The feds, the state, and even utility companies are offering incentives for buildings to increase their efficiency. So it's nice to see a local start-up growing its business while helping
clients to figure out how to be more sustainable. Introducing Green Building
Automation, headquartered in Detroit's TechTown.
Scott Kaplan founded Green Building Automation in May of 2008, after leaving a large mechanical engineering design/build firm.
"There was a change in the company, it was time for me to do something different," he says. "So I decided to start my own company."
Green Building Automation installs and programs energy management systems, primarily for large commercial facilities. "We do a lot of retrofits on existing buildings," says Kaplan, who estimate the return on investment for an older building to be two to three years with typical energy savings of 30 to 50 percent. "We are able to make adjustments, shed some load, and save energy and money."
The web-based system can be monitored and adjusted off-site, a tool that will be useful when Green Building Automation enters the residential market. Kaplan is shooting for this in the next year. "We see a pretty good market for that, there are still high-end homes out there, and they still travel," he says. "You'll be able to travel and know your home is OK, view your home on-line, integrate (our system) with the security system and program lighting to come on in different sequences."
Kaplan, who is focused on building his brand and his client base, acknowledges the impact that government programs are having on his business' growth, but thinks more action is necessary to truly kick start the state's economy. "One of the things that's kind of weird is that our leadership in the state (wants us to be the) leader in green
technology and energy efficiency, yet haven't put their money where their mouth is as far as manufacturing goes."
Source: Scott Kaplan, founder of Green Building Automation
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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