Most property and building managers keep track of the cost of their energy bills. However, few pay attention to how much energy their building actually consumes during a month, expressed in terms of kilowatt hours (kWh), and the peak demand in kilowatts (kW) occurring within the month. Reducing these will not only minimize a building’s operating budget; it will help the environment and improve building performance.
Measure, analyze and act
The first step to cutting energy costs is to measure how much energy is being used. This includes electricity, natural gas and water. Once this data has been collected, take some time to analyze it. With this knowledge, a property or building manager can make appropriate recommendations to save energy.
This process – measure, analyze and act – is not a one-time thing. It should be part of a property or building manager’s continuous improvement strategy for their building.
Begin with behavioural change
Don’t jump into replacing equipment before adopting a culture of energy conservation. This is easily achieved through proper training in low-cost behavioural changes, with a focus on energy efficiency strategies.
For example, it does not make sense to replace a building’s T12 light fixtures with more efficient T8 or T5 fixtures if lights are left on 24-7. Instead, manually turn off lights or install occupancy sensors to turn off lights when not in use. For buildings already equipped with advanced building automation systems (BAS), check to ensure they are being fully utilized to optimize building performance.
No harm in asking for help
There are many incentive programs available to help energy efficiency upgrade projects. These incentives can shorten the payback period to a duration that is more acceptable to senior management. And the organizations that offer these incentives often help with the necessary paperwork as well as provide technical assistance.
Bill Chihata is an energy management professor at Seneca College’s Newnham campus in Toronto. He can be reached at william.chihata@senecacollege.ca.
