What is SAVe?

First, some background:

SAVe has been part of Crestron’s overall sustainability initiative since early 2024. We dug into SAVe’s story back in April on the Crestron blog:

According to President and Founder Christina De Bono, “SAVe is an all-volunteer, US-based 501c3 organization. Our mission is to bring stakeholders together in the AV industry to do our part in taking concerted action to achieve the UN’s 2030 sustainable development goals.”

And as for those aforementioned sustainable development goals:

In 2015, all 193 member nations of the United Nations unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — and at the heart of this agenda are the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). The goals are broad, including everything from climate action to the eradication of poverty.

At first blush, taking stock of all 17 — and thinking about real-world solutions that achieve those goals — may seem overwhelming. But, as Kitty van der Heijden of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated bluntly in a discussion at Ledin University late last year, “Calling achieving the SDGs by the end of this decade as mission impossible is not an acceptable answer.”

The Insights

In addition to understanding what needed to change, Hulen noted what elements were already in place. “One insight which struck me — which has been true all along — is that designing AV systems with automation and control in every system may be one of the simplest ways to reduce energy usage. It’s the first of the three Rs of recycling – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

“By utilizing shut-down timers, occupancy sensors, room scheduling technology, and basic automation, system designers, installers, and users may be able to considerably reduce or eliminate unnecessary energy consumption while AV technology isn’t being used,” he says. “While it might seem counterintuitive, spending some money during construction or renovation projects to add room control and automation can save money over time, reduce CO2 emissions, and extend the life of electronics.  

“Over the past few years, Crestron has already made strides in reducing plastics in packaging, moving towards plant-based materials and recycled materials where possible, and manufacturing products with waste reduction as one of the considerations,” he adds. “Crestron is working towards eliminating extra cables, mounting brackets, accessories, and fillers wherever possible. Additionally, our product development teams are working to optimize material usage and reduce labeling with laser engraving.”