In order for a property to be truly energy efficient, the interests of both the owner and residents must be aligned in favor of sustainability. Unfortunately, traditional lease arrangements often do the opposite, and skew the interests of both parties. For instance, if a lease includes fixed utility costs, the resident has no financial incentive…
Category: Consumption/Demand
What are the Motivators in Multifamily for Energy Management?
If you have even casually looked into energy management services for your portfolio, have you noticed the wide range of opinions and options? The differences are more significant than simply positioning. It is a more difficult (and meaningful) choice than asking “Do I want a Coke? Or Pepsi?” Have you ever asked yourself why? Some…
Smart Meter deployments continue to rise
Smart Meters are an important part of the Smart Grid. Many utilities offer incentives to install Smart Meters. For information on incentives available in your area, browse the database cataloged at www.DsireUsa.org. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a division of the US Department of Energy (DOE): Electric meters with enhanced communication capabilities—an essential…
Energy you can be proud of: United States energy supply growing faster than demand
In a development that is good for national security, consumers’ wallets, and tree-huggers’ consciences, the latest projections from the US Department of Energy expect our production of energy to grow faster than our consumption. EIA projections show U.S. energy production growing faster than consumption through 2040 Kent McDonaldKent works at RealPage and helps apartment firms…
Opportunity on Mars and on Earth
In a recent discovery by the Mars Rover, Opportunity, NASA has found evidence that there was once water on Mars; potable water that you could drink. Mars, at one time could support life. When I think about the red planet and its similarity to the earth, it makes me want to check my toilets for…
How to compare electricity, natural gas, and other energy uses with a common unit of measure
Rental properties use electricity, natural gas, and other forms of energy. These commodities do not have a common unit of measure by default. NWP’s Consumption Smart and other tools help to make these conversions, but sometimes you have a need to understand and make the conversions on your own. How can we compare or add…
Green Button Promising to Give Millions of Americans Better Handle on Energy Costs
In September 2011, former White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra challenged the utility industry to make energy data more available to their customers, using one standard all providers could agree upon. A standard has been developed and is called Green Button. It provides millions of utility customers with easy access to a downloadable copy…
Blame it on the Groundhog
Spring should be well underway in the United States according to forecasts made on Groundhog Day by famed weatherman Punxsutawney Phil. But instead many parts of the US have been experiencing cold snaps and even snow this week. As a result, an Ohio prosecutor tired of a prolonged winter has indicted Punxsutawney Phil for fraud. This lingering winter…
The Butterfly Effect
I believe that the 2011Tohoku earthquake changed our seasonality forever. I know that most folks would rather say that Climate change causes earthquakes and Tsunamis, but I think that roughly, the chicken hatched an egg that became a chicken. The 2011Tohoku earthquake had such extreme magnitude that it shifted the earth’s axis by estimates of…
Visit a national Energy Lab
I recently visited the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, CO near Denver. The US Dept of Energy has several such laboratories and research centers spread throughout the country. Most of them welcome visitors during normal business hours. For a full listing, click here and then scroll down to the “Labs & Technology Centers” section….