tens of millions of dollars in savings each year and dramatic reductions in CO2 emissions,” he explained.

The acquisition is one of several Daikin has completed during the past few years as it works to transform the North American HVAC industry. The $500 million Daikin Texas Technology Park (DTTP), located just northwest of Houston, now employs more than 7,000 people. At over 4 million square feet, DTTP is one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the world; 74 football fields can fit under its roof.

For more about Daikin Comfort Technologies, visit northamerica-daikin.com.

About Daikin

Daikin Industries, Ltd. (DIL) is a Fortune 1,000 company with more than 84,870 employees worldwide and is the world’s #1 indoor comfort solutions provider company. Daikin Comfort Technologies North America (DNA), Inc is a subsidiary of DIL, providing Daikin, Goodman, Amana^® and Quietflex brands products. DNA and its affiliates manufacture heating and cooling systems for residential, commercial and industrial use and are sold via independent HVAC contractors. DNA engineering and manufacturing is located at Daikin Texas Technology Park near Houston, Texas. For additional information, visit www.northamerica-daikin.com.

About Venstar Inc.

Venstar Inc. is a leading thermostat and energy management system (EMS) manufacturer, known for providing value to its customers via ease of use and installation, proven cost savings, improved energy efficiency, quality and reliability. Founded in 1992, Venstar is one of the largest thermostat suppliers in the world and designs and produces Venstar-branded products, as well as OEM thermostat products for the biggest names in HVAC. Venstar’s Surveyor is a leading energy management system, typically saving small-box retailers 20 to 35 percent of controlled energy costs, which translates to tens of millions of dollars in savings each year and dramatic reductions in CO2 emissions. Surveyor currently controls the energy usage of 30,000+ retail locations across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico. For more information, visit www.venstar.com.

Contacts

Marc Bellanger – Director of Marketing & Communications – 713.263.5505

Wendy Hall – Director of Communications – 713.232.9229

Whip Around developed the Whip Around Wallet to improve compliance and ensure their drivers are road ready at all times.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Whip Around launches new document management solution for Fleet Managers and Drivers, a move designed to improve compliance and ensure their drivers are road ready at all times.

Poorly managed or missing documentation consistently features in the top roadside enforcement violations each year with in-cab documents relating to the driver and asset prone to damage, expiration or misplacement. Companies are liable for the actions of their employees, and can be held accountable if a non-compliant driver is operating an asset or unable to produce the required paperwork during a roadside check. With so much paperwork involved, it’s a challenge for drivers to store and manage it easily on the go, often putting themselves under the risk of scrutiny.

Steve Keppler from Scopelitis Transportation Consulting emphasized the growing issue of paper-based record keeping and FMCSA compliance, “Fleets that use paper-based recordkeeping tend to have more challenges recording data, maintaining records, missing important deadlines, locating proper records on request, and easily identifying compliance gaps in documents and dates. Using an electronic system addresses all of these weaknesses. It helps carriers be proactive to keep them compliant and identify issues early on before they become a problem.”

Whip Around Wallet is available on web and mobile. Documents are safely stored in the cloud and they can be tagged, making it quick and easy for drivers to access all the documentation that they need while out on the road. Accessibility is critical to document management, but the real value of Wallet lies in the ability to set expiration dates, renewal notifications and retention sunset reminders on documents. This dramatically lowers the risk of not meeting compliance requirements and the cost that goes along with it.

“It definitely helps our drivers remain compliant. It’s really easy to use, and made us a lot more organised. We can check that we’ve got all the required paperwork, and if we’re missing something from one truck we can grab it ” – Ryan Weinstein from M&M Waste.

A range of documentation can be stored in Wallet so that it’s easily accessible during a roadside check or audit.

Some of these include:

• Vehicle permits and cab cards
• Carrier insurance policies
• Driver medical certificates
• Evidence of periodic inspections
• Period inspector credentials
• ELD documentation
• Trailer documents

“With Whip Around Wallet Fleet Managers can have peace of mind that they have set their team’s up for success. It’s another step towards Whip Around’s promise to help customers take control of their fleet maintenance processes, improve safety and compliance, and reduce costs and downtime” – Elizabeth Santorelly VP Product, Whip Around.

