Entries by Bill Gruen

Retro-commissioning: Restoring Energy Standards

When older buildings start losing their luster, it might be time for a retro-commissioning study (RCx) to ensure internal systems are running efficiently. What is retro-commissioning? An RCx study is the first stage in a building upgrade process. It involves studying the performance of HVAC, lighting, and building controls systems while comparing them to a […]

Taking Control of Energy Costs in Your Healthcare Facility

Healthcare organizations must juggle numerous priorities—clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, infection control, revenue cycle management, and physician and staff satisfaction to name a few. This often leaves something like energy conservation near the bottom of the list. With patient care at the forefront, reducing energy usage may even seem counterintuitive. Building System Challenges Most healthcare facilities […]

The ROI of Energy Efficiency

It’s not just a few dollars here and there—making energy-efficient upgrades to your building can result in significant operational savings. Greater efficiency means less energy used and lower operational costs long term. Whether you own or operate a commercial property, healthcare facility, residential complex, or an educational facility, increased energy efficiency is good for your […]

How an Energy Audit Can Help You Retain Tenants

If you’re in commercial real estate, securing new tenants is only half your battle. Perhaps most important is retaining them. A variety of factors contribute to a tenant’s likelihood to renew their lease. Energy efficiency can help. In fact, according to the Institute for Market Transformation, high-performance buildings have higher occupancy rates (and higher asset […]

3 Types of Tenant Complaints You Can Prevent with an Energy Audit

Both tenants and building managers benefit from efficient systems If you manage a residential or commercial building, maintenance requests and tenant complaints can be a huge headache. By understanding your building’s current energy usage and identifying areas of improvement, you can help eliminate some of the common complaints and requests, saving you time and improving tenant […]

How Does Energy Efficiency Impact Your Brand?

Building owners can see a ripple effect from good energy practices Making your buildings more energy efficient is a win-win. Not only does it conserve resources and save money on operational costs, but earning that LEED certification or Energy Star rating can actually be good for business. Your brand is more than your logo or […]

How to Convince Your Boss You Need an Energy Audit

You may be convinced that you need an energy audit in the building(s) you manage. But if you need approval from your owner, CFO, or someone else to sign on the dotted line, you may have to make your case. Share with your boss these five reasons you need an energy audit: 1. Energy Audits Save […]

Building Optimization: Saving Energy and Money

Today’s HVAC systems have the technology to do amazing things. They make a building comfortable, safe, and energy efficient. To get the most out of your systems, they must be tuned to stay in sync with the activities of the occupants and monitored to ensure proper operation. This ongoing adjusting of HVAC and other systems […]

How Commercial Lease Structures Impact the ROI of Energy Efficiency

While making improvements to a commercial property’s energy efficiency is never a bad thing, property ownership and lease structure can make a big difference in how your return on investment (ROI) is realized. Oftentimes, all parties see some benefit to efficient upgrades, but it may not be in the form of direct monetary savings or […]

What is an Energy Audit?

An energy audit helps you identify opportunities to reduce energy usage in your building(s) and save money. Whether you own or operate a retail space, office building, healthcare facility, or school, an energy audit is often the first step to greater energy efficiency and lower operating costs. Our energy audit is a three-step process:   […]