Commercial Applications

The commercial world involves two principal types of property: office space and retail space.

The energy consumption of office space can vary tremendously from location to location. For example, if the office space is being used as a computer room, the energy consumption will be extremely high on a square footage basis. If the office space is a private office and the person travels a lot, the energy consumption will be extremely low.

The same conditions are true for retail spaces. Some stores consume very little energy whereas others consume large amounts for lighting, cooking, and/or refrigeration. Everyone has felt the heat from lighting in some stores while the store next door is cool as you walk into the premises.

When your tenants' energy use is not metered, the desire to conserve is limited. EnergyChaser's detailed reports show how much energy an occupied space is using. If the retail managers see the effects their actions have on energy consumption (their bill!), they will make sure they adjust their operations and instruct their people accordingly. If they do not make adjustments, they will fittingly pay more than other tenants, but at least they will have the tools to conserve if the desire exists.

Air conditioning costs in commercial properties have traditionally been difficult to meter on a fair basis in shared space or with shared ventilation equipment. However, using an EnergyChaser system, you could allocate an air conditioning surcharge based on the electrical energy usage. There is a tight relationship between the electrical energy you put into a space and the energy you need to remove excess heat. Electricity used by tenants for computers and lighting, combined with the square footage of the space, primarily determines the amount of air conditioning required.

With an EnergyChaser system, the tenants that consume the most energy pay the most. This keeps your advertised lease rates to a minimum.

Commercial owners today are also especially interested in energy conservation initiatives. There are three basic high-level methods of achieving energy conservation goals: physical plant operations and procedures, physical plant equipment replacement, and occupant behavior modifications. Applying EnergyChaser supports all of these methods.

The first energy conservation goal is ensuring that all the physical plant equipment is operating efficiently. This requires EnergyChaser system monitoring to ensure that the baseline energy consumption matches, as close as possible, the actual energy consumed by the equipment. This means optimally adjusting operating schedules and equipment loading to ensure the most efficient operations.

Click the SAVINGS button for an example of how many energy dollars can be saved with a single 5 horsepower motor.

The second method, physical plant replacement, requires close EnergyChaser report monitoring to ensure savings are optimally achieved. For example, if the equipment is changed but operating procedures have not been modified, you may not be achieving the best savings possible. This method could also involve performance contract monitoring.

Traditionally, the third and most difficult goal to achieve was occupant behavior modification. However, behavior modification is not difficult to achieve with an EnergyChaser system in place. Two things need to be in place to change behavior. The first is a system that accurately and fairly charges the energy consumer for the actual energy use. The second is to provide the consumer with some tools to modify their behavior and their organization's energy use. Traditional utility bills have provided limited tools to manage and reduce energy consumption. EnergyChaser provides attractive reports with the tools to reduce and conserve energy.

Many facilities have special reporting requirements. Contact us to investigate custom reports needed for your special application.