Overview
Identified HVAC automation as a high-impact entry point for our platform through market research and GTM strategy. Repositioned PlaceOS as a retrofit-friendly automation layer for large campuses — aligning with energy mandates, cost-saving urgency, and infrastructure complexity.
Key Achievements
- Created ROI-led messaging that helped close UCLA as a flagship client
- Developed narratives that reframed energy automation as a simple, immediate win
- Supported sales and PR efforts that strengthened PlaceOS's positioning as a campus-wide solution
Challenge
HVAC is the biggest energy user in buildings — but most systems run on static schedules. Our automation solution was powerful but hidden, and buyers weren't actively looking for alternatives unless they had regulatory pressure.
Insight
Our real competition wasn't another vendor — it was the status quo. We weren't replacing tools, we were replacing workarounds. And most teams didn't realise how much they were wasting.
Action
Ran market research to connect the problem (energy waste, GHG emissions) with the opportunity (automate without replacing existing systems). Built messaging that made PlaceOS feel like a low-friction, high-return upgrade — "cut costs from day one."
Results
Helped close UCLA with automation-focused sales collateral. Content led to PR coverage that reinforced PlaceOS as a credible campus platform. Gave Sales a narrative that sparked more qualified conversations with facilities teams and energy leads.