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s the nation swelters through a scorching summer, commercial real estate property owners are grappling with the challenge of balancing soaring demand for cooling with rising costs. Landlords are turning to energy efficiency as a top priority, but most large building systems operate in the dark, unaware if certain areas are running too hot or too cold. This results in office workers often feeling overheated in the summer and chilly in the winter.

    Runwise, a New York-based tech company, has developed a hardware/software platform to tackle this issue. Its system combines future weather forecasts with a wireless temperature sensor network that feeds into a central control system. This analyzes data to optimize energy usage, ensuring buildings are comfortable while minimizing waste and carbon emissions.

    For example, a large office building might have just one boiler, but Runwise would install 20-25 sensors to take an average based on user settings and future weather forecasts. The system then determines how often to run the boiler, saving energy costs in the process. With over 10,000 buildings across 10 states and 1,000 customers, including major real estate owner-operators, Runwise claims to have collectively saved more than $100 million in energy costs.

    The startup recently secured a $55 million Series B funding round, bringing its total funding to $79 million. Co-founder Jeff Carleton plans to use the additional funds to expand nationwide and incorporate artificial intelligence into its systems. "As we collect data from more buildings and build advanced models, AI will become increasingly integral in making our algorithms more efficient," he said.