ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Common Areas/Buildings
- Collect your data: electricity, gas, water. Understand your past energy use history. Determine a scope of potential improvements.
- Get a whole-building energy audit by a qualified firm that has tackled multifamily housing before.
- Get pricing for a capital improvement package. Try not to just grab low-hanging opportunities. Do you have enough in capital reserves for a package of cost-effective energy investments? If so, sell the numbers to your membership.
- Energy-saving performance contracting (ESCO) is an alternative financing option.
- For Bulk Purchases, check out the Quantity Quotes web site for bulk pricing on light bulbs, light fixtures, clothes washers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, refrigerators, or room air conditioners.
- Move from master metering to individual metering? Studies have shown that changing from one meter for an entire building to individual unit meters can cut household energy use 10%-50%.
Individual Unit Owners
- Have heating/cooling equipment serviced on a seasonal basis for preventive maintenance, optimal operation and safety checks.
- Choose Energy Star for heating and cooling equipment, major appliances and lighting.
- Unplug energy vampires. All those little chargers and electronic devices that respond to a remote control draw charge even when they are not in use. Plug them into a power strip and turn it off when they are not being used.
- Get an energy audit - an energy audit is an assessment of your homes insulation, heating/cooling equipment, and overall “building envelope” can help you figure out what improvements to make first.
- Seal and insulate - air leaks around windows and doors can waste a lot of energy.
For additional information on how to make your condo green, contact…..
Jeff Wu
Century 21, New Millenium
571-248-1110
240-994-7938
Jeff@AgentKnowsHomes.com
www.AgentKnowsHomes.com
