Most of us are familiar with Earth Day, but what about Earth Hour? Each March, millions of people across the world participate in Earth Hour. To participate, people are turning off the lights in their homes and businesses and taking part in the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment. Earth Hour began as a…
Category: Efficiency
America’s Light Bulb Revolution
A recent article in the NY Times reports that “Solar panels and wind turbines get a lot of attention, but a more inconspicuous instrument is helping to reshape America’s energy economy right now: The humble light bulb.” Electricity use in the home has declined for the past 8 years after decades of steady increases, and…
Green Financing Provides Resident Benefits
Fannie Mae’s green financing was lunched over nine years ago and over 550,000 multifamily units have been built or retrofitted under the program. Fannie Mae studied the impact on residents and found them to be significant. Residents annual utility expenses decreased by 10% or $145 on average. That may not seem like much, but it…
Antiquated Utility Data – 3 Ways This is Costing You
Is your organization manually collecting and entering utility and energy data? If so, you may want to upgrade your process. Manual collection and data entry have hidden costs that are often overlooked and underestimated, but many firms today are still relying on this outdated method. Uncover the true costs and learn how automating your process…
Multifamily LEED Certifications May Have Peaked
Based on a recent reports the percentage of new units being LEED certified peaked in 2014 at 19%. In absolute numbers, the peak occurred in 2016 at 50,300 certified units. The top 10 areas with the highest LEED certified units per capita are in either in the Washington, DC metro area or Seattle, WA. Larger…
Energy Star
ENERGY STAR was launched by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 as a voluntary program but it’s now co-managed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and EPA. This program has become a symbol for energy efficiency in the country, helping individuals and businesses save money as well as protect the environment through…
Plogging – the new craze for a good cause
Many of us share similar aspirations: to stay in shape, to be more active, to do what is best for our environment, to have fun, and to be involved in our community. Well, there is a new trend out there that helps you do all of these things! Friends – let me introduce you to…
Do you know why revolving doors were invented?
Super fun fact time! Do you know why revolving doors were invented? Not because they look cool, but as a way to open the doors in a building with pressurization issues. Have you ever been a building where doors slammed by themselves, or you noticed a door that seemed hard to open, or would not…
How do I work through my utility company to determine programs that are available for my company?
How do I work through my utility company to determine programs that are available for my company? Check desireusa.org: provides listing of programs for each state and each utility company (these may be dated, but provide good guide) Check utility website: there are typically resident programs and business programs. Some utilities classify multifamily as resident…
Everything is SMALLER is Texas?? My experience living in a tiny house
When planning a recent trip to Dallas for the weekend, I was searching vacation home rental sites when I came upon something pretty cool – a tiny home made from an old shipping container! I knew I needed to stay there for the experience alone! The shipping container tiny home was lovingly called “Blue Steel”….