An expert delivering technology-agnostic solutions driven by superior data and analytics: Redaptive

Redaptive, an innovative Energy-as-a-Service provider, specializes in financing and installing energy-saving and energy-generating equipment. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Redaptive empowers some of the world’s most advanced organizations to reduce energy waste, save money, reduce carbon emissions, and achieve their sustainability goals across extensive real estate portfolios. The company’s unique approach enables clients to bypass financial and contractual obstacles, swiftly realizing the advantages of energy savings through Redaptive’s Energy-as-a-Service solution and their cutting-edge data solutions metering platform – Redaptive ONE. This proprietary technology delivers real-time data, enhancing decision-making for sustainability directors, facility managers, and C-suite executives at Fortune 500 companies globally.

Redaptive’s comprehensive service model, managed by a team of business and technology experts, also facilitates large-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. By eliminating capital constraints, Redaptive accelerates the implementation of portfolio-wide initiatives, allowing clients to concentrate on their core business activities while trusting Redaptive with program execution and data management.

In conversation with Arvin Vohra, CEO of Redaptive

Q. What was the motivation behind starting Redaptive?

When we started Redaptive, it was based on our customers. At that point, we had a marquee Fortune 500 telecommunications company that had issues rolling out energy efficiency throughout their portfolios. Imagine their global head of real estate looking at thousands of facilities and trying to decarbonize them with new lighting and HVAC systems. They faced significant challenges, and while funding is often seen as the main issue, it sometimes goes deeper than that. It’s about resources, availability, data, and transparency. Solving that problem and building out that challenge was exciting, and from brainstorming with one of these companies, we built a business.

Q. Can you explain your services in brief?

Sure. We provide funding for energy efficiency upgrades, covering labor, materials, and installation—all turnkey. We charge our clients over time as a service, per kilowatt hour saved. It’s enabled by a data platform showing consumption patterns in the facility, comparing pre- and post-upgrade consumption. This is supported by our marketplace of contractors and third-party partners who perform the upgrades.

Q. What are some of the biggest challenges that your clients face in achieving their sustainability goals, and how does Redaptive help them overcome these obstacles?

The obstacles fall into three buckets: capital availability, uncertainty of risk and performance, and resources to get the upgrades done. Our solution meets all three constraints that Fortune 500 companies face in electrical, mechanical, solar, and sustainability projects for their buildings.

Q. How does Redaptive customize its program to fit the unique needs of different businesses, particularly large and complex organizations like those in the Fortune 500?

Based on funding, data, and resource constraints, each client has specific targets and pain points in their sustainability journey. In the early stages, we collaborate to understand these pain points and build a custom plan. It’s not just about our data and taking care of everything for the customer; it’s a collaborative process to address their specific needs.

Q. How do you ensure the performance and reliability of the energy-saving technologies you implement?

We use well-known manufacturers and materials, offering warranties administered on behalf of our clients. Our in-house procurement team, experienced in electrical, mechanical, solar, and storage, ensures quality. Since we finance the upgrades, we have a natural incentive for the assets to perform well, as clients only pay for successful outcomes.

Q. What role does artificial intelligence play in Redaptive’s suite of analytical tools, and how does it enhance energy efficiency and equipment performance?

We’re early in integrating artificial intelligence, but it plays a significant role in assessing energy signatures of assets. With our massive data lake, we can infer when assets are close to failure or have issues. AI will play a major role in analyzing this data, although we are still exploring its full potential.

Q. What are the key features of Redaptive’s capital solutions, and how do these financial products support large-scale energy efficiency and alternative power generation projects?

We have a direct team working with partners like Honeywell and CBRE to provide competitive financing rates. This helps developers in solar and storage projects where acquiring financing is often the largest cost in the development cycle. 

Q. Can you discuss some successful case studies where Redaptive significantly impacted clients’ energy efficiency and sustainability efforts?

One significant case study is with Iron Mountain, where we handled 350+ facilities needing LED and HVAC upgrades. With a limited internal team, Redaptive created a programmatic plan, mapped out utility rebates and incentives, and executed the upgrades in two years—a process that would have taken them five to seven years on their own.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Can you tell us about something exciting on the way?

There are exciting developments, especially in data and climate disclosure reporting. We are investing in sensors and integration with accounting firms and the SEC for sustainable reporting. Additionally, we are exploring opportunities in electric vehicles and fleet electrification.

Q. Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers before we conclude the interview?

The importance of data is crucial. Many focus on achieving carbon neutrality, but staying sustainable requires ongoing data monitoring and persistence. Redaptive focuses on using data to ensure long-term sustainability, making it a core part of our business.

Meet the leader behind the success of Redaptive

Arvin Vohra, CEO

Arvin Vohra, born and raised in Los Angeles to Indian immigrant parents, leads Redaptive with a passion for innovation and sustainability. His father, a quality control engineer, and his mother, a social worker, instilled in him a strong desire to make a positive impact on the world. Arvin pursued his academic interests in economics and statistics at the University of California, Berkeley.

His career began in the demanding fields of investment banking and energy structured finance, where he developed a keen understanding of financial strategies and the energy sector. This experience laid the foundation for his transition to Enlighted, a commercial lighting controls company, where he honed his leadership skills and deepened his commitment to energy efficiency.

As CEO of Redaptive, Arvin leverages his extensive background to drive the company’s mission of providing energy solutions that reduce consumption and optimize performance for commercial and industrial clients. His leadership is characterized by a commitment to sustainability and a forward-thinking approach to energy management, reflecting the values and aspirations that have shaped his journey from LA to the forefront of the energy solutions industry.

“We use well-known manufacturers and materials, offering warranties administered on behalf of our clients. Our in-house procurement team, experienced in electrical, mechanical, solar, and storage, ensures quality.”