The thing that distinguishes Interactive Audio Visual’s work from that of its competition is the company’s obsession with simple solutions. In short, it brings audio and video technology together with one turnkey integrated solution that enhances the clients’ communications capabilities and provides a seamless reliable experience for workplaces.
“We’ve streamlined the process and the solution,” says Ian Smith, president of Interactive Audio Visual (IAV), pointing to a boardroom with audio-visual capabilities that he created for a government client. “A lot of people would need to mount equipment into the walls and run cables all over. We streamline that process and simplify the installation.”
In Smith’s real-world government boardroom example, there was no construction or hard infrastructure needed. Rather, he provided a robust mobile cart that supports large-format display screen, video bars with cameras, microphone arrays and speakers. Its adjustable height allowed the client to optimize camera and display positions.
“And, we can do all of the assembly on site,” Smith says. “Then the client walks in and can start a meeting inside of a minute and everyone can be seen and heard clearly and the table is perfectly suited to their needs. It has power, USB charging capabilities and all that equipment inside. The sound is from the cabinet up front.”
That was a simple install, but it’s typical of a lot of spaces his company does.
“A room of five to six people is very common and we can simplify the process and all of the extraneous issues like going through their facilities people and having network drops and additional power,” he says. “We don’t need to get into any of that, which saves customer time and costs.”
IAV can program a client’s specific preferences offsite so that it’s ready to go after the install.
“When arriving on site, we simply add the cables to the table cable cubby and then install the floor track to protect them from people walking or from the cleaners cleaning the space,” Smith says. “These floor tracks are rugged and are accessible for wheelchair use as well.”
IAV’s biggest client base is the federal government, but private industry — particularly high-tech — has been building over the last couple of years, post-pandemic. IAV also serves institutional organizations such as universities, colleges and hospitals. Algonquin College is one such example.
“We’ve done literally hundreds of rooms for them,” Smith says. “When it comes to our business, our key focus is always looking at how people are going to use the space, and then we make the solution as simple as we possibly can.”
This article first appeared in the Spring 2025 special “City Building” issue of the Ottawa Business Journal. That publication is available in its digital edition below.
