Efficiency for Renters/Lease Holders
Why Bother?
- Better building performance directly improves your bottom line
- Lowers utility bills
- Decreases environmental footprint
- Creates a healthier work environment
- Improves employee retention
Foundational Questions
- Do you pay your own utility bills?
- Is your landlord engaged/approachable?
- How long do you plan on staying in current location?
- What are your lease terms?
Efficiency First!
- Get a free energy audit from your utility
- Learn where and how you use energy in your building, where to focus for most cost-effective opportunities for savings.
- Identify efficiency opportunities
- Prioritize based on upfront costs, savings, ROI, available rebates, ease of implementation.
Engage Your Landlord
- Increases lease value of property
- Lowers risk
- Reduces maintenance costs
- Tenants account for 70% of energy used in commercial, retail, and industrial buildings.
No/Low Cost Upgrades
- Behavior Changes! Easy and free
- Turn off lights and equipment when not in use
- Set thermostat at 78 degrees or higher in summer and 66 degrees or lower in winter
- Don't heat or cool and empty building
- Install a programable thermostat
- Avoid using space heaters
- Close blinds in summer to keep out heat; open in winter for passive heat gain during the day and close at night to keep out the cold
- Switch most-used light fixtures to efficient LED lighting
- Use task lighting
- Install dimmer switches/motion sensors
- Power strips/phantom power
- Use energy/power management settings
- Energy/water benchmarking
- Portfolio Manager
- Weatherization, air sealing
- Perform routine maintenance
- Turn down water heater to 120 degrees
- Insulate hot water tank and pipes
- Reduce outdoor water use
- Water between 4 a.m. - 8 a.m. max 3 days/wk
- Fix water leaks
- Install aerators and low-flow fixtures
- Add mulch around trees/plants
- Water by hand and use a shutoff nozzle
- Plant drought tolerant, native plants to minimize water and fertilizer use
Moderate Cost Upgrades
- Purchase Energy Star equipment
- Add windom film to block out solar heat gain or install insulating shades
- Replace old toilets with WaterSense labeled toilets
- Consider an Energy Star on-demand hot water heater
Investment-Level Upgrades
- Solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, other renewables
- Upgrade HVAC system to high efficiency unit
- Install additional insulation
- Install new high efficiency windows/doors
- Install EV charging stations
Resources
- Funding/resources module!
- Portfolio Manager
- Energy Star
- NREL Energy Savings for Small Businesses
- American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
- American Sustainable Business Council
Presentation created by Heather Higinbotham Davies
Heather.Higinbotham@gmail.com (406) 600-6617
Download the presentation (powerpoint .pdf)