Carrier Abound

This initiative illustrates how technology-driven solutions can transform retail operations at scale. By integrating AI, IoT, and predictive analytics, the project invigorates energy efficiency and sustainability with optimized operational performance and cost savings. The ability to standardize HVAC and lighting configurations, proactively resolve maintenance issues, and improve occupant comfort demonstrates a proactive approach to facility management. The results speak for themselves—substantial energy savings, emissions reductions, and financial gains—all while ensuring a seamless and improved in-store experience.”

E+E Leader Judge

An American retail chain of discount department stores, that has for over 2,100 stores across 45 states, faced a growing challenge. Despite its strong reputation among millions of customers, the retailer faced multiple operational hurdles. These include high energy consumption, rising demand for occupant comfort, labor shortages, and disaster preparedness. In addition, HVAC inconsistences in terms of lighting configurations, centralized monitoring, and proactive equipment maintenance was another challenge. In search of a solution, the retailer turned to Carrier Abound.

In 2019, Carrier Abound commenced a project to improve energy efficiency and enhance occupant comfort across the retailer’s stores. Carrier Abound introduced the Abound^TM Insights platform and BluEdge^TM Command Centers, both designed to optimize energy usage, improve equipment performance, and enhance overall operational efficiency. By leveraging real-time analytics and predictive maintenance capabilities, the retailer aimed to transform its energy management strategy while ensuring its stores continued to provide a comfortable shopping experience.

Carrier Abound’s software solution supported the retailer achieve its objectives at the same time address its challenges. These being:

1. Standardizing policies:  The retailer's store network spans extensively across the U.S. Due to varying weather conditions across the country, complying to temperature policies across the network posed a significant challenge. However, with the way the software understands the context of building operations, provided a standardized approach. This approach ensured optimal performance for all connected equipment, enabling occupant comfort and energy efficiency, even during extreme weather conditions.
2. Countering labor shortage, and effectively responding to high volume alarms:  Carrier Abound quickly realized that the shortage in labor was leading to a range of inefficiencies. The software solutions were primed to help here. This reduced the skill requirement for the internal team with the insights shared by the Abound Insights platform. The team no longer had to log in to the Building Management System (BMS) to understand equipment issues. This also equipped technicians with prioritized work orders and provided them with the right guidance based on the complexity of the issue, thereby making them more productive.
3. 24/7 support: Carrier Abound team established an intelligent infrastructure network, including the retailer's equipment, the Abound Insights platform and BluEdge Command Centers. This network enabled quick identification of equipment inefficiencies and breakdowns. Carrier Abound’s field service partners, in collaboration with the Command Center teams, promptly addressed these issues. The Command Centers prioritized and streamlined discrepancies into work orders, consolidating them based on various criteria before dispatch. During execution, the field service partner had the flexibility to choose guidance levels from the Command Centers, contributing to cost savings.

As the project progressed, it consistently delivered significant results to the retailer.

The project saved over 145 million kWh energy¹ which is equivalent to preventing more than 98,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions² or carbon sequestered by over 1.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 year².

The software implementation helped the retailer improve its operational efficiency. Carrier Abound remotely resolved 45% of work orders. This helped avoid physical dispatches or truck rolls when compared to the baseline since 2019, saving the retailer an estimated $6.9 million. This also meant that the retailer was able to reduce the emissions associated with truck rolls.

By leveraging AI-powered insights, automating operations, and standardizing facility management, the retailer has proven that operational excellence and environmental responsibility are deeply interconnected — paving the way for the next generation of data-driven retail operations.

Reference Standard:

1. The protocol followed for calculation of energy is as per the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMPV®) – https://evo-world.org/en/products-services-mainmenu-en/protocols/ipmvp
2. The Tons of Carbon Dioxide equivalent has been computed using calculator GHG calculator from - https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator