Are you a resident or landlord in a multi-family dwelling? Are you wondering about the value of eco investing?
Building and facilities management is a complicated enterprise that involves overseeing structural equipment as well as soft services like cleaning and landscaping. And it’s important to protect your real estate investment by finding low-cost energy-saving measures that will benefit everyone.
Here’s how you can boost your building’s value with energy-efficient programs.
Building Assessment
One of the easiest, and most affordable, ways to get your building greener is to get a no-cost home energy assessment. Take a look at which systems are consuming the most energy, and what other existing conditions may be having an impact on the building.
After that, you can begin taking a look at energy efficiency upgrades and improvements that can make your building more efficient and environmentally friendly.
Some local energy programs are funded by the energy efficiency charge on your gas and electric bills. They’ll provide no-cost or low-cost recommendations when it comes to your building’s cooling, heating, and water systems. These programs will also help you evaluate the energy efficiency of your lighting, insulation, and appliances.
Weatherstripping and Insulation
Some local energy efficiency companies will work with multifamily properties to provide weather stripping of doors, in unit air sealing, as well as wall and roof insulation. And they can do this at little or no cost to you.
Weatherstripping can seal leaks around the doors in your home. This will help reduce air leakage, which will also decrease the amount of money you’re spending on energy bills.
If you have too many air leaks, too much air can enter your home when the weather is cold or windy. During the warmer weather while you run your air conditioner, you could be losing the cold air you are paying to generate. Tightening your building’s envelope, as well as the individual units, can help reduce air infiltration and can have a positive impact on indoor air quality.
Similarly, these energy efficiency companies can upgrade the insulation in your home. This can protect against the cold in winter and add to the long-term health of your building. It can also protect you against the heat in the summer and keep your building quieter for your residents.
Free or low-cost insulation and weatherization services can go a long way toward protecting your investment and lowering your monthly costs.
Upgrading Lighting Fixtures
Many building owners and residents end up paying more for their utilities because of poorly designed lighting fixtures. They’re also wasting electrical energy.
Your local multifamily program can provide energy-efficient light bulbs with LED technology. These use only a fraction of the electricity in a traditional incandescent lightbulb. This will save you a noticeable amount of money on your electrical bills.
While energy-efficient bulbs are more expensive on the market, the initial up-front investment and decision to install high efficiency lighting will save you money over time because they’ll last longer. They’ll help reduce carbon emissions. .
Changing Power Strips
Power strips often waste energy through devices that remain plugged in while they aren’t in use.
Free or no-cost programs will install advanced power strips throughout your building. These can provide surge protection, which will guard your devices from any surges in electricity.
Advanced power strips can also help protect you against the energy waste that occurs when they’re turned off. You’ll see a decrease in your electrical bills before you know it.
The majority of advanced power strips also come with a lifetime warranty. This means you’ll never have to worry about cost when it comes time to replace them.
Replacing Leaky Faucets and Shower Heads
Leaky faucets and showerheads can cost you money each month. This cost will double or triple depending upon how many leaky outlets you have. It also wastes hundreds of gallons of water each year. Installing these faucets and showerheads can also reduce your energy bill; by reducing the amount of water that needs to be heated, you reduce the amount of energy needed to heat that water.
Low-cost programs can replace faucets and showerheads, saving you money on your monthly water and energy bills. It will also keep your family and residents much happier!
Programmable Thermostats
Many free programs will also install programmable thermostats. These can help you save money on your heating and cooling bills. They can also help you save energy and optimize your home’s HVAC system.
Programmable thermostats precisely control the systems in your home that use the most energy. These are, of course, your heating system and air conditioner. You can program your thermostat to remain at one temperature during the day, and another one at night.
Rebates for Energy-Efficient Systems
Many local programs will also provide you with generous rebates for installing more energy-efficient systems in your building, and some offer these upgrades at no cost.. These could include heating, cooling, and water heating equipment. Examples are high-efficiency heat pumps and hot water heaters.
Upgrading your HVAC systems can help you save energy, as well as lead to savings in your utility bills. In addition, it will improve air quality for both your family and residents.
Energy Efficiency for Smart Building Management
One of the best ways to improve building management is to make sure you’ve energy-efficient measures in place. These can save you a great deal of money and energy in the long run. And with free and low-cost systems available, it may be the smartest decision you can make!
Don’t stop improving your building now. For more information on free upgrades for multifamily dwellings, contact us today.