August 2015 — Property Management Quarterly —
Page 13
P
rotecting the environment
is now a national and local
priority. We are encourag-
ing property managers and
building owners to become
proactive in reducing energy con-
sumption. As a refrigerant company,
we are committed to reduce energy
use by 20 percent by 2020.
In preparing a sustainability plan,
it is important for employees and
contractors to be a part of the pro-
gram. The plan should be presented
as a positive step in protecting the
environment and conserving natural
resources. Owners and managers
should request employee participa-
tion in developing the plan and,
once in place, ensure that the ener-
gy-saving steps are followed.
The most effective method of
determining energy use and loss is
by having an energy audit performed
by qualified technicians. This should
be a first step in preparing a sustain-
ability program. Once energy use is
defined, a sustainability program
that reduces use and costs should
be developed to achieve maximum
results. Also, an energy audit can
indicate what energy uses can be
reduced by simple methods, such as
turning out lights in vacant spaces,
turning off electronic equipment
when not in use, or turning the ther-
mostat down in the evenings and
on weekends. The start of a good
energy program many times lies
in establishing sound conservation
techniques.
One of the most effective ways
to reduce energy in office and
hotel buildings, industrial com-
plexes, malls and box store outlets
is by reducing the
energy used for
heating and cool-
ing. About 45 to
55 percent of the
energy consumed
in these complexes
is expended in
heating and cool-
ing. Improper
preventative main-
tenance of heating
and cooling units
can reduce output
by as much as 18
percent. A sound
preventative main-
tenance program is the first step in
reducing a company’s carbon foot-
print.
Reducing cooling and heating
energy represents a major step in
minimizing energy use and, by doing
so, significant cost saving can be
obtained – up to 30 to 40 percent
savings may be realized. To achieve
these savings, it is important to ana-
lyze and evaluate energy conserva-
tion products to assure that they are
compatible with existing systems
and will perform on these systems
as promised.
Property management companies
and owners should reach out to pro-
fessionals for assistance to attain
substantial energy savings. Improv-
ing energy efficiency is the key to
saving energy and reducing cost.
There are many nonintrusive ener-
gy-saving products that integrate
seamlessly into existing systems
and equipment without sacrificing
comfort and convenience.
These products, installed onto
existing air conditioning units, add
“intelligence” to the units to maxi-
mize efficiency through effective
monitoring and control of a system’s
performance. Use of this technol-
ogy enables technicians to monitor
energy savings and system perfor-
mance. By doing so, technicians can
be alerted to a potential problem
and resolve it before the problem
becomes a major mechanical issue.
Simple solutions often are the
best solutions. As opposed to replac-
ing older equipment and systems
– replacing these systems require
major capital investment –install-
ing technologies that reduce wear,
increase system performance,
extend equipment longevity and
reduce energy use often prove to be
the most effective answer to protect-
ing the environment and reducing
the overall carbon footprint. If we
can protect our environment while
reducing energy consumption and
realizing significant cost savings,
why wouldn’t we?
Vendors can assist in develop-
ing methods of saving energy and
reducing the associated costs, and
most are willing provide information
on methods of reducing energy con-
sumption, particularly for heating
and air-conditioning solutions.
s
Sustainability
John Beatty
Operations
manager, RI
Green Products,
Refrigerants Inc.,
Denver
How energy is used and lost in an HVAC system.
