A Message from the Guest Editor – Spring 2023

Walt Disney famously said “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” I feel the same about energy—which dovetails perfectly into the theme of this issue, Energy Transformation.

We’ve seen a lot of energy transformation over the years based on various resources such as wood, oil, coal, natural gas, nuclear and more recently solar and wind. Thankfully we’re always driving towards cleaner and more efficient ways to generate and use energy. Multifamily operations are quickly adapting to the latest trends. This issue will explore several ways to make your multifamily property operation more energy efficient and give you a ‘heads’ up’ to some emerging trends.

We start off with Chris Laughman’s article on Demand Response. When the electrical grid approaches capacity, Demand Response programs look to lessen usage. Next, Peter Chan’s Office ESG article explores ideas to conserve resources and lower the office footprint. Many of these ideas can be adapted for multifamily. Lori Hanson explores a couple areas such as resident preferences and does a deep dive into induction cooking and Mary Nitschke explores Net Zero trends. Finally, we have a heartfelt tribute to one of the energy management leaders in multifamily, Vicki Parrish.

I’m proud to be part of an industry that is adapting and, in many ways, leading energy transformation. We’ve come a long way from installing low flow toilets and energy efficient fixtures. While those items are still important, I’m excited for the next generation of energy saving technologies. I’m inspired by the song lyrics in Disney’s classic attraction Carousel of Progress, “There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow’s just a dream away.” As energy leaders, it’s our job to dream big and make each tomorrow more ‘beautifully’ energy efficient.