April 22 is Earth Day. We can make our #EnergyChoicesCount with guidance from ENERGY STAR. Let’s re-commit to taking actions that reduce our carbon footprint. Saving energy, switching to green power, and upgrading your home with the latest efficient electric technologies are important steps we can take to protect our climate. Learn what you can…
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Nominations Open for 2022 California Clean Energy Hall of Fame Awards
Do you have properties in California and know someone who has championed clean energy? The California Energy Commission invites you to recognize the unsung leaders helping to advance California’s clean energy goals by nominating them for the 2022 California Clean Energy Hall of Fame Awards. We can all make an impact towards a clean energy…
American Realty Advisors Wins 2022 UMA “Sustainability and Innovation Award”
We are pleased to announce that the winner of this year’s Utility Management Advisory (UMA) Sustainability and Innovation Award was American Realty Advisors (ARA)! The Sustainability and Innovation award celebrates excellence in energy, water and / or trash management, as well as projects demonstrating measurable enhancements in sustainability practices. The award was presented to ARA…
Demand Charges 101: Coming Soon to a Residence Near You
Across the United States, an increasing number of residential properties are being exposed to the concept of demand charges. Demand charges do provide some opportunities to reduce your monthly bill but understanding how they work is a crucial element to accomplish that. What many don’t realize is that demand charges may make up to 30%…
EnergySTAR Portfolio Manager to delete inactive accounts on Feb 19
Do you have a user account or a property on EnergySTAR Portfolio Manager that you haven’t used recently? On February 19, EPA will delete inactive Portfolio Manager accounts and properties. According to EPA, this will apply to U.S. and international users with the exception of those in Canada. Your account and all its contents WILL…
Electrification, Ready or Not Here it Comes!
There is perhaps no other industry trend that has the momentum of electrification across the United States building codes are quietly being ushering in that represent significant evidence that this change is happening and happening now. San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with 40 other cities across California, have passed electrification ordinances representing more…
The #1 Sustainability Program Blind Spot
When we talk about 39% of the emissions of the world coming from the built environment, we often focus almost exclusively on the 75% of those emissions that are the result of our operations. The energy consumption associated with operations. In 2019, however, we finally began to again mention the other 25% – the emissions…
Submit your project for the Utility Management Advisory (UMA) Sustainability and Innovation award
We are excited to announce that the submission window for the Utility Management Advisory (UMA) Sustainability and Innovation award is officially open! We will be accepting applications for the award between October 10, 2021, and January 10, 2022. This annual award is a great way to recognize both UMA members and other industry colleagues for…
What is an ASHRAE Audit?
The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has established a series of energy audits for commercial and multifamily buildings. These audits can be useful in making plans for improving overall energy efficiency at your communities. ASHRAE has three levels of energy audits, which vary based on the level of intensity, time…
2 Heating Strategies to Reduce Energy Consumption
The logical place to look next for utility efficiency after the lighting retrofit has been completed is heating – heating air and water heating. This is why the Heat Pump has been touted as the next “big thing” in energy consumption. In addition to significantly improving efficiency, the Heat Pump is also an essential element…