EnerWatch Systems Offers Energy Saving Tips To Commercial Property Managers

EnerWatch Systems Offers Energy Saving Tips To Commercial Property Managers



As a commercial property manager, one of the most important goals is keeping clients happy and the company’s revenue in check. During showings and build-outs (in low vacancy or unoccupied properties), gas and electric consumption per building jumps and you are paying for it. Realtors and reps adjust thermostats, but fail to reset them. Construction trades set thermostats too low or too high and leave doors and windows open all night. Tenants often pay little or no attention to smart energy use.



During weather extremes, freezing temperatures burst water pipes in poorly heated facilities such as maintenance rooms, attics and above drop ceilings. Sweltering summer temperatures increase your chance of damage from humidity, mold and mildew.



Company’s such as Michigan-based EnerWatch™ Systems have developed new technologies to help managers precisely monitor gas and electric consumption and property owners absolute control over usage— even when not at the facility. Paying closer attention to unnecessary or poorly managed energy use can result in thousands of dollars in energy savings every year.



According to company founder Dominic Pizzo, the first thing property managers and commercial property owners should consider is simply reminding their tenants to not forget the basics.



This simple stuff will save energy -- and money -- right now.





Unplug



Unplug chargers when you're not charging. Every building is full of little plastic power supplies to charge cell phones, PDA's, digital cameras, cordless tools and other personal gadgets. Keep them unplugged until you need them.

Use power strips to switch off televisions, computer equipment, and electronics when you're not using them. Even when you think these products are off, together, their "standby" consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.



Set Computers to Sleep and Hibernate

Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your computer, allowing it to use less power during periods of inactivity. In Windows, the power management settings are found on your control panel. Mac users, look for energy saving settings under system preferences in the apple menu.

Configure your computer to "hibernate" automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity. The "hibernate mode" turns the computer off in a way that doesn't require you to reload everything when you switch it back on. Allowing your computer to hibernate saves energy and is more time-efficient than shutting down and restarting your computer from scratch. When you're done for the day, shut down.



Take Control of Temperature

Set your thermostat in winter to 68 degrees or less during the daytime, and 55 degrees before leaving for the night.

Use sunlight wisely. During the heating season, leave shades and blinds open on sunny days, but close them at night to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. Close shades and blinds during the summer or when the air conditioner is in use or will be in use later in the day.

Set the thermostat on your water heater between 120 and 130 degrees. Lower temperatures can save more energy, but you might run out of hot water or end up using extra electricity to boost the hot water temperature in your dishwasher.



Turn Out the Lights

Don't forget to flick the switch when you leave a room.

Remember this at the office, too. Turn out or dim the lights in unused conference rooms, and when you step out for lunch. Work by daylight when possible. A typical commercial building uses more energy for lighting than anything else.







About EnerWatch Systems



EnerWatch Systems is an industry leader in real-time, web-based energy management/monitoring and visualization that enables building managers to reduce energy costs. The company institutes a remote proprietary monitoring system that gauges utility usage, temperature, humidity, air quality and more of commercial and residential properties. Headquartered in Sterling Heights, Mich., EnerWatch Systems also maintains offices in Sarasota, Fla., and Europe. For more information, visit www.enerwatchsystems.com, or call 866.442.4703.