The U.S. solar industry has come a long way in a very short timeframe. After decades of slow but steady growth, the last 2.5 years have brought an explosion of new installations in America — with two-thirds of all total distributed solar installed since just 2011. By 2015, installations will likely double. At only…
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Are you offering Free Water?
All apartment managers need to watch this video. This is a cautionary tale of why you need a water billing program for your residents at every one of your properties. It’s a little over the top (please excuse some of the language), but that’s what makes it funny and drives the point home. We all know that nothing is…
Comparing Your Consumption to Your Neighbor
Last week an executive in our company walked into my office with his electric bill. His bill included a chart showing how his energy consumption compared to his neighbors. The next thing he said was, “ I guess I need to go get those LED light bulbs.” Instant proof that social pressures are more compelling…
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…
What is Intelligent Energy Efficiency?
Intelligent efficiency is the term used to describe the capability next-generation automated equipment and networks used in buildings, transportation, and manufacturing that have become adaptive to environmental inputs and self-optimizing in performance. This makes possible levels of performance that could not be achieved as recently as ten years ago. The energy savings that result from…
Waste – the rising enemy of utility expense control
America is a disposable society According to a Fortune Magazine article in November 2013, American cities are scrambling to deal with the mounting piles of garbage. Alarming statistics support this statement: In 2011, we generated 250 million tons of garbage, nearly double the amount of 1970. The number of landfills over the same period dropped…
Are strategies for multifamily energy effciency different than other building types?
What are specific Cost-Effective Energy Savings Measures for Multifamily The approach to selecting energy savings measures is different for multifamily than other building types. Although there are opportunities (depending on the climate zone) to save space-conditioning energy, the shared wall geometry of dwelling units and reduced external surface area in multifamily buildings means that less…
Developing a long term portfolio strategy for investing in energy efficiency
Seven (7) events that trigger energy efficiency upgrades and resulting savings There are many discrete financial and regulatory events that may prompt an owner to upgrade a Multifamily building. However, in general, there are a few specific events in a Multifamily building’s Lifecycle when it is typically more cost effective, convenient and efficient to make savings…
San Francisco Energy Audits – Are you ready?
Learning from History Three major U.S. cities – New York, San Francisco, and Boston – have created energy ordinances that pair benchmarking with energy audits and/or building tune-ups (retro-commissioning) every five to 10 years. We anticipate San Francisco to transition its energy ordinance for Commercial buildings to Multifamily properties in 2014 or 2015. As a result, the…
To heat or not to heat, that is the question….
At this time of year, the weather is changing—temperatures are dropping, days are shorter, and there are fewer bikini clad people sunbathing at the pool. Right now in California (in the heat of budget season), we always get into deep discussions around heating the pool year round. Heating a normal, apartment community pool in the…