Procurement & Energy Risk
September 19, 2017
NYC to Mandate Energy Efficiency Upgrades; Penalties of $2 per Foot for Non-Compliance
Last Thursday, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced new mandates to force building owners to implement retrofits and energy efficiency upgrades by 2030, or face annual penalties up to $2 per foot, the first such mandate in the country. Under…
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Utilities Expense & Data Management
August 29, 2017
Recycling Sewer Water to Save Energy and Money
Recycling sewer water does not sound appealing; however, it is already used around the world for heat, air conditioning, and even drinking water. When the American Geophysical Union decided to renovate its headquarters in Washington DC with a goal of…
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Procurement & Energy Risk
August 16, 2017
NYISO Contemplates Carbon Pricing – How Much Will Rates Increase?
New York State’s goals are to reduce economy-wide (not just electricity sector) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 40% from 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% by 2050. Over the past year, the implementation of TOTS, CES, and ZECs, as well as…
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Benchmarking & Sustainability Reporting
August 8, 2017
ENERGY STAR Updates Coming: Will Your Score Decrease?
Current ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager scores are based on comparing your property against the 2003 CBECS (Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey). The latest version, 2012 CBECS, is currently under review with the EPA, and Portfolio Manager is expected to be…
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Utilities Expense & Data Management
August 7, 2017
SaaS for Energy Management; Key Features to Look For
Because of growing pressure, both nationally and internationally, on businesses to become more sustainable, energy management is more important than ever. Agreements like COP21 (the Paris Agreement) and the Climate Coalition are helping to bring down emissions while forcing businesses…
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Budgeting
August 3, 2017
Budgeting is Easy – Explaining Variances Isn’t!
Summer signals the onset of 2018 budget preparation. Each year, those of us responsible for utilities and energy budgeting ponder how to project the costs for one of the top three portfolio expenses. Gone are the days of taking last…
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Utilities Expense & Data Management
August 1, 2017
Increase in Electric Powered Vehicles, How Will The Grid Respond?
Electric Vehicle (EV) technology has improved considerably over the past few years. Electric powered vehicles in the US have grown at a 32% compound annual growth rate over the past four years and “as of February 2017, more than 580,000…
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Benchmarking & Sustainability Reporting
July 18, 2017
ENERGY STAR Benchmarking
40% of U.S. commercial buildings are already benchmarked in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, making it the industry leading benchmarking tool. The old adage “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” rings true, and an ENERGY STAR certification will help you…
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Utilities Expense & Data Management
July 12, 2017
What Causes Natural Gas Price Fluctuations?
Anyone who follows energy prices knows first-hand how volatile natural gas prices can be. Since March 2016, prices have fluctuated from a low of $1.639/MMBtu on 3/3/16 to a high of $3.93/MMBtu on 12/28/16, a swing of $2.291 or 140%…
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