Lee Hoffman

Co-Founder & President at Runwise - Helping make 6,000+ buildings cut energy costs, carbon output, and hassles. Formerly Co-Founder & CEO at Veri / Memoir (Acquired 2017, The Knot)

Lee Hoffman is a seasoned entrepreneur and tech innovator with a strong background in building successful companies. Currently serving as the Cofounder and President of Runwise, a prominent smart building control platform operating in over 6,000 buildings nationwide. Under Lee's leadership, Runwise has significantly reduced energy costs and fossil fuel usage by an average of 21%, prioritizing tenant safety and comfort. In 2022, Runwise secured a substantial $19M series A investment from FifthWall. Lee's entrepreneurial journey dates back to 2004 when he founded Veri, later acquired by The Knot.

Highlights

Oct 23 · twitter

Earlier today, I posted about energy waste in old buildings

I received an insightful comment from Adam, a mechanical engineer in an NYC co-op.

Here's what he said about old buildings, and why so much energy is wasted keeping buildings with manual controls warm:

"I’m the guy that climbs down those stairs and has the key to the heat timer -

It took we awhile to have a slight understanding of how buildings retain heat and comfort - what I learned it’s better to inject more heat per hour than to let the temperature drop too much -

But I got a 30 percent reduction in our fuel oil budget

When I first moved in - the heat timer had all kinds of pins - to shut the boiler off during the day - freezing - after removing them more heat into building way lower fuel oil bills - counterintuitive

And I’ve learned comfort is not always based on a space sensor reading indoor temperature !"

Oct 21 · twitter

The Silent Killer that’s making the Climate Crisis worse:

I’ve spoken with building owners who used 200% more gas than the nearly identical building next door.

Their response when I ask why they use so much more energy:

“We do?”

The truth is, most building owners and managers are in the dark about their energy usage.

And it’s not their fault - most buildings, especially in older cities like NYC and Boston, have antiquated systems. Someone has to climb down into a dark cellar to adjust the boiler.

Maybe a building can have a real person check their systems once or twice a day, but that does little to save excess energy.

Maybe a random tenant on the 19th floor has their window wide open and is letting all the heat out on a 20 degree day. Facility management would have no idea, and a building’s systems would keep pumping out more heat than is needed.

This is one of the silent causes of the Climate Crisis that few pay attention to.

In NYC, buildings produce twice as much carbon emissions as cars. We’d be better served to focus on making buildings more efficient, but buses and taxis draw most of the focus from city leaders.

Nov 3 · Business Wire

Runwise Raises $19M in Series A funding Led by Fifth Wall - Business Wire