Welcome to our monthly breakdown of the results of the rAVe Temperature Check! Since Earth Day was on April 22, we chose to center our survey questions around sustainability in the AV industry. This theme holds particular relevance for our industry, given its significant contribution to the planet’s e-waste. And while e-waste is not entirely the AV industry’s fault, we can play a significant part in creating less in the future. Now, let’s delve into what you shared about sustainability in the AV industry.

Our first question sought to gauge how important respondents consider sustainability initiatives in the AV industry, and a large majority indicated that sustainability is somewhat or very important in the industry.

To provide further context to these findings, we reached out to Tim Alevizos from SAVe, a nonprofit organization that brings stakeholders in the AV industry together to take action toward meeting the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. When asked about the results of this question, Alevizos expressed that the organization is “heartened” to see the majority of respondents prioritize sustainability in the industry. He noted that these results align with SAVe’s observations regarding the growing interest in sustainability among manufacturers and integrators.

“Most of our partnerships are the result of people and organizations reaching out to us, rather than us reaching out to them,” he said.

We also spoke with Michael Rogers of Crestron, who said he expects the number of people who consider sustainability to be very important will continue to rise between today’s environmental challenges, regulatory obligations and customer pressure.

“Sustainability is no longer a trend; it’s become the standard and a valuable tool that contributes to long term success for companies everywhere. Collectively addressing these concerns and rethinking how we do business on an industry scale will make us all more resilient,” he said.

Our next question inquired whether respondents are currently incorporating any sustainability practices into their projects. The majority indicated that they were implementing sustainable practices to some extent in their projects.

Rogers said Crestron has focused its sustainability practices on responsible packaging, efficient freight and minimization of unnecessary cables and power supplies. According to Rogers, Crestron is working to reduce its packaging materials and to optimize its shipping routes.

You can check out Crestron’s full breakdown of its sustainability practices here.

Alevizos suggested that the percentage of respondents implementing a significant number of sustainable practices and prioritizing sustainability might be less than 62.7%. Nonetheless, the survey results indicate a promising trend towards increased interest in sustainability. Alevizos emphasized that manufacturers and integrators can collaborate with SAVe to integrate sustainable practices: “Sustainability practices in projects cannot be implemented early enough, and we believe SAVe can play a meaningful role in making sustainability top-of-mind at every stage of design and integration.”

Our final question asked respondents to elaborate on what specific sustainability practices they prioritize in their projects. The majority indicated recycling and proper disposal of e-waste was a priority.

Regarding the results of this question, Alevizos says he’s not surprised that recycling and proper disposal of electronic waste is prioritized most highly by respondents, as the AV industry has promoted recycling to a greater extent than the other categories. However, he advised that SAVe recommends prioritizing a holistic approach to sustainability, rather than just prioritizing any single one of these methods.