Green Tips, Tricks & Facts:The Hidden Benefits of Energy Conservation

To start off our Green Tips, Tricks & Facts segment of our blog we'd like to share with you a great article passed along to us from our friends over at Avista Utilities. The article explores the hidden benefits of energy conservation. We think it's definitely worth reading.

The Hidden Benefits of Energy Conservation

Source: www.sxc.hu

Key Points

• Energy savings alone may result in a long payback, making costly efficiency upgrades a tough sell.
• Efficiency projects have a number of additional benefits that make them more attractive.
• Hidden benefits include longer equipment life, improved productivity, and reduced maintenance costs.

While energy-efficiency improvements are a great way to lower utility bills, costly upgrades with a long payback period can be a tough sell to the financial decision makers in your organization. To convince skeptical executives, it may be necessary to look beyond energy costs and savings. The truth is that energy projects can impact your bottom line in a number of ways; longer equipment life, reduced maintenance costs, improved productivity, and enhanced public image. By emphasizing these hidden benefits, you can make a stronger case for long-term investments in energy efficiency.
Extended equipment life. All equipment has a rated operating life. This rating is based on an average number of operating hours per year. In addition to saving on energy costs, turning things down, and turning things off will extend the useful life of the equipment. Other conservation measures will have a positive impact on equipment life as well. Lowering the pressure on air compressors, for example, will save energy by reducing the amount of air lost to leakage. It will also extend the life of the compressor by reducing wear and tear on the motor.
Reduced maintenance costs. Energy-efficiency retrofits can help to reduce maintenance costs. For example, the latest T8 light fixtures have a lifetime rating of 30,000 hours compared to 20,000 hours or less for T12 fixtures. In a large facility, this can significantly reduce the time that maintenance staff spends changing out lamps or replacing fixtures. In a specific instance, the Rosen Hotel and Resort in Orlando, Florida, was plagued with maintenance calls for noisy and malfunctioning ventilation fans. They replaced the older fans with new, ENERGY STAR-certified models. While the hotel cut energy costs by $26,000 per year, the quiet and reliable fans also saved thousands of dollars in reduced maintenance time and repair.
Improved productivity. Energy-saving upgrades, such as daylighting and advanced air-filtration systems, also help to improve overall work atmosphere and indoor air quality. These have been shown to increase worker productivity and reduce absenteeism. In a 2009 survey of employers who moved operations into green buildings, more than half reported an increase in productivity while 45% saw a decrease in absenteeism. Of those reporting a change, there was an average of three fewer sick days per employee and a 5% increase in overall productivity. (Miller, 2009)
Reduced risk from energy price fluctuations. Energy is a commodity. Like any commodity, energy prices can vary. Energy prices often change based on supply issues or seasonal demand. When energy becomes a smaller part of the operational budget, the organization is less vulnerable to price spikes in key energy resources, such as electricity and natural gas.
Enhanced public image and value. Green is in. Consumers want to buy environmentally friendly products and talented employees want to work for green organizations. The consuming public, as well as environmental regulators, are interested in conserving resources and reducing harmful emissions. By using energy efficiently and reducing your carbon footprint, your organization will stand out. A 2011 Harris poll found that nearly 70% of those surveyed prefer to work in a facility that has been certified by a third-party organization, such as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). A 2011 building market report found that green-labeled buildings command a rent premium of between 3% and 6%; in addition, the green properties that sold during the same period sold for a premium of 11% to 19%. (Watson 2011)
For more information about managing an energy program, see Best Practices in Energy Management. For specific energy conservation ideas tailored to your facility, see the Commercial or Industrial Energy Efficiency Recommendations.

References

Miller, Norm G. "Green Buildings and Productivity." Journal of Sustainable Real Estate. Volume 1 Number 1, 2009
Watson, Rob. "Green Building Market and Impact Report 2011." GreenBiz Group. November 2011.

Welcome & Happy First Day of Summer

Hello and welcome to the first post on Pro Mechanical's Blog!!

I'm sure many of you might be scratching your head right now and wondering why in the world would a Mechanical Contractor have a blog? Ponder no more as I am here to tell you!

For the past 26 years Pro Mechanical Services has helped to shape and grow the Spokane Community - a fact we're very proud of! We love the Spokane Community and we look forward to helping Spokane expand for many years to come. Our blog will showcase several of our customers, offer tips, tricks and facts about saving energy, allow you an inside look at what it's like to be a Mechanical Contractor on a job site, and will give you a better understanding of who we are and our company culture.

Now that you know what our blog is about, I'd like to introduce you to myself.
My name is Meghan Bowman and I am the Marketing Coordinator for Pro Mechanical Services. I am a graduate of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University...Go Cougs! How did I end up here you ask? Well I actually started working for Pro Mechanical Services back when I was in High School, when Pro Mechanical was known as Pro Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. After graduating from WSU in the spring of 2010, I was presented with the opportunity to come back to Pro to take on their Marketing. It was too good of an opportunity to turn down, so here I am! When I am not in the office you can find me at Priest Lake in the summer, curled up by a fireplace reading in the winter, and in the stands of Martin Stadium cheering on my beloved Cougs in the fall. I also enjoy a good cup of coffee, traveling, watching sports, being outdoors, music from the 80's, baking and spending time with my friends and family, especially the most recent addition to the family: my adorable nephew Rylan.

Kristin (Left) Meghan (Right)

Now that you know a little bit about me I'd like to introduce you to my cohort Mrs. Kristin Vanos. 
In October of 2010, Jon Vanos along with his wife, Kristin, purchased Pro Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. and Kristin came on board as our Public Relations Coordinator. After attending the University of Washington for a year, Kristin decided it just wasn't a good fit for her and returned to Spokane where she pursued a degree in Business Administration & Management from Spokane Falls Community College. Many of you may recognize Kristin from Downriver Grill where she was the Assistant General Manager for several years before leaving to be a stay at home mommy with her precious little girl Rylee. Firmly believing in giving back to the community she grew up in, Kristin volunteers for Meals on Wheels and Organized Pro Mechanical's Toys for Tots drive this past Christmas. She also supports the YWCA, St. Charles Catholic School, Make A Wish Foundation and The Ronald McDonald House. 
When she is not in the office Kristin enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, taking in a cougar game (although she claims to be a Husky at heart), entertaining, and spending time with her family and friends.

Together we will be keeping you up to date on all the latest and greatest happenings here at Pro Mechanical!

P.S. Here's a little sneak peek into our office life :)

The First Day of Summer has arrived and Kristin and myself couldn't help but spread our excitement to the rest of the office! 

Even Duke got into the action!

Pink Flamingos brightened up our Plan Table

We brought the beach to work :)