One Platform, Zero Headaches, 30% Lower Energy Costs  — How FirstService Simplified Building Tech

• Client Name: First Service
• Industry: Property Management
• Client Representative: John Skipper, Director of Energy Management

Challenges Faced: “Buildings hate installing multiple systems,” John says. Heat‑only controls from one vendor, stand‑alone water meters from another, cooling controls from another, and separate gas‑safety devices meant four crews drilling holes, four monitoring fees, four sensors in each unit, and four log‑ins. The tech clutter raised budgets and resident‑relations headaches alike.

The Solution: 

Runwise’s wireless operating system turned that clutter into one network doing quadruple duty:

• Heating & cooling savings: Apartment and riser sensors feed real‑time data to the Runwise control, cutting fuel/electric bills while making tenants more comfortable.
  
  
• Water insights: The same platform streams water‑usage data, flagging waste before it shows up on a bill.
  
  
• Gas detection: LL 157‑ready sensors plug into the existing Runwise mesh—no extra wiring, permits, or portals.

Managers open one app to see boiler runtimes, chiller utilization, water anomalies, and gas‑sensor health—all on a single screen.

The Results:

• Lower up‑front cost — one installation, one network, bulk pricing on hardware.
• Minimal resident disruption — fewer devices on walls, faster installs.
• Cheaper to run — one support contract, no portal juggling, fewer truck rolls.
• Maximum value from every sensor — each device contributes to multiple building goals.
  
  “If you can reduce heating costs, cooling costs, track water, and satisfy gas‑safety rules from one platform, it’s cheaper and easier for everyone.” — John Skipper