To learn more about the Whip Around Wallet, email sales@whiparound.com or call 704 489 3268. Existing customers should contact their Account Manager or email support@whiparound.com for further details.

About Whip Around

Whip Around is a powerful, yet easy-to-use fleet maintenance software solution that connects drivers, mechanics and fleet operators to improve the uptime across their fleet operations. Whip Around operates in North America and Australasia and serves hundreds of thousands of users and assets worldwide across all commercial fleet industry verticals. The company’s mission is to keep the world’s fleets moving by accelerating information.

Contacts

Lauren Yeoman

704.412.3986

Lauren.yeoman@whiparound.com

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BentallGreenOak (BGO) today announced the launch of a multi-year commitment with Kids Help Phone to drive awareness and increase public understanding of the critical mental health care services that are available to youth across Canada. The partnership was inaugurated today with a $108,000 donation to Kids Help Phone, featuring donations from the firm’s corporate philanthropy program, BGO Inspired, and contributions made on behalf of BGO’s clients representing the firm’s office and industrial real estate portfolio in Canada. BGO’s 2022 donation and ensuing partnership in 2023 will serve as the kick off for financial and programmatic collaboration with Kids Help Phone over the next three years.

As part of BGO Canada’s commitment to Kids Help Phone in 2023, the firm’s 60+ million square feet of real estate assets under administration – representing office, industrial, retail, and multi-family residential property – will have the opportunity to participate in awareness campaigns aimed at expanding the public’s access and understanding of Kids Help Phone’s services. Programming and tenant/resident engagement initiatives will further extend the reach of Kids Help Phone’s outreach efforts to assist with their mandate in communities across Canada.

“The opportunity for BentallGreenOak to partner with Kids Help Phone on a national scale is a true privilege that connects our employees, tenants and residents, clients, and partners to a cause that is incredibly close to our hearts,” said Keith Major, Managing Partner, Head of Canadian Real Estate Management, BentallGreenOak. “Mental health and wellness have become prevalent subjects that directly influence the ethos of the services we provide to all whom we serve, and as the demand for care and counselling continue to rise, the alignment that we have forged with Kids Help Phone to help direct our efforts towards the most vulnerable amongst us is as timely as ever.”

“We are moved by BGO’s passion to help raise awareness of Kids Help Phone’s life-changing services. BGO is helping us reach deep into communities through physical and digital spaces, where young people and caring adults live, work, and congregate,” said Jenny Yuen, Senior Vice President, National Partnerships & Government Relations. “We are so grateful that the community of BGO stakeholders responded through a year-end donation that will support our e-mental health services and programs, accessible by young people in every community across Canada.”

Kids Help Phone’s mission is to provide young people with access to the mental health care services they need, when and how they need it the most. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, young people across Canada reached out to Kids Help Phone over 12.2 million times. As the only national, 24/7, bilingual e-mental health service for young people in the country, volunteer staff and trained professionals answer young people’s call for help. Recently, the organization announced that they have expanded their services to include counselling in six additional languages, including Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin, Arabic, Plains Cree, and Ojibwe.

About BentallGreenOak

BentallGreenOak is a leading, global real estate investment management advisor and a globally-recognized provider of real estate services. BentallGreenOak serves the interests of more than 750 institutional clients with approximately $80 billion USD of assets under management (as of September 30, 2022) and expertise in the asset management of office, industrial, multi-residential, retail and hospitality property across the globe. BentallGreenOak has offices in 28 cities across fourteen countries with deep, local knowledge, experience, and extensive networks in the regions where we invest in and manage real estate assets on behalf of our clients in primary, secondary and co-investment markets. BentallGreenOak is a part of SLC Management, which is the alternatives asset management business of Sun Life.

