Portland is considering a new benchmarking regulation, but it is not expected to impact multi-family housing at this time. Here is an article on the topic from the Portland Business Journal: “Owners of commercial buildings in Portland over 20,000 square feet would be required to track and report their building’s energy use under a proposed…
Author: Kent McDonald
Kent works at RealPage and helps apartment firms reduce operating costs related to utilities. You can connect with Kent at LinkedIn.com/in/kentmcd or Twitter.com/AptsKent.
How will the new Congress handle energy issues?
The 114th Congress convenes January 6, 2015 at noon Eastern. A recent posting from Utility Dive offers some predictions on how they will handle energy issues: “Crucial energy-related decisions with 2016 deadlines will face the new Republican-dominated Congress beginning in January.” Read More Kent McDonaldKent works at RealPage and helps apartment firms reduce operating costs related…
Webinar: Success Stories and Tools for Water Use Reduction in Your Portfolio
“The Energy Department will present a live webinar titled “Water World: Success Stories and Tools for Water Use Reduction in Your Building Portfolio” on Tuesday, January 6, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Did you know the Better Buildings Challenge is diving into the world of water reduction? Turns out saving water…
Boston, New York City natural gas prices expected to remain high this winter
According to the Energy Information Aministration: “Despite expectations of a milder winter for 2014, marketers anticipate high prices for natural gas in Boston and New York City. Natural gas prices are expected to be lower than last winter, but higher than the average of previous winters, particularly in Boston…” Read More A new brief from…
Winter Energy Outlook
In case you missed it, the US Energy Information Administration has published a Winter Fuels Outlook. Highlights include: EIA expects higher prices (rate) this winter for homes that heat with natural gas and electricity. Propane and home heating oil prices are expected to be lower than last winter. Projected changes in average U.S. household…
U.S. Reports Significant Rise in Electricity Costs
EIA is showing that residential electric costs rose by an average of 3.2% over the past few months. More worrisome according to the article is that a number of coal-fired generation facilities have been mothballed recently, and if this upcoming winter is as cold as last year, prices will rise further—and may overwhelm the grid….
Going Green is still tentative
Below is a link to an article about the tentative nature of “going green” in the multi-family industry. There are glimmers of evidence that this approach is financially beneficial, but no firm concensus. What I didn’t realize until halfway through the article was that this piece was written over 3 years ago! Not much has…
Los Angeles is going green
The Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power is kicking coal, but it isn’t easy. In January 2011, the American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked the DWP as the 13th most hated company in America. They are working hard to turn around public perception including a program that involves an unlikely coalition of labor and environmental interests. …
Hoarding light bulbs?
According to a recent article in USA Today, cheaper light bulbs are set to phase out during 2014 as consumers and businesses are forced to move to the more efficient (and more expensive) CFL or LED designs. Multifamily firms should consider if it makes sense for them to stock up on the old bulbs before they…
Sustainable Outdoor Amenities
Chris Lee recently published an interesting article on outdoor amenities. It has some good tips for creating additional amenities that promote a sense of community in a cost-effective way. Check it out: http://www.propertymanagementinsider.com/3-tips-for-creating-outdoor-living-spaces.html But speaking of cost effectiveness, beyond the upfront capital dollars that Chris has in mind, should property owners also consider the operating…