Sep 14, 2022   SOURCE: BusinessWire

BrainBox AI Deploys Its Climate Tech Solution in Sleep Country’s Stores Across Canada to Reduce Their Retail Network’s Carbon Footprint

BrainBox AI, a pioneer in autonomous artificial intelligence for the commercial real estate sector, today announced that Sleep Country Canada Holdings Inc. (“Sleep Country”), Canada’s leading specialty sleep retailer, has installed BrainBox AI’s groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology in 214 stores which represents close to 80% of its total footprint and 1.1 million square feet of retail space across Canada.

The agreement with BrainBox AI aligns with Sleep Country’s goal to be net zero by 2040, laid out in its inaugural ESG report released earlier this year. BrainBox AI is well-suited to help multi-site retailers like Sleep Country with their environmental goals using predictive and self-adapting autonomous AI to optimize the largest energy hogs in buildings – HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems. The rapidly deployed technology produces significant reductions in energy consumption and carbon footprint, while increasing occupant comfort and HVAC equipment service life.

“We are thrilled to partner with BrainBox AI in our efforts to become net zero by 2040 and, more broadly, play our part in battling our planet’s climate crisis,” shares Stewart Schaefer, President and CEO, Sleep Country. “Sleep Country is committed to making a positive impact on both our customers, partners, and the world through our corporate ESG initiatives, and the implementation of this ground-breaking AI technology will help us achieve our near and long-term sustainability goals.”

Preceding the rollout across Sleep Country’s real estate portfolio, BrainBox AI completed a four-store pilot project, designed to explore the energy and GHG emission reductions that the technology could offer the retailer. With the pilot covering approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of store space and rooftop unit-based HVAC systems, Sleep Country saw an annualized 15% reduction in electricity use from its HVAC equipment, a 19% reduction in HVAC gas consumption, and a 15 tCO2 reduction in carbon equivalency. After the accomplishments of the pilot were clear, Sleep Country and BrainBox AI came together to formalize their relationship. The replication of these results across the 214 locations will provide Sleep Country with significant utility savings and a yearly CO2 emissions equivalent to the emissions of close to four million kilometres driven by the average car.

“At BrainBox AI, we are passionate about working to make buildings smarter, greener, and more efficient. The opportunity to install our technology throughout the retail footprint of one of Canada’s top multi-site retailers is truly exciting for our team,” says Jean-Simon Venne, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder, BrainBox AI. “As a Canadian company ourselves, helping reduce the carbon footprint in our home market is important to us. But climate change is a global issue, and we look forward to working with major brands around the world to help them achieve their environmental and energy goals.”

BrainBox AI’s solution empowers commercial and retail space owners alike to dramatically reduce their buildings’ energy spend and carbon emissions, moving them one step closer to achieving their net zero carbon goals. To learn more, visit www.brainboxai.com.

About BrainBox AI

Founded in 2017, BrainBox AI was created to address the dilemma currently facing the built environment, its energy consumption and significant contribution to climate change. As innovators of the global energy transition, BrainBox AI’s game-changing HVAC technology leverages AI to make buildings smarter, greener, and more efficient. Working together with our trusted global partners, BrainBox AI supports real estate clients in various sectors, including office buildings, hotels, commercial retail, grocery stores, airports, and more.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, a global AI hub, our workforce of over 150 employees, bring with them talent from all sectors with the common thread of being in business to heal our planet. BrainBox AI works in collaboration with research partners including the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO) as well as educational institutions including Montreal’s Institute for Learning Algorithms (MILA) and McGill University. For more information visit: www.brainboxai.com

About Sleep Country

Sleep Country is Canada's leading specialty sleep retailer with a national retail store network and multiple robust eCommerce platforms. The Company has 287 corporate-owned stores and 20 warehouses across Canada and operates under retail banners: "Sleep Country Canada", with omnichannel operations in Canada excluding Québec; "Dormez-vous" with omnichannel operations in Québec; "Endy", Canada's leading direct-to-consumer online sleep solutions retailer; and recently acquired "Hush", one of Canada's fastest-growing digital retailers. Sleep Country is a purpose-led organization dedicated to transforming lives by awakening Canadians to the power of sleep and is committed to building a company culture of inclusion and diversity where differences are embraced and valued. The Company meaningfully and positively supports its environment and the communities where it operates through its comprehensive mattress and foundation recycling program that keeps mattresses out of landfills, as well as its bed donation program that contributes new and gently used mattresses and foundations to Canadian charities to help families and children in need get a good night's sleep. For more information about the Company visit https://www.sleepcountry.ca