Welcome, dear reader, to our issue focused on energy transformations. Here we find ourselves just out of the starting gate of 2023, and I am so excited to see what we can accomplish together before the end of the decade. Many countries and companies have set goals to reduce emissions “fill in the blank” percent […]
Utilities are usually among the top three operating expenses at a multifamily community, but they are also among the most complex to forecast.
For budgeting exercises of any kind, it often makes sense to first identify what you will use as your baseline, and then identify which adjustment factors will be applied. But budgeting […]
While many people know that buildings and companies can earn sustainability certifications, did you know that people can become green-stamped, as well?
According to the “2020 GreenBiz State of the Profession Report,” the most commonly held credentials for sustainability professionals are GRI or Global Reporting Initiative (53%), LEED (45%), universitybased programs (18%), […]
Budgeting is hard work
There have been many years in my apartment-industry career where budget season has dragged out for month after month, pushing all other duties to the side to satisfy an all-consuming need to continue to review and refine the budget. There are so many moving pieces that drive utility costs: unusual […]
On Sept. 16, 2014, the ENERGY STAR program will officially launch its much-anticipated score for multifamily buildings.
The new 1-to-100 score is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agenda (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR commercial program.
“What we’re really looking to do,” said Michael Zatz, chief of the market sectors group for EPA, “is to get people […]
Many of the nation’s heavy-hitters were in attendance at the Energy Summit held in Washington, D.C. Representatives from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Energy Information Agency (EIA), and Department of Energy (DOE) delivered forecasts on energy supply, regulations and the future of utilities for tomorrow’s renters.
Apartment owners and managers also led discussions and […]
Budget season is here. Perhaps yours is already done. If so, count your lucky stars. If not, here’s a quick primer on rate increases, a weather outlook for the coming winter, and an outlook on natural gas and electricity prices. Oh yes, and don’t forget the impact of weather on budget variances.
With regard to […]
The Energy Protection Agency (EPA) has over 65 product categories, but noticeably absent was clothes dryers. As the second-largest energy-users of a residence, the market was hung out to dry on hopes for efficiency, until now.
The EPA has published standards for lighting, heating, cooling, home envelope, office equipment, commercial food service, appliances, and home electronics to name a few.
“Pretty much […]
Historical perspective