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A CONVENIENT TRUTH: ENERGY CONSERVATION STRATEGIES BENEFIT MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS
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-- In
the much-talked-about documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," former
Vice President Al Gore presents a wide array of information on the science of
global warming. In his attempt to draw attention to protecting the environment
from further damage, Gore provides several solutions to conserving energy as
the price of oil skyrockets across the country. As a result of the energy
crisis, multifamily property management companies have escalated their efforts
toward conserving energy.
Since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region and sent gas prices
soaring, several companies have accelerated deployment of energy conservation,
according to Rob deGrasse, senior vice president of technical standards for the
Apartment Investment Management Co. (AIMCO), which owns and operates
multifamily properties with nearly 1,370 communities throughout the country.
AIMCO, headquartered in Denver, has spearheaded an initiative to conserve
energy throughout their properties by installing the highest energy-efficient
equipment into its newest developments and existing buildings. "We're a
part of any activity that can reduce energy costs," deGrasse says.
"Our team will look at anything [related to] energy conservation—all of
the boiler replacements, roof replacements. We've achieved a significant
payback."
AIMCO has also launched an effort to educate property managers to identify
potential rebates from using energy conservation measures. Those strategies
could range from the installation of sensory devices to control the amount of
lighting to the implementation of a timer that limits the use of hot water.
"Energy conservation is an area of opportunity to bring AIMCO to a better
place," deGrasse says. "It's one of the next steps to be a corporate
leader." Cynthia Eichner, vice president, corporate communications at
AIMCO, adds, "It's as much about our conserving energy and being socially
responsible as saving costs."
In order to raise awareness, AIMCO has distributed brochures to its residents
with information on conserving energy. "We provided a message that we
wanted to be partners with our communities," Eichner says. "We have
to help change the behavior of individuals."
Mid-America Apartment Communities (MMA), a Memphis, Tenn.-based investor and
operator of multifamily properties, approaches energy conservation in two
steps. The first is to include energy-efficient products into the planning
phase of new developments, according to James Maclin, vice president/director
of corporate services for MMA. "We're a public company and we want to make
sure that the residents receive the most value for their dollar," Maclin
notes. "Utility costs are the highest growing [expenses] other than paying
rent. The less they pay on their utility bills, the more they can pay on upgrading
their amenities."
Serving properties in the Northeast, Southwest, South and Midwest, MMA utilizes
the benefits of HVAC units to control the heating and cooling of buildings in
any part of the country. The second measure is ensuring that residents take
responsibility for energy conservation by allowing them to pay the cost of
their individual utility expenses. Residents have been cutting down on their
usage after noticing how much they were paying, according to Maclin.
Winn Residential, a Boston-based operator of properties in the U.S., has also
offered its own innovative solutions to conserving heat, water, electricity and
gas, according to James Harger, vice president of maintenance at the company.
To save energy, Winn Residential has installed a tekmar Control Systems Inc.
sensor that regulates boiler operations based on outdoor air temperatures. The
company also utilizes high-efficiency boilers. As for electricity, Winn
Residential takes advantage of cogenerators, which recover wasted heat. Other
strategies to reduce the cost of heat include the use of R30 insulation for
walls and low-E glass windows, which can stop the loss of heat and block
ultraviolet light.
"One of the most important things is making a daily reading," Harger
adds. "Buildings have vital signs. We'll take its readings Monday through
Friday. Based on these findings, we'll decide whether we're heating or
overheating. If it's 40 degrees outside, it should be sending 100-degree water.
If it's sending 120-degree water, it increases our cost."
In recognition of its commitment to energy conservation, Winn recently received
$52,000 worth of grants to install photovoltaic panels to collect the sun's
energy from the roofs of two multifamily properties in Massachusetts.
"Over the past seven years, I got $250,000 in rebates from KeySpan Energy
for putting in energy-efficient equipment," Harger concludes. "The
incentives out there make it well worth it."
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