The assets under management shown above includes real estate equity and mortgage investments managed by the BentallGreenOak group of companies and their affiliates, and as of 1Q21, includes certain uncalled capital commitments for discretionary capital until they are legally expired and excludes certain uncalled capital commitments where the investor has complete discretion over investment.

For more information, please visit www.bentallgreenoak.com

About Kids Help Phone

Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support in English and French to young people. As the country’s virtual care expert, we give millions of youth a safe, trusted space to talk over phone or through text or in self-directed supports in any moment of crisis or need. Through our digital transformation, we envision a future where every person in Canada is able to get the support they need, when they need it most, however they need it. Kids Help Phone gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to fuel and fund our programs. Learn more at KidsHelpPhone.ca or follow us:

Twitter: @KidsHelpPhone
Facebook: @KidsHelpPhone
Instagram: @KidsHelpPhone

Contacts

Rahim Ladha

Global Head of Communications & Philanthropy

media@bentallgreenoak.com

Lindsey Coulter, Kids Help Phone

647-390-4841

lindsey.coulter@kidshelpphone.ca

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#California–California residents can now save money instantly on energy-efficient home upgrades with the new Golden State Rebates program implemented by CLEAResult, the largest energy efficiency solutions provider in North America, under a contract awarded by San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E®). The program’s easy-to-use retail coupon portal includes rebates of up to $500 and is available to customers of SDG&E®, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E®), Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®) and Southern California Edison Company (SCE®).

Golden State Rebates currently offers instant discounts when purchasing energy-saving smart thermostats, water heaters and room air conditioners. Customers simply sign up for an account, verify their eligibility, then receive a coupon via email for the selected product to be redeemed at a participating in-store or online retailer of their choice. The program is the only statewide instant rebate option that works with retailers directly to make purchasing energy-efficient products more convenient and affordable.

“Energy costs are a top concern for Californians and their utilities,” said Kecia Davison, CLEAResult’s Senior Vice President for the West Region. “Energy efficiency is key to saving folks money now and in the long run. It also plays a vital role in supporting the state’s decarbonization goals.”

The program has the full support of SDG&E, PG&E, SoCalGas and SCE as part of the companies’ efforts to transition California to a clean energy future that is equitable and affordable for everyone.

“Beyond the immediate savings from the rebates, energy-efficient products can help customers save in the long run on their gas and electric bills by reducing their energy consumption,” said SDG&E Director of Customer Programs Hollie Bierman. “By replacing older models of appliances with ultra-efficient ones, families can potentially save hundreds of dollars per year, while also reducing their carbon footprint.”

People often make energy efficiency improvements when equipment needs to be replaced, so Golden State Rebates ensures that utility customers, installers and distributers all have access to instant discounts. The rebates can also be combined with other statewide initiatives like TECH Clean California to help people save even more money. If someone is upgrading to a heat pump water heater, for example, they may be able to save up to $500 with Golden State Rebates, plus an additional $1,000 – $3,100 through TECH Clean California depending on eligibility. People can check their eligibility using the Switch is On Incentive Finder as the additional incentives are only available in limited territories and amounts are subject to change.

Golden State Rebates’ holistic approach to energy efficiency can help people be proactive about their energy use, all while saving money at a time when it’s needed most. Visit goldenstaterebates.com for full details on everything the program has to offer.

About CLEAResult

CLEAResult is the largest provider of energy efficiency, energy transition, and decarbonization solutions in North America. Since 2003, our mission has been to change the way people use energy. Today, our experts lead the transition to a sustainable, equitable, and carbon-neutral future for our communities and our planet. Our hometown teams collaborate with a diverse network of local partners to deliver world-class technology and personalized services that make it easy for commercial and industrial businesses, governments, utilities and residential customers to reduce their energy use and carbon footprint. CLEAResult is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has over 2,400 employees in more than 60 cities across the U.S. and Canada. CLEAResult is majority owned by TPG through its middle market and growth equity investment platform TPG Growth and its multi-sector global impact investing strategy The Rise Fund.

Explore all our energy solutions at clearesult.com.

Follow us on: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Contacts

media@clearesult.com
Amber Tester
Director Corporate Communications