As apartment managers, we have the opportunity to speak with our residents and provide them with information relating to conserving energy in their home. Residents can often mistakenly assume that there is nothing they can personally do to conserve energy in their home, since they do not own the apartment or the building. We have…
Category: Efficiency
Beyond Low Flow
Reducing water consumption is double barreled since it is the basis for sewer cost as well. The cheapest and easiest reduction measure is low flow aerators in bath and kitchen faucets and low flow showerheads. Checking toilets for leaks with a dye test every 6 months or when you change air filters or complete a…
Water Billing Issues in Atlanta GA
DeKalb County GA, Division of Watershed Management has been undercharging customers for water and sewer. Some owner/managers have received large bills, including back charges. If you have properties in served by this utility, watch your utility bills closely for back charges or long periods of estimations. The links below provide some history and a recent…
Getting Started
Perhaps a tired issue, but still is a tough one: “How to begin” the conservation efforts. The task of harnessing all of our properties utilities – measuring, reducing, continuing the process, is daunting. What are my criteria? Well, I want anything that will make an impact immediately and over the long haul, save money, have…
Can we learn from the hotel industry?
I travel a lot for business, and I am often struck by the similarities between the apartment industry and the hotel industry. I’m constantly noticing every detail at hotels and I like to find new things within the hospitality industry that I can bring back and implement at the apartment communities I manage. One thing…
Zero Net Energy Communities – Say What?!
You may have heard the term “Zero New Energy” (ZNE) or “Net Zero” used to describe apartment communities recently. Perhaps you heard this and were thinking to yourself, “say what?!” Simply stated, a Zero Net Energy community or building is one that, on an annual basis, produces as much or more energy than it consumes….
INTERRUPTIBLE SERVICE FOR GAS HEAT
There are gas boilers that are installed in buildings that have a back-up system (either oil or electric) which allow you to pay a lower rate than general service. These are classed as interruptible with your local utility (IS or ISS). These interruptions often take place when the temperatures drop to single digits and the…
Tying Sustainability and Efficiency Into Daily Operations
As industry professionals responsible for managing utility programs and ancillary services departments, we all tend to think about “big picture” and “high level” items. However, it is important to consider what our sites are doing on a daily operational level to support and reinforce some of the larger sustainability and cost savings initiatives that we…
Challenges in Older Buildings – water usage
One of the biggest challenges that I face is the water usage at my properties. My company’s business plan is to purchase older garden-style construction in the Mid-Atlantic region. This poses very different scenarios from companies that are developing new assets. A development company is able to install water saving equipment using the latest technology….
When Your Solar Needs a Net: Solar Net Metering
People often wonder if it’s possible to put a solar panel on a property that actually makes the energy meter “spin backwards” and make money on a solar system. Some states let you do this and some do not. The hyperlink below is to a website that I found recently giving you the “where and…